Edit Apk - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I want to edit a apk file so that I can edit its notification tone. I found the notification tone and changed it but after compiling it and installing it gives me a error "App not installed".
For decompiling used 7zip and changed the notification tone and then zipped it back. This is the first time I am editing a file. I am "NOOB", so "NOOB" guides only. Please also tell me where I am going wrong and how to correct it.

coolstoneapurva said:
I want to edit a apk file so that I can edit its notification tone. I found the notification tone and changed it but after compiling it and installing it gives me a error "App not installed".
For decompiling used 7zip and changed the notification tone and then zipped it back. This is the first time I am editing a file. I am "NOOB", so "NOOB" guides only. Please also tell me where I am going wrong and how to correct it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to sign the application first. Use apktool to sign your apk and it should install

abhi007.john said:
You need to sign the application first. Use apktool to sign your apk and it should install
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried this also, signed the app and installed it but installing the signed app force closes the install manager..

coolstoneapurva said:
I tried this also, signed the app and installed it but installing the signed app force closes the install manager..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you tell me the procedure you're signing your apk

You are not decompiling it. You are simply unzipping it. Depending on the app it may not be able to be changed. A lot of apps are now making it so they self corrupt if nodded in any way. Handcent does this.
Bat cave One

coolstoneapurva said:
I tried this also, signed the app and installed it but installing the signed app force closes the install manager..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it win't work directly
push it in system/app set permissions and reboot

Related

Handcent Pop-up, can you mod it???

Anyone know how to mod it? I am trying to get rid of the gray look and make it more gingerbread-like.
The problem is everytime I extract it and re-zip + sign it with apktool it doesnt let me install it on my phone.
I cant re-compile it either after editing the png files...
if anyone has any ideas let me know...
If you are editing a .9.png file, you need to follow a slightly different procedure via APK Manager.
*sent from my X10i
My_Immortal said:
If you are editing a .9.png file, you need to follow a slightly different procedure via APK Manager.
*sent from my X10i
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you explain what that would be.. I am just looking into how to edit .9.png files..
I would be willing to help with this if I could. I would like to see a customised pop up.
hrm5023 said:
Anyone know how to mod it? I am trying to get rid of the gray look and make it more gingerbread-like.
The problem is everytime I extract it and re-zip + sign it with apktool it doesnt let me install it on my phone.
I cant re-compile it either after editing the png files...
if anyone has any ideas let me know...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been modding Handcent sms for some time. Link Can you explain what are you looking for? or Im guessing you have apk modding issue not really handcent
you don't need to use apkmanager or deconstruct/reconstruct apks to mod it (or any other app/widget for that matter).
download ninja morph from the market. you can select the apps from the phone, it will extract them and you can swap .9's inside ninjamorph to theme the apps/widgets.
i know with downloaded apps, you have to have them installed to system/app though. so you may need to move handcent to system/app, then chmod the apk, then reboot before doing the ninja morph.

