Okay I'm sure some ppl still run Android 2.1 so I hope this isn't a complete waste of time. I did post this on VR ages ago before their site went tits up and lost everything.
"How to perform "simple" theme changes in 2.1 based roms (tested on VR12).
Firstly, if I can do this, you can.
The only tool (apart from winrar and some photo editing software) you'll really need is AndroidSDK because you need to push/pull things using ADB (android debugging bridge) ->
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Download and follow setting up instructions.
So now we have to "pull" the files from the phone we want to change.
1) Load command prompt and change the directory to "androidsdk\tools" eg:
C:\Documents and Settings\user>
C:\Documents and Settings\user>cd c:\androidsdk\tools <hit enter>
C:\AndroidSDK\tools>
(If you cannot find command prompt, type into search "cmd" and it should come up.)
2) Ensure your phone is connected via usb and select "charge only".
You can type "adb devices" into the command prompt to check that your phone is connected tho this isn't necessary...useful to check if you're having issues tho.
3) Now to pull the files we want. In this example we are only going to look at pulling "framework-res.apk" as this is the file that contains the images for the status bar, it's icons and the background of the status bar...amongst other things.
Type the following into ADB: adb pull <location of file you want to pull (+ file name)> <location you want the file to be pulled to (+ file name)>
So in the case of pulling framework-res.apk we type:
adb pull /system/framework/framework-res.apk c:\androidapps\framework-res.apk
"/system/framework/framework-res.apk" is the location of the file on the phone and "c:\androidapps\framework-res.apk" is the location the file will be placed on your computer. c:\androidapps is the folder on my c drive where I pull .apk's to (you'll need to make your own folder like this).
4) Locate the file framework-res.apk on your computer (in c:\androidapps if you're using the same folder name as myself) and open it with winrar. Do not extract anything we just want to have a look for some .png's. (.png is a type of image compression that preserves transparency)
Now that you've opened framework-res.apk open the folder named "res" then open the folder named "drawable-mdpi". In here you can find all the .png images I've previously mentioned. Do not close winrar as you will need it.
The .png for the status bar is named "statusbar_background.png" you can drag and drop this to you computer and open it with some image editing software.
I personally recommend GIMP as it is free and very good (http://www.gimp.org/). If you are not confident with image editors you can use http://fotoflexer.com/ for basic editing (clicking on the layers tab on fotoflexer allows you to edit the transparency of the image...remember to save images as .png)
5) Now that you have edited your .png you can drag and drop it back to the res\drawable-mdpi folder hopefully still open in winrar. Close winrar now...it's time to push the edited framework-res.apk back to your phone!
6) Go back to command prompt, if you have removed the usb from your phone at any time, plug it back in and type "adb remount" into command prompt. This remounts the phone for editing.
Now type the following into ADB: adb push <location of file on computer> <location of file on phone>
In this case:
adb push c:\androidapps\framework-res.apk /system/framework/framework-res.apk
and hit enter! This is how it should appear in command promt:
C:\AndroidSDK\tools>adb push c:\androidapps\framework-res.apk /system/framework/framework-res.apk
You phone should restart sense but if it freezes/gets a bit schizy type "adb reboot" into the command prompt to manually reboot the phone.
And it's as simple as that.
You can look through the .png's in res\drawable-mdpi to find more images you might want to edit. The background of the status bar drop down is called "status_bar_background.png" and actual drag down bar is named "status_bar_close_on.9.png".
I think I'll save the explaination of how to edit the bar at the bottom of the screen with the app drawer, phone and + for another time as it requires the knowledge of how to sign .apk's which tho isn't hard is probably quite time consuming for me to explain (due to my very limited knowledge)."
Hope this attempt at 'giving something back' helps someone.
Mark
thanks alot .. Really like it
So I'm trying to edit Rosie for sense 3.0 to make the App drawer semi-transparant. I found the xml files I need to change. all_apps_view.xml in the layout folder and color.xml in the values and values-hdpi folders.
I'm using apkmanager 5.0
I set the current project to rosie.apk
then I decompiled using option 10 with dependencies
when it asked me for the dependencies I dragged framework-res and com.htc.resources to script window and decompiled. That all went well. I swapped out the XML files and then went to compile.
