Hi,
I have downloaded many themes from this site and I really love them. However, personally, I like to mix some of the best from each theme into one new theme for my Vibrant. Can someone show me a way to do that? Detailed guide is highly appreciated. . Thanks.
I think there is a guide somewhere but take the themes you like, open the .zip file and under system/framework take out the framework-res.apk and twframework-res.apk and use winrar to open those 2 files and each will have 1 folder FULL of .pngs.
Then you take out the same .apk files you have from the current rom you're using and get those same 2 folders that have the pictures... then drag and drop and overwrite what you want. Then you'd just replace the folders from your edited framework-res and twframework-res and put them back in your Rom apk files then put those in our phones system/framework with root explorer or adb..
That's a rough explanation sorry :/
After reading from articles , now more or less I got some idea on how to create a theme for a custom rom , but still there's something I don't know .
1) First , I extract files from a rom using 7zip . Then , I extract out the content of framework-res.apk and make some modifies / changes to those .png files . So , after completed those modifies , I just open archieve on the original framework-res.apk , drag and drop the one I modified to replace the original one ? After that , how do I pack it in .zip file that can be updated in open recovery ? .xml file shouldn't be modified right ?
2) What if I do this , I get a theme.zip made for the rom , and then I extract the contents of the theme.zip using 7zip , then again I modify the .png files and after completed , I packed it again by open archieve on the original theme.zip , drag and drop the one I modified to replace the original one ? Does this works ?
3) What if I modify other system apps such as calender.apk ? Using the same method , extract , modify , drag and drop , replace , then again how do I pack it in .zip file that can be updated in open recovery ? Is there any "bond" between those system apps and framework-res.apk ? Can I just modify anyone of both ? Or I have to modify both system apps and framework-res.apk to get it works ?
Thanks
nikctsh said:
After reading from articles , now more or less I got some idea on how to create a theme for a custom rom , but still there's something I don't know .
1) First , I extract files from a rom using 7zip . Then , I extract out the content of framework-res.apk and make some modifies / changes to those .png files . So , after completed those modifies , I just open archieve on the original framework-res.apk , drag and drop the one I modified to replace the original one ? After that , how do I pack it in .zip file that can be updated in open recovery ? .xml file shouldn't be modified right ?
2) What if I do this , I get a theme.zip made for the rom , and then I extract the contents of the theme.zip using 7zip , then again I modify the .png files and after completed , I packed it again by open archieve on the original theme.zip , drag and drop the one I modified to replace the original one ? Does this works ?
3) What if I modify other system apps such as calender.apk ? Using the same method , extract , modify , drag and drop , replace , then again how do I pack it in .zip file that can be updated in open recovery ? Is there any "bond" between those system apps and framework-res.apk ? Can I just modify anyone of both ? Or I have to modify both system apps and framework-res.apk to get it works ?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's what I know so far. I'm still trying to learn as much as I can:
1) If you are making a theme by trying to replace pngs in an existing framework-res.apk file, you can do this: open the apk file within your zip program, and edit the apk there (so you'll have two zip windows open. Once the apk is updated, close the most recent zip window. The first zip window should recognize that you've updated the apk file, and ask you to update the first zip window.
I've been playing around with this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1432152
What it allows you to do is modify the files in Windows Explorer (or whatever file explorer you're using), and then let the script do the rest of the work for you. The actions it can do are: decompile apk, recompile apk, sign apk, created update.zip.
The xml files need to be edited if you want to achieve certain effects. For example, in the Gingerbread theme there are some edits that have to be made to a few xml files in order to achieve white text on black backgrounds on the popup menus. The nice thing about the framework flasher link from above is that it 'compiles' the files (meaning it will check if the .9.pngs are correct, and if your xml files point to correct assets), so you can go about doing xml edits and stuff without fear of bootlooping.
2) Yes, this should work.
3) If the updater script is a generic script (that is, it moves everything from the /system folder to /system, and /data to /data), then you can create directories in the update.zip that refer to whatever apk you want to replace, with the same structure as in Android. The cool thing about Metamorph, from what I gather, is that you can create folder structures with just the assets you want to replace, rather than the entire apk. This means that if you want to replace just a few images in Phone.apk, for example, you create a directory in the Metamorph script under /system/app/Phone/res/drawable-hdpi and add the images you want to replace in there. I think that's the way I want to create my themes from now on, I just need to figure out how to do it correctly
I tried the framework flasher , after located the framework-res.apk and run RunMe , it shows echo is off , the log process shows 'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Do you have Java installed?
Mioze7Ae said:
Do you have Java installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No , I have no Java installed . Tried to install before but couldn't get the right version .
