Related
i know some themes change it, but i like the theme i have already. i just want to change the keyboard to a more pleasant look. is there somewhere i can find different ones to download or flash onto my rom? i don't want to use betterkeyboard app, etc.
Here You Go Buddy.
Well i skinned the stock keyboard pretty easily with a few easy techniques.
First check out my theme Ivory http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=612315 To see if that's what you want. I hope your familiar with themeing or this might be confsing.
-I took the latinIME.apk from cyanogens last rom
-Opened it as a zip and navigated to the res drawable folders
-downloaded the better keyboard skins i wanted (simple black and green)
-pulled the different drawable files from the betterkeyboard apps and replaced the stock cyanogen ones
-resigned apk and flashed inside my theme
sassyness77 said:
Well i skinned the stock keyboard pretty easily with a few easy techniques.
First check out my theme Ivory http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=612315 To see if that's what you want. I hope your familiar with themeing or this might be confsing.
-I took the latinIME.apk from cyanogens last rom
-Opened it as a zip and navigated to the res drawable folders
-downloaded the better keyboard skins i wanted (simple black and green)
-pulled the different drawable files from the betterkeyboard apps and replaced the stock cyanogen ones
-resigned apk and flashed inside my theme
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha thats EXACTLY what i tried to do yesterday night! except i got the acore force close thing, & im sure it's because i didn't sign it first. i had an easy auto-sign program but i deleted it a few days ago :| & now i can't find it on here anymore!
jonesyruless said:
haha thats EXACTLY what i tried to do yesterday night! except i got the acore force close thing, & im sure it's because i didn't sign it first. i had an easy auto-sign program but i deleted it a few days ago :| & now i can't find it on here anymore!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha what are the odds well at least your on the right track!
I would go for editing HTC_IME.apk, just a personal preference i guess, but i think its better, and have played around with editing it a bit myself, and its pretty easy, but you need to be able to do *.9.png files.
sassyness77 said:
haha what are the odds well at least your on the right track!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
okay i found it. but im still geting te acore force close): what could i be doing wrong?
hmmmm.
jonesyruless said:
okay i found it. but im still geting te acore force close): what could i be doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im not sure, are you using stricstons signing tool? how are you flashing it?
What ROM are you trying it on? The new CM ROMs the keyboard is now in the LatinIME.apk instead of the framework-res.apk, but if you are using one of the other ROMs, that may not be the case.
sassyness77 said:
Im not sure, are you using stricstons signing tool? how are you flashing it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont think so, im using a modded apk signing tool i found on here, i lost the link.
and im doing
cp /sdcard/LatinIME.apk(the one i made) /system/app
in terminal emulator.
then after that the keyboard just dissappears. if i restart after that, the keyboard never shows up. if i just try to go back, i get acore force close repeatedly.
jairomeo said:
What ROM are you trying it on? The new CM ROMs the keyboard is now in the LatinIME.apk instead of the framework-res.apk, but if you are using one of the other ROMs, that may not be the case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i know, im on cyanogen's latest.
You may want to try getting Stericson's signing tool. If it is disappearing signing could be the main issue. Since you edit it on your PC, why don't you just push it through adb after signing instead of copying it to your sd and then having to use the terminal?
jairomeo said:
You may want to try getting Stericson's signing tool. If it is disappearing signing could be the main issue. Since you edit it on your PC, why don't you just push it through adb after signing instead of copying it to your sd and then having to use the terminal?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the thing is though that i used the same signing tool to edit a graphic on a different app & it worked just fine.
i don't have/really know what adb OR sdk is & terminal is the easiest way i know how to do it. i mean does it really make a difference?
its been confirmed that it's not my signing tool because i used the same tool to edit a different app, a battery widget i downloaded from the market. & it worked fine. anyone else can help me?
lets get this working buddy,
Alrighty maybe try flashing the keyboard in an update.zip, just put the latinIME.apk into a folder named app. Then copy a meta inf folder from another theme download, you can use mine. Then send that to a compressed folder, resign and try to flash it. I would try that, I have never had good luck pushing with adb and pulling stuff, I stick with the easy way
yesssss i finally got it to work! it turns out i didnt need the signing tool at all. i took the latinime.apk file from a theme with a skinned keyboard, then i ONLY replaced the keyboard png's, and kept the meta-inf how it was. thanks guys for trying to help
I accept NO responsibility for any damage caused to your handset before, during and after updating it with these THEMEs. Using custom THEMEs has risks attached to it, and can be dangerous. Proceed with caution.
