Related
i have been trying to change some strings in the SystemUI.apk file in synergy, just to see what i can make them say... but i keep getting the same issues.
WTF am i doing wrong? :l
alright, so i put a (framework) folder in the usr/local/bin folder and added synergy frameworks.
(com.htc.resources.apk) <--- labeled this 1.apk
(framework-res.apk) <--- labeled this 2.apk
i decompiled SystemUI.apk using [apktool d /Users/Rolando-Ramiro/Desktop/SystemUI.apk /Users/Rolando-Ramiro/Desktop/SystemUI]
and used textmate (application for mac to edit xml files) to edit the strings i wanted and then i built the file again using..
apktool b /Users/Rolando-Ramiro/Desktop/SystemUI /Users/Rolando-Ramiro/Desktop/SystemUI.apk
no errors on either part.
now i tried 2 things after this.
i unzipped the synergy rom and added the SystemUI.apk to system/app folder on my computer.
i compressed it once more and tried to flash it. Nothing happened.
so i got the SystemUI.apk (the one with the modified strings.xml) and just moved it from my sdcard to the system/app folder in my phone.
Right after that, i got FC.
so i went back to what i originally had.
any idea what im doing wrong?
i keep getting
install /sd card ...
finding update package
opening update package
Installing update...
then it goes back to TWRP
--> choose zip to flash
[ ] reboot after successful flash
[ ] zip signature verification
--> reboot to system
<-- back to main menu
anyone with input please let me know.
i have mac/windows
omg ^^..
I already said it many times to you:
1. Pull the SystemUI.apk from your rom.
(put the apk in the same folder with the apktool, the you just have to type teh name of the the apk,with out a complete path. just like in step two)
2. Decompile it:
apktool d SystemUI.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. make the changes in the SystemUI folder
4. Recompile it WITH AN OTHER NAME:
apktool b SystemUI SystemUI_NEW.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DON'T overwrite the original SystemUI.apk! (In your 1st post you did this!)
5. open both apks with 7zip
6. when u made changes in the res folder drag&drop the ressources file from SystemUI_NEW to SystemUI
- when you see other folder in the 7zip, with xml/pictures you also edited drag&drop them also
7. You dont need do do anything more now!
- just zipping the apk and flash via cwm won't work, read here how to make one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732957
- to try installing this apk won't work either.
8. The right way: copy the SystemUI.apk with ne new ressources file in it
and paste in on your sdcard. move it to /system and change the permission with root explorer to 644 or similar (just like all other apks in system/app) and then finally move it in system/app
- or just push it via adb to system/app
9. reboot
Edit: if u still don't understand how to do it, open teamviewer and give me id and pw =P
Rolando.Ramiro said:
i keep getting
install /sd card ...
finding update package
opening update package
Installing update...
then it goes back to TWRP
--> choose zip to flash
[ ] reboot after successful flash
[ ] zip signature verification
--> reboot to system
<-- back to main menu
anyone with input please let me know.
i have mac/windows
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would imagine there is an error in your edify script somewhere. and did you resign the apk as a system apk after you recompiled?
i've done everything you said, I PROMISE!
but it still messes up...
how do i resign it?
i decompile SystemUI.apk
it makes a folder called SystemUI
i remove the original SystemUI.apk
then i edit the string, then compile it again.
(i am using the frameworks from the rom that i got the SystemUI.apk from)
once i compile it, i extract the original rom, and go into (system/app) folder and add the .apk
then i compress it back to .zip
i try and flash and i get same error.
i really did the same steps.
i havent tried it on PC though, but i do have it.
gonna do that today.
edit; ok so im reading over the steps that you gave me.
im half asleep right now so i didnt get to fully read them.
my bad! ill do that right now and let you know what i came up with.
edit 2; (15 mins later) i have zip signer 2 on my phone, im pretty sure that will work the same as ppcgeeks apk signer. right?
alright, so instead of creating an update script, i just wanted to push the application from my phone straight into it.
i followed the steps;
1. decompile
2. modify files
3. build with NEW name
4. use 7zip for both NEW and original .apks
5. move over any files from NEW that were modified into original.
