Related
OK folks,
Have a look at this guide that I created for editing the framework-res.apk so that you can then go to the UOT Kitchen and cook up your own ICONS and Batteries.
It is a long read and most folks can probably figure it out.
I have used this to create my own Battery and Status bar icons.
Regards,
Alperin1
I have converted your document to a PDF (some folks don't use Word).
Download here
If you want me to remove this I will.
thanks very helpful guide, but too involved for me. I will either use some one else theme, or use 7zip open archive and change PNG's trick.
Hopefully someone can upload an edited framework-res, for every DJ_Steve update that we all can share for UOT.. hint...hint...
thanks again, I may give this a try when I have time, hopefully I wont need to though.
chrisrotolo said:
thanks very helpful guide, but too involved for me. I will either use some one else theme, or use 7zip open archive and change PNG's trick.
Hopefully someone can upload an edited framework-res, for every DJ_Steve update that we all can share for UOT.. hint...hint...
thanks again, I may give this a try when I have time, hopefully I wont need to though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gopu already uploaded an edited framework-res..here it is
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4TI7W0E1
ramtix said:
Gopu already uploaded an edited framework-res..here it is
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4TI7W0E1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ramtix, i knew that the framework was out thre for the others to use.
I guess the guide is for the folks that want to do all the work and learn a lttile bit about how the Framework is edited.
It took me a long time to figure out how to edit the 9.png files and compile them and just wanted to help others to do the same.
I tried that framework and failed to cook everytime
What is the use of those .9 pngs anyways?
chrisrotolo said:
I tried that framework and failed to cook everytime
What is the use of those .9 pngs anyways?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, what are the 9.pngs used for or why are they needed.
Stretchable Patches
If you have an image that you may need to stretch you then converting it to a 9.png will allow it to stretch. Also if you need put something in the PNG file, by converting it to a 9.png you can tell it where the text/data/information is allowed in the png file.
When you convert to a PNG you need to need to put a single pixel on the left side of the image and the top of the image. This pixel is not part of the image but in a frame around the image the frame also is just one pixel all the way around the image.
When you put the pixel on the top of the image you are telling the system where the image can be enlarged. Draw and line straight down from you pixel and this is where the image will stretch from. This just allows the image to grow to the left and to the right. Think of it as a square when you put the dot at the top of the square you can them change the square and stretch it left and right to make the square wider, so that it is now a rectangle. This all comes in handy when you rotate your device from landscape to portrait and back again.
Now when you put the pixel on the left side of the image, again in the frame that is around the PNG file, you are telling the system where it can stretch the image, this time you can pull the image up or down and so the height will change. Again image a square, you put the dot on the left side of the this determines at what point the square is allowed to stretch.
Only the lines with the dots on them will change, the rest of the square will retain the original shape and the original image. Most of the time this is done to an image that is only one color so that you are not messing with an image.
Here is the best example I can give of the DOT at the top of the 9.PNG or the left side.
Take two pieces of blank paper that you have and set one on the table and then set the second piece of paper in top of the first with about one inch of the right side of the first (bottom) piece of paper showing. The point where the top piece of paper ends and the bottom piece of paper starts is that DOT. Now slide the bottom piece of paper to the right and keep the top piece of paper still. Hope this all make sense
Content Area
Now lets look at the right side and the bottom of the PNG file. These two side determine where in the PNG file that text or other stuff can overlay or be imposed into the PNG file.
If I have an PNG that is a button and it is 50 x 50 pixels and I want the text for the button to be centered left to right, I would focus on the bottom of the 9.PNG image. I want the text to be able to use most of the pace from left to right but i do not want it to use the left 5 pixels at either end, I would create a line at the bottom of the 9.PNG that begins 6 pixels from the left and ends 6 pixels from the right. Why 6 pixels you are asking, well I have a one pixel from around the image and I needed to take that into account.
The same thing is used to center the text on the button from the top and bottom. Only this time you would use the right side of the image and fill in all pixels except for the 6 from the top and the 6 from the bottom.