Description
Basically I have taken Kos's theme and made it more of a black/grey theme. I have gone deeper into the OS and replaced most of the green stuff with black/grey etc.
There are also bits from themes found at xda for other Android devices. Ended up doing a lot more than what i should of really
There is still a bit of green left and most of it is where it makes sense to have it (some check boxes, indicators etc).
WORKS ON MoDaCo MCR3.1 & 3.2 Beta's ROM.
Fixed or should i say replaced, the lock screen for a different one . Hopefully that is it
MetaMorph Version>>>GET IT FROM HERE <<<
Update.zip Version>>>COMING SOON <<<
This theme is purely for people who like black/dark themes. Please don't write bad feedback or that it isn't to your taste, as i won't change it or provide reasons for my choices .
Use the attached Wallpaper for use in SenseUI. In Android it is already default
Big thanks to Kos for base theme, tristan for inspiration & all the CREATORS & ORIGINATORS of anything that may of been theirs in some form!!... (u know who u are )
Enjoy.
KEEP A LOOK OUT.
Details!
Update.zip is 31.8mb in size as its a fair few .apk's
Metamorph file size is just over 5mb, so i have achieved a smallish footprint of this theme.
Modifications
Rework of Android UI
Customised Keypad dialler
Status Bar Icons from HelloMoto
Over 40 apk's have been modified in some way
Changed the Screen Lock pattern icons
Lots of stuff i cant think of.......
*I have only modified the apk's i am currently using on my ROM build (3.2 Beta 5; very LITE version)
Basically i have edited a lot of stuff, changed a lot stuff and borrowed a lot of stuff To make this theme, i like it, now...
And am gonna be making a LITE ROM, based on MCR builds and also a ASOP build based on one of those builds...with this type of theme built in.
FYI
Your Home screens will be reset, i cant do this yet (put them like i want), but in future i will be able to, just need to open the xmls with hextool..will be same result with the update.zip too.
I have used Beautiful Home here in my screen shots for my Home....i just wanted to show you a comparison of HTC vs Android (not much difference)
The Battery Widget is BatteryLife
The Settings Widgets are Beautiful Widgets
The News Widget is News Buzz
I did the Google search bar in the Android UI too
I am ultimately NOT responsible for anything that occurs from use of the provided theme. Use at your own risk and hopefully enjoy it.
B)
How To Install Metamorph Theme
Always BACKUP your Hero (Nandroid or whatever you use)
For best INSTALL RESULTS for Metamorph & update.zip, Re-install current ROM fully, let it install, set up, then reboot when finished...
Then either....
see below for options....
Metamorph Version
1. Download the Metamorph application from the Market
2. Download AndExplorer application from the Market
The above are required, Metamorph uses AndExplorer to search your device for themes
3. Download then copy the .zip theme from this thread, to your SD card to a location you know of.
4. Open Metamorph, and select 'Pick Theme' after it checks your device
5. Select the theme from its location, then Install All (Apply All).
6. It will extract the theme, and a progress bar is now shown in Metamorph as it extracts the theme.
7. It will then install each apk one at a time... it will take some minutes...and some more.....
When it asks to force close an app, please do so.
** I recommend keeping the phone awake during the installation to ensure it installs as quick as possible **
8. When it asks to REBOOT, it probably won't (even in newest Metamorph version), so just manually reboot by turning device off and then on again.
Update.zip Version
1. Download then copy the .zip theme from this thread, to your SD card (ROOT)
2. Boot Device to Recovery mode & flash as normal...
3. Reboot
RESULT
If you already run other themes in some form or another, the best install method above will benefit you most
Nobody tried this yet?
Come on, please leave feedback.
Shokka9
I tried your Theme and its still ob my hero,so i like it.
There is just one thing i dont like:
The dark black coloured Status bar at The Top. Its to dark dir me. When you pull it down its a little more grey, this colour i would like to See as Standard.
Hope you. get what i mean.
Cheers
I get ya bro....
But i prefer the Black bar , thats how i do it....
If you want i could make u a quick Grey bar like the pull down and post later tonight (am at work) and u can just update with Metamorph
right ive installed it this is my first time trying metamorph so bare with me. i followed your instructions above it installed and i then rebooted and ended up with a few problems
-it removed my people.apk completely off the phone
-removed most my widgets from my home screen but i just added these back on
-it completely removed the htc picture frame widget altogether
- when i press the phone button it just brought up a text saying phone it didnt actually open the dailer
- lock screen was still the same
- the pattern password screen was still the same
ive restored my nandroid backup and will try again.
still a no go for me im affraid i tried to install some parts individually but im still having problems. if you could do a update.zip that i can apply from the recovery menu id appreciate it as i like the look of the theme from the screen shots
@ mjcook1984
Thats strange.....what ROM are you running.
