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Hello, I am a little new here. I am kind of a newb with a lot of things. I did root my device and replaced the boot images.. but i do not know how to make themes. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to help by making a theme for me?
I added some images as to what i am looking to have done, that is of course anyone is willing to help. it is fairly simple i am looking to get the color scheme and kids icons if possible... maybe have a little fun with the clock or not if its too much work.
If anyone could help me out I would appreciate it... i am a graphic designer more than a programmer.. a lot of this is confusing to me.
I really like this site and hopefully i can be of some help at some point. This is my first post but i plan on posting a lot more.
Nice concept...but I`m not sure if you have looked at this topic http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467639 It describe how to make a theme and stuff, good starting point anyways. Hope it helps!
Yeah ive seen that thread but it scares me...lol
I really dont know what I am doing with all that stuff. I dont really know if I understood everything in it either :-\
thanx though I will try to follow it and make a theme myself but it might take me a while...lol
RandumAccess said:
Yeah ive seen that thread but it scares me...lol
I really dont know what I am doing with all that stuff. I dont really know if I understood everything in it either :-\
thanx though I will try to follow it and make a theme myself but it might take me a while...lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahaha I would offer help but unfortunately I am no programmer
Im teaching myself how to make themes as well. I have found it best to read through that walkthrough a million times and then PM a couple of the dev guys to answer specific questions.
Basically this is the process:
- Take a theme that you like for RC30 or ADP1 or whatever you wanna make it in
- Extract 2 folders inside, app, and framework into a new folder on your computer
- Rename add a .zip to the end of the apk files and extract them all so you have a bunch of folders with your app names
- Go into res and find any folder that says drawable and inside of there are the files to edit for your theme. Make sure not to edit the .9.png files.
- Once all your editing is done get into linux and turn all the folders back into zip files, then turn them back into apk files.
- Then take your app folder and framework folder that contain the new files and in linux create it into one zip file.
- Then you send the file back to windows, get the SignAPK files, put your zip in the folder with the SignAPK files and run some commands in the CMD to resign the file.
- Then rename that file update.zip and put it on the SDcard and give it a whirl.
This is how I understand the process after talking to a couple people for the last few days. I am hoping to release my own theme soon and if it works you will know that these steps are right. LOL And dont follow those directions, they are just to give you an idea of the steps involved.
Agusta - haha s ok thanks anyway :-D
@brandenk
why do we need to zip the files in linux? By the way thanks for the theming for dummies guide.
trying it out
brandenk said:
Im teaching myself how to make themes as well. I have found it best to read through that walkthrough a million times and then PM a couple of the dev guys to answer specific questions.
Basically this is the process:
- Take a theme that you like for RC30 or ADP1 or whatever you wanna make it in
- Extract 2 folders inside, app, and framework into a new folder on your computer
- Rename add a .zip to the end of the apk files and extract them all so you have a bunch of folders with your app names
- Go into res and find any folder that says drawable and inside of there are the files to edit for your theme. Make sure not to edit the .9.png files.
- Once all your editing is done get into linux and turn all the folders back into zip files, then turn them back into apk files.
- Then take your app folder and framework folder that contain the new files and in linux create it into one zip file.
- Then you send the file back to windows, get the SignAPK files, put your zip in the folder with the SignAPK files and run some commands in the CMD to resign the file.
- Then rename that file update.zip and put it on the SDcard and give it a whirl.
This is how I understand the process after talking to a couple people for the last few days. I am hoping to release my own theme soon and if it works you will know that these steps are right. LOL And dont follow those directions, they are just to give you an idea of the steps involved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey thanks... i am gonna try it now
Geo411m said:
@brandenk
why do we need to zip the files in linux? By the way thanks for the theming for dummies guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know why, something about how linux packages zip files opposed to windows, and yes once I figure it out and find all the problems people can have I am going to make up a nice walkthrough on making themes. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were already some theme manager apps in the works to make this whole process easier.
to tell everybody the truth i do all my themes in windows lol and only windows and it has worked on other peoples devices but shhhh thats out lil secret
package it for me?
Hey I was wondering if anyone could package my files for me?
I don't know linux commands at all and am lost... I did manage to edit the files but I can't put them back together.
