Database Develop

Need to get started

hey peeps,
i've had my HD2 now for a week and well i'm getting itchy to customise some of the ui. well i've got some ideas for a full on theme, and the taskbar at the moment.
however i've googled myself close to death trying to find how to edit the files.
first i can't see how to assemble and disassemble CAB files, and probably DLL's aswell.
and where do i find the originals on the phone itself? Taskbar Icons?
I've downloaded the /Windows directory and found Lockscene buttons, and icons for different bits, but as i said above i have no idea how to assemble an CAB out of my edited files, and not just do an overwrite.
Im sure some people are reading this as a user who hasn't a clue as to what there doing but tbh this is the first WinMo phone i've had in probably 5 years, so i've forgotten most of what i know, but i'd really like to have a crack at making my own experience/community release.
One problem i've had is Total Commander can't see my phone, do i need to have total commander on both the PC and the Phone? or should it just see the phone? as i said i'm a little lost.
So if you can help me, i'll really appreciate the help
Many Thanks,
Luke.

come on guys, is this the secret society of something. either no one knows or you just cant be bothered. surely supporting a fellow modder isn't a hardship.?

Come on, I was able to figure everything out myself as well (or search!).
For editing CABs, the best way is to use WinCe CAB Manager. For DLLs and EXEs, you can use ResHack, Resource Tuner or the like... just search.
Then, take any theme you like, extract the files with a CAB and modify the grapics... Yes, you can !

thanks dude,
i've tried searching, but if you don't know what to search for your screwed.
now i've got a few apps listed i can look em up. Massive Thanks to you
Regards,
Luke.

ok well i just had a look at Brians V6 Taskbar Cab.
tbh I can see what needs to be done but it's not very simple. I've been iPhone themeing the past few years and it was no where near as confusing as this. tbh i think i'll leave it alone on second thought.
I thought it would be a case of redesign the images and bundling them into a cab for deployment, not registry entries, and random coding which to me meant nothing.
I think i'll stick to my overwriting files upposed to CABS. and hope some things i want turn up.

Well, you don't need to change any registry keys. Just put your graphics in a CAB and you're done .

ok maybe i'll have another go i guess.

How to go about modding the on screen keyboard?

Ok so I have been searching the forums and I cannot find an exact answer for what I want to change so if this is a problem that had already been solved, please direct me to the thread.
I just recently dl'd the chm binary release and like it. But the on screen keyboard is hard on my eyes.
So my question is how would I go about replacing it with something like, o say the buuf on screen keyboard instead?
HTC_IME is not what I want just to clarify.
And once again, I apologize if this has already been threaded...

There is no way that none of you know this...

philosophics said:
There is no way that none of you know this...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We could help you, but it is a 3rd party keyboard. What keyboard is it?

I'm not really sure. After installing the HTC_IME, I now have 2. Htc keyboard and android keyboard. If I knew how to take a screenie, I would but I don't.
As far as I know, its the on screen keyboard I've had since I rooted...
The keyboard that comes with chm binary is what I want to change...

well, I know how to modify the look of the builtin keyboard, but I haven't messed with 3rd party stuff.
The stock keyboard can be changed by theming. They're just png files, although the .9.pngs make it a little bit more complicated.

Well I kinda figured as much but what I'm really trying to ask is where do I find them?

They're in framework-res.apk on the phone. If you extract this file they'll be under res/drawable/
The filenames are btn_keyboard*.png
By using metamorph or creating an update.zip style theme you can change these and apply a theme to the phone. Theming is a real pain, but I think it's worth learning how to do.

Ya, I have already pieced together a blackbar to my liking so I'm well aware of the hassles it is to do. I'll be learning the .9's as soon as I get my pc parts back from rma and then I'll try to put out a skin.
Thanks bud, I'll look into this tomorrow after I've slept...

If you want to do this easily, download the buff keyboard skin for better keyboard, and take the .9.pngs from there.