Now when the button is stretched, you can use more of the space, but you will never be able to use the last 5 pixel on the top, bottom, left or right.
WOW, that was a long write up.
Enjoy,
Alperin1.
BTW, this is not unique to the Streak, it is used for the Android OS and maybe more.
alperin1 said:
Ramtix, i knew that the framework was out thre for the others to use.
I guess the guide is for the folks that want to do all the work and learn a lttile bit about how the Framework is edited.
It took me a long time to figure out how to edit the 9.png files and compile them and just wanted to help others to do the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alperin, dont get me wrong, what you did is awesome, useful and will be appreciated for all other users in the forum especially for future bulids.You did a great effort putting it in words and composing that. thumbs up!
ramtix said:
Alperin, dont get me wrong, what you did is awesome, useful and will be appreciated for all other users in the forum especially for future bulids.You did a great effort putting it in words and composing that. thumbs up!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All is good. I did not intend for my response to be a flamer at you.
I think some folks just want to have some fun and try to make things work and a little help here and there can go a long way.
Thanks
Great explanation of .9.png's
Finally got the edited framework to cook
Hopefully this helps with more themes for Streak.
Thank you all around
Tried making my own framework.apk but failed big time, appreciate you uploading your work for me to use. Will keep the guide and continue to play with it, would like to say that I beat the software, not that the software beat me.
Keep hacking away at it.
Do you know where you are beating the software into submission. (where are you stuck?)
When it's time to complie is where I fail
alperin1 said:
Keep hacking away at it.
Do you know where you are beating the software into submission. (where are you stuck?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
alperin1, I will walk you through my Eclipse phase and maybe you can tell where all goes wrong.....
1. Make edits to .9 files like a champ if you don't mind me saying so...
2. Open Eclipse and go to File/new/android project and nothing, import LunarLander files and make sure settings are on Android 2.2
3. Create and now my copy of LunarLander is permanently updated to my edited .9 files (so assume at this point all is good to go).
4. At Export Signed Application Package is where I am having my problems, go throught the steps receive confirmation my file is G2G and when I move them to my Framework file all the edits are gone, like I did nothing to them.
5. Have preformed #4 multiple times and same result every time, everything moves but my edits are stripped out.
6. Figured maybe it is magic and edits will reappear when I cook my file, well no luck, get same exact error report as when I first tried to cook me some Icons on UOT.
Any ideas on what is causing my updated .9 files to loose the edits when I move them from LunarLander to Framework (Yes I do accept the overwrites when prompted).
Before you do the last step in Eclipse, drag one of the png files to your desktop and view it.
I am at work. I will play with this when I am home.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
vanemburghj said:
alperin1, I will walk you through my Eclipse phase and maybe you can tell where all goes wrong.....
Any ideas on what is causing my updated .9 files to loose the edits when I move them from LunarLander to Framework (Yes I do accept the overwrites when prompted).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is very interesting. When I export my package from Eclipse and then pull the images they do not show the dots and the bars just like you are seeing. So, I have to say this part may not be where your are running into problems.
Is it possible for you to post the error text? Put it into a zipped file. I will see what I can do. This is kinda new to me so I will do what I can for you.
So you are in Eclipse and you have lunarlander, you then put all your edit 9.PNG files into the folder. Next your export it.
After you have created the new lunarlander.apk, you are going into it and extracting the 9.png files you need. You are then placing these file in the same location that you pulled them from in the framework-res.apk. right? Then you are uploading this to the UOT kitchen.
Will do
But will have to wait till I get home from work.
alperin1
Here is my LunarLaner.apk, none of the edits survived creation of .apk, but they are in my LunarLander sample as your guide shows them to be. So it is when I make the .apk that all fails. Have attached my Pre-export LunarLander so you can verify I made the changes to .9 files.
