Database Develop

Help combining framework apks

What I am trying to do (on DC v1.1b5) is combine 3 (or more) signed zips (espresso, clear notification bar, and a taskbar) into an unzipped rom so I can sign it later and flash the whole rom with my changes. (NO I'M NOT GOING TO POST IT AND SAY ITS MY ROM lol)
All of these modifications each change framework-res.apk and com.htc.resources.apk in their own way.
Would I have to figure out every single change to each individual apk and merge them into one file? Or is there another way?
I am not only doing this for my phone, but I am doing this to learn.
Any help would be appreciated

Yes, since there's really no way to tell which files were edited in each theme, you have to go through and find it.
Honestly, the easiest way to do this that I've found is to unzip the archive and scroll through the folders with thumbnails enabled so you can quickly see what they all look like.
I know that the statusbar .pngs are in framework-res.apk/res/drawable-mdpi and they all start with statusbar_* or status_bar*.
The .pngs for the Rosie are found in com.htc.resources.apk/res/drawable-port-mdpi/
EDIT: I would also recommend creating a MetaMorph theme when you get all the files you need. (I'm not sure if it works on 2.1/Sense ROMs, I'm about to use it and find out though) that way you can apply the themes while your phone is on, you can easily transfer it between ROMs, and you only need to use the files that you've changed, instead of the entire .apk. For instructions on creating a MetaMorph theme: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=591329

on windows 7 you can make one folder called NEWframeworkapk paste all the original file to it, then copy and paste all the files from the others. it will say "do you wish to move and replace "jpg" say yes for all and then you have the changed files.
haha thats what i do? prolly some super easy way though.

Gregalous said:
Yes, since there's really no way to tell which files were edited in each theme, you have to go through and find it.
Honestly, the easiest way to do this that I've found is to unzip the archive and scroll through the folders with thumbnails enabled so you can quickly see what they all look like.
I know that the statusbar .pngs are in framework-res.apk/res/drawable-mdpi and they all start with statusbar_* or status_bar*.
The .pngs for the Rosie are found in com.htc.resources.apk/res/drawable-port-mdpi/
EDIT: I would also recommend creating a MetaMorph theme when you get all the files you need. (I'm not sure if it works on 2.1/Sense ROMs, I'm about to use it and find out though) that way you can apply the themes while your phone is on, you can easily transfer it between ROMs, and you only need to use the files that you've changed, instead of the entire .apk. For instructions on creating a MetaMorph theme: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=591329
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Avalaunchmods said:
on windows 7 you can make one folder called NEWframeworkapk paste all the original file to it, then copy and paste all the files from the others. it will say "do you wish to move and replace "jpg" say yes for all and then you have the changed files.
haha thats what i do? prolly some super easy way though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you both for the input.
now to go find EVERY change they all make lol
if anyone has an easier way, PLEASE don't hesitate to post lol

regaw_leinad said:
thank you both for the input.
now to go find EVERY change they all make lol
if anyone has an easier way, PLEASE don't hesitate to post lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gregalous said:
I know that the statusbar .pngs are in framework-res.apk/res/drawable-mdpi and they all start with statusbar_* or status_bar*.
The .pngs for the Rosie are found in com.htc.resources.apk/res/drawable-port-mdpi/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a headstart

Gregalous said:
Here's a headstart
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks

I actually prefer MetaMorph over doing a zip file because all you need are the files that have been changed. However, in 2.1 a lot of files are scattered around or in different places and once the Sprint update comes through who knows where everything will be. Once I finally figured out how to set up the folders the rest I have done became easy...and no need to turn off your phone.
Edit: You can also combine more than one folder at a time
HTC HERO
DamageControl V1

&RoidRage said:
I actually prefer MetaMorph over doing a zip file because all you need are the files that have been changed. However, in 2.1 a lot of files are scattered around or in different places and once the Sprint update comes through who knows where everything will be. Once I finally figured out how to set up the folders the rest I have done became easy...and no need to turn off your phone.
Edit: You can also combine more than one folder at a time
HTC HERO
DamageControl V1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, MetaMorph is pretty cool.
but my problem was actually FINDING the changes in already made zips lol
but I think I got it, well most of the changes (hopefully all)

[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.

