Database Develop

noob theme questions...

...I'm trying to figure out this theme developing stuff and I have 2 questions(I'm sure I'll have more along the way).
1) What file do you edit to change the clock? I opened someone elses theme, and the "clock_dial" file is not the same as the clock that is actually used in the theme.
2) Can I test out a theme on the SDK emulator? And how?

The clock files are in the /system/app/Launcher.apk
I don't know if you can test in the emulator, I guess you could. I test mine on my phone that way I know for sure how it looks and what it is doing.

Ask questions about themes in the theme sub section.
Thank you

[?] Someone point me into the theming direction

First off, I know there was a thread on this that was located somewhere in the HTC Dream/G1 section, but I can't seem to find that thread ever since the big change xda went through...
Anyways, I've been trying to learn how to theme, I'm a beginner, and I wanna do this for education purposes. Can someone point me in the right direction to began with? (like a guide or what-not)
Currently I have the SDK starter kit from Google/developer.android.com. Are there any other guides, or anyone here willing to teach?

im a beginner too but to make a theme is not so difficult.. you must have only patience and a good know of photoshop (or the gimp if you use linux)..
then, just take an apk only for an example.. mm.. Launcher.apk!! rename it to Launcher.apk.zip and u will see several directory, one of this is res..
extract to desktop and you will see all the launcher images..
the only thing you have to do is replace them with your own images (same dimension and format, png..)
once you done that.. reopen Launcher.apk.zip and replace this your new images with the old one and finally rename again to Launcher.apk
do this with every apks and framework-res.apk too cos here there are a lot of images of android like the battery icon or smileys (the one of the sms's) and much more, also the top bar..)
then, if u use metamorph just follow this guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=591329
or if you want use the update.zip you must first read this
how to sign .zip: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=473580
if u use metamorph u must only copy the file u want to replace..
else if u want the update.zip u must copy every file into apks, then sign..
if into the zip file you want to add both app and framework and font too.. you must add a directory called " com ".. u can find this directory in any theme you download, its in the " meta-inf" directory
ok??? its not so difficult trust in me..
i found this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467639 ..
...wrote in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=468254
maybe it can help you more..

Thank's that's exactly what I'm looking for, I owe you big time
but what about the notification bar?

u can find notification bar into framework-res.apk under the drawable and drawable-land folders..
the name of images are staus_background.png then bottombar.png and maybe another one.. anyway, thanks to cloverdale you must read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=606011
and download Black_Lite-v3.0.1 Full Theme.
here u can find the black notification bar (and many other thing..)
its a metamorph theme
I haven't tested it yet but it should work. make a nandroid backup before u apply this changes

alright, thanks for all the help, man

wow, great reply! so much for being a "beginner." i've been rooted and constantly looking around for new ways to mod my g1, and i still had NO clue how to theme or use metamorph. thanks!

dcheng11 said:
wow, great reply! so much for being a "beginner." i've been rooted and constantly looking around for new ways to mod my g1, and i still had NO clue how to theme or use metamorph. thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im a beginner but i learn quickly.. i was in your same point some weeks ago..
if u want learn something about theming or else just follow the link i wrote before. i used them to improve my knowledge about themes..
if u still have trouble, download:
1. any themes u want
2. a theme that use metamorph (like Black_Lite-v3.0.1 Full Theme for example)
u will see the difference
to use metamorph is simply.. download it from the market and then copy the zip file or directory u want into the AndroidThemes folder on ur sdcard (u will see this folder after u install metamorph)..
next step will be open metamorph and select the one .thm file.. done
the only thing u hav to remember is make a nandroid backup cos if u dont like the new themes u can simply go back (without flash the rom again..)
all u hav to do guys is read more and do more practice

How to theme android

I'm trying to theme android.
I know that I can extract the APK's and edit the images, but what do I do after that?
how do I pack them back into APK files?

Learn to use either metamorph or ninjamorph. Their both apps by stereicson that let you change every image from an apk from within the phone.

what I meant was how would I create my own theme.
I'm not trying to apply themes that were already made, I'm trying to create a new theme.
but I've found that ubuntu lets me edit the images without extracting the apk

swee08315 said:
what I meant was how would I create my own theme.
I'm not trying to apply themes that were already made, I'm trying to create a new theme.
but I've found that ubuntu lets me edit the images without extracting the apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
creating your own theme is very really easy. but it can be very time consuming depending on what you are trying to accomplish and edit.
After you edited your .png file (NOT .9.ping because that requires a much more advance and complicated method) simply sign the apk file, create the update-script to place in the /META-INF/com/google/android directory and then sign the update.zip file. You will need to use the search feature to lookup.
"update-script"
"signing tool"
Good luck

mejorguille said:
Learn to use either metamorph or ninjamorph. Their both apps by stereicson that let you change every image from an apk from within the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest the metamorph as well instead of flashing. Flashing seems like it would just take too much time.
Also, Android Commander and Droid Explorer (maybe a few others) offer easy signing tools/transferring the apk without the need of any metamorph or flashing.