Window 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Norton Anti Virus
Plus other software
Any and all ideas are welcome.
vanemburghj said:
Here is my LunarLaner.apk, none of the edits survived creation of .apk, but they are in my LunarLander sample as your guide shows them to be. So it is when I make the .apk that all fails. Have attached my Pre-export LunarLander so you can verify I made the changes to .9 files.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I have taken the 9.PNG files that you have provided and I put them into my Framework-res.apk file and I was able to cook up some goodness for myself at the kitchen.
As you are stating and you are correct, the frame around the 9.png is not showing after step number 4, but the information is there, i just do not yet know how to view it.
I think the problem may be that the same 9.png files are in two locations in the framework-res.apk. Can you try to cook a new set of ICONs or anything for that matter and when you get the errors, put them in a zipped text file and post it here for me.
Oh and what ROM are you using? DJ Steve 1.9? If so, you should have many more images to edit that what you have provided to me.
Cooked my own framework!!!
alperin1, Thank you, think I needed confirmation that once exported via eclipse edits would disappear, plus I took my time and made sure I did the wallpaper steps exact. Cooked my own framework, I am getting there, am sure it is one very small drop in a very big ocean of Android development that I have learned with your expert help I do appreciate it.
vanemburghj said:
alperin1, Thank you, think I needed confirmation that once exported via eclipse edits would disappear, plus I took my time and made sure I did the wallpaper steps exact. Cooked my own framework, I am getting there, am sure it is one very small drop in a very big ocean of Android development that I have learned with your expert help I do appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grasshopper.you are doing well. You have made my day.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
Tried looking for a way to change those green highlights that are everywhere in a sense based ROM. For example, when you are in a text message, the message body is highlighted in green and the send button turns green when you hit it. Is there any way to change these?
I'm running Mik Shifted-G v1.5, I have modified my task bar and notifications screen via UOT Kitchen. I'm looking for red if there's already a post somewhere, or a DIY tutorial. Thanks in advance
Some of these are application specific and others (the bulk I would say) are located in framework.res and com.htc.resources. In the two framework files, you are looking for .9 pngs in the res/drawable-hdpi folders. If you already have red png's to replace the green, you can just copy them over in 7zip. To change the existing green to red using the original files is a bit more complex and a lot more time consuming, but pm me if you need to go that route, and I can help you out.
I would suggest editing all framework files first and then look for any stray green bits that may be application specific.
Rynomite said:
Some of these are application specific and others (the bulk I would say) are located in framework.res and com.htc.resources. In the two framework files, you are looking for .9 pngs in the res/drawable-hdpi folders. If you already have red png's to replace the green, you can just copy them over in 7zip. To change the existing green to red using the original files is a bit more complex and a lot more time consuming, but pm me if you need to go that route, and I can help you out.
I would suggest editing all framework files first and then look for any stray green bits that may be application specific.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, I will check the framework files and go from there. Any specific program that you would recommend for editing the pngs?
It also depends on what Rosie.apk you use as well, like my rosie is Rosie 3 so the button presses for some of the dock are in fusion and some are in Rosie.apk its weird i guess its more or less finding the images you need edited for your version of sense, because now we have Sense 1-3 on the shifty
Sent from a Hybrid Supreme Shift
strapped365 said:
It also depends on what Rosie.apk you use as well, like my rosie is Rosie 3 so the button presses for some of the dock are in fusion and some are in Rosie.apk its weird i guess its more or less finding the images you need edited for your version of sense, because now we have Sense 1-3 on the shifty
Sent from a Hybrid Supreme Shift
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true, I'm not sure I'm going to have fun with this
Sent from your Mom's Jitterbug
There are only a couple png's in Rosie that you need to change out. Like strapped365 was saying, there are variations among the different versions of Rosie, but you should be able to locate the files to edit fairly easily.
When editing .9 pngs, you must decompile them (not just extract and decompress). This can be done with apk manager. I use pixlr online to do the actual editing. Pixlr is free and it has a color change tool that works ok. Just be sure to use the selection tool to select only the colored area of the image you will change (I always select all but the 1px outer border). If you don't exclude the outer perimeter of the .9 in Pixlr, it won't recompile correctly.
