My question goes to ROM developer. If we can make a flash-able zip files to install or modify files, why can we not only flash the updated files when ROM developers update their ROM?
For example the normal process is:
-Find ROM your like
-Download and flash full ROM(some LG G2 Roms are 1 gig in size)
-New update comes out
-Download full 1 gig ROM again and flash again
why can we not go
-Find ROM
-Download and flash full ROM
-New update comes out
-Download only the updated files (most likely a few MB's only)
-Flash them
Note: I am not a ROM developer so I do not know all the technical aspects that goes into making a ROM. This is why I am asking why something like this is not possible or we just don't do it.
Some roms do support incremental updates. The G2 roms probably aren't that stable yet.
We're just now starting to see an more and more custom 4.4 roms (even on the Nexus 5). Most were typically based off stock.
Once they get stuff ironed out, you should start to see some smaller updates.
1gb roms do sound unnecessary
-sent from my LG G2 using XDA Premium 4
Thanks. I was really wondering about that. So it is possible, it is just up to the developer.
player911 said:
Some roms do support incremental updates. The G2 roms probably aren't that stable yet.
We're just now starting to see an more and more custom 4.4 roms (even on the Nexus 5). Most were typically based off stock.
Once they get stuff ironed out, you should start to see some smaller updates.
1gb roms do sound unnecessary
-sent from my LG G2 using XDA Premium 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be really off base here. But from past phones and roms it seems that some updates only work really well when built into the Rom. Some have used SVN to put out updates and then you build the Rom with the small update you download. I believe it all depends on how deep the update goes. Looking forward to see how far we can go with this phone. Tomorrow is my 14th day so I guess its a keeper.
CyanDelta does what you are asking for Cyanogenmod.
Consider this. A developer creates a ROM. You download and install it. Then, the developer wants to update it. If he uses a small incremental update, you can download and flash it. Then when it is updated again, you just flash the next update, and so on.
This is all fine and dandy, if you downloaded the ROM from the very beginning, prior to any updates.
If you find the ROM a few weeks or a month or whatever into development, it will likely have gotten at least a few updates. But in order to get to the latest stuff, you would have to download that first build, flash that, and then individually download and flash every update that has been released for that ROM until it is up to date. That is a pain.
If the developer just releases a whole new build for each update, both new and old users can flash it and be on the most current version of the ROM. Yes, it is a bigger file to download, but it saves quite a lot of headaches. Both for the developer and for the end users. Especially if a re-flash is necessary for some reason.
Or, the developer could do both, and create a whole new build, and a small update for the current users. But that would make for a big mess of files to keep and maintain, and could be confusing to make sure the right one is downloaded. Just creating all those updates and ROM builds and writing all the installation scripts sounds like a big pain to me. It's generally simpler to just build the ROM. Still, it does happen.
Just my thoughts, and I am not a ROM developer, so please correct me if I am mistaken about something.
Its a pain plain and simple. Who wants to look at hases to see if a lib changed and stuff. Its also simply more reliable to just keep each base its own then to start merging the two.
Can anyone tell me why are there roms up of to 1gb in size and yet most are just 200mb more or less.
Usually AOSP ROMs are going to be small. When you start to add in LGs ui, features, provider rubbish etc, they climb in size. Most of my Galaxy Note II ROMs were huge. My TWRP back ups would be around 3GB.
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Related
This is a call out to all existing and future developers of Xperia MDPI Devices.
For about a month now there is an app called Update Me Smartphone, which basically gives OTA update functionality for our Custom Roms.
From 01/05/2012 the developer of this app has given it a very interesting feature. You can view all Roms compatible with the Update Me Smartphone application. Even though you get a list a bunch of irrelevant devices, I suppose if we all "help" him with our suggestions he can make an application that will be on par with the Rom Manager app for devices that are fully supported by CWM.
To make this as simple as possible....
User "A" wants to download a new Rom for his Xperia MDPI Device. He has already downloaded and flashed a custom kernel (whether this is a Stock Kernel, or a CM kernel), then proceeds to download the app, install it and browse any compatible Rom's with his device... From then on his device will stay updated, through the Update Me application providing OTA updates of the Rom he has installed. If he wished to download another rom (compatible with the kernel he has - there are 3 Different Kernels AFAIK: GB CM, ICS CM, GB-ICS Stock Sony Kernel) he will just proceed to download the latest version of the rom he has selected straight to his device. No need to download to your computer, then connect the device, then copy it, then flash it. If you have the compatible kernel already installed, then its easy as pie.
Please let me know of your thoughts on this...
Edit: Link to the application's thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1590170
Edit 2: Apart from Rom's we can also implement various mods, tweaks, fixes, etc for our devices. Even though that would be extremely hard, due to the fact that all these files need to be stored in a direct download location like Dropbox, its is a viable option.
OMG I love the idea, that would be awesome!!
It's very interesting, thanks a lot for the info I will try it!