[TUT] Build Metamorph themes on your phone

Go to market
Download mm, ninjamorph, silver edit, and astro.. While here pick up a random icon pack... (your first morph)
Open silver edit..pick new xml.. Here is a template. Replace the dashes - with less than/greater than < .. They won't show on xda
-?xml version="1.0"?-
-themename-Theme_Name-/themename-
-themeversion-1.x-/themeversion
-screenshot--/screenshot-
-author-that's you-/author-
-authorweblink--/authorweblink-
-phone-Samsung Vibrant-/phone
-rom-Stock-/rom-
-themedescription-whatever changes-/themedescription-
-item-your app.apk-/item-
-path-/system/app/-/path-
-description-changes the...-/description-
-item-framework-res.apk-/item-
-path-/system/framework/-/path-
-description-Morphs the ...-/description-
Open ninja morph, choose the apk you want to modify.. The images you want to change are in res folder in the drawable dir.. choose the icon and replace it with one out of the icon pack..
Open astro.. Go to android themes.. Make new directory, Theme_Name.. Open the workspace folder..this is where the changed apk is... Copy res folder.. Paste it inside Theme_Name.. Delete everything but drawable... Open the silver edit folder in astro and copy Theme_Name.xml and paste it with your new res folder... You just made a morph on your phone...
Open meta morph..start checks and chose existing... Click Theme_Name and Theme_Name.xml, apply all...
Your original images from your apk are in backup inside android themes...
Thanks stericson for 2 apps..
My phone has been flashed more than Girls Gone Wild..

I can't find silver edit in the market :/ .. i'm starting to think something is wrong with my market because I couldn't find simply lockscreen either.. :/

In the directions it says "Samsung_Vibrant" so is this just for the captivate or can you insert which ever phone you want?

sabo2000 said:
In the directions it says "Samsung_Vibrant" so is this just for the captivate or can you insert which ever phone you want?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's just the name of the phone he's editing..
its more of a header or a title if anything..

This will work for any device, on any android device... Just edit the xml to be compatible with your device..
Im hoping this could bring some would be themers out the wood works...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Is metamorph able to put in modified XML files as well? If so, can you explain how this is done? I tried updating some XML files in framework-res.apk via metamorph with no luck...
If i compile + sign my own framework-res.apk, then it works. But i like to use it in metamorph instead so I can change things on the fly.

xDarKnighTx said:
Is metamorph able to put in modified XML files as well? If so, can you explain how this is done? I tried updating some XML files in framework-res.apk via metamorph with no luck...
If i compile + sign my own framework-res.apk, then it works. But i like to use it in metamorph instead so I can change things on the fly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That might be a problem with Super User or something.. That I've read about..

darkamikaze said:
That might be a problem with Super User or something.. That I've read about..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you recall where you read it? and is there some sort of workaround? or is it just not possible?

I think I read it in the meta morph topic in the android theme forum..there's another meta morph thread there
Sent from xdaApp - Captivate

Metamorph only replaces files... doesn't add new ones... so if its a new xml going to have to use an update.zip
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

I did everything by the guide in the first post but when I try to install the theme in metamorph I get the error The theme you selected is invalid because the theme control file could be missing, or is not correctly written.
Any help would be much appreciated.

How do i android?

What is android? How do I do it? Is it and STD or something? If it is I still want it but I want others to have it with me. Thanks to anyone who can help.

task650 said:
How can I get the Galassia theme on my Samsung Captivate. I got it to run on stock Eclair 2.1 but i really want to have the battery, wifi, usb, ect... icons on my phone. I'm running Axura 2.4 right now. Anyone who can help me with this I would really appreciate it. Thanks a lot guys!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I haven't checked out the framework of the theme, or Axura for that matter, but here's how I port themes to mine.
Download 7zip from the web, it's free. Find the Axura2.4 rom and right click and open it with 7zip. Browse to System/Framework and copy framework-res.apk to your desktop. Now right click the framework-res.apk on your desktop and open with 7zip. Navigate to res/drawable-hdpi-v4. That is where 90% of theme elements are stored. Keep this window open.
Now find the Galaasia theme, easiest to keep it on your desktop. Open the theme folder, with 7zip if it's compressed. The theme should be laid out very similar, just drill down to framework/framework-res.apk/res/drawable-hdpi-v4.
Select all of the contents of that folder, and drag them into the framework-res of the Axura that you had opened in the previous step. Close the windows and that's it.
Now take root explorer or terminal emulator, copy that new framework-res.apk to your internal SD, then with root explorer or whatever, copy that to /system/framework on your phone. Reboot and it's themed.
***All elements might not be the same between 2.1 and 2.2 as far as theming goes. Use at your own risk.

thanks a lot man. i'm going to try it out.

dude. you are awesome. it totally worked. thanks sooo much!!! I LOVE XDA!!!!!!!!

deleted

Installing widgetlocker themes

Hi, can anyone tell me how i am supposed to use a theme for widgetlocker at all please?
I downloaded 3 files (zip) and chose the option of install and add, but there is only my phone lock showing, no icons to choose from and no wallpaper that was supposed to come with it.
I have no idea where the file has saved to or anything, and well being new to all of this android stuff i m a bit confused....
thanks for any help you can give me.