I got this error:
building apk
"An error occurred, Please Check the Log (Option 21)
Press any key to continue
it then asks me if it's a system apk. I select Y
It then asks me "aside from the signatures would you like to copy over and additional files you didn't modify". I select Y
It then tells me to check the keep folder and delete any files I have modified and also delete resources.arsc(since I modified xml)
But when I look at the keep folder none of the value folders are there. The last folder I see is layout-port-hdpi
So I just go into layout and delete the one xml file I edited(since the others arent there)
and press any key to continue. It tells me everything is ok and I have the apk. But when I push it over and reboot the htc.launcher keeps FCing on me and doesnt work.
Here is a copy of the apkmanager log file:
http://pastebin.com/fAANsARX
Anyone have any ideas?
Figured it out... It was something with apkmanager 5.0, I used 4.9 and it worked fine
i am just copying and pasting capez's work all... credits goes to him
here's the guide...
1) First of all, you need to download and install APK MANAGER:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695701
2) Extract with WinRAR, from the ROM you want to modify, the file framework-res.apk, that you can find in the directory \System\framework\.
3) Go to the apk manager folder and place the framework-res.apk file in the folder "place-apk-here-for-modding".
4) In the apk manager folder, double click on the file "Script". A cmd window will open.
5) Where it says "Please make your decision", write "22" and enter. Then enter "1" and enter. Then enter "9" and enter.
The script will decompile the framework-res.apk.
6) Now go to your apk manager folder, go to Projects\framework-res.apk\res\anim\.
In this folder there are the animations of your rom. They consist in some .xml files decompiled.
7) Download this:
http://www.mediafire.com/?1qjwtotg1r8umm1
8) Copy the files from the folder "anims" of the zip downloaded into the anim folder and you are asked to replace the files; choose yes. Then copy also the files from the folder "other_files" to the anim folder.
9) Now go to your apk manager folder, go to Projects\framework-res.apk\res\values\. Edit the file integers.xml and put these two lines under the line of "shortAnimTime":
<integer name="config_activityShortDur">150</integer>
<integer name="config_activityDefaultDur">220</integer>
Save.
10) Return to Script. Enter "11" and enter.
The script will rebuild the framework-res.apk.
11) You are asked if this is a system application. Enter "y" and enter. Then a second question appears. Enter newly "y".
12) Then after it processes, Don't press anything & DON'T CLOSE THIS WINDOW!!! A new folder "keep" is created in the apk manager folder. Go inside it and delete the file "resources.arsc". Now go inside keep\res\anim\ and delete every file with the same name as every file of the "anims" folder of the zip downloaded.
Then return to Script and press enter. It processes, then if everything went ok, in the folder "place-apk-here-for-modding" a file "unsignedframework-res.apk" is created. Copy it outside and rename it "framework_res.apk".
13) Now you can create a flashable zip or you can simply push it to your system.
CONGRATRULATIONS!!! YOU ARE DONE!!!
And if you think this tutorial is useful, CLICK THANKS!!!
Video of this mod working:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf1U_30Ngfk
digkong said:
13) Now you can create a flashable zip or you can simply push it to your system (but you have to sign the apk).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't sign system apks.
thanks just corrected it..
digkong said:
i am just copying and pasting capez's work all... credits goes to him
here's the guide...
1) First of all, you need to download and install APK MANAGER:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695701
2) Extract with WinRAR, from the ROM you want to modify, the file framework-res.apk, that you can find in the directory \System\framework\.
3) Go to the apk manager folder and place the framework-res.apk file in the folder "place-apk-here-for-modding".
4) In the apk manager folder, double click on the file "Script". A cmd window will open.
5) Where it says "Please make your decision", write "22" and enter. Then enter "1" and enter. Then enter "9" and enter.
The script will decompile the framework-res.apk.
6) Now go to your apk manager folder, go to Projects\framework-res.apk\res\anim\.
In this folder there are the animations of your rom. They consist in some .xml files decompiled.
7) Download this:
http://www.mediafire.com/?1qjwtotg1r8umm1
8) Copy the files from the folder "anims" of the zip downloaded into the anim folder and you are asked to replace the files; choose yes. Then copy also the files from the folder "other_files" to the anim folder.
9) Now go to your apk manager folder, go to Projects\framework-res.apk\res\values\. Edit the file integers.xml and put these two lines under the line of "shortAnimTime":
<integer name="config_activityShortDur">150</integer>
<integer name="config_activityDefaultDur">220</integer>
Save.
10) Return to Script. Enter "11" and enter.
The script will rebuild the framework-res.apk.
11) You are asked if this is a system application. Enter "y" and enter. Then a second question appears. Enter newly "y".