6. compress (im not sure if i should of compressed or built again..)
7. move to /system/ and change to what all the apps in /system/app/ are (permissions)
8. move from system/ into system/app.
i still get FC.
sorry if i sound REALLY retarded. im just really unsure what im doing wrong so i have to write it all out.
j4n87 said:
omg ^^..
I already said it many times to you:
1. Pull the SystemUI.apk from your rom.
(put the apk in the same folder with the apktool, the you just have to type teh name of the the apk,with out a complete path. just like in step two)
2. Decompile it:
3. make the changes in the SystemUI folder
4. Recompile it WITH AN OTHER NAME:
DON'T overwrite the original SystemUI.apk! (In your 1st post you did this!)
5. open both apks with 7zip
6. when u made changes in the res folder drag&drop the ressources file from SystemUI_NEW to SystemUI
- when you see other folder in the 7zip, with xml/pictures you also edited drag&drop them also
7. You dont need do do anything more now!
- just zipping the apk and flash via cwm won't work, read here how to make one:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=732957
- to try installing this apk won't work either.
8. The right way: copy the SystemUI.apk with ne new ressources file in it
and paste in on your sdcard. move it to /system and change the permission with root explorer to 644 or similar (just like all other apks in system/app) and then finally move it in system/app
- or just push it via adb to system/app
9. reboot
Edit: if u still don't understand how to do it, open teamviewer and give me id and pw =P
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DUDE I ****ING GOT IT. :O
thank you so much.
posting screenshots right meow.
Rolando.Ramiro said:
DUDE I ****ING GOT IT. :O
thank you so much.
posting screenshots right meow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no need to resign/compress after drag/drop file...thats the way im doing it
Congrats that u finally made it..was a hard way =P
j4n87, that guide. it's beautiful.
You saved my day, Sir!
@j4n87:
Thanks a lot for your nice step by step guide - it really helped me a lot!
As a beginning, I tried to change the color of the statusbar's clock. My main mistake was violating your rule 6b:
6. when u made changes in the res folder drag&drop the ressources file from SystemUI_NEW to SystemUI
- when you see other folder in the 7zip, with xml/pictures you also edited drag&drop them also
So you have to copy the file status_bar.xml from SystemUI_NEW.apk/res to SystemUI.apk/res, too.
Thanks again!
Wolfgang
EDIT:
Here is a little timesaver for you when you have installed Android Development Kit (with adb command within your PATH) and you have a WLAN connection to your development PC:
- Install the app adbWireless from the market.
- To get SystemUI.apk installed, start adbWireless and type in your PC's terminal:
1. adb connect 192.168.1.100:5555
2. adb remount
3. adb push SystemUI.apk /system/app
4. adb shell killall system_server
ad 1) Take the values the app tells you.
ad 2) Makes /system partition writeable.
ad 3) You may have to add the correct path to the SystemUI.apk on your PC.
ad 4) That's the command for soft rebooting your smartphone which is faster than a normal reboot.
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
OK so I decided to write a tutorial with some hints on how to make a Sense 3.6 theme. This may also work on Sense 3.5 but I don’t have it to test it. This is done on Windows 7 64bit, but it should work similarly on earlier versions of Windows.
What you will need
M10 Tools
APK Multi Tool
Photo Editing Software – I use Photoshop AND Fireworks but Gimp will also work
Notepad++
Latest java and adb
Patience
Creativity
Please follow the instructions for proper installation of all of these tools on their respective page.
Download my basis theme
Copy the file into the place-apk-here-for-modding folder
Open the script
Option 25 – Set Current Project
Choose the basis theme
Option 9 – Decompile
Go to the Projects folder
Go to the com.htc.skin.rachelm920_basis folder
Go to the res folder
Drawable-hdpi and drawable-land-hdpi have the images. Values has the .xmls
Make any image edits you like. Also make and .xml edits you like.