If anyone could help with my New problem I would be very grateful!
randumaccess.com/r.a%20rc30.zip
That is the zip with the folders I edited.
Thanks
RandumAccess
Dave Da illest 1 said:
to tell everybody the truth i do all my themes in windows lol and only windows and it has worked on other peoples devices but shhhh thats out lil secret
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can make the update.zip in Windows as long as you have the update script I wrote in linux and you do not edit, or open it in Windows. If you do it will get corrupted.
Stericson
Stericson said:
Yes, you can make the update.zip in Windows as long as you have the update script I wrote in linux and you do not edit, or open it in Windows. If you do it will get corrupted.
Stericson
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So as long as we take that empty update.zip and just throw the apk's in their respective folders and resign the zip when we are done it should be good to go?
brandenk said:
So as long as we take that empty update.zip and just throw the apk's in their respective folders and resign the zip when we are done it should be good to go?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's correct it should be good to go.
Stericson
I guess I need to start learning how to create some themes
I did something wrong (theme newb)
Dave Da illest 1 said:
to tell everybody the truth i do all my themes in windows lol and only windows and it has worked on other peoples devices but shhhh thats out lil secret
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how do you do the themes in windows?
heres what i did:
1. I unzipped a theme
2. renamed apk's to zip's
3. unzipped each folder
4. edited the drawable files
5. zipped the folders with winrar
6. renamed them back to apk's
7. then i took the update script from Stericson and opened it with winrar and threw them in the app/framework folders
it didnt work for me.
I dont know linux and use windows, i am a newb with a lot of this stuff. I would like to know so i can create themes to my liking.
any help you could give me would be great!
i have all the files edited i just need to package them now.
thanks,
RandumAccess
make sure you zip the folders inside the main folder. If you're working on launch folder, zip the folder inside the folder named launch not the launch folder itself.
Dave Da illest 1 said:
to tell everybody the truth i do all my themes in windows lol and only windows and it has worked on other peoples devices but shhhh thats out lil secret
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about a how-to using the Windows only method??
Geo411m said:
make sure you zip the folders inside the main folder. If you're working on launch folder, zip the folder inside the folder named launch not the launch folder itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah that didnt work either :-(
I would like to see a "Windows Only Theme Tutorial: Super-Newb Edition" ...lol
did you sign each of the edited apk's? and your update.zip file?
Ok so im a noob when it comes to coding. I want to replace the wallpaper that comes in some roms and from my understanding when I extract the .zip rom to replace them, I have to resign the .zip for it to work. If this is true, how do I resign them?
punkmanj said:
Ok so im a noob when it comes to coding. I want to replace the wallpaper that comes in some roms and from my understanding when I extract the .zip rom to replace them, I have to resign the .zip for it to work. If this is true, how do I resign them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first make sure you grab all the signing tools (do a search and you'll find Stericson's stuff somewhere)
extract the zip of the update.zip
now in the main folder you should see META-INF
go in there and remove the three files that are not folders
now go up one level back to main folder
depending on how they packaged the update, you should see either a system or app folder
if you see system, then go into it and then into app
if you see app, then go into it
now you should see some .apks
the one you want is Launcher.apk
use 7z and open the archive
now navigate to the res/drawable folder and you should find your wallpapers in there
just use the name of a wallpaper thats in there that you dont like and replace it with the wallpaper you want
now navigate to the main directory of Launcher.apk
delete the META-INF folder
now close 7z
resign Launcher.apk
now navigate to the main folder of the update.zip
zip it all up again and resign the new .zip file
sorry if the instructions arent that clear .. its kinda late and been studying for a midterm for some time now .... PM me up if you need any more help
Stericson said:
Note, this will not work if your SDK or the path that you place this in has any spaces in the dir name!
An Example of this is c:\users\Nikki and Stephen\sdk\tools
Try to put the SDK and the contents of the zip in a dir where the names are all together and not like the one above.
Ok, so I have made a batch file that will automate the entire process of setting up to use the signing tool made by JF. This batch file will set the CLASSPATH, set the PATH, install the registries, let you sign the files manually, and let you push/pull files to the phone.
