Edit system apks? - Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini

I've recently been trying to create a new theme for the Mini Pro. I've pulled the framework-res.apk from the phone and edited some of the files (takes some time because it's a helluva lot png's in there!).
I have not unpacked and repacked the .apk, but simply pasted the new pngs in to the original .apk (and of course deleted the original pngs).
I realise that the X10 minis are still quite new and that it's still new territory, but it's better to ask than to not, isn't it? And this does probably have more to do with Android and less to do with the brand anyway.
So here's my question to all you a little more experienced android editors: Is there anything else i need to do with the .apk before I push it back into the phone? It's still, as i said, the original file, so I don't think it needs to be signed, but is there anything else I'll have to do? I don't really want to brick my phone you see

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UlrikS said:
I've recently been trying to create a new theme for the Mini Pro. I've pulled the framework-res.apk from the phone and edited some of the files (takes some time because it's a helluva lot png's in there!).
I have not unpacked and repacked the .apk, but simply pasted the new pngs in to the original .apk (and of course deleted the original pngs).
I realise that the X10 minis are still quite new and that it's still new territory, but it's better to ask than to not, isn't it? And this does probably have more to do with Android and less to do with the brand anyway.
So here's my question to all you a little more experienced android editors: Is there anything else i need to do with the .apk before I push it back into the phone? It's still, as i said, the original file, so I don't think it needs to be signed, but is there anything else I'll have to do? I don't really want to brick my phone you see
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Click to collapse
I think you would be better off taking the files you have modified and using Metamorph to push them into the file. If not i think you will have to resign the .apk.
Search for Metamorph in the Android Themes section here on XDA. Unfortunately i cannot help you with how to actually do that but maybe you can figure it out.

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I didn't know that Metamorph worked on the X10's. If it does, then that is really great news!
Well, anyways, I decided to just do it, I mean, I'd just have to do a quick recover if it failed. And guess what? It worked perfectly fine!

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just to be sure, you modified the files, copied back to the apk file without "unzipping" it and after that you moved the modified apk file to the device and it works? How did you exactly moved the file back to the device..?

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I just pasted the files into the appropriate folder in the framework-res.apk. I then copied the modified framework-res.apk onto my sdcard.
Then I went into adb shell and entered the following:
su
rm /system/framework/framework-res.apk
cat /sdcard/framework-res.apk > /system/framework/framework-res.apk
Then i just rebooted the phone and voila!
EDIT: I did this a 4-5 times while testing different changes in the .apk, but the last time the phone got bricked somehow. It's not really a big deal as it's just to recover it with the PC Companion, but you should probably take a backup before you do this.

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Ok, thanks for info. I was asking 'cause i already copied it using Root Explorer but it bricked my device. I'll try it with adb shell as you described.
Sent from my E10i using XDA App

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I was about to make my first post here about the exact same thing, I've managed to modify framework-res.apk using the same method. I desatureted the status bar icons and the background then just put them back into the apk using 7zip it wasnt necesary to sign the file after either.
Metamorph doesnt seem to work on the mini as it doesnt update the "drawable-ldpi" folder which contains the status bar background.
I too managed to brick the phone the 1st time round (tip: the sony ericson update service needs you to turn the phone on whilst holding the back button. not possible when the phone is stuck in a boot as you cant pull the battery on a mini. I managed to get it to work by holding the back button and the centre button along with the power button while the usb was plugged in and it was recognised)

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superb!!! adb shell worked... now my x10mini is pretty black(almost), gr8 gr8 gr8! thanks
edit: I also confirm that first time I bricked my device, I used Root Explorer to copy the apk file, without deleting the original apk before.
After recovery, I made a second try with adb shell, it worked, but the device was functional only on 20%, all system apps and settings were not accessible, it FC always I tried to launch. I did the third trial, the same way like the second one, and now everything works.

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In the X10mini Theme forum theres a guy making a Gray theme. He bricked his phone first attempt but after that he discovered that chmod 755 on the framework-res.apk before rebooting has worked so far for him.
Maybe try that?