[Q] Install phone.apk

Please sorry for my English. Help ... I want to install but copy phone.apk system / app says that the application was installed and is not exiting the application factory.
I can do ... I also want to change the original lock screen, but I do not know which file I should change ...
I have original 2.1 eclair
thanks.
try this:
Install root explorer (I´m sure, you can find it here by using the search-button), then go to the folderwhere your new phone.apk is, and copy it. then go to system/app, mount it as "rw" and paste it, and then I recommend you to reboot.
codfreak said:
try this:
Install root explorer (I´m sure, you can find it here by using the search-button), then go to the folderwhere your new phone.apk is, and copy it. then go to system/app, mount it as "rw" and paste it, and then I recommend you to reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had already tried, but still keeps showing the original application, and when trying to install from system / app says "the application was not installed"...
Any ideas? with respect to lockscreen, what is the application that performs this function?
phone.apk cannot be "installed". it needs to be "pushed" into /system/app
as for lockscreen, u can either change theme or find lockscreen programs... there are a few in the market.
if u do not know how, i suggest u do a little more finding all the answers are somewhere
After moving an app to system/app, set the permission of the app to rw-r--r-- (Root Explorer)
Sent via X8 Browser
There is already an installed application (system)
Phone.apk application is not installed because there is an application system that must be replaced, but look for it in system / app and I not find that application, if you know the name (I have the stock rom) to tell me to remove it and install the new application (I think it might not be in system / app, but I do not know where else might be).
Thank you.
In the stock rom the phone application is called SemcPhone.apk
anant123 said:
In the stock rom the phone application is called SemcPhone.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, that is. But it does not let me install the application. says "The application has not been installed", even replacing the message application to install.
And when I call, show an error in the process android.process.acore.
If someone has done this before, please guide me.
R u crazy? Phone.apk cannot be installed/replaced under Android is running! Deleting phone.apk causes force-closes and boot-loop. Only way to change phone.apk is ADB under xrecovery.
BillyLH said:
Indeed, that is. But it does not let me install the application. says "The application has not been installed", even replacing the message application to install.
And when I call, show an error in the process android.process.acore.
If someone has done this before, please guide me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did u even read what i replied? u CANNOT install it like u do a normal app... it needs to be pushed in... as for guiding you... there are loads of posts in the entire forum as to how to use ADB/pushing files. go find them.
-ReaL- said:
R u crazy? Phone.apk cannot be installed/replaced under Android is running! Deleting phone.apk causes force-closes and boot-loop. Only way to change phone.apk is ADB under xrecovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
funny~ i ALWAYS change phone.apk when android is running works fine so far. hehe. of course i use ADB tho
I´ve modified the reframe.sh by propc for semcphone.apk....just download it and extract it to the root of your sdcard (with your computer or your X8 by using a file manager)
Then install terminal Emulator (if you don´t have it already) and type
Code:
sh mnt/sdcard/SEMCphone.sh
and it should react and show you some text like "replace SEMCphone by propc (modified by codfreak).
This should also work with ADB, but I think Terminal E. is easier
You can also use it for replacing ANYTHING, just open the file on your computer with notepad and rewrite the filenames and directorys.
D' oh
-ReaL- said:
R u crazy? Phone.apk cannot be installed/replaced under Android is running! Deleting phone.apk causes force-closes and boot-loop. Only way to change phone.apk is ADB under xrecovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm crazy ... But thanks to you I remembered that I could change the framework with a script, modify it and it worked SemcPhone.apk to change (replace) the phone restarts, but then as if it had apacerece signal and not making calls.
Please, if someone has changed some StockRom SemcPhone.apk 2.1 per phone.apk tell me how.
Thank you.
codfreak said:
I´ve modified the reframe.sh by propc for semcphone.apk....just download it and extract it to the root of your sdcard (with your computer or your X8 by using a file manager)
Then install terminal Emulator (if you don´t have it already) and type
Code:
sh mnt/sdcard/SEMCphone.sh
and it should react and show you some text like "replace SEMCphone by propc (modified by codfreak).
This should also work with ADB, but I think Terminal E. is easier
You can also use it for replacing ANYTHING, just open the file on your computer with notepad and rewrite the filenames and directorys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
think the same idea (I modified de script with office suite in the phone ), but does not work the apk ... I do not know what to do, I have the phone.apk for eclair. and does not work.
Hello, I discovered that the recovery is easier to install, I used a zip signed which contained a framework and add the phone.apk renamed SemcPhone.apk. But the different versions of phone.apk I tried did not work on my stock rom. If you know of any version can be installed, if they have already done so, please comment.
deleted android dialer (oops)
hello, I have a samsung galaxy tab 7 running froyo2.2:" did something stupid, I unistalled the wrong dialer using Ti backup. Its called android dialer. and of course i am experience a hic-cup. (hope it not a cold and its curable-lol) I was searching the threads and came across "pushing" the phone.apk using root explorer however I oops again and think i mounted it read only. Now I am stuck in the water.
Assistance/guidance is appreciated!!