12) Then after it processes, Don't press anything & DON'T CLOSE THIS WINDOW!!! A new folder "keep" is created in the apk manager folder. Go inside it and delete the file "resources.arsc". Now go inside keep\res\anim\ and delete every file with the same name as every file of the "anims" folder of the zip downloaded.
Then return to Script and press enter. It processes, then if everything went ok, in the folder "place-apk-here-for-modding" a file "unsignedframework-res.apk" is created. Copy it outside and rename it "framework_res.apk".
13) Now you can create a flashable zip or you can simply push it to your system.
CONGRATRULATIONS!!! YOU ARE DONE!!!
And if you think this tutorial is useful, CLICK THANKS!!!
Video of this mod working:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf1U_30Ngfk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice!!! I will give a try. Thanks!
digkong said:
thanks just corrected it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Np Cool guide.
just testing,i'll let u know about result
edit 2 : sorry for the first edit i was mistaken,it works great
Probably better suired in Android themes and apps
good tutorial! But I suggest you to mention that IT NEEDS to resign the apk after the tutorial is finished....we need to take the META-INF from the res apk decompiled, then open the unsigned apk, delete its META-INF and paste the META-INF from the original framework-res.apk...otherwise it won't work!
Interesting, thanks.
Very nice, thanks for details.
memnoc said:
good tutorial! But I suggest you to mention that IT NEEDS to resign the apk after the tutorial is finished....we need to take the META-INF from the res apk decompiled, then open the unsigned apk, delete its META-INF and paste the META-INF from the original framework-res.apk...otherwise it won't work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i didn't do that and it works for me :S
evanbigfan said:
i didn't do that and it works for me :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worked for me too without touching the META-INF
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
evanbigfan said:
i didn't do that and it works for me :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I trust you, and I was surprised too when the ROM doesn't boot cause resources apk usually don't need to be signed at all, but once I signed the frame everything work.. strange.. anyway don't care about it, the tutorial is very clear and well organized well done and Thanks
Inviato dal mio HTC Desire HD usando Tapatalk
memnoc said:
Yep, I trust you, and I was surprised too when the ROM doesn't boot cause resources apk usually don't need to be signed at all, but once I signed the frame everything work.. strange.. anyway don't care about it, the tutorial is very clear and well organized well done and Thanks
Inviato dal mio HTC Desire HD usando Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks any way for the info ,it may be usful in other issues
Thanks for the tutorial, these animations are great However,
I flashed it on Runny 4.0, all the animations work, but when I adb pushed it to /system/framework the market force closed, and then when I rebooted all my accounts were gone?
i keep encountering a problem after I press 9.
"an error occured, please check the log"
then I press 21 to see
"java is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
"could not find _________________" bunch of directories.
help~~
P00t said:
i keep encountering a problem after I press 9.
"an error occured, please check the log"
then I press 21 to see
"java is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
"could not find _________________" bunch of directories.
help~~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.java.com/en/download/help/path.xml
This will help
rayford85 said:
http://www.java.com/en/download/help/path.xml
This will help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahhh that didnt work as well but i found the solution to it~ i had to search deeper into xda forum LOL
i got it working. i had to change the path.
P00t said:
ahhh that didnt work as well but i found the solution to it~ i had to search deeper into xda forum LOL
i got it working. i had to change the path.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol that's what the link was to show you how to setup your path, glad you got it
rayford85 said:
Lol that's what the link was to show you how to setup your path, glad you got it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I thought that link was just to send me to the download link to JAVA.
im sorry. finally made the ICS ANI!
Hey people, I've just found it at O3D forums and I think I should share the information, as I don't have time for creating a good tutorial myself.
This way you can change colors for your own likes and make a lot kind of themes.
Before starting you should have your Apktool environment set up.
1. (only if you never saw APKTOOL in your life, otherwise, just jump it)
1· Download and install latest version of Java JDK
2· Download latest version of APK Multi-Tool as we'll be using it for un/packing APKs and push/pull them from/to our device.
3· Extract it anywhere you may like. If posible, in C:/ to avoid any kind of problems. Be sure to read README file before asking something about it.
4· Run Setup.bat, type 3 and press Enter. Close it.
5· Run Script.bat, type 0 and press Enter. Now let's type our framework's path.
6· /system/framework/framework-res.apk for basic framework file. This will be pulling it out from our phones.
7· Repeating Number 5, type /system/framework/lge-res.apk for LG's framework file.