Hope this helps. It took me a long time to learn how to this, but it's the best way I know to get purely custom colors.
Rynomite said:
There are only a couple png's in Rosie that you need to change out. Like strapped365 was saying, there are variations among the different versions of Rosie, but you should be able to locate the files to edit fairly easily.
When editing .9 pngs, you must decompile them (not just extract and decompress). This can be done with apk manager. I use pixlr online to do the actual editing. Pixlr is free and it has a color change tool that works ok. Just be sure to use the selection tool to select only the colored area of the image you will change (I always select all but the 1px outer border). If you don't exclude the outer perimeter of the .9 in Pixlr, it won't recompile correctly.
Hope this helps. It took me a long time to learn how to this, but it's the best way I know to get purely custom colors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your help. All of you, I will hit the thanks button when I get on my computer again. I want to customize my phone to my liking and this will definitely help a bunch
Sent from your Mom's Jitterbug
hey please let me know if you figured out how to do orange/red
Just modded my soft keys to light up red, attempting to get the theme on Virus's Eternity ROM to match. Could anyone change all the green to red, or point me to some tools to help me edit the framework? I'm new to the theming, but I have a decent understanding of ADB and Android file structure.
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium
spenceizzle said:
Just modded my soft keys to light up red, attempting to get the theme on Virus's Eternity ROM to match. Could anyone change all the green to red, or point me to some tools to help me edit the framework? I'm new to the theming, but I have a decent understanding of ADB and Android file structure.
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
M10 tools and eclipse for Modding .9 pngs. And gimp for adding colors and a ton of experimentation
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium
That looks... daunting, so lets start small. Now lets say I just wanted to mod the notification bar icons for now, I think that would fall under the .9 png modding portion. What files exactly would I be modifying? Is it some sort of jar file I would be ripping the pngs out of, modifying, and replacing? I am quite new to this, so please don't flame me too much
spenceizzle said:
That looks... daunting, so lets start small. Now lets say I just wanted to mod the notification bar icons for now, I think that would fall under the .9 png modding portion. What files exactly would I be modifying? Is it some sort of jar file I would be ripping the pngs out of, modifying, and replacing? I am quite new to this, so please don't flame me too much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
notification bar icons are mainly in systemui.apk and are standard .pngs.
Theirs alot of guys willing to help those who help them selves. from what your asking i'de suggest doing a ton of reading. their are a ton of theming modding how tos. but if you wanna jump in grab 7zip,gimp(or a similar graphics editor) and android signer, and start experimenting, If you wanna edit .9.pngs your gonna have to learn how to use apktool and a .9 compiler. But just do a search theirs alot of great how tos and tools all over the forum.
I found the systemUI.apk from reading the beats headphone icon thread. So I'm assuming that the .pngs found in the systemUI.apk are normal .pngs that don't need any kind of special encoding or transparency values. If I were going to change some sense 3.0 assets, I would need to use this guide posted here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=5206698, correct?
Edit: Also, is the SystemUI.odex file anything I have to worry about?
spenceizzle said:
I found the systemUI.apk from reading the beats headphone icon thread. So I'm assuming that the .pngs found in the systemUI.apk are normal .pngs that don't need any kind of special encoding or transparency values. If I were going to change some sense 3.0 assets, I would need to use this guide posted here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=5206698, correct?
Edit: Also, is the SystemUI.odex file anything I have to worry about?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if your just looking to change images the .odex isn't something you need to worry about, the link you posted refers to .9.pngs, when you say assets if your refering to the images that are in assets folders tose are .m10 files and for those you need the .m10 tools that can also be found here on xda.
Well, I got the drawable-hdpi finished, I may have to tweek the 4g icon, the signal bars look a little pink. Tomorrow I'll see if I can find the syncing icon, battery percentage, and other little odds and ends that I can easily edit. I'm attaching the SystemUI.apk for anyone who wants to try it.