thesludge said:
Hi, can anyone tell me how i am supposed to use a theme for widgetlocker at all please?
I downloaded 3 files (zip) and chose the option of install and add, but there is only my phone lock showing, no icons to choose from and no wallpaper that was supposed to come with it.
I have no idea where the file has saved to or anything, and well being new to all of this android stuff i m a bit confused....
thanks for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello!! Extract the files on the zip y put the folder in sdcard/data/widgetlocker..
Regards

dumb question, but how do you extract them on the phone, or am i best to do that via pc?

thesludge said:
dumb question, but how do you extract them on the phone, or am i best to do that via pc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you don't need to unzip those files. You just have to place those zip files in sdcard/data/com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker/themes

10507 said:
No, you don't need to unzip those files. You just have to place those zip files in sdcard/data/com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker/themes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having issues with my widgetlocker adding new themes. I've added themes before and they've worked fine but now it wont add any more. I've added the zip file, which has like 20 themes in it, into the location mentioned above. Then I go into widgetlocker and have the slider selection screen update the theme population. But it doesn't show any additional themes. What am I doing wrong?

Concordium said:
I'm having issues with my widgetlocker adding new themes. I've added themes before and they've worked fine but now it wont add any more. I've added the zip file, which has like 20 themes in it, into the location mentioned above. Then I go into widgetlocker and have the slider selection screen update the theme population. But it doesn't show any additional themes. What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have several themes in a zip, then you'll have to extract them.
Sent from my GT-I9100

GANJDROID said:
If you have several themes in a zip, then you'll have to extract them.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do I have to extract them and zip each one of them individually? Because I tried it extracted, with the actual folders for each theme in the correct directory, and still nothing happened.

Concordium said:
Do I have to extract them and zip each one of them individually? Because I tried it extracted, with the actual folders for each theme in the correct directory, and still nothing happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, if the themes aren't in zip format, make a new zip (with Astro or something) and copy and paste the thenes inside. Widget Locker only loads up zip themes, but not themes within a zip.
Sent from my GT-I9100

GANJDROID said:
Yeah, if the themes aren't in zip format, make a new zip (with Astro or something) and copy and paste the thenes inside. Widget Locker only loads up zip themes, but not themes within a zip.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so I took all of the themes out of the larger archive and zipped them each individually, making sure that each zip had just the folder and the theme files within. Still nothing. I have no clue why these files arent being read.

**deleted**

so where do you download this theme?

thesludge said:
Hi, can anyone tell me how i am supposed to use a theme for widgetlocker at all please?
I downloaded 3 files (zip) and chose the option of install and add, but there is only my phone lock showing, no icons to choose from and no wallpaper that was supposed to come with it.
I have no idea where the file has saved to or anything, and well being new to all of this android stuff i m a bit confused....
thanks for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.install widgetlocker.apk
2.extract yourtheme.zip to /sdcard/data/com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker/themes
3.open widgetlocker and hold screen
4.select a custom slider and select a theme that you want to use
5.Done

devlirian said:
1.install widgetlocker.apk
2.extract yourtheme.zip to /sdcard/data/com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker/themes
3.open widgetlocker and hold screen
4.select a custom slider and select a theme that you want to use
5.Done
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not the only one having problems, i think everyone trying to help maybe misunderstanding the problem, or at least mine is different.
Once I have done the 1-5 I can choose a theme but the only thing that happens is that it adds an additional unlocker to my current setup, creating multiple unlock wigets.
There must be a setting somewhere that is not allowing the full theme to be applied.
for example if I install "droids on a wire" i get the unlock mechanism added to lockscreen (in additon to the one I allready had) but unthemed. It does not show the droids hanging just the base unlocker used in it; no background or anything other else in that theme. This happens on any theme I have tried to apply
what setting am I missing??

Screenshots of your device and what it supposed to look like would be very helpful.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium

Same here
jeremykersh said:
You're not the only one having problems, i think everyone trying to help maybe misunderstanding the problem, or at least mine is different.
Once I have done the 1-5 I can choose a theme but the only thing that happens is that it adds an additional unlocker to my current setup, creating multiple unlock wigets.
There must be a setting somewhere that is not allowing the full theme to be applied.
for example if I install "droids on a wire" i get the unlock mechanism added to lockscreen (in additon to the one I allready had) but unthemed. It does not show the droids hanging just the base unlocker used in it; no background or anything other else in that theme. This happens on any theme I have tried to apply
what setting am I missing??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I am having the same problem, although some it loads fine on others it shows the name of the new theme but shows an old preview of a stock locker. Even when I add it it will not change?!?

Solution
thesludge said:
dumb question, but how do you extract them on the phone, or am i best to do that via pc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ES File Explorer
or
XArhiver is a solution