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Hi Guys,
is it possible to change android (magic) taskbar color/theme for the device without root access?
I don't like the boring white, I want black taskbar with white font.
any suggestion will be appreciated .
thanks
I would like the same my device is rooted though
Draxter said:
I would like the same my device is rooted though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dont think it is possible if you aren't rooted. If you are rooted open up the update.zip file you are using as your rom using 7-zip, go to where framework drawable folder is. Open status bar and change its colour, drop it back in and resign app. There are instructions how to do this in themes section of Dream.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=473580
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=471586 I use post number 6 the way i do it.
I'm using the Vodafone rom... I don't think I can get my update.zip from that? I rooted my device with haykuro's stuff in this tutorial.
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=Magic_Rooting
I want to keep my Dutch XT9 so I can't flash anything else but smartphone france or my stock vodafone...
all the drawables should be in the root-me rom. open it and have a look for them.
But if they aren't I will brick my device by flashing a wrong framework...
no you wont. All you do is open it and drop in the .pngs you want, then resign it. they will be there in the rom- if not look at one of the other roms- Rogers, or daldroid will have them.
If it does go in to boot loop reboot into recovery and flash the last working rom you have until you figure out what went wrong. The only thing you are changing is the pngs. you shouldnt go intoa bootloop doing this- i have done a heap of theming for myself for the G1 and each time i got a boot loop it was cos i was playing around with services.jar and xml files. each time i just rebooted into recovery and reflashed previous working rom.
The thing is, I don't know which ROM I have... I have rooted my magic by using the android-dls tutorial with haykuro's stuff. There are still some vodafone relics left. I still have the vodafone shortcut, and i still have support for Dutch XT9.
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=Magic_Rooting
I haven't made a Nandroid backup and I don't know how to make a backup either so... There is only one alternative, flashing Smartphone France firmware, it has Dutch support. I wouldn't mind trying out that one but that'll be the first time that I flash firmware onto my Magic so I'd like some guidance on MSN with that
Drawer
Im looking for the application drawer button in the res folder that is inside framework... found the status/notification bar and all icons but can't seem to find the app drawer button... i want to change it to a darker grey and make the notification bar black...
the app drawers are in launcher.apk
Easiest/safest way of changing the graphics I have found was to:
1. Connect your phone via USB and make sure you have the drivers installed
2. do adb remount
3. Do a adb pull on /system/framework/framework-res.apk for example
4. Open the apk with something like winrar etc
5. Locate the png files you want to change and extract them
6. make modifications to the files
7. pop back to the apk
8. do an adb push of the file back to the device
I've done this with fairly few apk's such as the launcher.apk and framework-res.apk and never had to resign the file =o)
The advantage is that you are using the file from your phone that you know works =o)) certain apk's don't even need a restart such as the Launcher.apk, I did alot of modding with the app drawer without ever needing to restart the phone.
This is good for changing the images but things like changing the clock color is ALOT harder, it requires you to edit the services.jar file with a hex editor =o(
Hope this helps.
Draxter said:
the app drawers are in launcher.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, i did find the file in the launcher.apk, i edited it and all the other files and now need to resign in linux... was looking for the SignApk.jar in the SDK and didn't find it... also tried JF's testsign.jar and didnt work... can anyone point me in the right direction so i can resign the file using test keys in linux.
Thanks,
If you just changed the png's you shouldn't have to resign it
fxn said:
If you just changed the png's you shouldn't have to resign it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the hour and date font in the status bar... if i change the notification area to black it wont automatically switch to white text... do you know where i can find the parameters to change it?
Some of the text like notification texts etc are held in framework-res.apk xml files in the drawable folder if I remember correctly.
The clock is the difficult one as it is inside services.jar file, its a serious pain in the back side, the dream forum has more info about it but it involves opening up files in hex editor and changing the hex code directly there
I'll be having a look at this and see if I can make step by step guide of this but it is seriously a pain!
Any idea which XML's in framework-re.apk (or other location) hold the various notification font colour(s)?? I can't seem to find it.
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.
Hey guys. I am sorry if this isnt the right section.
I am a iPod/iPhone user who got a G1 (it was cheap ... I like to build skins and skin apps. SKinning Android seems to be a difficult task cause of 9patch pngs... I need help... I wanted to perform a simple task of editing the Status bar to make it look transparent and I have been scratching my head over it since a week. I use APK Manager to Pull/Decompile the framework-res.apk...