I have tried UOT Kitchen before, always was unlucky at having flashing errors.
My question is this... If I take a flashable theme, with permission from the creator, I should be able to use the scripts that they include for flashing? I am savvy with un-APKing zipping, signing and what not, is that all I would have to do to recreate a theme using my own images?
Thanks to everyone here!
Yes, the script you see other themes using can be changed out with your own, as well as the content. You can also just use the UOT Kitchen script. Credit given where credit is due, of course, but the script itself (IMHO) is not something you really need permission for.
Another tip, this from firsthand experience, when you're zipping everything up getting ready to flash, make sure you're zipping the contents of the theme folder (/META-INF/ & /system/) vs zipping the theme folder.
It sounds really stupid, but it took me forever to figure out why everything I did in UOT Kitchen perfectly but everything I did, using the same damn script, just froze. But ya gotta learn somewhere, right?
Remember when using the kitchen make sure u click amend scripting in the area where u load the apks... x2 uses 2. Something recovery.. if u don't click that there will be errors everytime
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Thank you, I think I've tried UOT 5 times but never had success.
Kevin, I tried the amend scripting, it solo didn't work.
I would much rather use my own images then those offered in uot kitchen.
I'm going to try to put a theme together this weekend, I haven't modded anything since BF2 wake island air show
Dee Ex Two - See Em Seven
Ok, how much do you know about themeing? Because if you are wanting to edit just the images(.pngs) you will need some info first...
You can "simply" take the framework-res.apk and systemUI.apk and go to the HDPI folder(or wherever the images are) and "drag n drop" to your desktop and edit those... OR you can take a .png that you wanna use(say one from another theme) and just drag n drop in the HDPI folder. And then, simply make a flashable .zip and your good to go.
.9s !!!
These are a PAIN if you dont know what you are doing.
If you are going to try and get into themeing, download APKManager and decompile the framework-res.apk ... go to a .9 image(i think its .png.9 or something of the like). When you load the image(say in GIMP) you will see black squares on the OUTSIDE of the image(like near the edges of the ACTUAL picture edge)... DONT TOUCH THOSE!!!! leave them there and make edits how you choose to the rest of the image. Once you are finished, just recompile(DONT SIGN AND YES! THESE ARE SYSTEM APPS!). Put in a flashable .zip and your set.
NOW Please note:
When you are doing the drag and drop method, make sure you are REPLACING an image and not ADDING more images.. catch the drift?
this is quick how to, hope it helps and good luck. let me know if you need anything else.
All the themes rock! I have poor eye sight (far sight) so my main concern always is status bar and the battery icon. I love being able to see the percentage, but some themes use smaller battery percentage text.
.9 seem like the stretchable area I'm beautiful widget... I understand that
Thanks Peperm1nt
Dee Ex Two - See Em Seven
I was thinking of trying out theming. That is until I looked at the crap load of images just thrown into one directory. lol. It may not be as hard as it looks but I havent looked any further than that yet. I still want to try something out though. Is there an easy way of figuring out what image does what on the phone? Like if I want to change some things, I have to know the name of the image. Well, to me, it looks like they aren't named plain and simple. Plus when they are just thrown into one directory its kinda hard to distinguish what is what. It was so much easier theming for webOS. lol
Js if u really look at the framework u will see all the images in the drawable hdpi folder are really a lot of the presses..tabs. status bar icons... over scroll glow theming takes a lot of time to build straight from scratch... any .9 PNG can be edited when it is decompiled in apk manager or apk multi tool just don't edit the black patch as peppermint said or u will not compile...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Kevin3328 said:
Js if u really look at the framework u will see all the images in the drawable hdpi folder are really a lot of the presses..tabs. status bar icons... over scroll glow theming takes a lot of time to build straight from scratch... any .9 PNG can be edited when it is decompiled in apk manager or apk multi tool just don't edit the black patch as peppermint said or u will not compile...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, one of these days ill download the tools and play with it. I've always enjoyed theming.