For it removing apk's; well thats something i have never seen.
All those widgets, are actually in the metamorph theme too, so it wouldnt remove them.
Try installing one at time.....bit tedious but hey.
Update.zip will come, i made one last night, but it doesnt work fully.
I even sucessfully installed this theme to my own ROM (based on Modaco 3.2 beta 5), it has no rosie etc.
Even tho the ROM didnt have some of the apk's it still installed fine and everything working fine.
I would recommend, wiping, then when fully booted, reboot, then use Metamorph again. NEVER UPDATE a metamorph theme ALWAYS replace.
thers defo something strange i just tried kos-worlds black eclair and that came up with the same problems.
im running modaco 3.1
ah just realised ive not got andexplorer ive been using astro will try again
Hmmm....i tested mine originally on MCR 3.1 (and 3.0 & 3.2) so it should work....
I know you wont want to, but try wiping, reflashing the 3.1 ROM, rebooting, then running Metamorph.
Strange. Have you used any other Metamorph themes before?
no first time ive tried to use it. just tried again with andexplore installed still the same problems but this time the htcpictureframe.apk stayed. i am using a custom theme that was applied from the recovery menu i wonder if that causing the problem. il re flash 3.1 and see if that sorts it
That might be it....
Try again bro
UPDATE.zip now available
update.zip coming to the first post soon....
Posts updated accordingly.
wallpaper
hi in the pic of the lockscreen on the first post on the right i was wondering if you could post that wallpaper its pretty awesome blue and black look great =)
added to first post
Awesome thanks love the theme haven't had one problem with it yet
Thanks Bro
shokka9 said:
I get ya bro....
But i prefer the Black bar , thats how i do it....
If you want i could make u a quick Grey bar like the pull down and post later tonight (am at work) and u can just update with Metamorph
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be really nice
Sorry for my late answer, had to survive the Karneval in Cologne
i give you update later bro...
Check back after 9pm UK time
I have a Captivate I just upgraded to, from a BlackBerry. [FINALLY]
After reading around for a week or two on XDA it's about time I ask the questions I've been searching so long for.
It's a couple questions, but I have no idea:
I'm running the latest Cognition rom. Though it's nice and all, can I have my old boot animation back? How?
Ever since I started researching Android and their themes, I've fallen in love with chancellorr's minimalist themes, notably this one from his deviantART account: http://chancellorr.deviantart.com/gallery/26259232#/d33q9jd. I've been trying to get his setup ever since I started. Help please?
How do I use MetaMorph? I'm not sure if it's the main theming app for Android, but it's nothing like Winterboard on the iPhone, I have no idea what I'm doing! Help with that too, please?
What's the nicest and most customizable launcher for Android?
Anything else I might need to know to help further customize my Captivate? What I should be worried about, and how I can prevent issues loading themes and the like.
Thanks for helping me out, loving this Captivate so far
bugmenever said:
I'm running the latest Cognition rom. Though it's nice and all, can I have my old boot animation back? How?
Ever since I started researching Android and their themes, I've fallen in love with chancellorr's minimalist themes, notably this one from his deviantART account: http://chancellorr.deviantart.com/gallery/26259232#/d33q9jd. I've been trying to get his setup ever since I started. Help please?
How do I use MetaMorph? I'm not sure if it's the main theming app for Android, but it's nothing like Winterboard on the iPhone, I have no idea what I'm doing! Help with that too, please?
What's the nicest and most customizable launcher for Android?
Anything else I might need to know to help further customize my Captivate? What I should be worried about, and how I can prevent issues loading themes and the like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes; the boot animation resides in /system/media/bootanimation.zip. To replace it, put the new bootanimation.zip on your SD card and move it over with root explorer. Should you not have root explorer, run the commands below via AndroidSDK/tools (put the bootanimation.zip in the /tools folder too)...
Code:
adb push bootanimation.zip /sdcard/
adb shell
su [i](should change from a $ to a #, dont forget to accept superuser on the phone too)[/i]
cp /sdcard/bootanimation.zip /system/media/
exit
exit
adb reboot
2. As this seems to be designed for a different device, it would require decompiling the frameworks and such and porting them over to captivate-esque code; that would work with the captivates framework.