Now I get the status_bar_item_app_background_normal.9.png and open it in photoshop... I see the black guides and I dont touch them... I select the stuff between it and cut it via a layer and decrease the transparency (visibility)... Merge the layers... for the sake of it I open i in draw9patch.. save it.. and use the xUltimate Draw9Patch compiler... now when i drag the compiled image back to the orignal location and Compile the app in APK Manager and I push... I don;t think I need to sign it as it retains the sig in APK MAnager... now the edited pic doesnt work...
Does using MetaMorph make the process easier???
Is there a way to preview my pics on the Android Emulator?
Skinning for Android is pain in the ass... if someone helps me out here, I'll release a kickass theme
What do you mean it doesn't work? Do you go into a boot loop or nothing happens or whatever? Anyway you cannot push framework files. They must be replaced with an update.zip!
save yourself the time and just go over to UOT Kitchen.
C0mpu13rFr34k said:
What do you mean it doesn't work? Do you go into a boot loop or nothing happens or whatever? Anyway you cannot push framework files. They must be replaced with an update.zip!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm I go into a boot loop... How do I make update.zips?
anotherdroid said:
save yourself the time and just go over to UOT Kitchen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
looks cool...
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
Hey guys, I recently just got into the rooting and modding stuff here so excuse me, but im just a beginner and don't know much of what I'm doing. I've searched and searched and searched for the mods that i want, but with no luck, so I'm wondering if anyone had any free time to make some mods for me? I have a Sony xperia TL (Lt30at) and its rooted. I have CWM to flash zips so if i could get a zip made up to be able to do this, i would greatly appreciate it! okay, so this is what i was looking for. I wanted to change the statusbar background to a different image, which is the first attatchment i have. I would also like to make the chat bubbles that same image in the sms app. I also wanted to change the clock, battery, notification icons, all of that stuff on the statusbar to red instead of the stock colors, but keep all of the stock icons. Now, only two more things. If somebody could make, or point me in the direction where to find red soft keys for my phone, that would be awesome. I found some on here but none seemed to work on my phone, it just made systemui crash. Last, i wanted to change the sms background from white to the picture i have in my second attatchment. I have JB v4.1.2 with stock rom and whatnot. If anybody could do any of these things for me or point me in the direction of an already made one, i would greatly appreciate it!! Thank you very much.
I don't think you can change the nav bars background to a picture, just the color. You can however, change the softkeys. Check this thread for new ones. Or download one, make your own images, and just replace them in the zip with yours using winrar, 7zip, or even unzip and re-zip on your phone with root explorer.
As for the background image on sms... Use winrar, 7zip, or whatever and unpack the apk. Navigate to the "res" (meaning resources) folder, then into the "drawable-xhdpi" (other drawables are for other phone resolutions, we use xhdpi always). In that folder, see if you can find a background image. If not, then its probably not an image but a color code thats inside an xml file. Other than that, use another sms app such as GoSMS. Which allows custom themes/backgrounds.
Info about zips from the link above...
The SoftKey threads zips are ones that modify apk's without actually replacing them. It does it that way in case you have mods on an apk that you don't want to lose just because you want to change an image.
When you unzip one you'll normally see a few folders but the one you'll need to focus on is the "vrtheme" folder. Inside vrtheme there is a "system" folder with two folders "app" and "framework". Inside "app" is a folder "SystemUI.apk", which is the file to be modified. Inside that folder will be the layout of the original apk, excluding folders that your not modifying. If u don't understand that, try unpacking your original SystemUI.apk and you will see a ton of folder and files. But since we only need to replace specific images, only those folders are reconstructed in the SystemUI.apk folder as... "SystemUI.apk/res/drawable-xhdpi/"
If this confused you then you might have to wait until someone decides to drop what they're doing for everyone else, and help you. Which is as about as possible as you unlocking our bootloader. So ill try to help, but I'm still learning here as well. Luckily I've been a PC software programmer for over 15 years so the transition isn't as bad for me.
- Xperia TL, XperimenT v2.6 ~ via XDA App
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1433053
This might help also... http://rootzwiki.com/topic/17417-updated-solution-in-op-navigation-bar-background-image/
Ill attempt it in a minute and let you know my results. If it works, ill upload you a flashable zip.