Java
I've yet to find one all inclusive theming reference. Just a lot of searching & reading & trial & error. This might be a good place to get started.
Edit: You'll also want to get the Android SDK
3rdstring said:
Java
I've yet to find one all inclusive theming reference. Just a lot of searching & reading & trial & error. This might be a good place to get started.
Edit: You'll also want to get the Android SDK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW , since I'm still too new to theming , I'm thinking of making my first step by changing the colour of a completed theme . This is what I'm currently doing : I extracted the files content of your DarkFroyo.zip and then extracted it's framework-res.apk . ( IT'S YOUR THEME , CAN YOU GIVE ME THE PERMISSION TO DO THIS ? ) I'm changing the original orange colour of all those icon to light pink using photoshop , then replace the original one . The files type are .png . Also , I changed the battery status icon and status bar background . However , I haven't touch those .xml files , I just leave it there . So after I complete , do I just flash it right away in my phone or I need to doing something like "sign" ? As for now , I don't have any idea about "sign" .
nikctsh said:
BTW , since I'm still too new to theming , I'm thinking of making my first step by changing the colour of a completed theme . This is what I'm currently doing : I extracted the files content of your DarkFroyo.zip and then extracted it's framework-res.apk . ( IT'S YOUR THEME , CAN YOU GIVE ME THE PERMISSION TO DO THIS ? ) I'm changing the original orange colour of all those icon to light pink using photoshop , then replace the original one . The files type are .png . Also , I changed the battery status icon and status bar background . However , I haven't touch those .xml files , I just leave it there . So after I complete , do I just flash it right away in my phone or I need to doing something like "sign" ? As for now , I don't have any idea about "sign" .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changing the color in Photoshop is fine for normal ".png"s but ".9.png"s are special, they have a 1 pixel border with guides that define how they are stretched to fill a space (& are only visible is a decompiled state). Just editing a .9.png in Photoshop might break the .9 patch. Since you are trying to modify my theme it might also be wise to grab the "undo.zip" so if (when) something you try bootloops the phone you can flash the undo to get back to stock. I know had numerous bootloops when I was first starting out (still do occasionally).
3rdstring said:
Changing the color in Photoshop is fine for normal ".png"s but ".9.png"s are special, they have a 1 pixel border with guides that define how they are stretched to fill a space (& are only visible is a decompiled state). Just editing a .9.png in Photoshop might break the .9 patch. Since you are trying to modify my theme it might also be wise to grab the "undo.zip" so if (when) something you try bootloops the phone you can flash the undo to get back to stock. I know had numerous bootloops when I was first starting out (still do occasionally).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey 3rdstring. I noticed you release a new version of your theme for the ODEXED version of CM6. For APKs that have ODEX files (such as Phone), are you deodexing them using apktool, then reodexing them? A brief pointer would be nice!
molohov said:
Hey 3rdstring. I noticed you release a new version of your theme for the ODEXED version of CM6. For APKs that have ODEX files (such as Phone), are you deodexing them using apktool, then reodexing them? A brief pointer would be nice!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the only thing I'm changing in any of the odexed apks are images. I use a Metamorph file with ZipThemer to build the update.zip (& undo) after I've decompiled / recomfiled framework-res for the white menu text & 10% battery increments.
3rdstring said:
No the only thing I'm changing in any of the odexed apks are images. I use a Metamorph file with ZipThemer to build the update.zip (& undo) after I've decompiled / recomfiled framework-res for the white menu text & 10% battery increments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason I ask is b/c I tried pushing a modified Phone.apk to CM6, but it didn't pick up any of the changes I added (images only). It made me think that the assets were already prebuilt in the odex file, so changing the apk wouldn't do anything unless the odex file was changed too.
I also tried applying a metamorph script on top of the odex ROM, but it caused a lot of fcs. I think it's b/c of the ODEXing too.
EDIT: My bad. Phone.apk is the calling screen, Contacts.apk is the dialer + contacts. DOH!!!
My edits are pushed correctly
Hi
sorry if for expert devs this is a basic question
I have been looking around but I did not found this explained
HOW TO CHANG THE ICON ASSOCIATED WITH AN APK ????
I know how to open a apk with 7 zip and that I have to change the png file there
but which file ?????
do I need to change just the file associated with the icons or all the others ?
I mean .... inside (for example) mm.apk I found the icons related to contacts.apk to email.apk etc ... do I need to chenge all of them with the new ones ?
decompile and recompile
Decompile the app with apktool and go into the res folder and find the icon u want to replace ,,change it and recompile with apktool.Lastly sign the app and you are good to go
I have never tried change icons but i tried to change the background images for dialer and system menu. I used the same method mentioned above by opening the apk using 7zip and changing the images files with my custom images and rename them exactly the same as old ones.