In order to use this you should have downloaded the sdk already. Simply extract all of the files into the tools dir of your sdk, and run autosign.bat follow the instructions and go through the options one by one, starting with 1 working through 4. You can however, put the contents of this zip anywhere on your computer and it will work. It is just better to put them into the tools dir of your SDK. Especially for the consideration of future versions.
Enjoy,
Stericson
Autosign .zip: http://www.fightforthepits.com/Androidstuff/signing.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's stericson's OP in the signing made easy thread
Yeah sorry for posting I soulda did a search first. I found the Signing Made Easy post after posting this... Thanks for the quick reply Now I can start doing themes as well. Thanks again.
punkmanj said:
Yeah sorry for posting I soulda did a search first. I found the Signing Made Easy post after posting this... Thanks for the quick reply Now I can start doing themes as well. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
np .. dont forget to edit your OP with "SOLVED" so mods can start cleaning up
What am I doing wrong if I get the message "java is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
uansari1 said:
What am I doing wrong if I get the message "java is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're missing java ... http://developers.sun.com/downloads/top.jsp .. i think you only need the jre but i always get the jdk
Well I haven't had much time lately to make themes but I figured i got enough time to explain how. This is how i do it in windows 7.
1) First thing i assume that you already have androidsdk on the root of your C drive. Lets go ahead and add it to your system path. If it's not called androidsdk go ahead and change it to that. Now open up your startmenu, right click computer, click properties, then click advanced system settings, in the advance system settings select environment variables. In the second box down look for path select it and choose edit. copy and paste this
Code:
;C:\androidsdk\tools
in there. Click okay.
2) download the jre and jdk from here and install them. Now you need to add them to your system path so copy paste this
Code:
;C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_20\bin
to your system path just like you did in the first step.
3) Download apk manager from here. Now run it and when it says clean out all current projects click yes. Now thats ready to go.
4) Download an image editing program. I use gimp. Also if you don't have it 7-zip
your all set to go now so lets start over with the numbers
1) choose a mymode apk and extract it with 7-zip. Open up the res folder select a png that you want to change and change it with the image editor you chose.
2) when you've changed the images you want open up the original apk as an archive with 7zip. Then place the res folder of the modified unzipped apk into the archive and close the archive.
3) Now open up apk manager and place the mymode apk into the place here for signing folder click script batch choose no then type 15.
4) Now put the newly signed apk into your androidsdk/tools folder and close apk manager.
5) open command prompt and type this
Code:
cd\
cd androidsdk/tools
adb install whatever.apk
I'll update this with pics a more thorough guide.
Thanks to everyone that made this easy
reserved for themes to come
Thanks been waiting for a thread like this.
thanks, if i ever get any free-time between jobs and kid and fiancee i will look into this a little more
This is an awesome guide! I messed around with theming mytouch/g1 back when I had one.. so this will be great to make some themes for the slide..
One question though.. let's say you pull the nest theme.. theme it and re install it.. will it just override the nest theme or in the theme listing will it appear as a new theme and still allow you to have the original theme?
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
ryanolson7 said:
One question though.. let's say you pull the nest theme.. theme it and re install it.. will it just override the nest theme or in the theme listing will it appear as a new theme and still allow you to have the original theme?
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The nest theme is in the framework, its not an .apk like the rest, its built into the system. The rest of the mymodes themes are .apks and if you edit those they will override the stock "nest" theme. The only way it will show up different in the theme chooser is if you edit the preview snapshot to be a preview of your theme. If you wanna keep the original theme, the nest theme is it and you should edit a different theme .apk...
-BMFC
Sent from my ROOTED MyTouch3G Slide
Okay so I got the next three days off and I already got two mymode themes pretty much done well their done but I just learned of a way to change the name so they are there own standalone apk instead of using another apk name. I've been using puppypride (which by the way isn't puppies those are full grown dogs) and switching out the pngs and you couldn't have the regular puppypride now you can have both
hope you don't mind but I did a mod of your themes and took out the bubbles since some people always create threads about it
Help with following guide
I am a newb at this so please don't attack me if I am doing something wrong. I have been struggling with following the guide posted to make mymode themes. I have successfully got up to the step of signing the apk file. I modified the files in the free_kick.apk. When I try to use APK Manager 4.8 and using the directions given the file just gets erased and nothing happens. My log file just shows errors. Any help with a more detailed directions one what to do in APK manager as I am trying different things and not getting anywhere. I use the option 15 like told in the guide. I can send my modified apk file to anyone if they can get this to work and get it installed that would be appreciated so much. I hope I can figure this out my own but thought I would try get help from the forums. Thanks in advance.