Status bar background

How to change the status-bar background?
i want to change the transparent black background with the image in attachment so that it match my theme.
So which files i have to replace with this background?
Using xPeria Mini with stock ICS ROM
So no help?:crying:
piousheart said:
So no help?:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to post in Themes and Apps section.
Publiuss said:
Try to post in Themes and Apps section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is this thread?
mobilephone01 said:
What is this thread?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually this thread was in general but i moved it
And guys will you all please stick to the topic..any help?
maybe this ??
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1786889
iiandskater said:
maybe this ??
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1786889
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See here is my systemUI.apk please add the image at OP (opaque)
piousheart said:
See here is my systemUI.apk please add the image at OP (opaque)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not do it yourself? There is plenty of TUT's around that help you decompile and recompile apks.
evilbarcode said:
Why not do it yourself? There is plenty of TUT's around that help you decompile and recompile apks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried but when i recompile it & push it in system\app with proper permission, after rebooting phone it stuck bootlogo..
The same happens when i tried to decompile DefaultThemes.apk & MusicWidget.apk they both were not installed...
then i searched & found that we have to compress the resources.arc blablablaaa... & signing with recompiling system apk..
Still after giving a lot of tries i dont understand how to use signing & compress resources.arc blablaballl idk..
If you know than may be you can teach
Rebooted my phone 100z of time to check every method i found but no success
Now i dont wana harm my phone, rebooting it again & again for the things that isn't working for me...
See this thread, i asked on xda but people aren't explaining properly, they just stop answering after certain question:crying:
piousheart said:
See this thread, i asked on xda but people aren't explaining properly, they just stop answering after certain question:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I am a bit on the busy side.... I assume you didn't try my tool then?
To do this manually, you need to first recompile your apk after you've done all your changes. You already know this bit.
Then:
Make a copy of the old apk
Use 7zip to open both the copy and the recompiled apk
Drag the 'res' folder from the recompiled apk to the copy
Close the copy
Extract 'resources.arsc' from the recompiled apk
Add 'resources.arsc' to the copy, selecting 'STORE' compression
Close the recompiled apk
Open the copy and check that resources.arsc has the same size and packed size
Reboot the phone and go into recovery
Mount the /system partition
Push the apk straight to the right folder
Unmount the /system partition
Reboot the phone
Wait for it all to load
Wait a bit longer
Wait a bit longer still
And you're done.
If you've pulled the app from the phone to a Windows PC then you don't need to worry about permissions. That's only when you copy the app to your sdcard or pull the app using Linux.
Going into recovery might not be needed. Pushing system apps while the phone is running can cause some nasty bugs so I always use recovery just to play it safe. You'll need to reboot most of the time anyway to see the changes you've made.
Instead of pushing, you could make a flashable zip. As an amazing coincidence, Tickle My Android can do that too.
Ticklefish said:
Well, I am a bit on the busy side.... I assume you didn't try my tool then?
To do this manually, you need to first recompile your apk after you've done all your changes. You already know this bit.
Then:
Make a copy of the old apk
Use 7zip to open both the copy and the recompiled apk
Drag the 'res' folder from the recompiled apk to the copy
Close the copy
Extract 'resources.arsc' from the recompiled apk
Add 'resources.arsc' to the copy, selecting 'STORE' compression
Close the recompiled apk
Open the copy and check that resources.arsc has the same size and packed size
Reboot the phone and go into recovery
Mount the /system partition
Push the apk straight to the right folder
Unmount the /system partition
Reboot the phone
Wait for it all to load
Wait a bit longer
Wait a bit longer still
And you're done.
If you've pulled the app from the phone to a Windows PC then you don't need to worry about permissions. That's only when you copy the app to your sdcard or pull the app using Linux.
Going into recovery might not be needed. Pushing system apps while the phone is running can cause some nasty bugs so I always use recovery just to play it safe. You'll need to reboot most of the time anyway to see the changes you've made.
Instead of pushing, you could make a flashable zip. As an amazing coincidence, Tickle My Android can do that too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you brother i will try it
and yes i have your tool too, it helped me to restore system fonts when i messed with it & had a bootloop:victory:
Great tool:good:
BTW can i use winrar instead of 7zip?
Where is 'STORE' compression can be found in winrar?
How to check that resources.arsc has the same size ( same size compared to with file? ) and packed size?
piousheart said:
Thank you brother i will try it
and yes i have your tool too, it helped me to restore system fonts when i messed with it & had a bootloop:victory:
Great tool:good:
BTW can i use winrar instead of 7zip?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent. I'm glad it helped.
Technically, you could use any archival program but it has to be one that lets you add files to an archive without compressing them. I find 7zip to be fairly quick and user-friendly. Plus, it's free which is always a good thing.
Ticklefish said:
Excellent. I'm glad it helped.
Technically, you could use any archival program but it has to be one that lets you add files to an archive without compressing them. I find 7zip to be fairly quick and user-friendly. Plus, it's free which is always a good thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where is 'STORE' compression can be found in winrar?
How to check that resources.arsc has the same size ( same size compared to with file? ) and packed size?
piousheart said:
Where is 'STORE' compression can be found in winrar?
How to check that resources.arsc has the same size ( same size compared to with file? ) and packed size?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know. I don't even know if winrar can do it. That's why I suggested using 7zip instead.
To check sizes, just open the app (again, this is using 7zip) and look at the numbers to the right of resources.arsc. One is the original size of the file, the other is the size it's been compressed to. These need to be the same.
Ticklefish said:
I don't know. I don't even know if winrar can do it. That's why I suggested using 7zip instead.
To check sizes, just open the app (again, this is using 7zip) and look at the numbers to the right of resources.arsc. One is the original size of the file, the other is the size it's been compressed to. These need to be the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Leme have my hands on some app..
Edit : I tried this but when ever i put it back to sdcard and look at it the app loses its icon ( just a green android logo ) and when i put it in syste\app with proper permission & then restart it doesn't install and even i tried to install as normal apk then it says parse problem..
What i am doing wrong i followed the same procedure above & also the size of resources is same.
piousheart said:
Leme have my hands on some app..
Edit : I tried this but when ever i put it back to sdcard and look at it the app loses its icon ( just a green android logo ) and when i put it in syste\app with proper permission & then restart it doesn't install and even i tried to install as normal apk then it says parse problem..
What i am doing wrong i followed the same procedure above & also the size of resources is same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got your pm asking me to reply to this. I do most of my android modding stuff during spare moments at work because I don't have the time at home so I'd have gotten round to answering this in time.
I'm not sure what you're doing wrong here. Since you're got my tool installed, try using that first. If that works, then we know that there's something going wrong with the manual procedure and we can fix it.
If it doesn't work, then there's something wrong with the mod you're doing and we need to fix that instead.
Ticklefish said:
I got your pm asking me to reply to this. I do most of my android modding stuff during spare moments at work because I don't have the time at home so I'd have gotten round to answering this in time.
I'm not sure what you're doing wrong here. Since you're got my tool installed, try using that first. If that works, then we know that there's something going wrong with the manual procedure and we can fix it.
If it doesn't work, then there's something wrong with the mod you're doing and we need to fix that instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay thanks..
So i tried to mod even after knowing that it wont work as before..
So what i did in DefaultThemes.apk is edited the Androidmanifest & string files to change the name & nothing else
is i am doing it editing wrong file and yes how can i use your tool for this?
Originally Posted by Ticklefish<br />
I got your pm asking me to reply to this. I do most of my android modding stuff during spare moments at work because I don't have the time at home so I'd have gotten round to answering this in time.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure what you're doing wrong here. Since you're got my tool installed, try using that first. If that works, then we know that there's something going wrong with the manual procedure and we can fix it.<br />
If it doesn't work, then there's something wrong with the mod you're doing and we need to fix that instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
<br />
<br />
Okay thanks..<br />
So i tried to mod even after knowing that it wont work as before..<br />
So what i did in DefaultThemes.apk is edited the Androidmanifest & string files to change the name & nothing else<br />
is i am doing it editing wrong file and yes how can i use your tool for this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, I don't know how to change the name of an app. It's something I've never done before.
I suspect that you've gotten the mod wrong somewhere but unfortunately I can't advise on where that could be.
Sorry, mate.