8· Now move to X:\...\APK-Multi-Tool\place-apk-here-for-modding\ and copy both apks (framework-res + lge-res) and paste it at X:\...\APK-Multi-Tool\other\
9· Run Setup.bat again, type 2 and press Enter. Now both frameworks should be installed and we are ready to un/pack APKs from the version we're actually using (v30A/B/C/D...). Close it.
10· Back in Script.bat, type 0 again followed by Enter, then type the path of your desired APK. (/system/framework/xxxxxx.apk for frameworks & /system/app/xxxxxx.apk for apps). After pushing it, select it as your actual project.
11· Now type 9 followed by Enter. This will unpack our APK.
12· Now is the time for tunning anything you want to. Go to X:\...|APK-Multi-Tool\projects\xxxxxx.apk\ and you'll find there everything.
13· When it's done, let's re-pack it typing the option 11 followed by Enter. When repacking gets done, it will ask if you want to use any files from your original APK. Tell it Yes, otherwise your apk won't get signed.
14· When the extracting is done, move to X:\...|APK-Multi-Tool\keep\ and erase everything there BUT META-INF folder + AndroidManifest.xml. Now press anything at APK Multi-tool window and you'll get your APK ready to go.
15· Now type 8 to push it back to your phone and type the desired path. If it cames from /system/app/xxxxx.apk or /system/framework/xxxxx.apk.
If you get any error recompiling it, you should take a look at the log, typing 23 and fix it at the projects folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2.
potaturrias said:
When i maked this theme (my first theme) y used trial and error procedure.
The first step is replace or edit 9.png. pictures in drawable-hdpi folder located in framework-res.apk and lge-res.apk, you can do this quickly using this tools:
http://jgilfelt.github.com/android-actionbarstylegenerator (Check that the names of new pictures match with the old pictures)
http://android-holo-colors.com/
Many images have to edit them by hand
If you put more files than originally,for example switches in lge-res drawable-hdpi, you will get an error when try to compile.
The second step is replace xml files in drawable folder using xml files from zip file that you downloaded in the previous step.
If you don't get the desire result you have to edit styles.xml or drawable folder files or layout files to change backgrounds colors, text color,etc.
Remember there applications with lines in XML files that reference to framework or lge-res, for example:
android:textColor="@*android:color/transparent makes reference to transparent color defined in framework-res and
android:textColor="@com.lge.internal:color/transparent makes reference to transparent color defined in lge-res.
I hope that this mini guide help you, remember that you can make your theme based on this theme, will be easier i think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to @potaturrias!
I am facing issues in compiling systemui.apk and systemUI.odex files. I was porting Pixel Navigation bar for AOSP ROM of @Santhosh M. There is any to combine both the files?
If i remember right i made the Pixel navbar for Santhosh M ROM. Doesn't it work anymore? If you don't like the home button just decompile the apk and go to drawable-xxhdpi-v4 and change the ic_sysbar_home icon.
Anyway in order to combine them
1. Download baksmali. Make new folder and put the baksmali.jar and SystemUI.odex there.
2. Open command prompt in the folder where baksmali is located. Type in command prompt "adb pull /system/framework/arm" to extract the required files from the phone.
3. Type "java -jar baksmali.jar deodex SystemUI.odex -l" in the command prompt and if it successful there should be an output folder called "out". Copy it and paste it to the decompiled SystemUI.apk then rename it "smali"
4. Get the required odex files from Pixel's SystemUI(tho' i would recommend you to get them from the already modified systemUI as it usually generates the same number IDs so you wont have to deal with odex file changes).
5. Paste them to smali/com/google/android/systemui(if i remember right you had to create google/android/systemui folders so no worries if they are missing)
6.Recompile
I'd advise you to use this tutorial as it is way more detailed.
Sashko98 said:
If i remember right i made the Pixel navbar for Santhosh M ROM. Doesn't it work anymore? If you don't like the home button just decompile the apk and go to drawable-xxhdpi-v4 and change the ic_sysbar_home icon.
Anyway in order to combine them
1. Download baksmali. Make new folder and put the baksmali.jar and SystemUI.odex there.
2. Open command prompt in the folder where baksmali is located. Type in command prompt "adb pull /system/framework/arm" to extract the required files from the phone.
3. Type "java -jar baksmali.jar deodex SystemUI.odex -l" in the command prompt and if it successful there should be an output folder called "out". Copy it and paste it to the decompiled SystemUI.apk then rename it "smali"
4. Get the required odex files from Pixel's SystemUI(tho' i would recommend you to get them from the already modified systemUI as it usually generates the same number IDs so you wont have to deal with odex file changes).
