Theming an Apk mystery - Android Themes

Hello XDA members!
I spent lately so many hours trying to understand how to change some elements in the apk in order to have a dark background and a light text. I did all the changes I could into the style.xml, colors.xml, drawable...layout.xml, I digged everywhere I found a color text or background but unfortunately it failed to change the element I want...I just don't know where else can I look??? I was thinking about webview but this is new to me and I have no clue how to manipulate it. I attached two screenshots with what I'm looking for hoping that someone here could bring me a solution??
the first image is what I have and the second one is what I want (modefied using photoshop for inversion). The apk is a news reader apk. Thank you in advance for any assistance!

Related

Change color of Button Text & General theming Questions

Does anyone know how to change the color of the text on buttons? Ive been messing around with my phone a lot and have somehow changed the color to white and now I cant see the text on buttons. I'm running kaos froyo but all of the framework-res has been replaced. I have tried colorchanger.jar but it doesn't control these colors and I cant seem to find what file it is?
I have found a great looking theme that has all it's graphics in the drawable-hdmi folder. The only thing I need to do to use them is resize them to same size as the corresponding file for our phone, correct? Basically spinner_black.png has to be the same dimensions as the original.
Also I want to take the spinner, wait, icon out of the NFL mobile app and use it in my theme. I have been reading a lot and trying to figure this out on my own. I am now able to read all xml files in plain readable English and am able to convert it back to binary. I still don't know what all the java means but I'm trying to learn that now. Does anyone know any easy way to find what I'm looking for or should I just wait and figure it out with the knowledge of more java.
For those who are interested the resources.arsc file found in framework-res.apk is where the control of the color of buttons is located. I dont know how to decompile it into readable form yet but that is what controls colors and size of images for some things. Colors for the notification bar is held is services.jar so at least Im making some headway. I will keep posting small things I find here to help anyone wanting to make there own themes.
P.S. My **** is starting to look really sweet
Did you figure it out?

[Question] How come there aren't any PowerAMP widget skins yet?

Considering how popular PowerAMP is and how long people have went without customization for that program, I find it really strange that a version that supports custom widgets (and anything else that uses the PowerAMP API) has been out for weeks, but I have not seen any custom widgets.
Did I miss anything?
Good question. I've been wondering the same thing and I've searched every other day, no such luck.
Seems like a very popular app, surely some capable people greatly dislike the blue glow or gradients as much as I do... yet cannot deny the efficacy of the app itself!
Valsung said:
Good question. I've been wondering the same thing and I've searched every other day, no such luck.
Seems like a very popular app, surely some capable people greatly dislike the blue glow or gradients as much as I do... yet cannot deny the efficacy of the app itself!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm guessing because it just came out and maybe he hasn't released anything to any developers to help with making skins. You can already download the skins widget for it to get transparent.
Bumping this for more replies.
I tried to edit the apk for personal skinning a while back and for some reason could never get the recompiled apk to install. Every time I tried I would get something like "Package not properly signed". Use several different compiling and signing tools always with the same result. So I abandoned that idea and like you, waited for someone to do it for me.
Well, I was able to quickly modify the PowerAmp Widget Skin pack a little bit. I'm not experienced "theming" much of anything so I wasn't sure how to modify the font color.
I modified the background image of the widgets (4x1 and 4x2) to a half transparent black. I also changed the colors of the buttons to white.
If anyone can give me any tips as to which xml files I should edit for the font color, that would be most helpful! I can't try anything right now since I'm at work.
I used ZipSigner 2 to sign the apk, so it should hopefully be installable like normal from a file manager. I'm on a Droid X if it helps for reference.
I'd love a transparent widget and white characters to match the green wallpaper,...
I'll try to see how u did to change the app background...