impimms said:
I am a newb at this so please don't attack me if I am doing something wrong. I have been struggling with following the guide posted to make mymode themes. I have successfully got up to the step of signing the apk file. I modified the files in the free_kick.apk. When I try to use APK Manager 4.8 and using the directions given the file just gets erased and nothing happens. My log file just shows errors. Any help with a more detailed directions one what to do in APK manager as I am trying different things and not getting anywhere. I use the option 15 like told in the guide. I can send my modified apk file to anyone if they can get this to work and get it installed that would be appreciated so much. I hope I can figure this out my own but thought I would try get help from the forums. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the guide needs to be fixed a little because i'm guessing your getting compiling errors when using apk manager? But the best way to do this is to open up the mymode theme (using 7zip) as an archive delete meta-inf folder then replace the pngs with ones of your choice as long as they are the same scale. Then resign. and install
totally lost
I've followed these directions to a T and when it comes to using the apk manager i am getting nothing, please help
You guys that are having trouble with apk manager...its honestly not necessary to use Apk Manager for this. Mymodes themes are system .apks and shouldn't be re-signed. What you need to do is forget about apk manager (for now) and drop the UNsigned .apk into the ROM update you are using, and resign the whole ROM using the autosign tool created by jesusfreke. Or just adbpush the .apk. but don't resign the .apk.
Here's the link for the autosign tool to sign ROM updates. its in the THIRD POST and its auto-sign .zip, NOT the signing.zip in the first post. you can put it anywhere you want and you just drop (a copy of) your ROM update in the autosign folder, rename it update.zip, then run the sign.bat to sign. it will create another file, update-signed.zip. you shouldnt need to wipe when flashing the same ROM over itself, but i cant guarantee this is true for all ROMs.
you can also make an update that will only flash the .apk to /system/app, and nothing else will be changed. basically just make a copy of the update for the ROM youre using, then delete everything but the /system directory from the zip. then go into that /system directory and delete everything but the /app directory, then go into it and delete all the .apks and odex file or whatevers in there. ALL OF IT. when you are finished you should have an update with nothing in it but a /system/app directory. you put your modded .apk in there in /system/app, and thats it for that.
then you must edit the update script and remove MOST of its contents so that it only does what you want it to. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Go here to learn how to create an update script. what youll need is way simpler than the examples, youll want it to look basically like this...
Code:
assert compatible_with("0.2") == "true"
show_progress 0.1 0
copy_dir PACKAGE:system SYSTEM:
show_progress 0.1 10
this update script will copy ANYTHING in the /system directory to /system on your device, regardless of subdirectories. that means anything in /system will go in /system, anything in /system/app will go to /system/app, etc. but since you only have one .apk in there it wont mess with anything but what you put in there. this way, you have a NOWIPE update for...well, whatever you want to put in it.
so you just drop the new shortened update-script in /META-INF/com/google/android/
and then use the autosign tool to resign your new update then flash away! This also takes less time cus its only flashing one file instead of flashing a whole ROM just to replace that one file...
hope this helps...
-BMFC
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
So you cannot do this on t-mobile's rom which is 2.1 right now? I'm leery of rooting in case they ever release froyo
Tbrewer80 said:
So you cannot do this on t-mobile's rom which is 2.1 right now? I'm leery of rooting in case they ever release froyo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having issues with this as well... After I do the whole signing apk thing, it installs fine, but when I go to MyModes, the preview is black and when I select it, the MyModes app force closes. I don't get it.
★wildstang83's Guide For Basic Porting★
You could always go to the TEAM REVERSE website and read the same guide, lol
DisclaimerIt should be known that there is some risk involved when performing the porting method described below. If you still wish to continue on and follow this guide you are doing so at your own risk. Of course, I will not be held liable for what you do to your device on your own. I will say, use extreme caution and follow every step to its tiniest detail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey guys, I have had a few new users come to me wanting to learn how to port. So I have decided to take a little time and write up a guide for this subject. With this guide we will achieve at minimum a first time boot with Screen load and sound. This will not go into details of fixing G Sensor, MMS, eMMC, Cam or Netflix.
