Database Develop

[GUIDE] How to make mymode themes

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.

How to safely modify framework-res.apk?

So I had my first go at playing with frame-work-res.apk -- fortunately I made a backup first!
This is what I did, step-by-step (probably the hard way, but at the time, I didn't have my USB cable, left it at work).
1. Pulled a copy of framework-res.apk off of the phone.
2. Renamed to .zip (Windblows7) and extracted.
3. Modified a few images, just to see if it would work.
4. Re-created a .zip (making sure that it would be the same, structurally, as the first one) then renamed it to .apk
5. Put it onto the phone, replacing/removing existing one
I immediately got an error (expected) but then I rebooted. Wouldn't go past the boot screen.
All I did was open the .apk, modify (not replace, modified) a couple of images, then put it back onto the phone.
What am I missing?
Thanks, in advance.

I think you might need to sign the apk. Try this:
http://www.londatiga.net/it/how-to-sign-apk-zip-files/
I've never did this myself so I could be wrong

nDrg said:
I think you might need to sign the apk. Try this:
http://www.londatiga.net/it/how-to-sign-apk-zip-files/
I've never did this myself so I could be wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that, nDrg! I'll give it a shot later.
Also, I wonder if my problem was simply that I didn't use adb push to put it back onto the phone. I didn't have my cable with me at the time, so I couldn't... perhaps I'll give it a shot when I get home tonight.

No need to rename it to .zip, just open the .apk with your application of choice and resign.

I edit mine by pulling the framework-res.apk, extract it out and whatever i change, i just drag it back into the apk. I use winrar to open my apk files. I don't even make a new zip and don't resign it either.
If I edited a full rom, lets say CM6. I would extract the framework from his rom, do w/e, put the framework apk back into the rom zip and sign the whole entire thing.

if you edit anything with .9.png and replace it without correctly modifying and recompiling you will get infinite fc's

framework-res.apk
K I've tried replacing the drawables in my framework-res.apk using better zip in Mac and winrar in windows. Then is sign the apk with signapktic on my Droid x. Then I replace it with root explorer to system/framework. I get a boot loop every time? Tried everything. Still get boot loop. What am i doing wrong?
One thing i noticed is I can save as zip in eather better zip or winrar no chances just saving the file and my macbook will no longer recognize the apk as a Unix executable fill.
ANY SUGGESTION?

Make sure you're not compressing the file, in WinRAR, you can pick 'store'

[Q] creating task bar

how would i edit the task bar in asopmod rom i searched through google i found nothing can someone plz help

First you need to read up on theming but in short all those png's reside in the system/framework/framework-res.apk. In that apk if you goto res/drawable-hdpi folder you'll see all of the png's that make up the task bar.
You'll need apkManager and a paint program.

Simmons - I was trying to do something similar but was having no luck -
I wanted to pull the 4G icons out of an Evo rom and put them in place of the 3G icons on CM6 - i thought it would be a riot -
I extracted the 4G's and renamed them to their 3G counterparts names and have them saved on my desktop - but I dont know the right way to extract framework-res.apk, then put in my new icons, then, and probably most importantly, zip it back up so it will flash right !
any thoughts?

Simple how to theme.
Vandelay007 said:
Simmons - I was trying to do something similar but was having no luck -
I wanted to pull the 4G icons out of an Evo rom and put them in place of the 3G icons on CM6 - i thought it would be a riot -
I extracted the 4G's and renamed them to their 3G counterparts names and have them saved on my desktop - but I dont know the right way to extract framework-res.apk, then put in my new icons, then, and probably most importantly, zip it back up so it will flash right !
any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
heres the How to
An apk is really just a zip file... apk stands for android package (if i remember correctly). So treat it like a standard zip file.
You'll need apk manager this will allow you to sign zips which makes them flashable. get that here
Now get your favorite Rom and make a folder. In that folder make 2 folders one called packed the other called packed. Take your rom and unzip it in the unpacked folder. and then take the original zip and move it to the packed folder.
Next go into the unpacked folder and nav to system/framework.framework-res.apk take this apk and unzip it in this folder and then make a copy of the apk and move the copy to the packed folder.
Now when you want to make a change to the framework-res.apk use the unpacked as a reference. us the packed as the change dir, you do this by opening but not unzipping the apk you want to change and just dragging the files you are replacing into the apk, this will replace them. You might want to make a a 3rd folder sorta of a master copy if you ever mess up the packed roms.
Now that you have an altered framework-res.apk you can just push it to system/framework folder (i think) and reboot and your changes are in. I never do this since flashable is easier to manage I make a flashable.
A flashable is like a but allot smaller, so d/l one of my themes and take the zip file and place in in a folder next to the packed and unpacked folder call it something like staging. now unzip apk manager into the top dir next to 3 other folders you just made.
Now my theme zip can be renamed to whatever you want your going to use it as a place holder for signing flashable zips. go into the theme zip and delete ever thing in the system folder except the framework folder then go into the frame work folder and delete everything.
Your flashable zip folder should only have a a meta-inf folder and a system folder, the system folder should only have a framework folder. Now drag your altered framework-res.apk into the flashable zip folder you just cleaned out.
Ok now you have to sign it copy that flashable zip to the place-apk-here-for-signing folder, this should have shown up when you unzipped apk manager into the folder the also contains unpacked and packed folders.
Now click on the script.bat and you'll see a bunch of option you can do option 16 to sign your zip. it takes a second or two and the date should get updated on the flashable.zip file in the place-apk-here-for-signing folder.
Now you have your new them ready to install. if your changing something else find the apk and replace framework-res.apk in these instruction and it works the same. note that most app reside in system/app so you next to take that into account.
Edit: Maybe I should have made a new thread.