5. Paste them to smali/com/google/android/systemui(if i remember right you had to create google/android/systemui folders so no worries if they are missing)
6.Recompile
I'd advise you to use this tutorial as it is way more detailed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I will be trying this out today. You developed Pixel Nav bars and the thing is you made it for January build. This is April so I have seen that it doesn't works. We need to decompile the systemui.apk again and again Change the ID and other things.
I have ported pixel Navbars for LineageOS. It was easy and today, I stuck in this steps.
I just followed your tutorial and I got this error
C:\Users\Xaif\Desktop\Baksmali\framework>java -jar baksmali.jar deodex SystemUI.
odex -x
usage: java -jar baksmali.jar [options] <dex-file>
disassembles and/or dumps a dex file
-?,--help prints the help message then exits.
Specify twice for debug options
-a,--api-level <API_LEVEL> The numeric api-level of the file
being disassembled. If not
specified, it defaults to 15 (ICS).
-b,--no-debug-info don't write out debug info (.local,
.param, .line, etc.)
-c,--bootclasspath <BOOTCLASSPATH> A colon-separated list of
bootclasspath jar/oat files to use
for analysis. Add an initial colon
to specify that the jars/oats should
be appended to the default
bootclasspath instead of replacing
it
-d,--bootclasspath-dir <DIR> the base folder to look for the
bootclasspath files in. Defaults to
the current directory
-e,--dex-file <DEX_FILE> looks for dex file named DEX_FILE,
defaults to classes.dex
-f,--code-offsets add comments to the disassembly
containing the code offset for each
address
-i,--resource-id-files <FILES> the resource ID files to use, for
analysis. A colon-separated list of
prefix=file pairs. For example
R=res/values/public.xml:android.R=$A
NDROID_HOME/platforms/android-19/dat
a/res/values/public.xml
-j,--jobs <NUM_THREADS> The number of threads to use.
Defaults to the number of cores
available, up to a maximum of 6
-k,--check-package-private-access When deodexing, use the
package-private access check when
calculating vtable indexes. It
should only be needed for 4.2.0
odexes. The functionality was
reverted for 4.2.1.
-l,--use-locals output the .locals directive with
the number of non-parameter
registers, rather than the .register
directive with the total number of
register
-m,--no-accessor-comments don't output helper comments for
synthetic accessors
-n,--normalize-virtual-methods Normalize virtual method references
to the reference the base method.
-o,--output <DIR> the directory where the disassembled
files will be placed. The default is
out
-p,--no-parameter-registers use the v<n> syntax instead of the
p<n> syntax for registers mapped to
method parameters
-r,--register-info <REGISTER_INFO_TYPES> print the specificed type(s) of
register information for each
instruction. "ARGS,DEST" is the
default if no types are specified.
Valid values are:
ALL: all pre- and post-instruction
registers.
ALLPRE: all pre-instruction
registers
ALLPOST: all post-instruction
registers
ARGS: any pre-instruction registers
used as arguments to the instruction
DEST: the post-instruction
destination register, if any
MERGE: Any pre-instruction register
has been merged from more than 1
different post-instruction register
from its predecessors
FULLMERGE: For each register that
would be printed by MERGE, also show
the incoming register types that
were merged
-s,--sequential-labels create label names using a
sequential numbering scheme per
label type, rather than using the
bytecode addressQA
-t,--implicit-references Use implicit (type-less) method and
field references
-v,--version prints the version then exits
-X,--experimental enable experimental opcodes to be
disassembled, even if they aren't
necessarily supported in the Android
runtime yet
-x,--deodex deodex the given odex file. This
option is ignored if the input file
is not an odex file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried doing like the above given command so I followed this steps:
C:\Users\Xaif\Desktop\Baksmali\framework>java -jar baksmali.jar --deodex SystemU
I.odex -l
Error occurred while loading boot class path files. Aborting.
org.jf.util.ExceptionWithContext: Cannot locate boot class path file /system/fra
mework/core.jar
at org.jf.dexlib2.analysis.ClassPath.loadClassPathEntry(ClassPath.java:2
96)
at org.jf.dexlib2.analysis.ClassPath.fromClassPath(ClassPath.java:207)
at org.jf.baksmali.baksmali.disassembleDexFile(baksmali.java:67)
at org.jf.baksmali.main.main(main.java:305)
C:\Users\Xaif\Desktop\Baksmali\framework>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used ApkTool for Android to deodex that file and it did it successfully. Now, I am porting again