Some modification: In GB we have 3 different kernel (Stock Based, CM Based, MIUI Based [not released yet]). In ICS we don't have Stock based to Xperia MDPI, because Sony don't released yet the stock for us. So we have CM9 based, AOSP based (it's work with CM9 ROMs btw), and ported Stock based.
Some another notice: I saw a lot of thread (not only in this forum), but sooo many people trying to make ROMs. It's not a problem, but some guy don't know some full minimum things... So who will help this guys to add this app to their ROMs?
Are you using a different Kernel for the Sony ICS rom port? I mean the Ramdisk is the same size and you're using the same zImage from a stock GB rom correct?
Well nobody is forced to do this. All we have to do is provide the app developer a link with the update_me_check.xml so that he will sort of add a link for that in the application.
By the way, i now got my goo.im account, and this have own OTA app. I will try it, and I will report.
But I know, this is not only OTA app... Hmm... I need to think in it
So the only developer checking the thread is Expeacer?
Ok...
dumraden said:
So the only developer checking the thread is Expeacer?
Ok...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What makes you think like this?
Well, it's been a couple of days since I posted this, either people dont have an opinion of their own, or they don't care...
dumraden said:
Well, it's been a couple of days since I posted this, either people dont have an opinion of their own, or they don't care...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also read quite a lot of topics, but I don't respond in every topic.
Hey guys, I was recently installing a new ROM and kernel on my Nexus 6 when I happened upon something interesting. Franco makes an AMAZING kernel for Nexus devices, and he has an awesome app called FKUpdater which checks his server for new updates to the kernel, provides the user with the changelog for that update, then allows the user to either a) download the zip file for the kernel, or b) download and auto-flash the kernel zip.
I thought this was especially smart because it works regardless of what ROM you're on, since we all know how difficult it can be to stay up to date on both the ROM and the kernel, not to mention any other mods that we like for your phones (thinking back to the pre-Lollipop mods like Xposed, etc).
So, what if there was a way to make a ROM OTA manager, which could check for new versions of your ROM using something as simple as an RSS feed that developers could reference using the build.prop.
Here's the way I imagine this working:
A ROM developer doesn't want to go through all of the unnecessary hassle and costs associated with implementing the OTA features (it's not as easy as it might sound), so instead the developer simply adds a line to the build.prop:
ro.customROMversion.rss=http://www.example.com/rss
This build.prop line would be universal for all ROMs, with the actual RSS link being associated with each specific ROM (so if a development team builds ROMs for multiple devices, they would have one feed per device).
Then the app would check the build.prop for that line, and regularly check the RSS feed for updates. The RSS feed would have a standardized format. It would include the necessary information for the app to detect a new version (version number, build date, etc) as well as including the changelog for the new version (if the ROM developer includes this).
In reality, this wouldn't be difficult at all, and the best part is that the feature could be added in a heartbeat to practically every ROM out there. The ONLY issue I could see running into would be that the download links for the ROMs would (potentially) need to be direct downloads, with no redirects. I don't know how important that would be to implementation, though.
Does anyone see this as being something particularly difficult to do? I would love to build/release this (I REALLY wish I could contribute more to the Android community at large), but I don't know how to program something like this. If anyone thinks they could do this, I would really love to help put this in motion!
This is something I've always wanted for my G3, a vanilla ROM that's always up to date with the latest Android version, but without any "extras" and "features" seen in typical ROMs. I don't like having to deal with frequent ROM updates that add new features/create new problems. I just want a clean ROM that works like a Nexus device.
Why does this not exist?
(If it already exists I have not come across it yet)
DavM said:
This is something I've always wanted for my G3, a vanilla ROM that's always up to date with the latest Android version, but without any "extras" and "features" seen in typical ROMs. I don't like having to deal with frequent ROM updates that add new features/create new problems. I just want a clean ROM that works like a Nexus device.
Why does this not exist?
(If it already exists I have not come across it yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you say vanilla I'm assuming you mean AOSP, in that case we do have cm12.1, but I don't know if that's what you mean when it comes to "frequent ROM updates"
But if you're asking as to why we don't have a stock 5.1 ROM, that would be because LG hasn't released a base for it yet
6NomoN6 said:
When you say vanilla I'm assuming you mean AOSP, in that case we do have cm12.1, but I don't know if that's what you mean when it comes to "frequent ROM updates"
But if you're asking as to why we don't have a stock 5.1 ROM, that would be because LG hasn't released a base for it yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM is not aosp based, it's cm based.
Yes, the argument could be made that everything starts with aosp, but AFAIK there is little true aosp left in cm, and mostly custom cm code.
As for the op,
You get what devs decide to build. Your question is borderline offensive.
DavM said:
This is something I've always wanted for my G3, a vanilla ROM that's always up to date with the latest Android version, but without any "extras" and "features" seen in typical ROMs. I don't like having to deal with frequent ROM updates that add new features/create new problems. I just want a clean ROM that works like a Nexus device.
