Modify apk to add a file in a specified path - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello all. I need some information on how i can modify an existing apk and add a file to a specified path during installation.
Better...i need that installation creates a file in data/data/com.myprogram.android/myfile where com.myprogram.android is the path of program data. Is that possible???
thx

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*bump* - after one year, this is exactly what i also need!
any answer to this? since i modify an existing .apk, changing the java-code is not an option. solution must be pure .apk based / via the manifest

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you could do it in a few steps
1) copy the apk to somewhere safe (/mnt/sdcard)
2) uninstall the apk, maybe use PackageManager
3) unzip the apk to a folder, add your changed/new files, zip up the folder again (extension .apk). Use busybox's zip/unzip if you need
4)sign the new apk using this (i tried it it works)
5)install the new+signed apk, maybe use PackageManager

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fl3xo said:
Hello all. I need some information on how i can modify an existing apk and add a file to a specified path during installation.
Better...i need that installation creates a file in data/data/com.myprogram.android/myfile where com.myprogram.android is the path of program data. Is that possible???
thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way I've done this in the past is just store whatever it is you want to add in the res/raw directory of the project, then when the program first runs, copy the raw resource wherever you want it in the tree.
Code:
// Copy the helper app from resources to an executable in our classpath
protected void CopyExtraBin() {
// check if it's already there
File helper = new File("/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
if (helper.exists()) {
// already there, nothing to do.
return;
}
InputStream setdbStream = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.helper_app);
try {
byte[] bytes = new byte[setdbStream.available()];
DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(setdbStream);
dis.readFully(bytes);
FileOutputStream setdbOutStream = new FileOutputStream(
"/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
setdbOutStream.write(bytes);
setdbOutStream.close();
// set executable permissions on our helper
Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("sh");
DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(process.getOutputStream());
os.writeBytes("chmod 755 /data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app\n");
os.writeBytes("exit\n");
os.flush();
} catch (Exception e) {
Toast.makeText(this, e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
return;
}
}

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Gene Poole said:
The way I've done this in the past is just store whatever it is you want to add in the res/raw directory of the project, then when the program first runs, copy the raw resource wherever you want it in the tree.
Code:
// Copy the helper app from resources to an executable in our classpath
protected void CopyExtraBin() {
// check if it's already there
File helper = new File("/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
if (helper.exists()) {
// already there, nothing to do.
return;
}
InputStream setdbStream = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.helper_app);
try {
byte[] bytes = new byte[setdbStream.available()];
DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(setdbStream);
dis.readFully(bytes);
FileOutputStream setdbOutStream = new FileOutputStream(
"/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
setdbOutStream.write(bytes);
setdbOutStream.close();
// set executable permissions on our helper
Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("sh");
DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(process.getOutputStream());
os.writeBytes("chmod 755 /data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app\n");
os.writeBytes("exit\n");
os.flush();
} catch (Exception e) {
Toast.makeText(this, e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
return;
}
}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where to insert it?

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Moved to Q&A.

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mishanet said:
Gene Poole said:
The way I've done this in the past is just store whatever it is you want to add in the res/raw directory of the project, then when the program first runs, copy the raw resource wherever you want it in the tree.
Code:
// Copy the helper app from resources to an executable in our classpath
protected void CopyExtraBin() {
// check if it's already there
File helper = new File("/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
if (helper.exists()) {
// already there, nothing to do.
return;
}
InputStream setdbStream = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.helper_app);
try {
byte[] bytes = new byte[setdbStream.available()];
DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(setdbStream);
dis.readFully(bytes);
FileOutputStream setdbOutStream = new FileOutputStream(
"/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
setdbOutStream.write(bytes);
setdbOutStream.close();
// set executable permissions on our helper
Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("sh");
DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(process.getOutputStream());
os.writeBytes("chmod 755 /data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app\n");
os.writeBytes("exit\n");
os.flush();
} catch (Exception e) {
Toast.makeText(this, e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
return;
}
}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where to insert it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I have the same question. I'm wanting to add some files to /data/data/<appdirectory>/lib but since it's permissions are set to drwxr-xr-x system system I can't write to it without changing apk itself.

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I tried putting this into some code and I just alot of cannot find symbol errors and DataInputStream and Toast. I'm sure It's just my limited knowledge and maybe changes in android but this example code doesn't seem to work for me.
Gene Poole said:
The way I've done this in the past is just store whatever it is you want to add in the res/raw directory of the project, then when the program first runs, copy the raw resource wherever you want it in the tree.
Code:
// Copy the helper app from resources to an executable in our classpath
protected void CopyExtraBin() {
// check if it's already there
File helper = new File("/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
if (helper.exists()) {
// already there, nothing to do.
return;
}
InputStream setdbStream = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.helper_app);
try {
byte[] bytes = new byte[setdbStream.available()];
DataInputStream dis = new DataInputStream(setdbStream);
dis.readFully(bytes);
FileOutputStream setdbOutStream = new FileOutputStream(
"/data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app");
setdbOutStream.write(bytes);
setdbOutStream.close();
// set executable permissions on our helper
Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("sh");
DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(process.getOutputStream());
os.writeBytes("chmod 755 /data/data/com.mypath.myprog/helper_app\n");
os.writeBytes("exit\n");
os.flush();
} catch (Exception e) {
Toast.makeText(this, e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
return;
}
}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse