[Q] Repackaging an existing theme - Android Themes

This is sort of a 2 part question.
I've taken a theme I like which is compatible with my current rom and I have made many edits to image files in the framework apk file.
The theme came as a clockwork flashable zip file. I extracted it and then extracted some apk files to make edits in the graphic design.
My question is how do I put it all back together into the flashable zip, and how do i repackage the apk files I extracted to edit?
Thanks in advance

If you could post the files in a .zip, I can make you an update.zip that can be flashed. Or shoot me a PM and let me know what you need help with (update script, packaging, ect.) and I'll walk you through it.

Related

Ok, quick question for you guys

I'm trying to make my own theme so to say and have all the icon files I want changed and put into a zip file that I renamed to have an APK extension. Now how do I make this work on my phone? I modified the original one I had on my phone (which just came with services.jar and framework-res). Replaced the files in framework-res, rezipped and such. When I transferred it over I couldn't get a boot, so I went back to the original. What am I missing? THanks!
oh yeah, and metamorph isn't supported on the rom I'm using yet
you're going to have to manually package, sign and flash the file. best way to do it is to start off using the stock theme template for the rom you're using, remove the excess, replace the appropriate files, sign the zip and flash. dont rename it to be an apk unless it is actually an apk that you're theming (a la phone.apk). a full flashable theme is always going to be a zip.

[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

Recompile APK help

I'm a noob at this... I searched the forum but couldn't find any information.
Could someone more knowledgeable explain to me how to decompile and recompile apk's?? More specifically the framework-res??
I read that you can't simply unzip and then rezip... so what do I have to do?
The apk's are zip files that contain the resources (icons, bitmaps, sounds, etc.) as well as the code compiled in a classes.dex file. You can replace the resources after deodexing, but I don't think you will be able to change the compiled code in classes.dex unless you have the source code.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
So for instance... if I have a clockwork flashable battery mod... and I unzip that... and edit colors of icons in the framework-res.apk, then can I just save the files, recompress and it will still flash properly?
And another thing.. if you have a clockword flashable .zip how do you change it so that you can flash via stock recovery? I know that simply renaming it to update.zip and trying via stock will not work. Is it a hard process, do I need a special program on my pc??
make your life easier..
search xda for Apk Manager
jslee1020 said:
So for instance... if I have a clockwork flashable battery mod... and I unzip that... and edit colors of icons in the framework-res.apk, then can I just save the files, recompress and it will still flash properly?
And another thing.. if you have a clockword flashable .zip how do you change it so that you can flash via stock recovery? I know that simply renaming it to update.zip and trying via stock will not work. Is it a hard process, do I need a special program on my pc??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about editing apk's. To create a flashable zip file through stock recovery, you need to have the META-INF folder correctly created with a working updater script and the manifest and certificate files that you get by signing the zip file. Look into playing with the HTC android kitchen on the chef central section here to automate that process.

creating a zip theme

Hi fellow members,
I have a question about creating zip files.
Can i take the zip file gtkansan, made for the keyboard, extract it and add the folder structure for my theme apk's, dump it back in the zip file and then install it?
or is there more to creating an install able theme zip?
Thanks
Hi All, I'm hoping someone is kind enough to lend me a hand with my zip file.
I have used several working zip files and replaced only my files left the structure the same, and always get error 6.
I read that it could be a unix encoding issue and to use notepad+++ ( i only use notepad+++)
So i then started doing all my zip modding in linux.
I still get the error 6.
can some please help?

[Q] Create flashable framework ZIP?

I have simple question, so I hope for simple answer:
how to create flashable zip containing the original framework-res.apk? I can pull original framework file and if something goes wrong, I want to have CWM flashable ZIP to push it back.
How can I do that? Simply ZIP original framework.apk with 7ZIP or there is another method? Thanks.

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