KF1 Theme Problem

I have been theming a KF1 build from the leaked KF1 firmware (Now have moved on to Cognition 5.2 but have the same problem) and have run into one seemingly small problem - - the drop down shade shows black text on the very first notification (for Lookout app). Please see attached screenshot.
I haven't been able to find the correct xml file to edit. Does anyone know of the "usual" file I need to edit to show white text instead of the black?
I apologize if this question has been answered before and I appreciate any help given.
ADDITION: I posted this in the Q&A section and have gotten no response. Hopefully someone will know a solution.
It also occurred to me yesterday to try and lighten the background to make the black text more visible. I'm currently trying that path but if anyone can tell me which text color attribute in which xml file for what apk to change to white, I would be grateful.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
That is because that notification is run by Lookout, you would have to edit/change some settings in Lookout to get the text to be white.
DemonWav said:
That is because that notification is run by Lookout, you would have to edit/change some settings in Lookout to get the text to be white.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you....I thought of that but I'm kind of bummed because Lookout updates semi-constantly. After an update I assume the text would go back to black.
I'll try it and see......stay tuned!
EDIT: Can't seem to find the apk for Lookout (not in system/apps) which makes sense since it is a security app. Oh, well....trying opacity with the background next
any chance of you uploading your theme at all?
cbalt said:
any chance of you uploading your theme at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
srsly, looks sexy
You could try to do what I thought up of and make the background for notifications a gradient so though black text would still be harder to read, it wouldn't be invisible.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1059841
I will create a full CWM zip file tomorrow and upload it here.
My DSL is down until my ISP brings a new modem tomorrow.
Please know that I didn't do anything extraordinary...just changed some png files from some roms I liked as well as changed some colors here and there. I will try to give some credit where I remember.
I did add the AOSP lockscreen mod as well as the ui mod. Let me figure out who to credit so we all can recognize all the talented devs we all rely upon as well as admire.
Thank you for your interest and consideration!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA Premium App
I tried to upload my theme and screenshots but I think I uploaded the wrong files.
I did a complete reinstall of Cog 5 v2 to check the theme and it seems I'm missing something.
Oh well....learning here. Stay tuned!
I started fresh but am having problems making the shade background transparent.
Every graphic I can think of in SystemUI and Framework-res are 10-50% transparent and all I get is this gray background on the shade. Maddening!!
I borrowed the shade graphic from Blue Darkness just to test (in case anyone unzips the files) so I can see if I get a transparent shade.
Any suggestions would be apppreciated. Thanks!
ADDITION: For some reason every screenshot app I use discolors the blues and the reds/oranges. I apologize for the weird screenshots.
I am confused, what are you trying to do?
Oh, and protip, use ddms.bat in your tools folder of your sdk for screenshots. Not only is it easier to get the screenshots onto your computer (cause they already are...) they won't be scewy.
mattern1974 said:
Thank you....I thought of that but I'm kind of bummed because Lookout updates semi-constantly. After an update I assume the text would go back to black.
I'll try it and see......stay tuned!
EDIT: Can't seem to find the apk for Lookout (not in system/apps) which makes sense since it is a security app. Oh, well....trying opacity with the background next
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The apk is probably in data/app since you had to install it!

[Q] MIUI skinning question

Hi All,
I have been looking for the past weeks for the following.
Nobody really replied but Vukandric, who is really busy.
Even on the Miui dev board no answer.
And I cant imagined this has not been asked before.
I am running the black (or dark as it is called) theme for MIUI.
Great, but for me 2 apps which are involving daily activities are still white.
The email-app en the calendar-app (not widget) are still white.
The calendar is white backgroud with black text, even worse, email is white back with lightgrey text.
I would like to get both apps in black background with white text.
Is this impossible? I have not seen a theme yet with this layout.
Or doesn't anybody want this.
I sure could use dome help in achieving this. What files do I need to change and where can these files be found.
Thanx to anyone trying to help in advance.
EJ
depending on whether the backgrounds are images or .xml values(?), you'd have to open up the .apk for the relevant program, find the images you wish to modify, modify them, and add them to the relevant theme.
The text however can be modified with a themes_value.xml in the relevant theme, but I know /little/ in regards to what wording is required, other than the colour being specified as #FFFFFFFF.

[CLOSED] How to change font colors?

Hey Guys,
i`m searching for a method to change my font color.
As i posted in the "Show your wallpaper sticky" my Wallpaper has a white Background.
I also made the status bar and the dock fully transparent.
So it is impossible to read the clock or something else what is written in white...
Hope someone could give me a kick in the right direction.
Greets Django
Changing the native font colour involves pulling your framwork-res.apk, decompiling it, editing the hex values in XML, recompiling it and then pushing it back to the phone. I'm sure if you Google "change font colour android" you'll find a few guides.
Alternatively, it would be much easier to just use a different background
hi postfatal,
thanks for your response.
i googled the entire morning and this is really the only solution?
*sigh*
so i have to learn a bit more about our beloved android system
i wouldn't change my wallpaper because after 3 years i found a nice new one
So i give it a try and make the impossible possible ;P
Greets Django

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