While I'm new back in playing with the Android OS, I spent a ton of time modifying my iPhone when I had it, creating custom icons, wallpapers, overlays, etc.
What I've noticed recently is that most of the icons in the Android OS really don't have much synergy in their designs. Every widget maker has something a little different in what they see as their own design, but they often times don't make all of the widgets that I would like, and I'm stuck with a hodgepodge of different looking icons and widgets cluttering my screen.
I'm curious if there is a somewhat easy way to modify the graphics files of these widgets so that I can create a very clean theme. To give you an idea of what I would enjoy creating, I'll attach a before/after picture of some modified icons that I was using on the iPhone. While they retain the color schemes for the most part, I felt like I was able to make everything feel a bit more cohesive in a theme, and I would love to continue that trend on my Hero.
So the eternal question.... can it be done? And if so, is it something a mere noob back to the Android OS can make happen?
it is actually pretty easy, i will explain as good as i can. there are some drawbacks:
you need to resign the apk. there is testkey available at this forum, and i think you can generate your own with the sdk (not sure if and how). but after resigning the apps are signed with the testkey, not the developers key. i do not really understand what that means, but it was a hint i read somewhere...
i am not sure whether the apps will be flagged by the market as "update available", but i don't think so because they won't appear in your downloads list, since you have to install them "manually".
that is AFAIK all for the cons, here's the how:
1. extract the .apk, rename to .zip if necessary.
2. find the image you want to be replaced, should be somewhere in [extracted folder]/res/drawable/
3. edit the image to your needs and save it.
4. re-zip the contents of the folder (including the not changed elements of course) to whatever.zip
5. rename whatever.zip to whatever.apk
6. sign whatever.apk
as for signing, here is how to do:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=551711&highlight=howto
the process for apps is basically the same as for update.zips, just don't use with recovery image but filemanager to install as regular app...
i think there is a theme howto out there on this forum, maybe that helps too.
kendong2 explains it well .... it is easy when it all clicks into place check my siignature for more help
Related
I installed Smorg v1.4 (full version with ROM) on my phone. Also downloaded the extra icons to have everything match. I was just wondering how you are supposed to install them the correct way. I found if I extract them and place them where ever, I can use them in better cut. I don't like it however that better cut will pull up all my other pictures as well. A while back I downloaded the aero icon pack from the market, I was just wondering if I took the .zip file with the icons and changed it to .apk can I anstall them that way (I really don't think that will work)?
Basically what is the correct way to install the icons (I want them to appear in the icon pack using better cut)?
Try the search.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=471195
That really doesn't help. I don't want to pull apart my ROM, replace the png files, resign, and update.
All I want is to use the icons posted with the Smorg v1.4 ROM using bettercut. I wanted them to come up in the icon pack, so I wouldn't have to filter out all the other nonsense pictures that take forever to upload anyway.
Take the time to either read my post, or read the post you suggested, before you post "try the search"
(for the record, I did search. I don't think it turned out too well as it would take forever to go through every topic that came up, especially when most of them don't seem to apply, they just match certain key words)
Anybody have some answers that are useful?
I'm not sure how he has them packaged (at work, can't download) but look inside the zip to see if he zipped apk file (if you see only one file inside the zip named something.apk then he zipped it and you will need to unzip using winrar, zip7 or something like that) or if he renamed it to zip (if you see number of files inluding pics, and folders and xml etc etc then you will need to rename it to apk). From there, just install it like you would any file and use it in bettercut.
Alternative way: I've notice there's Smorg icon pack in the market... download and install that, should be the same thing
Good luck, please add [SOLVED] to the title if it works out for you.
Thank you so much, I swear I searched the market for icon packs to advoid all of this. That is exactly what I was looking for. It just makes it so easy to change the icons through bettercut without browsing through every single picture on my phone.
I want to make a thread for both those that are already Dev'in themes, and those that want to start, can trade info and techniques. For example:
(Program)
Photoshop Editor:
Then a description of a given process...
Etc.
I know that there are How To's, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=471586 but I'd like a more direct, and detail orientated place to discuss the specifics. I've tried a few attempts myself and found that some programs work, some don't. Plus, since the prices of some of these programs are as high as $600, and the fact that there are thousands of web-based programs, it'd would be nice to see what works best for who, and how.