I typically take the images in this folder and separate them based on the type, making several folders for different things like “pressed”, “focused” , “normal” “black” etc. Then whatever I changed black to I also change any references to 000000 to the color I changed it to. I do the same for the other colors. Make sure you keep the black lines on the .9 images. I usually use the “magic wand” to select the black borders and then do an invert selection so I select the rest of the picture. Make sure you move all the images back when done, and delete the folders.
Choose AndroidManifest.xml and open it with notepad++
Under where it says package=”com.htc.skin.rachelm920_basis” change the rachelm920_basis to what you would like your theme to be titled
Open M10 tools – M10Editor.exe
Click Load file
Browse to Projects\com.htc.skin.rachelm920_basis\assets\rachelm920_basis\drawable
Make sure the file type is m10 file
Choose shared.m10
Click on the m10 files tab
Check the Decode images box
Click Decompile/Show
In the editor tab select textures then texture
You should see a picture on the right
Right click on the picture and choose show in explorer
Make any image edits you like. I do the same process here as I did in the other folders.
In M10 tools click on the start tab
Click Save File
Close the M10 tools
Browse to projects\com.htc.skin.rachelm920_basis\assets
Rename rachelm920_basis to your skin name
In the Image folder, put a wallpaper you would like your skin to have as wallpaper.jpg replacing the one already there
This folder also contains the theme previews which are impossible to achieve unless you have root and a screen print program AFTER you install the theme on your phone.
Go back to APK Tool
Choose 11 - Compile
Is this a system apk? No
Would you like to copy over any additional files that you didn’t modify from the original apk in order to ensure least # of errors? YES
Go to the keep folder
Delete resources.arsc, the rachelm920_basis folder, wallpaper.jpg, and all of the images in drawable-hdpi and drawable-land-hdpi folders
Go back to APK Tool and press any button
Choose 12 - Sign apk
Go to the place-apk-here-for-modding folder. There should be a file called signedcom.htc.skin.rachelm920_basis.apk. Rename it to your theme's name. You can remove the word "signed" also.
Copy to the SD Card on your phone, browse using a file explorer and install.
If you have problems recompiling make sure that all of your .9 images have the black borders. Check the log file, it usually tells you what you did wrong.
Some good websites –
http://www.colourlovers.com where I get my color schemes from
http://www.color-hex.com a good hex site and also gives you color schemes based off of one color.
PS - The basis theme does not look good, it is just a basis to use to create your own.
Open for me
question, does this make a theme or a skin?
Skin sorry I worded it wrong
Sent from my customized Amaze from tapatalk
Guess I'll be giving this a shot other than my typical theming methods, thanks.
Wow I had been looking for something like this for a while. thanks
M10 tools
Can't get M10 tools to install, any direction you can give me?
Calabrese1984 said:
Can't get M10 tools to install, any direction you can give me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need a net.4 framework installed.
Red.
M10 tools
I do have net.4 framework installed.
Calabrese1984 said:
I do have net.4 framework installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then what do you mean it won't install? You have to extract the zip file and run the .exe file inside it.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
Thank you, I got it!
Thanks for good guidence
Lost
2.Copy the file into the place-apk-here-for-modding folder
3.Open the script
Where can i find the folder? how about the script? Sorry, noob...
cordz said:
2.Copy the file into the place-apk-here-for-modding folder
3.Open the script
Where can i find the folder? how about the script? Sorry, noob...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both the script is at the root of apkmanager. The the folder referred to is the /place-apk-here-for-modding/ folder, also in the root of apkmanager.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2
why am i getting this(see attachment)
and also in step16 there is no assets file ?!?
How
Help.Bro how do i rename a sense theme and isntall it twice?
the basis theme's download link is gone
please give me a substitution or a solution
New link is up... still had it on my laptop Happy theming!