[Q] Modding Browser.apk

So, I managed to find out where the default homepage setting is located, but I couldn't seem to recompile my cooked browser package without ending up with either the app not showing up on the launcher, or initially showing up but disappears on reboot. It's the AOSP one found on an Allwinner A13 tab, and I wanted to change the system homepage to Google instead of the Manta website.
I already tried clearing the dalvik caches as what Fsebentley suggested, but it didn't seem to work.
Can anyone point me as to how can I properly edit this app using APKtool or the APK Multi-Tool?
blakegriplingph said:
Can anyone point me as to how can I properly edit this app using APKtool or the APK Multi-Tool?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you've edited it correctly have you given the app the right permissions?
Yep, permissions appear to be correct. Same with ownership.
EDIT: Mucking around with Virtuous Ten Studio seemed to do the trick, idk why. I've done what's on the tutorial with the manual, commandline-based methods, but all I get is a browser app that doesn't show up on the launcher after a restart.
blakegriplingph said:
Yep, permissions appear to be correct. Same with ownership.
EDIT: Mucking around with Virtuous Ten Studio seemed to do the trick, idk why. I've done what's on the tutorial with the manual, commandline-based methods, but all I get is a browser app that doesn't show up on the launcher after a restart.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
VTS sometimes has problem with signatures. That may be the issue. You can decompile and recompile it directly via apktool.
See the link in Xperienced signature for tutorial of apktool
And this for apk multitool
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2326393
Thing is, the browser worked properly when I used virtuous instead of APKTool.
blakegriplingph said:
Thing is, the browser worked properly when I used virtuous instead of APKTool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh. Then there must be a problem that it wouldn't have been signed in APK MultiTool.
:good:
iamareebjamal said:
Oh. Then there must be a problem that it wouldn't have been signed in APK MultiTool.
:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean like do I have to sign it manually or something?
EDIT: Seems like it had something to do with signing things or something. I tried manually doing a signapk job using the JAR and certs bundled with Virtuous and zipaligned it, and it now seems to work.
Now my question is that would a self-generated cert work on a system APK? I.e. the one that you just churned out on OpenSSL?