NEEDED ITEMS:
Windows- Either 32 or 64 bit is fine. Ubuntu will work but is more complex.
7Zip
Notepad++
Android SDK
Android Kitchen
Our most recent Ginger Sense Leak ROM 4.01.605.0
Any Sense 1.0 or 2.1 ROM from the EVO Shift 4G, EVO 4G, HTC Desire. These 3 devices are the easiest to port from. Personally I find that the --EVO 4G is the easiest out of these three and is usually where I port from. Whatever ROM you choose must be deodexed for this guide.
A generic updater-script, update-binary and build.prop. I'll provide those in a link below.
From here on each rom will be refered to in this guide as such:
HTC Droid Incredible GingerSense Leak= Leak
Whatever ROM you choose to port= Port
Ok lets get it.
First things first. Take some measurements of file size.
Take the following size readings:
Ports zipped file size on disk:
Ports unzipped file size on disk:
Ports "system" folder size on disk after extraction: <---This is important!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We need to know the pre and post system folder size because the system has a max usage space of 250 MB. So in your final rom a system folder size that is below 250 is good. For example, in my latest build of my Pure Speed ROM I was able to achieve a system folder size of 163MB.
Phase One- Start with the Android Kitchen
Open the Android Kitchen and place your port into the original_update folder. Run the kitchen and go through the steps to make your working folder. Just hit enter whenever it asks any questions even when it asks about updater conversion. Once complete, choose the Option 2- Add root permissions. It may say 'su' already present just over ride it and choose option "f" ChainsDD's version. That will complete and go back to the main menu. Select option 3. Add Busy Box. Do the same thing. Now select option 0 for advanced options. In advanced options select option 17 to install busy box runparts. Once that finishes we can build the ROM. Select option 99, let it run then select option 1 for interactive mode, let it run, Then select "y" to zipalign the apks. it will run for awhile and then ask to convert back to updater-script. just hit enter for yes. hit enter to sign the rom. It will ask about renaming, just hit enter to by pass this. We will rename it later. It will say congratulations your rom is done or whatever. just hit enter and then close completely out of the kitchen. Go to where your kitchen is set-up and find a folder called OUTPUT_ZIP. Grab your rom out of there and place it on your desktop.
Phase Two- The actual porting operations
For good measure create two folders on your desktop. One called "Backup" and the other called "Dump". Both the leak and the port should now be on your desktop. Select them both and copy them to your backup folder you just created. Now open your port by right clicking it and navigating to 7Zip and clicking "open archive". Drag it to the edge of your screen. Open the dump folder so that it is side by side with the port. Now in the port navigate to the system folder. Select the "customize, lib and media" folders and drag them to your dump folder. Now delete them from your port along with the "usr" folder as well. You will see a folder in system named "etc". Open that folder and inside you will see a folder called "firmware". Delete the firmware folder. Also delete the "wimax" folder. We do not need it. Now open the Leak. navigate to system/etc and drag the firmware folder from leak to the port. Also drag AudioBTID.csv and vold.fstab from the leak to the port. Close the leak for now. In the port back up to the system folder. Open the bin folder and delete EVERYTHING with "a2sd, apps2sd or wimax" in its name. If there isn't any such things in there then don't worry about it. Now back up to system and go into "xbin". Do the same thing here. Once complete grab the "su" and "busybox" files and drag them to your dump folder on your desktop. Back up to system. Open bin. Drag those two files su and busybox from your dump folder to your ports bin folder. You should now have "su" and "busybox" in both of your ports bin and xbin folders. Now in the port back all the way to the root of the ports zip. You may see a folder called "data". Delete that folder and recreate it. just do it. Now open the data folder. In the dump folder on your desktop create a new folder called 'sysusr". Rename the "customize, lib and media" folders so they are "syscustomize, syslib and sysmedia" These folders are named so because they will be symlinked. Now drag these four folders to the data folder of the port. You can now delete the dump folder from your desktop. We don't need it anymore. Close everything thats open right now. Reopen both the leak and the port side by side. Of the leak navigate to system/usr. Of the port navigate to data/sysusr. Drag the contents only of the leaks usr folder to your ports sysusr folder. Navigate to system/lib of the leak. Navigate to data/syslib of the port. In the syslib folder of the port find the three folders called "egl, hw and modules" Delete them. Drag those same folders over from the leak to the port. Now in the leak system/lib folder find these files: libaudio.so, libaudioalsa.so, libaudioeffect_jni.so, libaudioflinger.so, libaudiopolicy.so, libAudioTrimmer.so, libEGL.so, libgsl.so, libhtc_ril.so and libhtc_ril_switch.so. Drag them to your ports data/syslib folder. Just drag and drop. Close everything on your screen. Reopen both the leak and the port side by side. In the port delete the boot.img and drag the boot.img from the leak over. Close the leak. navigate to "META-INF\com\google\android" of the port and drag and drop in the update-binary and updater-script that I have provided below. Navigate to system of the port and drag and drop the build.prop that I have provided below. one last thing. navigate to system/etc and drop in the apns-conf.xml that I have provided below. Close the port.