Thank you Binary100100
that's exactly what I needed
and also to r3s-rt:
I need to create an update .zip for this task.

swee08315 said:
Thank you Binary100100
that's exactly what I needed
and also to r3s-rt:
I need to create an update .zip for this task.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For ANY themeing, you don't need an update.zip. I'm just saying look into metamorph a bit; it really is easier than flashing and reflashing if it doesn't come out right. If updates are easier for you, though, go for it. =]

thanks again.
but where exactly would I look to modify the widgets?
specifically the music and clock widgets?

swee08315 said:
thanks again.
but where exactly would I look to modify the widgets?
specifically the music and clock widgets?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music widget is in Music.apk. Clock widget is in DeskClock.apk.
Though metamorph is convenient, in my opinion it is a better tool to test parts of a theme. Learn how to sign update.zip files (with ubuntu it is as simple as a right click), there will be less errors this way (and you can theme the market,....).
p.s. Do learn metamorph also, it is great.

thanks, but where is the search widget?
and yes, I will learn

swee08315 said:
thanks, but where is the search widget?
and yes, I will learn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
launcher.apk

creating a black softkey menu pop up with white text.
Hello everyone! I posted something like this and got no real answers. I'm not trying to create a full theme just edit what I already have. I'm trying to change the stock cyanogenmod softkey menu pop up. If gotten my images in place and got the background and icons the way I want them but I don't know which values XML file I need to edit in order to change the text color. Does anyone have any insight on which file I need in order to edit the menus text to white? Already decompiled the framework-res.apk.

Thanks
This is awesome, I'm just trying to get started with customizing android and theming seemed like the logical starting point. Thanks for the input guys/gals.

Theme editing

I have a theme I really like (cozmic76_v5), but I want to change the battery icon. I have tried several methods with no success.
First question: does anyone have this theme with a circle battery icon?
Second question: If answer to first question is no, do you have any detailed instructions on how I can edit a cw flashable theme?
Thanks,
Jason.

I'd take a look at MetaMorph or use the UOT Kitchen to modify your battery at http://circle.glx.nl/.
MetaMorph is fairly safe and easy to create themes for changing images on your phone only.

[Q] Making Minor Theme Modifications

Hello Devs,
I'm interested in making a few very minor modifications to the overall theme for my phone. I'm currently using FireFly, and although I like it for the most part, I'm not very fond of the current animation used to display dialogs.
I currently develop for Android, so I'm familiar with aspects of applying styles and themes to my own app as well as using styles from within the android.jar. I've read a few things about doing this, but I'm hoping there's a way to clear up some loose ends.
1. If I were to just open up and modify the main FireFly zip package, paricularly the files under /system/framework/framework-res.apk, would it be possible to to zip it back up, flash back to stock and then follow the usual procedure to install the Rom?
2. Is it possible to modify that .apk and just upload it directly to the my current rom?
3. Do I need to be concerned with apk signing?
Thanks to everyone in advance,
Jeremiah

Im not a moderator but I believe this should be in themes section or Q&A. =/
From what Ive done. You can modify the zip packages. Best results I'v had is using 7zip to modify them internally. Ive only modified images in them, and my little experience you have to keep the same amount of images it had from the beginning. Im not sure if that is changed by modifying the xml's or something else.

prbassplayer said:
Im not a moderator but I believe this should be in themes section or Q&A. =/
From what Ive done. You can modify the zip packages. Best results I'v had is using 7zip to modify them internally. Ive only modified images in them, and my little experience you have to keep the same amount of images it had from the beginning. Im not sure if that is changed by modifying the xml's or something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn it... I had a feeling I missed a section this would be belong more in, my eyes glazed right past the words Theme in the App/Theme section. A mod is more than welcome to move it, sorry for the mistake.
Thanks for the advice though

I haven't done any themeing myself mainly because I'm too lazy, but from what I understand based off what other people who do theme have said to modify the number of images you need to edit the corresponding xml file.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1227179
Might help alleviate some of your worries about signed apks and what not.

Many of the colors are handles by XML. You will need to decomplie apks to modify xml files and then recompile them again.
You can use APK Manager to decomplie and recomple the APK packages.
Also, go through this thread.
PS: Request mods to move this thread to Q&A section.

Takes time to do it. I used to do a lot of themeing to roms but had to hang it up. You have to know what picture files to change and then what each line is in each .XML.

IlluminatedOne said:
Many of the colors are handles by XML. You will need to decomplie apks to modify xml files and then recompile them again.
You can use APK Manager to decomplie and recomple the APK packages.
Also, go through this thread.
PS: Request mods to move this thread to Q&A section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thanks so much for this, exactly the information I was looking for.