Wow! Now that should have been said at the very beginning. Good thing I was too busy today to get to that. Cloverdale, you just saved me a few hours of frustration. still though, I thank the both of you for the help. I will update the thread when I have success so everyone knows its solved!
Ps- anyone else try to read the forums on your phone? Its a little tricky...
Sorry for the off topic comment but I felt the need...

ok so I couldn't really find a way to download the better keyboard/buuf theme on the pc so I went and tried swapping the btn-keyboard---'s and noting happened after add.
So now I'm on the hunt for the better keyboard dl
I don't know where to look for the file when dl'ing to phone so if all else fails, I guess I could dl to phone and then search for it by folder by painstaking folder...
Update - I cannot for the life of me find the file on the web or on the phone. I dl'd from marketplace but I must not be very smart cause I don't know where marketplace stores stuff...
Downloading the better keyboard theme was supposed to save me grief but in fact, it did the exact opposite...
Update - Well I thought by removing the btn_keyboard_key.xml would solve my problem considering the BUUF skin does not contain one. Same nasty black and blue keyboard. All the buuf keyboard .--- are there so I'm confused once again.
I do not want to install another pay-for app and I don't want the entire buuf theme as of now so I will wait till later today after sleep and try again.
Unless someone knows exactly what's wrong. I'm doing everything I can to keep this 3 month old drywall from having holes in it...
I thought the black bar mod was hard to do... hahaha! That was a cake walk compared to this...
Update - Removing the xml's to the keyboard was a bad idea. It forced closed the android keyboard cause it wanted to change the language to latin or something like that. Touch Input keyboard (HTC_IME) will still work though and I made backups so all of this is just a learning experience for me.
...This is so not like modding and skinning a moto. Way more complicated. So much can go wrong.
Which reminds me, how do I view the .xml's with win7? Never done it before...

So does anyone have any other ideas? Maybe there's something I've been missing this whole time?
I have replaced the btn_keyboard--- files in the framework-res.apk like I was told to do and there is no effects... at all. Positive or negative...

philosophics said:
So does anyone have any other ideas? Maybe there's something I've been missing this whole time?
I have replaced the btn_keyboard--- files in the framework-res.apk like I was told to do and there is no effects... at all. Positive or negative...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the only other place I can think of is the LatinIME.apk, but I'm not sure about that one

You know, that almost makes sense cause when I removed the .xml for the keyboard to make it match with buuf, the phone kept screaming at me about ..... latin something. So I will check this out and let you know.
But now I have a new problem. I think I need to remove a few applications cause my phone keeps force closing everything after reboot due to an update.zip file. So once I conquor this then I'll start working on the original problem...

com.htc.resource.apk issues...

hey, i've been screwing around pulling .apks from /system/app + /framework...and pretending i'm some hardcore themer or something...lol anyway...
firstly sorry for my lack of correct terminology...i only learnt how to use adb properly a few days ago and am very green when it comes to all this stuff.
i've managed to pull some pngs from com.htc.resource.apk which correspond to the main part of the sense/rosie interface (ie the buttons at the bottom of the home screen).
All i have been looking at doing is editing the colours of these pngs to add slight customisation..for now.
After editing i pushed com.htc.resource.apk back to my hero and hey presto it worked...nice new coloured interface (just the bottom of the homescreen, not everything like i've seen in some themers work and metamorph themes) but alas i came across a MASSIVE issue:
I lost the ability to sign into my google account and sync my contacts!!!!
I tried again and had the same issue...very strange i thought seen as i was only editing images...but i know computer systems can be temperamental...
so does anyone know what i'm doing wrong? possibly how i can fix this issue? it's been bugging me for at least 24 hrs and i'm sure there must be some easy fix. at first i thought it could be something to do with signing the files, but as far as i'm aware as i'm only playing with pngs no signing has to be done...correct me if i'm wrong.
I'm using villain rom 10.3 at the moment...if that makes a difference to whatever answers i'm hoping to get.
I've attached an image oh my status bar so far. i'm hoping to make a corresponding rosie/sense button thingy interface in the near future...
all help is GREATLY appreciated and i'm happy to share any "work" that i've done with anyone..so don't be shy.
Cheers

hey bro! i was playing around with the htc.com.resources.apk too! was trying to edit the lockscreen to a different style but too encounter the exact same problems as you faced!
apparently this guy, odin13 in his post
"clear sense lockscreen for Cronos 1.7.1"
managed to edit the htc.com.resources.apk without any facing any problems like us. im actually using his edited htc.com.resources.apk for clear lockscreen right now..