Porting is now complete
We should now be ready to boot. Rename the ports zip if you like and drop it on your sd card, wipe and flash. If it boots, has sound and is somewhat usable pat your self on the back. You've just took the second step to becoming a great dev in the Android world. The first step was having the guts to even attempt this.
Here are those parts you need: wildstang83's Porting Parts
Guide- How to customize your 2.1/3.0 Hybrid or 3.0 ROM lockring: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=15681779#post15681779
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you run into any trouble while using my guide or notice anything that needs to be updated or added please feel free to PM me.
Credits:
PonsAsinorem- For giving me the idea to write this guide.
newtoroot- I'll never forget who took the time to teach me how to port.
joelZ9614- Allways being supportive especially when times were tuff and no one else was around.
wdfowty
NilsP
Conap
gnarlyc
Man the list goes on so really just a huge thank you to everybody!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Been wanting to do this for a bit.
lol
10 characters
Guide made me 'lol'.
Alright guys, enough goofing around, lol
I added the whole guide for yall.
Sorry for those trying to read this in the xda app. It gets cut off around where it talks about the system size. You can just hit menu/browser and read it that way.
Porting a HTC Desire ROM tomorrow morning Thank you!
cbren said:
Porting a HTC Desire ROM tomorrow morning Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck buddy. Let me know how it goes or if you need help.
Thanks stang
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA Premium App
Thanks stang
Youre looking at a crackflashing troll with ORD
WoZZeR999 said:
Guide made me 'lol'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The disclaimer made me lol
Wow this is great bro. I have to try this out!
When I try and flash my port, I get
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Installing update...
Installation aborted.
It's an evo port and Android 2.3.3 Htc sense 2.1 I think.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1046622
Same one I used and it worked perfectly just try again... follow stangs directions exactly as they're written..
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA Premium App
Guys, if you are gonna report errors here please provide the error status as well.
It will make it easier for me and everyone else to see what you did wrong(not saying anything bad here) and to know what to look for next time.
A lot of problems can be solved by mounting usb through recovery and then transfering your ports over.
What do we use the OUTPUT_ZIP ROM for? Is that the "port" that we should be messing with?
cbren said:
What do we use the OUTPUT_ZIP ROM for? Is that the "port" that we should be messing with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes thats the final rom that you zipaligned and rooted in the kitchen. Now take that and put it on your desktop and build it exactly as my instructions say and you should be good.
Will there be an " Advanced Porting " Thread? If so can you shed some light on github?
hightech316 said:
Will there be an " Advanced Porting " Thread? If so can you shed some light on github?
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Im not a compiler. Im a porter. I'm sure we could get some info in here though.
hightech316 said:
Will there be an " Advanced Porting " Thread? If so can you shed some light on github?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of github info do you need? I'm no where near an expert, but I know how to sync a repo from github to my computer. That's all I've ever needed to do, at least so far.