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk
I'm just trying to figure out the script to flash, is it the one in the google folder?
Dee Ex Two - See Em Seven
@js I know what you are saying about the desire to do it but the system isn't really what I would say themer friendly! Admittedly I am not the sharpest tool in the shade when it comes to some things (like the Android OS), so I would imagine that plays a big role in my intimidation of the whole thing.
What got me was the De-Compiling and Recompiling of everything just to change something. Not to mention the signatures and etc... perhaps one day someone will write a piece of software (be it windows based or Android in a shell on a PC) that will make it all pretty simple on that part. Till then I will prob. just enjoy and appreciate the work of others.
GL, Slim!
SlimMan said:
@js I know what you are saying about the desire to do it but the system isn't really what I would say themer friendly! Admittedly I am not the sharpest tool in the shade when it comes to some things (like the Android OS), so I would imagine that plays a big role in my intimidation of the whole thing.
What got me was the De-Compiling and Recompiling of everything just to change something. Not to mention the signatures and etc... perhaps one day someone will write a piece of software (be it windows based or Android in a shell on a PC) that will make it all pretty simple on that part. Till then I will prob. just enjoy and appreciate the work of others.
GL, Slim!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I agree about the decompiling and recompiling thing. When I had a webOS phone I created my own theme just by simply replacing the images and restarting the phone. With android, it seems you have to take the whole framework out, theme it and recompile the package file and flash it to the phone. Just seems a bit overwhelming.
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk
It's not that bad if you are just changing the images... Just timely. I suggest gimp to do the work. Another tip, some of the images are indexed. In gimp change from indexed to rgb...back to indexed, then rgb. Reason being that you are now able to add any color and doing it twice clears the pixelation...
What gets hard is smali editing and .xml editing. Let me know if you need help there.
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
Send a PM to "KTT16" on the Motorola Photon Forums, he is a great themer, let him know what you need help with, tell him you are running stock on the X2, he'll ask you for whatever files he needs, and he will help out.
By the way, if you are at all interested in a signature image, I can create one for you, just PM me, and I'll get on it.
Peperm1nt said:
It's not that bad if you are just changing the images... Just timely. I suggest gimp to do the work. Another tip, some of the images are indexed. In gimp change from indexed to rgb...back to indexed, then rgb. Reason being that you are now able to add any color and doing it twice clears the pixelation...
What gets hard is smali editing and .xml editing. Let me know if you need help there.
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can batch process in PS.....and what is this bout clearing the pixelation...lol
Thanks I'll check it out
Dee Ex Two - See Em Seven
When you find a indexed image going to rgb pixelates the image...going back to indexed and then to rgb fixes this.
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
Peperm1nt said:
When you find a indexed image going to rgb pixelates the image...going back to indexed and then to rgb fixes this.
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was p playing with you, all my online gaming and forum names have always had pixel, pixelated, pixelation, pixelized or any variety of pixel
Edit: swyponese
Dee Ex Two - See Em Seven
I am trying this out for the 1st time. My main goal is to create a transparent status bar for CM7. Will this make that "patch" I need for this?
Kevin3328 said:
Js if u really look at the framework u will see all the images in the drawable hdpi folder are really a lot of the presses..tabs. status bar icons... over scroll glow theming takes a lot of time to build straight from scratch... any .9 PNG can be edited when it is decompiled in apk manager or apk multi tool just don't edit the black patch as peppermint said or u will not compile...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i seem to be a complete idiot lol
im sitting here trying to use apk manager and have no clue how to go about it
i cant get it to friggin pull files, i have no clue what im doing tho lol
i been trying to find info on how to use it with the x2 but cant find jack that is actually useful.
time to go eat, clear my head, and get back to researching, im probably just missing something extremely easy i knoow, but hey, i havent had a working computer in years so yea, im kinda learning on the fly here, lol
Lol @ash
In apkm select the apk you want, then decompile... Make edits, recompile.