Then I used CWM to flash the zip which contains the modified apk (i.e. contacts.apk and framework-res.apk)
However, I would recommend that you backup your ROM before flashing the modified zip file just in case something wrong happens.
Good Luck
I remember that there is a tool much faster than apktool ti decompile recompile but ... I have not been on the forum for long and I lost it
Is it also possible to change only theicon by using vrtheme ? if yes can someone explain how ?
Thanks
Give this thread a whirl...should be very useful
Basic theming guide by Dully79
Darkside Agent said:
Give this thread a whirl...should be very useful
Basic theming guide by Dully79
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All very interesting I am sure I will use it at some point
I installed Java SDK and APKtool ... I remembered what they are for ... but still ...
the only thing I needed to know was if I need to change all the images in res or only that associated to the icon.....
ads7112 said:
All very interesting I am sure I will use it at some point
I installed Java SDK and APKtool ... I remembered what they are for ... but still ...
the only thing I needed to know was if I need to change all the images in res or only that associated to the icon.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fine, whatever, ignore my post
Please .. do not missunderstand me !!!
Your help is very much apreciated
I knew approximately what to do to modify the theme also if in general I preferred kitchen uot
Instead I was hoping in a simple change of icon afetr decompressing/decompiling the apk but apparently it is not so simple ...never mind
Ok so i have had NO LUCK whatsoever trying to get this to work. My ROM for the Note 2 is a TW base (people want the S-Pen functions). And they like the AOSP feel so i decided to try and make a ROM that is AOSP themed. Well i have the launcher and a few AOSP themed apps such as the messaging app.
The flashers were very satisfied with my work so far. But they wanted an AOSP themed status bar. Meaning some AOSP battery images wifi and so on. I decided just just replace the EXACT images. I used a cm10 ROM to get the pngs. I also did use the newest Apktool to do it. I did all the framework installation. I decompiled both and started transfering. Here is what i did. I went to the drawable-xhdpi folder in both ROMs. They had pretty much identical png names. But the icons were different (one being the blue theme) so i took the blue icons (battery and wifi) and transfered them to my rom. I made sure that only the pngs with the same names were transfered. so there wasnt any issue compiling.
Next i compiled the APK file.
Then i used my backup systemui.apk file to transfer the META-INF folder to the new one using 7-zip.
Then i went and signed it and used dsixda's android kitchen to zipalign it. Then after all that i pulled that apk from the zipaligned folder and put it on my phone's sd card. I have the root explorer app. I move it to my /system/app folder. It moved successfully. Then i reboot and when it comes back up i dont have a status bar. And my wallpaper is black for a little while and then goes back to the feather thing.
I have tried signing and not signing. Zipaligning and not zipaligning.
I am stuck here. I am really wanting the AOSP themed icons in the status bar. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Try this:
Decompile, mod and compile your apk as usual (don't sign or zipalign the file).
Open your fresh compiled apk, and your original apk using 7-zip (I haven't tested with Winrar, try if you wish).
Drag and drop all the files from your compiled apk to the original one, EXCEPT the AndroidManifest.xml.
Push this new cross-modded apk to your phone and reboot.
RoberGalarga said:
Try this:
Decompile, mod and compile your apk as usual (don't sign or zipalign the file).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Always zipalign.
XperienceD said:
Always zipalign.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use dsixdas kitchen to zipalign my apks. Is there another tool I can use for just zipalign?
Droid Premium said:
Is there another tool I can use for just zipalign?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, apk multi-tool.
RoberGalarga said:
Yes, apk multi-tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate it. Thanks sooo much!
Give me a hand please
RoberGalarga said:
Try this:
Decompile, mod and compile your apk as usual (don't sign or zipalign the file).
Open your fresh compiled apk, and your original apk using 7-zip (I haven't tested with Winrar, try if you wish).
Drag and drop all the files from your compiled apk to the original one, EXCEPT the AndroidManifest.xml.
Push this new cross-modded apk to your phone and reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am modding my status bar 2.3.4 and i want to add power toggles to it
i got a systemui.apk from another phone ( xperia arc 2.3.4) which has the same status bar like i do ( droid 3 )
when i switch systemui.apk's between them i get a FC and then i reboot and i get no status bar .
is that because it is from a different phone ( i looks exactly like my status bar ) or it might be a signature problem from android xml ?