Hello A little while ago I managed to learn how to theme totally from scratch. I knew nothing of anything before I started, but now I know how to port themes As I still see myself as a n00b there may be some weird things I've done, but at least I manage to create the themes This might not be the best way to theme, or the easiest, but it works
Overview PNGS
1) Getting the files
2) Getting the images
3) Port
4) Package and Sign
The only programs I've used is 7zip and autosigner download them and install 7zip and extract autosigner to a nice location for example your desktop
Getting the files
The first you need to do (after getting the programs) is to find the file you will mod (edit). This will mostly be the framework-res.apk because this decides most of looks of phone (for example the statusbar). Download the .zip of the rom your going to theme. Open it up (shouldn't require any programs, if does, use 7zip: either drag it onto the 7zip icon or right click and choose open with). Open system -> app and copy the framework-res.apk (or any other apk you would like to theme, for example the settings). Now paste it into an appropriate folder.
Getting the images
Now you need to find the images you want to use in your new theme. Find either an update.zip with a theme or an .apk with a theme chooser theme (if there is both a version for Froyo and GB, use the Froyo version as this will make it easier ) Open it up with 7zip (drag it into the 7zip icon). Now you can do either of two options:
1) You can take the whole drawable-mdpi folder and copy it out. You should probably don’t do this with a Themechooser apk, as they usually don’t have all icons in this folder, as they often lend a few from HDPI.
2) Take only the images you want and copy them to a folder. For example if you want the signal icons, copy the “stat_sys_signal_0” (-4 of course) and copy them out. If you want the statusbar background, copy “statusbar_background”. This way you can mix several themes, take the best of several themes and make your personal theme
When you’re done getting your icons, close the window.
Porting
Now open the Rom’s default framework-res.apk with 7-zip. If you’re going to port a whole theme, delete the /res/drawable-mdpi folder and copy in your own. If you’re going to port just a few icons, open the /res/drawable-mdpi folder and paste your icons. You might want to check if the icons have the same names in the different framework. For example the headset icons can be both “stat_sys_headset” and “stat_notify_headset”. Also if you port from a theme chooser theme, you will have to rename every single .png you port. This is really boring, but necessary. You need to remove the “framework_res” and the “android_systemui” from the beginning of all the names. So “framework_res_activity_title_bar.9.png” needs to be changed to “activity_title_bar.9.png”. Because this is so boring you better keep your renamed icons, so it’s easier to port it to another rom
This is kind of off-topic: my carrier lends network of another carrier. Therefor my phone is allways roaming. This puts a stupid “r” with my signal icons. To avoid this I allways take normal signal icons, copy them, and rename one of the two .pngs from for example “stat_sys_signal_1” to “stat_sys_r_signal_1”. This way I get rid of this stupid “r” and it will always show the normal icons
Packing and signing
Now the porting is done and the next job is to push the new framework to your phone. If you are familiar with adb, you can push it to system/framework on your phone. You don’t need to anything more with the apk before pushing it. Else you can create a flashable .zip for your theme. I’ve attached a .zip with update script (I haven’t created it. Just stole it from one of Elelinux’ add-ons ). Download the zip. Create a folder named system and a folder named framework. First drag the new, modded framework_res.apk to the framework folder, then drag the framework folder into the system folder, before you drag the system folder into the attached zip. If you use Clockworkmod recovery, you can just flash the zip right as it is, but if you use Amon_Ra or want it to be compatible with every recovery because you want to post it, you need to do something.
Unpack autosigner and launch the exe file inside. Drag the .zip into the new window and press sign. It will now appear a new file in the same folder as the file you wanted to sign. Its name is the same, but with “_signed” at the end. You can rename the file as you wish both before and after the signing.
XML Editing:
I decided to add a little section about XML editing as well I really don't know all about this myself, but i can tell how to set it up and some examples to what you can do Even though this may seem really complicated, it's not written in a completely different language, like Java in the smali files, so often it is possible to use logic to get what you want
Tools needed: APK Multi-tool. as well as Java, if you don't have it installed.
Overview:
1) Setting up
2) Examples
3) Finish
Settings up
Download APK Multi-tool and extract/ unzip it to wherever you want ( I have it on my desktop). Now you can place the apk you want to modify (usually the framework_res.apk) in the "Place_apk_for_modding" folder. Then you open the script. If you don't get an error, proceed to b), if you do get an error proceed to a)
a)) If you do get an error where it says something like "java not found" you need to correct the Java path (or install Java if you haven't done that, which you should have) . I had to do this to get it working. First open my computer and click disk C, or D if you have installed Java there. Open programfiles (or whatever it's called in your language) and scroll to the Java folder. Now open the folder there jdk folder or whatever you have there and open the "bin" folder. Look at the top of your window, where it says where on you're computer you are (like Windows: C to the left, and then Programfiles and so on). Right click it and click copy address. Mine is "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_01\bin . Now you can close the window.