Cheers for the reply, bit of a flummoxing problem. I'll try an find odin and see if he can help!
Please anyone else feel free to help me here :-D

Hi guys,
Sorry for my late response but i just noticed the msg i got...
I'm really sorry but i really can't help you with this problem.
You should better ask it in the Villain forum since i'm no developer or some like that.
The boyz at Villain will definately be able to help you out with this or at least they can tell you what's going wrong.
The 'trick' with lockscreen is something i read once in a post ( can't remember which forum though ) so it's not even something i will take credit for.
Good luck bro and srry again for the late response!
hoi,
odin

Hey thanks for getting back to me man, greatly appreciated. Those boys at villain did solve it, i think it was a combination of pulsar & ultimately shen who sorted me out.
For stuff like the lockscreen and sense interface you need to create an update signed zip file and flash that way. no more loss of contacts which is great!
Happy days!

[Q] Theming and mod help... noob 20 questions? :)

I know I'm probably going to get the 4th degree here, but I'm at that point where my brain is jammed and its killing me. I've found guides to doing this but it either too old, or not finished.
I read a guide on how to theme, found out it wasn't really that hard. Love building sites and this is right down my road. Yes I'm a noob, and search isn't cutting it. : )
I am working with my Epic 4G with 2.2. I used UOT Kitchen to get the Battery % mod to work and it did the trick! I can go through and edit png and even .9 files.
1. That kitchen adds -v4 on the drawable folders. Its works but I don't fully understand how to change it back after it adds it.
2. That kitchen makes a whole new framework. How do I pull stuff out and make it update just what it needs. I guess I'm asking how do you make an addon or update zip?
I do all my editing by using 7zip and just placing apps and for moving things around and it seems to work. I'm also re-flashing the whole rom to test it. nothing else. 7zip.
3. Is this the way to do it? I know I'm supposed to de-compile and compile, sign some where.
4. It there a special way to combine Mods together? I've just been opening them in 7zip and adding them.
ok so... If you can point me in the right direction, to guides, search key words, links, or just explain a little. I will take any help I can get. I just need that little tap to get my mind rolling again. I will kiss your feet! Really!
Thanks!
Please go easy on me...

For an "add on" make metamorphs. All your doing is creating folders of the pngs and adding a xml which is already created you just fill in the blanks using any xml editor. It's pretty easy to make mini themes or change certain icons

Yeah the guys right Metamorph is THE ONLY way to change images in an apk without changing the entire apk. I have been doing a whole lot of themes lately but mostly porting images of other themes I need to learn the GIMP or PHOTOSHOP I started on the opposite side from you I guess. If I can help PM me and I will show you or package the themes or morphs for you.Good luck!

How can i theme the dialer

First, I apolgize if this belongs in the general section, I just wasn't sure where to post. I would like to change the look of my dialer (the one you hit the phone icon to bring up), specifically to the look of Jt's AOSP rom dialer posted by Captainkrtek and pictured below. I really can't find anything that says exactly what to change in the contacts apk to get it to look like that. Rather, everything I have done has failed miserably. can anyone give me a little insight into what I take from one to put into the other? Thanks in advance

the touchwiz dialer and aosp dialer don't line up right, you'll need some xml edits (DIP) and images and a bunch of other stuff.
the dialer is TabDialerActivity.apk (or something like that)

DialerTabActivity.apk and framework-res.apk

Big thanks to both of you. I have that apk on my phone, but the aosp rom doesn't, do they hide that somewhere else on aosp? I am just sifting thru the whole rom right now looking for the same files. Also, if they don't line up right, am I just wasting my time?

Fyrmedic654 said:
Also, if they don't line up right, am I just wasting my time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it all depends on what you want. You might want to check Phone.apk also.

Eh, looked there but nothing matches up. I give up. Getting it like that may be more than my noob behind can handle right now. I'm still learning the ins and outs so, I may put this on the back burner next to my custom boot animation. Thanks again for the help. At least now if I find one I like in another theme, I will be able to change it