Dorin21 said:
I am modding my status bar 2.3.4 and i want to add power toggles to it
i got a systemui.apk from another phone ( xperia arc 2.3.4) which has the same status bar like i do ( droid 3 )
when i switch systemui.apk's between them i get a FC and then i reboot and i get no status bar .
is that because it is from a different phone ( i looks exactly like my status bar ) or it might be a signature problem from android xml ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't do that. Just because they look the same doesn't mean the coding is the same. You are gonna have to add all the missing coding from one that has it to yours. Not an easy task at all
Wayne Tech Nexus
zelendel said:
You can't do that. Just because they look the same doesn't mean the coding is the same. You are gonna have to add all the missing coding from one that has it to yours. Not an easy task at all
Wayne Tech Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I even tried to copy a status bar from a 2.3.4 rom ( droid 3 ) to my own build ( 2.3.4 droid 3 ) and did not work
I somehow need to edit the status bar, the interface, so that I create the space needed by my toggles and then add them
And after that I need to create a command file so when I click on wifi to turn it off or on for example, right?
Do you know any place for learning coding or some tutorial that could help me in a way or another?
Dorin21 said:
I even tried to copy a status bar from a 2.3.4 rom ( droid 3 ) to my own build ( 2.3.4 droid 3 ) and did not work
I somehow need to edit the status bar, the interface, so that I create the space needed by my toggles and then add them
And after that I need to create a command file so when I click on wifi to turn it off or on for example, right?
Do you know any place for learning coding or some tutorial that could help me in a way or another?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will need to use a decompiling tool such as APKtool. Then transfer the PNG files from the xperia systemui to the droid3 systemui. Make sure png file names are exactly the same on both systemui's or just rename them to match the droid3 systemui. Also make sure if you have lets say 400 png files in one folder make sure you have 400 at the end of your modding or you will have compiling issues and force closes!
Then use 7-zip to transfer the meta-inf folder to the modded apk file. Zipalign and boom you are done!
Droid Premium said:
You will need to use a decompiling tool such as APKtool. Then transfer the PNG files from the xperia systemui to the droid3 systemui. Make sure png file names are exactly the same on both systemui's or just rename them to match the droid3 systemui. Also make sure if you have lets say 400 png files in one folder make sure you have 400 at the end of your modding or you will have compiling issues and force closes!
Then use 7-zip to transfer the meta-inf folder to the modded apk file. Zipalign and boom you are done!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if i understood corectly i'll have to do this
1. Decompile both apks with apktool .
2. Copy all the stuff from framework-res from xperia to my systemui ( or just for the status bar toggles )
3. Transfer meta-inf .
Question : if i transfer meta-inf folder i will copy and replace the original right ? And what is the meta inf actually ? (The command lines for each power toggle ? ( i mean what to do if i click wifi for example ☠)
4. Zipalign .
5. Replace the file in my unzipped rom ( should i unzip it normally or with apktool ) and then zip it and flash it
Dorin21 said:
So if i understood corectly i'll have to do this
1. Decompile both apks with apktool .
2. Copy all the stuff from framework-res from xperia to my systemui ( or just for the status bar toggles )
3. Transfer meta-inf .
Question : if i transfer meta-inf folder i will copy and replace the original right ? And what is the meta inf actually ? (The command lines for each power toggle ? ( i mean what to do if i click wifi for example ☠)
4. Zipalign .
5. Replace the file in my unzipped rom ( should i unzip it normally or with apktool ) and then zip it and flash it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a complicated process. It's hard to explain. Check to see if your device supports VRTheme. Go to the Themes section for your device and see if anybody has a theme that uses that system. If so that would make your life SOOO much easier!!
I want to edit my status bar style to iOS style by editing systemui.apk file ..how to do that tell me bro
I am into theming right now and have themed systemui.apk
and m ready to put that in my system.
there are 2 problems right now
1st is that when i recompile systemui using apktool it gives me warnings but builds the apk
even if i recompile it unchanged it gives some warnings
aapt: warning: string 'something' has no default translation in C:/Users/T3/apktool/ab/res; found:mk
there are numerous such lines. ab is directory where i have decompiled systemui.apk
2nd is that my rom is odexed and stock so on replacing systemui.apk it stops
so is there anyway i can put the systemui withoud deodexing my rom??
or some ppl have made flashable zips for systemui. Can someone teach me or give me a link where i can learn doing that??
or is there any way to deodex rom without usin odin and flashing??
Iknow I could have googled but i tried and found somethings related to linux and ubuntu but since im on windows
and here ppl are into theming i thought i could get some help here..
Thanx in Advance
Buddy... delete the systemui.odex and replace the stock systemui.apk with ur systemui.apk . N if u hv modded it correctly. Then it will work.
N
For making flashing zip.
Just add ur systemui.apk in meta inf folder in system/app/here paste it.
U can get Meta Inf folder by google or take it from any other flashing zip.
Don't forget to hit thanks