[Q] Installable system app?

Hello XDA Members.
I would like to know how to convert a non-installable system apk into normal installable apk.
Example:
Let's say that test.apk is a system app.
If I take it to another device and try to install it, it will say app not installed, but if I put it in /system/app and chmod 0644 it, it simply works.
So what I want to know is:
How can I make test.apk install normally same as any other apk file
Regards,
~J2C
Just2Cause said:
llo XDA Members.
I would like to know how to convert a non-installable system apk into normal installable apk.
Example:
Let's say that test.apk is a system app.
If I take it to another device and try to install it, it will say app not installed, but if I put it in /system/app and chmod 0644 it, it simply works.
So what I want to know is:
How can I make test.apk install normally same as any other apk file
Regards,
~J2C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
after deodex the app it will work
There are a few different ways. The main issue being that it has to be signed to be able to install it in/data/app. Easiest way on the phone is this:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kellinwood.zipsigner2
On the computer, there are a few different signing tools. Not entirely sure if it matters what SDK platform you are on as it has been awhile since I have played with apps like that.
Vaibhav Chauhan said:
after deodex the app it will work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already deodexed it but it is still not installable
es0tericcha0s said:
There are a few different ways. The main issue being that it has to be signed to be able to install it in/data/app. Easiest way on the phone is this:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kellinwood.zipsigner2
On the computer, there are a few different signing tools. Not entirely sure if it matters what SDK platform you are on as it has been awhile since I have played with apps like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if I re-sign it, it will work?
Just2Cause said:
I already deodexed it but it is still not installable
So if I re-sign it, it will work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have face this problem
when i deodexed the app and sign it it was working
@es0tericcha0s
I signed it right now and removed it from /system/app so I can try it, it installed!
But didn't work.
The apk is a close all button from Xperia Z2, I extracted it and deodexed it and I was able to get it to work when it's in /system/app but after I signed it, it installs but it doesn't appear in the recent apps list, as if it wasn't installed.
So I want it to be installable.
@Just2Cause
Ok now you can try this task killer on the attachment
it's based on the old task killer from here:
http://www.xperiablog.net/2014/01/1...ose-all-recent-apps-works-on-xperia-z-series/
and I've modded it to look like z2 task killer
I didn't tested it so tell me if worked with you
@naheel azawy
It didn't work, it installed but doesn't show up.
Just2Cause said:
@naheel azawy
It didn't work, it installed but doesn't show up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what about the one which I based my mod on? does it works?
naheel azawy said:
what about the one which I based my mod on? does it works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope.
Just2Cause said:
Nope.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
!!!
does any task killer worked with you???
if yes plz give me that apk
If it installed, then it's SOMEWHERE... Try this: Use a root explorer to browse through /data/app and see if you see it there. Sometime if the app isn't working right or has the wrong permissions, it'll install but can't see it. Which tool did you use to sign?
es0tericcha0s said:
If it installed, then it's SOMEWHERE... Try this: Use a root explorer to browse through /data/app and see if you see it there. Sometime if the app isn't working right or has the wrong permissions, it'll install but can't see it. Which tool did you use to sign?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The app from play store that you suggested.
Edit:
It is in /data/app with rw-r--r-- permissions so it should work.
I attached the apk just in case if you want to check some things.
Edit 2:
The SystemUI.apk has this line in the AndroidManifest.xml:
Code:
<permission android:name="com.sonymobile.permission.TASK_SWITCHER_PLUGIN_VIEW" android:protectionLevel="signatureOrSystem" />
and this one is in the TaskKiller.apk's AndroidManifest.xml:
Code:
<uses-permission android:name="com.sonymobile.permission.TASK_SWITCHER_PLUGIN_VIEW" />
the TaskKiller is asking for permission from SystemUI instead of framework-res, idk why.
I'm thinking that this has to be a system app and tied to SystemUI to function properly. It doesn't seem to have it's own interface which is why no open option when installed and no icon showing.
es0tericcha0s said:
I'm thinking that this has to be a system app and tied to SystemUI to function properly. It doesn't seem to have it's own interface which is why no open option when installed and no icon showing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, but the old apk from the Japanese Z1 is installable.
Does resigning affect that much that it stops working?

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