creating task bar
thanks simmons i will let u know how bad i mess up but yes thanks alot man

"Application not installed" - frustrating error

Mods please delete. I figured out my errors and all is well.
If anyone is having trouble with this as I was, please refer to these instructions. I'm sorry, I forget who posted them but credit to whoever you are. Big help.
1. Transfer the apk from your phone to your computer. It's probably in a place like data/app or data/data or the like
2. Open the apk with 7zip. Do not extract the whole thing, just open it. Inside you'll see a folder called "res"; transfer that somewhere on your computer.
3. Inside the res folder you'll see a bunch of folders. The images you want to edit are usually in a folder labeled "drawable", but you may have to look elsewhere
4. Find the background image you want to edit. It might be labeled widget_bg or something helpful like that.
5. Edit it how you want. In the case of transparency, you want to delete the background and make it entirely transparent. Save it in the same format and do not change the name. (Note- if your file has .9.png in it, you have to open your edited version using draw9xpatch or whatever in the Android SDK and save it through that as well)
6. Drag the res folder with your modified images back into the archive, using 7zip. You might want to use a duplicate of the apk, just to have the original on hand in case something goes wrong.
8. Place the modified apk into the place-apk-here-for-modding folder in the APK Manager folder
9. Open up script.bat. Select your project using option 22.
10. Do the following things- Extract APK (1), Zip APK (3), zip as regular apk (2), sign apk (4)
At this point you should have a signed version of the apk in the place-apk-here-for-modding folder. You can transfer it to your phone now and install it. Or install it directly onto your phone through apk manager if you have ADB enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!

Wait a minute, you click on the application from your file manager, opening it in your App Manager, and it says Application not Installed?
That makes no sense at all. The only time I've encountered that is when I've tried using an app that was stored on my SD card, which wasn't put in. That app was on my homescreen too.

I'll have the .apk on my SD card somewhere and I'll try to install in through a file explorer with the error message above.
I tried installing through Dropbox, but that also gets me the error message. I've uninstalled all applications of the same name because that's what you're supposed to do. It's weird, I know. I'm trying to work through it right now.

see OP
10char

Same problem
Hello gentlemen, i have some problem with installing "slide it keyboard" and others applications. The messages is: application not installed. I tried everything, but nothing works... Please help me.
HTC desire 2.2 froyo

How to change icon apps on the app drawer? (rooted)

I'm trying to change the icons on the app drawer with Root Explorer but I can't find the correct PNG to replace that on the system/app/"application.apk"/res/drawable/_____.png
Anyone knows the right name of the icon?
Thanks!

res/drawable-hdpi/file_manager_r.png ypu will have to turn the apk into a zip then put your new file into the hdpi folder and change the zip back to an apk then re install

Can I follow this steps with the Captivate or I need to do this on the computer?
Any easy way?
Thanks for the tip!

hi, i changed an image in drawable-hdpi in "phone.apk" (ic_jog_dial_unlock.png) like aceman said, but if i try to install new phone.apk it says "application not installed" (or something similar, my language phone is not english). how can i install new phone.apk??
I tried to istall it from recovery and there is the same result
thanks

You have to push the phone.apk file into /system/app with a root explorer or adb. Just installing it won't work like most other apks.

i have "root browser", can i use it? can u say to me all the steps i have to do with it or adb? i'm not an android expert user...

up...anyone ca help me?

install a different launcher app that lets you customize it. try launcherpro from the android market.
you wont understand the mod instructions.

screw it here they are...
mod instructions... basic if you need more info. learn to search there are 4000 guides on how to change an app image.
you need winrar on windows. if you arent running windows you should know better.
use root level file manager to go to 'system/app' folder and copy your launcher.apk to sdcard.
copy to PC
right click .apk > open with... > choose program > WinRar
look through folders inside APK and copy all folders with .PNG images to desktop (or work folder)
look through the images in the folders (change veiw to thumbnails) and find the name of the image you want to change and the name of the folder it was in.
Go get, or create your custom image, and name it that name. **Close to original shape size.
Use winRar to open the .APK again and naviage to the place where your image goes and drop the new one into that folder.
A window with options will come up and select Compression Profile : STORE
Click ok
Close winrar.
Copy .apk to SDcard
Use root file manager to rename original /system/app/launcher.apk to launcher.apk.bak (backup)
Then copy your modded .apk to /system/app.
Reboot (pull battery)
DONT MESS WITH ANY IMAGE ENDING IN .9.PNG only regular .pngs
for more on .9.pngs... search google.. what is ....

i*have*to*modify*phone.apk,*no*launcher.apk..*i*just*did*steps*you*sayd,*but*if*i*try*to*rename*phone.apk,*my*nexus*goes*in*full*crash

fist off this is the Captivate forums. not nexus.
and i was giving help to OP question not yours. either way the *stars*and*sp ac*es are friggin annoying. use your computer if your phone is messed up.
if you "tried" to modify the name... DID IT? try doesnt tell me much.
if it wouldnt let you, then nothing changed and your phone is screwed up from something else.
if it DID rename, then CHANGE IT BACK.. duh.

sorry for space and *, i wrote it with the mouse using google translate keybord and i saw them when i cut/past the text
i "tried" to rename phone.apk, so the phone went in a full crash and i had to restore system using an old backup in recovery

paino85 said:
sorry for space and *, i wrote it with the mouse using google translate keybord and i saw them when i cut/past the text
i "tried" to rename phone.apk, so the phone went in a full crash and i had to restore system using an old backup in recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try apktool to extract all replace wteva ocon u want to and rebuild apk using the same tool and u need to sign the apk usin signapk tool so that device can recognise the.apk file for installation. I have done this and everything went fine in galaxy note. But i couldn't locate the file to rename the icon. Icon changing was not a prob.