Hopefully, this will turn into a good resource, and we'll soon have a forum full of the most excellent themes.
MODS: Let me know if I'm outta bounds and I'll fix. This is my first time makin a thread so it ain't all that.
To Do:
*search and post Theme Developement info for Windows, Linux, and Mac
These are links to useful threads related to different parts of theme developement...
Key Files Chart:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=r_ua-t_U23ci5_oxwQ4mGrg
Creating your boot animation:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=527200
Progress circle style/color editing:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=540830
Editing .XML's:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=479019
How to use baksmali/smali:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=537779
General Theme Developement:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467639
Using DrawPatch-9:
http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/draw9patch.html
Signing made easy:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=473580
photoshop is my primary weapon of choice but I've also found that for minor edits like color changes touchups transparency changes and resizes photoscape and fotoflexer work pretty well especially when I'm at work and decide to mess around because I can't install photoshop on my work computer due to administrator locks I just downloaded photoscape and installed to the documents folder and fotoflexer is an online image editor and both are free
Okay... here is something very usefull...
You know those pesky indexed files right? they corrupt if you open them in photoshop?... I figured out how to remove the indexing... first you need to download and install Paint.NET off of the web... and then install(of course)... and then open any indexed file in Paint.NET... then save it... and it will be un-indexed... ... this will be very usefull for lots of people... cuz it is for me!
I like paint.Net myself. Its free and if you load the plugins available you can get a lot done quickly and easily.
Best tip is to make sure you save stuff in layers so that if you only need to edit part of an image you can.
Another tip is after you finish your edits you can expand the canvas on all sides by 1 pixel then use solid black for doing the .9 marks. Once done you can dump your files right into the latest eclipse and draw9 isn't even needed which saves a lot of time.
Also 7-zip is just amazing. You can use the file manager to move files between zip files and apk and even jar files without unpacking or packing over and over.
I agree with beagz 7zip is a must it makes it a hell of a lot easier when porting your themes for new builds another life saver is the android sdk lot s of useful information in there and eclipse for compiling .9 images which there are samples of in the android sdk to show you how to do the guides properly like beagz was talkin about in his previous post because if you mess one of those your phone can end up totally screwed
This is easy
Apps
.zip/.apk management: 7-zip (the most important part of theme development)
image manipulation: GIMP
Software
sign/resign files: Java JDK
.9.png editing: Eclipse to compile the apk
Pre-reqs
ADB working properly through the command prompt
Applications that make theming possible for Jonnybueno
I use Photoshop for images. Hue and Saturation(ctrl+u) is my best friend for changing the color of stuffs. For hex editing, I use HXD, outlined in this thread by Stericson: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=479019.
For signing, I use Stericson's Autosign.bat. If you don't know, you can double click on this to pull up the command prompt rather than launching the command line and then typing "autosign". Also, you can copy the file path by right clicking while holding the shift button on Vista.
And finally, for notification text, I use Ohsaka's colorChange.jar. Along with this really simple batch file.
White text:http://sharebee.com/b6b43290
Which is just one line(that I'm too lazy to type everytime I update)
Code:
java -jar colorChange.jar theme.zip ticker=FFFFFFFF clock=FFFFFFFF date=FFFFFFFF ongoing=FFFFFFFF latest=FFFFFFFF clear=FF000000 network=FFFFFFFF roam=FFFFFFFF
Resources
For viewing source to reference those xml files, I use these sites
Cyanogen source:http://github.com/cyanogen
Android reference (stock): http://developer.android.com/reference/android/R.attr.html
And then this website for finding just the right RGB codes: http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html
Tips
I've learned that it is totally possible to rotate .9.png files using windows without having to redraw them and that images don't have to be the original size. There is a limit to how big you can go... but i have no idea what that limit is.
Oh and for different colored(other than black) notification text for downloads, edit the only xml file in DownloadProvider.apk/res/layout. For example, 0800001C 000000FF becomes 0800001C FFFFFFFF. In case you're confused, whats happening is that you're changing an ARGB code (which is backwards, so you're looking at BGRA... see stericson's thread please) from black (000000FF) to white (FFFFFFFF).