HELP
please I need your help
I didnt understand step 2
where is this "place apk here for modding after"?
stevenson97 said:
please I need your help
I didnt understand step 2
where is this "place apk here for modding after"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the apk tool it should have made several folders
Sent from my gorgeous Galaxy S3
Hello. I just learned how to create flashable zips, but every tutorial Ive seen only explains how to turn apps into flashable zips. I made a few updates to the framework-res.apk file for a rom and would like to save the changes into a zip file.
My concern is if I save my whole backed up framework-res file, when someone else goes to add this to their system, does it add the changes or does it completely replace their file with mine?
If this happens, how can I make a flashable zip that only adds a few changes to the framework-res.apk file without messing with any other settings?
sparkplug619 said:
Hello. I just learned how to create flashable zips, but every tutorial Ive seen only explains how to turn apps into flashable zips. I made a few updates to the framework-res.apk file for a rom and would like to save the changes into a zip file.
My concern is if I save my whole backed up framework-res file, when someone else goes to add this to their system, does it add the changes or does it completely replace their file with mine?
If this happens, how can I make a flashable zip that only adds a few changes to the framework-res.apk file without messing with any other settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it would kill the old file. Not sure how to stop that i it is even possible.
sparkplug619 said:
Hello. I just learned how to create flashable zips, but every tutorial Ive seen only explains how to turn apps into flashable zips. I made a few updates to the framework-res.apk file for a rom and would like to save the changes into a zip file.
My concern is if I save my whole backed up framework-res file, when someone else goes to add this to their system, does it add the changes or does it completely replace their file with mine?
If this happens, how can I make a flashable zip that only adds a few changes to the framework-res.apk file without messing with any other settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what you mean by "turning apps into flashable zips", but if you edit an apk and want to flash that to a phone through recovery (in a flashable zip package), it will replace the entire apk, not just your edits in the apk. It is not possible to flash only parts of an apk over another - it will always change the entire apk.
Ok thanks for the info.
What I am doing is creating a mod for my phones rom, several have been created and posted on the thread, the mod is just a simple crt animation disable. I had to edit the framework file in order to make this happen.
I've opened a few zip files and I see they have framework-res.apk files attached, so everytime I flash a mod to my phone, it is wiping all previous changes I've made to my framework-res.apk file?
sparkplug619 said:
Ok thanks for the info.
What I am doing is creating a mod for my phones rom, several have been created and posted on the thread, the mod is just a simple crt animation disable. I had to edit the framework file in order to make this happen.
I've opened a few zip files and I see they have framework-res.apk files attached, so everytime I flash a mod to my phone, it is wiping all previous changes I've made to my framework-res.apk file?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the files in the zip will overwrite your existing files. If you like one of those other mods, just decompile the framework-res with the themes that you want and edit the bools.xml line for CRT (config_animateScreenLights, or something like that if I recall), and recompile (deleting the resources.arsc from the keep folder if you use APK Manager). Or make your own themes for your mod...
Thats really strange, ive added plenty of mods to my phone and they all stayed intact, but when I check them out, they are all apks being flashed from zip files. Maybe I am missing something, or maybe I am not asking the question right, its just really hard to understand how it works. Also, I havent slept for over 24 hours so im really sketchy with processing info right now
Many people get FC's ... well thats cool but most of them do not prepare a lite backup...so when they get FC....their last hope becomes a whole restore or new rom...... i know devs do know about this...but many upcoming geeks are still unaware of this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Today dump this scene and check this short Restoration
Lets work:
The script is pre-written and mostly interference must be done only in ui_print
Use the cwm sample below...download it and extract the contents
Before you start working over a system file....put that file in an appropriate folder of above extracted system folder
Check the image below.....these are the contents of the sample
So like, if you are editing framework-res.apk....create a folder in your extracted system folder and name it framework and put the un-edited framework-res.apk in that folder....then select both META-INF and system folder and create zip
in this way if you get a FC on your editing ..... you can restore your files in seconds and continue editing till you rip off all your hairs:victory::victory:
Credits: eXPERIANCE
Lol.. Not bad..
Sent from my MT11i using xda premium