3. This thread should teach you how to MetaMorph.
4. It's a matter of opinion. The two big ones are Launcher Pro and ADW.Launcher, both come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Want a transparent app drawer background? ADW. Want to hide apps in the app drawer? LauncherPro. Best way to find which one you like is to try them yourself, but as for customizable, i would say Launcher Pro as you don't have to jump through hoops to change the dock background.
5. Don't try to flash a theme that was designed for a different phone. When you theme a ROM, you theme the framework, which is tightly bound to the rest of the software. Changing the Captivates framework to the Evo framework for example would cause problems, as the Evo frameworks calls for different values in different places. The code isn't necessarily different, but the layout and string values will be different too.
All in all, this phone is pretty unbrickable. Get used to making backups and flashing back from a bad flash, and before you apply a theme, make sure you back up whatever files this theme calls for you to replace! Most of the time, even with a theme that doesn't work(assuming it's for the captivate), you'll still retain basic functions. Backup is key!
Enjoy the new toy!
geokhentix said:
1. Yes; the boot animation resides in /system/media/bootanimation.zip. To replace it, put the new bootanimation.zip on your SD card and move it over with root explorer. Should you not have root explorer, run the commands below via AndroidSDK/tools (put the bootanimation.zip in the /tools folder too)...
Code:
adb push bootanimation.zip /sdcard/
adb shell
su [i](should change from a $ to a #, dont forget to accept superuser on the phone too)[/i]
cp /sdcard/bootanimation.zip /system/media/
exit
exit
adb reboot
2. As this seems to be designed for a different device, it would require decompiling the frameworks and such and porting them over to captivate-esque code; that would work with the captivates framework.
3. This thread should teach you how to MetaMorph.
4. It's a matter of opinion. The two big ones are Launcher Pro and ADW.Launcher, both come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Want a transparent app drawer background? ADW. Want to hide apps in the app drawer? LauncherPro. Best way to find which one you like is to try them yourself, but as for customizable, i would say Launcher Pro as you don't have to jump through hoops to change the dock background.
5. Don't try to flash a theme that was designed for a different phone. When you theme a ROM, you theme the framework, which is tightly bound to the rest of the software. Changing the Captivates framework to the Evo framework for example would cause problems, as the Evo frameworks calls for different values in different places. The code isn't necessarily different, but the layout and string values will be different too.
All in all, this phone is pretty unbrickable. Get used to making backups and flashing back from a bad flash, and before you apply a theme, make sure you back up whatever files this theme calls for you to replace! Most of the time, even with a theme that doesn't work(assuming it's for the captivate), you'll still retain basic functions. Backup is key!
Enjoy the new toy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for answering :]
2. Where can I find Captivate frameworks? I always see different amazing looking themes, but no frameworks specifically for Captivate.
4. Learned that the hard way. Scared myself two days after getting it by trying to flash a theme for the G1 and had to wait half an hour to flash back to stock ROM, so I've started to backup more now.
bugmenever said:
Thanks so much for answering :]
2. Where can I find Captivate frameworks? I always see different amazing looking themes, but no frameworks specifically for Captivate.
4. Learned that the hard way. Scared myself two days after getting it by trying to flash a theme for the G1 and had to wait half an hour to flash back to stock ROM, so I've started to backup more now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find them on this board. A theme almost always changes the framework, which can point to a couple files. These aren't all of the files in theming, but generally, these 2 are almost always changed.
/system/framework/framework-res.apk
/system/framework/twframework-res.apk
Themes usually come as a .zip file, which is intended for you to flash with CWM(ClockworkMod Recovery). Cognition comes with ROM Manager I believe, if it doesn't, DL it off the market. Open it, click Flash ClockworkMod, select Captivate, then you can reboot into recovery and flash themed updates.
Put the themed .zip on your SD card
1. Open ROM Manager, and Flash it, selecting Captivate.
2. Select Reboot into Recovery. (On the first attempt, you might have to click "Reinstall Packages" when it boots into recovery, to get you into CWM for the first time.)
3. Once inside CWM, Install ROM from SD Card > Choose ROM from SD card > theme.zip
It's pretty hard to brick this phone, so don't be afraid to experiment a bit. Generally, most captivate themes are available here in teh Apps & Themes board, but make sure you read the thread to see if there's any information about it being compatible with your current ROM or not.
That's awesome!
Is there anything I would really need to get started up with this phone? I used to have an iPhone and I'm used to their framework, so... :]
Hoping to become a master at this.
I would say ROM Manager, Root Explorer, Titanium Backup, and NinjaMorph are all musts. I would say update to one of the newer roms too; like Perception. The newer kernels are much faster. If you're into customizations, it's worth modifying the rom before you install it (please note however, to always keep a stock unmodified copy of the rom you're modifying, incase it doesn't work).