- Xperia TL, XperimenT v2.6 ~ via XDA App
First, about the status bar, I haven't tried yet so I can't help
Second, about the soft keys, it's quite easy, decompile systemui (remember installing framework-res.apk and SemcGenericUxpRes.apk in apktool), go to res/drawable-xhdpi, edit the nav buttons (open in PTS and change the color to red ), then recompile the SystemUI
about the background image of sms, it use the background semc_bg_bright_tile.png in res/drawable-xhdpi of SemcGenericUxpRes.apk, but if you change this image, other apps using this background will be affected like SemcPhone T___T.
About nav background, you can edit the navigationbar.xml in SystemUI , you can search for Transparent Nav bar in this section, instead of giving the hex color, you can change it to the path of the image like /drawable-xhdpi/background.png (of course you have copied the file into editing folder). You should know some about xml editing . This is just some quick ideas, I'm quite busy so I can't help you out , good luck
redincali said:
I don't think you can change the nav bars background to a picture, just the color. You can however, change the softkeys. Check this thread for new ones. Or download one, make your own images, and just replace them in the zip with yours using winrar, 7zip, or even unzip and re-zip on your phone with root explorer.
As for the background image on sms... Use winrar, 7zip, or whatever and unpack the apk. Navigate to the "res" (meaning resources) folder, then into the "drawable-xhdpi" (other drawables are for other phone resolutions, we use xhdpi always). In that folder, see if you can find a background image. If not, then its probably not an image but a color code thats inside an xml file. Other than that, use another sms app such as GoSMS. Which allows custom themes/backgrounds.
Info about zips from the link above...
The SoftKey threads zips are ones that modify apk's without actually replacing them. It does it that way in case you have mods on an apk that you don't want to lose just because you want to change an image.
When you unzip one you'll normally see a few folders but the one you'll need to focus on is the "vrtheme" folder. Inside vrtheme there is a "system" folder with two folders "app" and "framework". Inside "app" is a folder "SystemUI.apk", which is the file to be modified. Inside that folder will be the layout of the original apk, excluding folders that your not modifying. If u don't understand that, try unpacking your original SystemUI.apk and you will see a ton of folder and files. But since we only need to replace specific images, only those folders are reconstructed in the SystemUI.apk folder as... "SystemUI.apk/res/drawable-xhdpi/"
If this confused you then you might have to wait until someone decides to drop what they're doing for everyone else, and help you. Which is as about as possible as you unlocking our bootloader. So ill try to help, but I'm still learning here as well. Luckily I've been a PC software programmer for over 15 years so the transition isn't as bad for me.
- Xperia TL, XperimenT v2.6 ~ via XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much! tons of help!
dully79 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1433053
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the reply!
redincali said:
This might help also... http://rootzwiki.com/topic/17417-updated-solution-in-op-navigation-bar-background-image/
Ill attempt it in a minute and let you know my results. If it works, ill upload you a flashable zip.
- Xperia TL, XperimenT v2.6 ~ via XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you work anything out for that? I've been trying to do it myself but i'm not all that familiar with what to do.
blackcat510 said:
First, about the status bar, I haven't tried yet so I can't help
Second, about the soft keys, it's quite easy, decompile systemui (remember installing framework-res.apk and SemcGenericUxpRes.apk in apktool), go to res/drawable-xhdpi, edit the nav buttons (open in PTS and change the color to red ), then recompile the SystemUI
about the background image of sms, it use the background semc_bg_bright_tile.png in res/drawable-xhdpi of SemcGenericUxpRes.apk, but if you change this image, other apps using this background will be affected like SemcPhone T___T.
About nav background, you can edit the navigationbar.xml in SystemUI , you can search for Transparent Nav bar in this section, instead of giving the hex color, you can change it to the path of the image like /drawable-xhdpi/background.png (of course you have copied the file into editing folder). You should know some about xml editing . This is just some quick ideas, I'm quite busy so I can't help you out , good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been trying to do this, but i can't get my framework onto my computer. When i copy it to my sd card using root explorer it just doesnt show up when im looking for it on my pc..frustrating...
I forgot to add this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=40026013&postcount=20