Working from Linux (Ubuntu) I've found File Roller to work as nice and easy as 7zip in Windows for working with zip/jar/apk.
GIMP is my gfx editor of choice in both worlds. Glad I discovered you don't need draw9patch to put the .9 guides in - draw9patch is a pain to use!
In Windows I use XVI32 a hex editor, ghex in Linux.
testsign.jar is all you need to sign - very simple from command line in both Linux and Windows
/Mats
I use Adobe fireworks for image editing a little easier then photoshop and has styles for lazy ppl like me and winrar full version for managing the apk's and zips and png crush setup to right click and crush pngs for compression if your update is too big.
I know this thread has been dead for a while but I see new phones linking to it as a resource for themeing, so I wanted to let you know that I have compiled a huge amount of information into one guide, see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=667951 for detalis
As a side note: you might want to note the fact that my tutorial for changing/creating boot animations is for pre-2.1 builds (unless someone really decides they want a pre-2.1 boot animation on their phone, of course). I havent got around to updating the boot animation tutorial for 2.1+, cause thats going to be a looooong post.
Just wondering how to theme on the Hero. I know the rough idea from my small amount of experience with Winterboard. Indicate folder/app with and then have images to replace UI elements.
However I don't know how to work a .THM file or if anything special needs to be done to the zip file.. I tried to edit a theme once and it wouldn't load on MM so something was wrong..
Is there any guide?
Also: there is an app available for iPhone OS that gives you all the UI elements in a list and has an image to indicate where it's found on the phone, you can then edit it and it will change on the image so you have a preview of your theme without saving or applying it... Anything like this available or in the works?
essentially the .thm needs to be exactly the same filename as the .zip
Also, if you open the .thm with Notepad for example, you will see the format you need to keep.
If you modify someones theme, remember if you delete an apk (dir) then you need to delete the relevant lines in the .thm. Same goes for if you are adding apk's too. You need to add the lines, so it is installed to the correct location.
You do not need to do anything specific with the .zip.... This is the beauty of MM. It does the complicated bits for us.
To be brutally honest, i dont find MM very reliable (having made a very full theme). People report all kinds of crazy issues caused by MM.
There is a VERY good guide in this forum....Google 'xda metamorph theme' that will lead you to it.
Also, there is no apps like the one you mention for the iPhone.
Enjoy
Either I'm really blind or Just haven't searched hard enough.
Is there any software for creating themes for android phones ... more specifically my Desire HD?? - Preferably MAC?
This is my first android phone and I've come from a Nokia background ... they had a program dedicated to themeing/skinning the Symbian platform - just wondering if android has the same?
I've read about people extracting .apk's and editing png's inside of this ... then re-signing etc. This cant be the only way as its VERY long winded. Can't believe that there isnt software out there that has the Android UI elements that you can skin up?
Sorry if i've completely missed the post or guide if there is one!
you get photoshop make the assets then replace the ones from the apk for the program you want to change. that is one method and works for changing things like the widget backgrounds
then custom launcher can be customised ie dock and icons and then programs like bettercut can be used to use images in place of icons for programs ect.....
if you edit an apk tho you will have to resign it inorder to install it on your phone
Hi,
I just started a new project.
It's a little piece of software that can be used to easily interchange image files in framework-res.apk and other files. Currently it's just a proof of concept. The software is able to pull the files from phone, extract them, exchange the statusbar (just for my phone right now) and push it all back to the phone.
I first wanted to make it wysiwyg... But that won't work because the devices are too different after all. And I still have to find a way to deal with odex'd files.
However, I think it will be one of the more comfortable ways to exchange resource files.
To check it out or for feature requests and stuff look at https://sourceforge.net/projects/droidthemetool/
Hope you are interested...
Not sure if I am gonna use it myself! Apart from replacing my notification bar with a black one.
Cool, would love to see something easier to mod / customize the status bar. I gather you would have to be rooted for this?
Yes you have to be root. It is necessary to remount the system partition writable and replace the resource files.