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
Hey guys,
I was asked a week or so back to make a guide so others can theme the Stock SamsungIME.apk the way they like. I have made my thread to do this and you can put in request if this guide is not helpful(which I hope it is).
I will answer as many questions as I can, time permitting, and be as Noob friendly as I can, as well. I know this guide will not be perfect and there might be some things I am leaving out, and if so tell me, I will adjust the OP with any suggestions or changes. So here goes nothing...
Things you need:
Android SDK
Java JDK and JRE
Apktool
Notepad++
xUltimate-d9pc
Photo Editor (Gimp/Photoshop)
Before we begin, I am not going to go into how to load/decompile/recompile apks.. There are some good guides out there and here are some..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2195680
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2206938
After you have the SamsungIME.apk totally decompiled you will want to open the folder it decompiled into and start with the res/drawables-sw359dp-xhdpi folder. In this folder there is all the pngs you need to edit. For starters the keys themselves..
You want:
sip_key_bg_normal.9.png
sip_key_bg_option.9.png
sip_key_bg_pressed.9.png
As you can tell, by the name, these are not normal pngs. You will see a 1 pixel border on all sides of the image. When editing the png either erase them or resize the canvas of the image. Just subtract by 2 form the height and the width, but remember when you save it re open it and adjust the canvas size back to the way it was. As my understanding of these goes, they are named this way because Android recognizing these .9.pngs and stretches them.. When I first attempted editing these I would have nothing but problems, of course because I was doing it wrong. I never could understand where the lines go and what they actually do. Thats probably because I was trying to do it with transparent/semi-transparent images and could not see the actual image expanding. Well when you are editing these with draw9patch, I noticed two very important things to look at (for the keyboard). The window to your right is how the actual image will look when expanded, but to see that you have to go to the bottom of the screen and the second scroll bar, move it all all the way to the right.
You will notice that it stretches the image.. This is the same thing Android does.
The middle image needs attention here because it expands it horizontally. So that means when you expand it all the way thats what you spacebar will look like. .
You notice that these edges (red lines) Are not defined they are rounded.. Because they are not patched correctly.
Notice the difference? This after it was patched with the proper line alignment.
To start you want add to full lines on the bottom and the right side. Next is the top and the left side. These are the lines you need play with to make you image look right. I used to only add a 1 pixel dot in the middle and one pixel line on the left. But when I started getting more advanced with photoshop/gimp I noticed my images would not looking the same. When you add gradients or borders to you keys, seeing the image on the right expanded is important because you will draw you lines to make you image look like it did in photoshop/gimp. NOTE: Don't leave any space in the lines to the right and on the bottom. You can, however, do so on the left and top but it will distort your png.
Here are a few guides to help you if you have anymore questions:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2326393
The next image of importance is:
qwerty_keypad_bg.png
This is the background of the keyboard.. NOTE: there is also one of these located in res/drawables-sw359dp--land-xhdpi, the only difference being the above image is for Portrait and land is for Landscape. Also, they are two different resolutions so be careful when changing them. You can change this image to anything you want.. It is a normal png so therefore no patching or further steps are needed.
Next would be all the other option pngs, backspace, space bar, voice, settings, enter key, etc. You will will find these starting with the word qwerty_.
So example:
qwerty_key_icon_enter.png
This is the enter key as it sits on your keyboard.. Yes there are other ones but there are for different actions.
Another thing we might want to change is the color of the CAPS key when it is enabled.
That png is named:
qwerty_key_bg_shift_capslock.png
As you can see a lot of these are named exactly what they are..well some at least..
Next is .xml edits. You want to locate res/values-sw359hp-xhdpi/colors.xml. You will need to open this with notepad++ to edit colors of the key text, pressed key text, shadow of those text, space bar lettering, etc. You will only (or I only do) need to focus on the first 12 lines. They pretty much explain themselves by there names.