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71baker said:
In the X10mini Theme forum theres a guy making a Gray theme. He bricked his phone first attempt but after that he discovered that chmod 755 on the framework-res.apk before rebooting has worked so far for him.
Maybe try that?
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Click to collapse
Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Done that a few times now and I haven't had any problems (though i didn't have any problems the first times without doing it either).

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kjthornton said:
Metamorph doesnt seem to work on the mini as it doesnt update the "drawable-ldpi" folder which contains the status bar background.
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Click to collapse
I have made a pack with black background and greyscale icons , also a circular Battery indicator , and it works with Metamorph. Applied it twice sofar because the first time i messed up the transparency.
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"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
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71baker said:
I have made a pack with black background and greyscale icons , also a circular Battery indicator , and it works with Metamorph. Applied it twice sofar because the first time i messed up the transparency.
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Looks awesome! Would you care to share?

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Excelent, please post modofied apk
Sent from my E10i using XDA App

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UlrikS said:
Looks awesome! Would you care to share?
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Click to collapse
Sure. As always , don't hold me responsible for any problems. I'll send the same .zip as i applied using latest Metamorph (Donate version)
http://www.mediafire.com/?oi6iiko2cf87b2x
The round battery icon comes from a Morph by BrandenK here on XDA , named Kspecbattery.zip
Oh and i also want to say this , i have modded Statusbar and icons ONLY , nothing else....

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71baker said:
I have made a pack with black background and greyscale icons , also a circular Battery indicator , and it works with Metamorph. Applied it twice sofar because the first time i messed up the transparency.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that looks really awesome. I'm definitely gonna have to try it out. Are you using a different launcher than the default? And what is that widget at the bottom there. It doesn't look like the default one that comes with the phone.

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junglepunk said:
Wow, that looks really awesome. I'm definitely gonna have to try it out. Are you using a different launcher than the default? And what is that widget at the bottom there. It doesn't look like the default one that comes with the phone.
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Click to collapse
This is ADW with ADW.Theme.One that comes with it free i think. And the widget at the bottom is called Extended Controls , it's a payapp but i think it is worth the money.
Before anyone asks , the font is called Komika Display and you can find it with Google for free.

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can u post the small tutorial for how to?

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71baker said:
This is ADW with ADW.Theme.One that comes with it free i think. And the widget at the bottom is called Extended Controls , it's a payapp but i think it is worth the money.
Before anyone asks , the font is called Komika Display and you can find it with Google for free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
plse upload adw launcher here i cant find any working one

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abhi98228 said:
can u post the small tutorial for how to?
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Click to collapse
Put the framework-res.apk file into your sdcard
Enter USB debugging mode
Enter adb shell in Command Prompt
Enter into adb shell the following:
Code:
su
mount -o rw,remount /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
cat /system/framework/framework-res.apk > /sdcard/framework-res-org.apk
rm /system/framework/framework-res.apk
cat /sdcard/framework-res.apk > /system/framework/framework-res.apk
chmod 755 /system/framework/framework-res.apk
Reboot your phone, and voila!
If you want to change back, you'll now have a file on your sdcard called 'framework-res-org.apk'. That's a backup of the original file. Just copy it back to it's orignal position using the same method and you're back to where you started ;-)

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UlrikS said:
Put the framework-res.apk file into your sdcard
Enter USB debugging mode
Enter adb shell in Command Prompt
Enter into adb shell the following:
Code:
su
mount -o rw,remount /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
cat /system/framework/framework-res.apk > /sdcard/framework-res-org.apk
rm /system/framework/framework-res.apk
cat /sdcard/framework-res.apk > /system/framework/framework-res.apk
chmod 755 /system/framework/framework-res.apk
Reboot your phone, and voila!
If you want to change back, you'll now have a file on your sdcard called 'framework-res-org.apk'. That's a backup of the original file. Just copy it back to it's orignal position using the same method and you're back to where you started ;-)
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ok i got it. but how to creat the theme? nad tht metamorf thing? i dont wanna brick my x10 mini so asking before doint it