Why does this not exist?
(If it already exists I have not come across it yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you could always start a stock rom, root it, and use Titanium Backup to remove any feature you don't want and arrive to a "vanilla ROM". The ROM development is a hobby for the dev, so of course there are "frequent ROM updates". By the way, LG has not released the 5.1 yet, they are still on 5.0.1 (23c).
DavM said:
This is something I've always wanted for my G3, a vanilla ROM that's always up to date with the latest Android version, but without any "extras" and "features" seen in typical ROMs. I don't like having to deal with frequent ROM updates that add new features/create new problems. I just want a clean ROM that works like a Nexus device.
Why does this not exist?
(If it already exists I have not come across it yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been using validus for days. Works great. No freezes. Don't use the features if you don't want em.
So it has been a long time in the works and feels like have been working on this forever. First it was an AOSP Rom, then Caf and at some point both. For now the Rom is AOSP 5.1.1 based.
Is still not 100% but have decided to just go ahead and post the Rom and improve and update.
If you have seen the Test Flight CM based version that had been posted with the Starship Kernel the overall theme is pretty much the same.
The mission now is to first go over a few parts of the theme that bug me or did not translate well in the CM to AOSP Transition such as lightening up some text so is easier to read with darker backgrounds. Second mission is go over every APK one by one and fine tune the theme and add in any extra features. Will post an update as each APK has been completed. Most of the work is done in some form or another but have spent ages nitpicking everything to death and have an external drive filled with already completed images, Colour XML's and lots of uncommitted features so updates will come rather quickly. Honestly at this point am just going to start with the APK's in Alphabetical order so if you like the Rom and theme but a few particular things bug you just let me know and I will not mind jumping ahead. Also with each Rom update not only expect app and theme improvements but kernel and other system enhancements as most are already lined up and just need to be tested in the Rom's new incarnation. It has probably seen some better days but with my constant picking and changing have gone back and forth with so many things I think its best to just post so Starship is out there and now start finalizing. What is currently posted is bare bones themed and featuring a Kernel I have also spent almost a year working on. If you had used the Kit-Kat version of Starship then already know how fast the Rom will be improved and updated based on legitimate feedback. I know I am making things out like this is an incomplete Rom but have been using and been very happy with what is posted as my daily. Yes still need to improve a few things but the truth is I am never happy with anything I do and would have kept changing direction until Android N.
Until next time keep looking up!!
Installing
This version was not compiled using the new block based zip format so will take a bit longer when flashing the Rom. Just a warning for anyone who may think something is wrong. It Just takes a minute longer to flash.
Otherwise besides first performing the usual Wipe of Caches, System and Data also recommend flashing the Rom first, Gapps second and SuperSU last.
Downloads
Starship Rom
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347762130
G-Apps
I recommend using the Banks 5.21.15 version of Gapps and have posted a link below. I don’t like reposting someone else’s work but just now discovered the 6.17.15 version seems glichy during the set-up wizard sometimes needing to be in landscape mode when making a selection so have reposted the version used during testing. Have also posted a link to the 6.17.15 version but found for example during the restore option selecting done will only register the selection in landscape mode.
BaNkS-dynamic-gapps-L-5-21-15
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347762124
BaNkS-dynamic-gapps-L-6-17-15
http://fitsnugly.euroskank.com/?rom=banks&device=gapps
SuperSU
https://download.chainfire.eu/696/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.46.zip
Kernel
I will continue keeping a separate thread for Starship Kernels that may update faster than the Rom so can keep a look out here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/goo...t/kernel-starship-kernels-01-08-2014-t2997470
In staying with the Rules will find Source for the Kernel that is included here
https://github.com/Starship-Android/android_kernel_lge_hammerhead-starship/commits/lollipop
Starship Github
https://github.com/Starship-Android
Donations
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=MMEVCWUX83SXJ
I am not responsible for any effect using the downloads from this forum my have on any device and you download and use at your own risk.
Screen Shots
Hi there! So I've been thinking about a script or an app or a method, whatever that enables us, the users to get a certain custom kernel's newest/latest release. I've got 6 different kernels saved on my external sd just in case something goes wrong. It's better be safe than sorry. You can imagine how bothersome it is to check xda for every single custon kernel if they were updated, if yes download the new version and put it in the correct folder on my sd card... The idea came when I saw the miui firmware auto updater which is an online script that does the job itself by selecting the latest Xiaomi firmware for the wanted device and makes a flashable zip for the users to download. Sounds convenient, doesn't it? The wast majority of the devs upload their zips to github or Androidfilehost. Since it sounds a rather complex thing isn't it possible to do something like this that allows the users to download the latest flashable zip for their favored custom kernel? It doesn't sound that hardcore to do. Seems rather easy to manage. To me, who knows nothing about scripting or coding just by the looks of it and their function/usage. Thanks for the answers in advance!