Code:
<color name="normalkey_shadowcolor">#ff000000</color>
<color name="functionkey_shadowcolor">#ff000000</color>
<color name="functionkey_labelcolor">#ffe2e2e2</color>
<color name="normalkey_labelcolor">#ffe2e2e2</color>
<color name="pressedkey_labelcolor">#ff122438</color>
<color name="disablekey_labelcolor">#7fe2e2e2</color>
<color name="popup_normalkey_labelcolor">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="popup_pressedkey_labelcolor">#ff2d5a8c</color>
<color name="normalkey_extra_labelcolor">#ffe2e2e2</color>
<color name="spacekey_labelcolor">#ffb6b6b6</color>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll notice that the colors are hex codes.. So the first two letters or numbers is for the transparency.. The next six define the actual color.
After we have edited our xml we can go ahead and recompile the apk. You should recompile with no errors. If you do encounter an error it's possible that you edited the color wrong and made it seven letters instead of eight or vice versa. Make sure that you transfer the old AndroidManifest.xml and META-INF folder form your original APK and transfer them to your new APK in SamsungIME/dist/.
FInally, you can copy you NEW SamsunIME.apk to your sd card, reboot into recovery. I prefer this method (Thanks to @Deckoz2302) because I would have trouble with APK's fully copying through adb. When in recovery select Mount, then click System. Select back. Then select Advanced, than File Manager. When in File Manager goto wherever you put your new APK. Copy it. Then go to System/app/ and hit Select and slide to copy. Reboot!
:good:Special THANKS to: @Deckoz2302: Best developer I have ever talk to! @Rizal Lovins, @grilleld, @Arsaw, @twanskys204, @Winterlove, @GuneetAtwal and I REALLY hope I didn't leave anyone out! If I did I'm sorry, tell me and I will update!:good:
FIRST......!!!
Thanks brother, I am going to give this a go tomorrow.
Today, young ,men on acid realize that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciences sharing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are just imaginations of ourselves And now to the weather.....
Reserved. .
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
This is quite the guide thanks so much for this.
Sent from Kendrick Lamar, King of New York
Nice Tut Great Work..!
Can all this be done on Mac osx?
Shamestick said:
Can all this be done on Mac osx?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If there is an Android SDK for OSX then i'd imagine it can be done on a Mac.
The SDK was fine, its getting the java jdk that's giving me issue
Shamestick said:
The SDK was fine, its getting the java jdk that's giving me issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Shamestick - Do you use Polaris to run Windows? That could work possibly.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
dudeicles said:
@Shamestick - Do you use Polaris to run Windows? That could work possibly.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not, and I haven't gotten a copy of windows to dualboot with yet either. My problems always come whe i try to go to the downloading site for java, it just will never open on chrome or safari
well done my friend ! Nice to see you here
Text color SamsungIME.apk Note3-MOD
I have a big problem.
I decompiled the SamsungIME.apk from Note3-MOD to change the color of the KEY-Text from BLACK to WHITE.
But I can't find the right XML and location where the code has to be changed.
Can someone help me in this topic?
Superwolf77 said:
I have a big problem.
I decompiled the SamsungIME.apk from Note3-MOD to change the color of the KEY-Text from BLACK to WHITE.
But I can't find the right XML and location where the code has to be changed.
Can someone help me in this topic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will most likely be in values/colors.xml
For testing I already changed every black code to white in this XML but it does not change.
Superwolf77 said:
For testing I already changed every black code to white in this XML but it does not change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops sorry its in /values-sw359dp-xhdpi/colors.xml.. Took me a long time to figure out that! lmao! Anyways have fun hope I helped!
Thank you for the help. It works fine now.
Thnks sir.. usefull :fingers-crossed:
Apks?
For those who have made custom keyboards will you please post your apks?
Good
Thanks for your tutorial. I have a question about adding a backround image for the keyboard.Not sure if thread is to old so please respond if you an answer question and ill write it . thanks