Open "My computer" again. On the top bar below the navigationbar, click Sytemoptions (sorry, not really sure what it's called in Englsih, as my computer is Norwegian, please correct me if I'm wrong). On the left click the "advanced" link and in the popup that appears click "environment variables". Scroll down to the "path" variable and edit it. Paste the address you copied and click OK. You should now be able to proceed to b). If you still get an error, please tell me and I'll try to help
b) type 25 and press enter to select current project. Here you will see all the apks in the "Place_apk_for_modding" folder. Select the appropriate number (in this case probably 1) and press enter to continue. Then you hit 9 and enter to decompile it. I cannot really explain it, but it enables you to edit the xmls in the apk. If you try to edit them by using 7Zip, the xmls will be just messed up. When it's done decompiling, you have gotten a new folder in the "projects" folder. In this case it is probably named framework_res.apk. Minimize the script (DON'T CLOSE IT) and you're ready to edit the xmls
Examples on edits:
COMING SOON
Finish:
When you're done editing, open the script again (remember what I said about not closing it? ). Click 11, unless you are editing a non system apk. If you are editing the framework or settings or such, use 11. If you get an error now, you have probably done something wrong, try to see in the log what you have done wrong. Every time I've had an error, I've ended up in bootloop when I've flashed, so it is probably better to just start over. Another tip is to do one thing at the time. For example: you decompile, edit the notification color in pulldown, compile. Take the compiled apk, decompile edit another thing and so on, this makes it easier to not mess up and it also shows what you are doing wrong.
On the "Is this a system apk?" you should probably say y, as I said above. I also usually copy over the files I didn't edit, as this seems safer. Follow the instructions and you should be fine. When you're done and the script is done compiling, you will find a unsigned_**** (for example unsigned_framework-res.apk) in the "place_apk_for_modding" folder. This is your modified apk, and you can try to push it to ur device with an update.zip or adb, if you know how to use that
Well this was the end of my guide for now If there's anything which is unclear or you have other suggestions, feel free to post I've probably forgotten something
Finally after all my attemps to modify the android framework before i have do it correctly. I have changed a couple of things, the lock screen and battery icons so far. The framework I'm modifying is the one on Ele's Gingerbread and i wonder how to get the battery icon percentage 1 by 1 as i saw in some other themes. What i mean is that in the original framework there is only battery icons for 15, 20, 25 and so on, and if i push the 16, 17, 18, 19 they won't work. Is Theme Chooser the one on charge of this? how can i get that? some help please?
(Also tryed to theme a sense rom, but everything was messed up, i guess because of sense or maybe I did something wrong)
So thanks for your guide, really helpfull
Yeah, I've never tried to theme Sense so I don't know. It is probably possible to make icons for every %, but then you'll have to decompile using APK tool, and it is harder. I don't know how. If you want to try, you could try asking a question here
thanks
so funny=))
i'm tried
Great guide helped me a lo thx.
Finally, someone who CAN explain it...
I'm now porting ICS to GB (no cm7), cause I think CM sucks.
mDroidd said:
Finally, someone who CAN explain it...
I'm now porting ICS to GB (no cm7), cause I think CM sucks.
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Click to collapse
Hmm, ICS themes can be made really awesome, if you do some more advanced stuff. For example you want to remap the pulldownbar a bit, and change som text colors. But to do this you need to use a tool like APK multi-tool, and it is a bit more advanced. If you want to, I can create a new section where I show how to this
Thank you.
GUIDE UPDATED! Added a section about XML editing really quick, probably forgotten something and such, so just ask if there is something you don't understand This is for those who are getting used to the PNG editing and want to proceed to something slightly more advanced, for example you 7Tosta
Cheers
BTW: I should've reserved the 2nd post, this is getting messy
Edit: If there's anything specific you want me to add to the EXAMPLES section, tell me