It's pretty easy. Open the Rom's .zip(like perception, etc etc) in 7z or WinRAR
Apps go in /system/app if you want them to be system-installed (can't remove them, samsung/atnt bloatware is installed in the /system/app for example..well was)
OR the /data/app , which is pre-installed but on a user level, uninstallable like any app downloaded from the market.
Anything theme related goes in /system/framework
Kernels/Modems/etc go in the /updates folder
drag, drop, replace. No need to uncompress and recompress. Whatever you download, assuming it's not an odin flashable, will generally be in the same file system as the rom you're modifying, so it's easy to swap them out. This way themes install with the rom, please note however that if you do install a theme in such a way, features like the all-boot menu (Reboot/recovery/download on power menu), or any extra animations or unlock screens may not work; unless the theme you're building in has them too!
Woops. Accidently double posted.
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help. I recently installed Simplicity 1.5 (JVT odexed) on my phone, and also touchwiz 4.5. However, I cannot access live wallpapers at all. Now I know Simplicity rom doesn't include them as default, so I used the add on creator to put in the livewallpaperpicker.apk & .odex via cwm but still no joy (it appeared to unpack the files but I can't add a wallpaper - they either forceclose or say the option isn't available). I then tried pushing both files into the system/app folder on my phone, which it has done successfully, but even after a reboot - still no live wallpapers.
I'm not sure if it's TW4.5 that's causing the problem or simplicity, but I think it may be the former. I've checked in the system/app folder and both files are there, but trying to install the apk via my phone just results in the 'not installed' message. Any assistance would be kindly appreciated.
Thanks!
Well I've removed touchwiz 4.5 and still am not able to install live wallpapers, so it must be something to do with simplicity rom I guess. It's a shame, because it seems to be a really nice rom, and I know from reading the developers thread that other people appeared to have been able to install the live wallpapers via the add on creator so not really sure what I'm doing wrong...
Update: Well installing all of the missing files from Simplicity (linked here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18268152&postcount=1695) seems to have sorted out the problem. The CWM mentions something about permissions when installing - you don't get that message using the stand alone add on creator created zip so I guess it could be something to do with that. I purposefully didn't go this route because the only thing I wanted to install was the live wallpapers, but hopefully I should just be able to delete the other apps that I don't need.
Thanks for everyone who read, I'm posting my solution in case anyone else stumbles across this problem.
yeh had the same problem with the latest 2.1.0, worked a treat after restoring the missing apps. cheers
I have the same problem.I cant see the live wallpapers menu.
I downloaded the zip file from the link above that contains all the removed apps but it didnt work.
What should I do? I installed the visulizationwallpapers.apk but didnt fix the problem.
The other .odex file cant run.
Any ideas?
thebawp said:
Well I've removed touchwiz 4.5 and still am not able to install live wallpapers, so it must be something to do with simplicity rom I guess. It's a shame, because it seems to be a really nice rom, and I know from reading the developers thread that other people appeared to have been able to install the live wallpapers via the add on creator so not really sure what I'm doing wrong...
Update: Well installing all of the missing files from Simplicity (linked here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18268152&postcount=1695) seems to have sorted out the problem. The CWM mentions something about permissions when installing - you don't get that message using the stand alone add on creator created zip so I guess it could be something to do with that. I purposefully didn't go this route because the only thing I wanted to install was the live wallpapers, but hopefully I should just be able to delete the other apps that I don't need.
Thanks for everyone who read, I'm posting my solution in case anyone else stumbles across this problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For deleting unwanted apps just open the zip file, navigate to /system/app and wipe out all apks/odex files you don't need.
CWM Recovery have an option to fix permissions - give it a try
Are you using 1.5 or 2.1? Let me know if this works for you.
Ive never had any trouble themeing an android. Well until now! The problem is that evey time i install the files my cyanogen mod settings crash when i try to open them, and nothing in the "about phone" section of my settings displays what it is supposed to. Im using gingerxperia v22. I moved the icons into the .apk's with 7zip after some hours of looking and resizing. SystemUI, Settings, Phone, and framework-res are the files im trying to edit. Ive tried pushing them with adb, root explorer, and made an update.zip and flashed it with cwm. Same problem no matter how i load them in my phone. I can even change the files back to the original and the problem persists. Ive done a restore and everything is back to normal. But i want my theme to work. Anybody have a insight as to what i might be doing wrong?