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Alright....I've tried searching and searching but I can't find exactly what I need. I'm wanting to try to port blue echo to cm6.1. Now I'm still a little new at this but I've learned how to smali and baksmali, use flashboot, sdk, sign zips, create flashable zips, zip align, optimize, pretty much all the ends and outs of the basic. I've only been at this 4 months but I love android and want to learn to become a dev. Now I'm trying to learn how to theme roms. There are a million guides that I've found but now will tell me how to do this . Could someone point in the right direction to a thread explaining how to port a sense theme to cm6.1. Ive tried replacing the images in the drawables folders from framework-res . Repackaged zip aligned optimized signed and flashed. Nothing took. So I opened the zip all the images had copied over in the cm6 rom zip. So I wiped and flashed the modded zip it still reverts to the original framework of cm6. I don't understand how that is. I need a way to just copy the colors and images. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong or know of a how to with just the steps .I already have all the programs on my pc.
shawn328 said:
Alright....I've tried searching and searching but I can't find exactly what I need. I'm wanting to try to port blue echo to cm6.1. Now I'm still a little new at this but I've learned how to smali and baksmali, use flashboot, sdk, sign zips, create flashable zips, zip align, optimize, pretty much all the ends and outs of the basic. I've only been at this 4 months but I love android and want to learn to become a dev. Now I'm trying to learn how to theme roms. There are a million guides that I've found but now will tell me how to do this . Could someone point in the right direction to a thread explaining how to port a sense theme to cm6.1. Ive tried replacing the images in the drawables folders from framework-res . Repackaged zip aligned optimized signed and flashed. Nothing took. So I opened the zip all the images had copied over in the cm6 rom zip. So I wiped and flashed the modded zip it still reverts to the original framework of cm6. I don't understand how that is. I need a way to just copy the colors and images. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong or know of a how to with just the steps .I already have all the programs on my pc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simplest way, if you just want the icons, pics and notification bar things is to use 7zip for PC. Don't extract the theme, just open it. Navigate to the framework-res.apk file of the new ROM you want the theme to work on, open but don't extract, copy all the .png files from the theme into the ROM or new theme you are making. It will ask you to replace, obviously you say "yes" When you are done, just close it all back up, no recompressing or signing needed because you didn't extract anything. Just put it on your SD card and it will flash.
Let me know if you need more help. This by and large the simplest method for making minor edits to a theme.
Download the CyanogenSense theme by mrinehart93 found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=723224
It's a working Sense-looking theme on CM6. Download it, unzip it on your PC, pick it apart, etc. to see how he changed and compiled it to make it work. Hopefully that will help you figure out how to do what you want to do. Good luck.
chromiumleaf said:
Download the CyanogenSense theme by mrinehart93 found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=723224
It's a working Sense-looking theme on CM6. Download it, unzip it on your PC, pick it apart, etc. to see how he changed and compiled it to make it work. Hopefully that will help you figure out how to do what you want to do. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 Good idea!
ranger61878 said:
Simplest way, if you just want the icons, pics and notification bar things is to use 7zip for PC. Don't extract the theme, just open it. Navigate to the framework-res.apk file of the new ROM you want the theme to work on, open but don't extract, copy all the .png files from the theme into the ROM or new theme you are making. It will ask you to replace, obviously you say "yes" When you are done, just close it all back up, no recompressing or signing needed because you didn't extract anything. Just put it on your SD card and it will flash.
Let me know if you need more help. This by and large the simplest method for making minor edits to a theme.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this but had to flash clockword because i was using ra, it wasn't verifying the update. So i turned off signature verification. But I'm using firerat mtd and forgot that i have to repatch the clockword for this so I did'nt really get to see if it worked yet. But thanks all of you responding I appreciate it. Ill let you know if these methods work.
I fixed the prob. Did everything suggested by copying the png's between the zips without extracting them. Even doubled checked all the png's everything looked like it was a go . But I only got 3 of my new icons. Everything else was still stock cm6 even the notification bar was stock. Do I got to do more than just transfer the png's cause it seems like maybe the xml's are reverting them back to stock?
ok... status_bar_close_on_cust.9.png
i believe i have followed all the guides i have seen correctly. sorry. i've been stuck on this for almost 4 hours.
i opened the apk in 7zip, exported the image.
removed the 9 from the file name
edited the png in PS
opened draw9patch,
added the full bottom and right side lines.
added the 2 dots i need on top and made the leftside work after eclipse failure
did the eclipse project thing
pulled new status_bar_close_on_cust.9.png from the eclipse created apk
opened framework-res.apk in 7zip again
i tried both..
- deleting the original image and then adding the new to the archive
- drag-drop the new image thus replacing the original
resign the rom's zip
when i install on system i get the bootloop with each loop getting shorter.
i have tried converting framework-res.apk to a zip, resigning it, and then back to an apk
i know this is a much descussed subject on this forum and all the other's i googled looking for the missing step or something i'm doing wrong
i have tried apkmanager, apktools, shorter suggested methods i've seen, and full drawn out methods.
i dont know if i'm messing something up in the png edit, the draw9patch, eclipse, signing or not the apk, or somewhere else.
i've tried pulling a logcat/boot.log from the device but i get some sort of error. i dont know if it's not creating one or i'm trying to pull it from the wrong place.
i'm sure a ton of you guys have had this happen to you. please offer some advice
Do you get an error when importing into eclipse? If so what does it say?
im sorry shoulda clarified that. originally i failed to put the patches on the left side. it failed when trying to make the apk. put thos there and the apk was created. my proplem is with the framework-res.apk i guess.
i put it back in the rom, sign it, and boot-loops.
i guess it has something to do with adding the image to the framework-res.apk. apparently it doesnt like the new image, so to speak. i have tried finding out how to re-build the framework-res.apk, to no avail. hell, i may be using the wrong terminology when searching. at this point, i have no idea.
If i change any images i use metamorph, free from the market. You dont need to sign and flash full apk's, just the files that need changing, a lot quicker and easier.
You could create your ***.9.png as a full size png and remove the 9 patch data, eg. instead of having a 5x32.9png make it 320x32.png(depending on your resolution).
In fact come to think of it ive never seen the "status_bar_close_on_cust.9.png" on my screen, just "status_bar_close_on.9.png".
EDIT: If you've used apktool or other to decompile, crop the the edges by 1 pixel each side, this will remove the 9 patch data, edit your image, then use your draw9 tool, and recompile with eclipse.
You may have been adding another 1 pixel 9patch border to the already existing 9patch border, hope that makes sense.
this is the custom pull down notification bar in gingerfly-1.7.0 based on cm6.1 i believe with some gingerbread looks.
This is how I do it:
1. Extract image from framework-res.akp. You can right click on the framework > 7-zip > open archive and extract the image this way or just extract the whole apk.
2. Edit the image. Open the image in Photoshop and do what you want. Don't worry if you don't have the border. Save the image as a .png file.
3.Add the border. Open draw9patch and add the image. A border for the dots should be created automatically so just do what you need to do and save it as the same file name. It should automatically change the file type to .9.png.
4. Compile the image.9.png. Download the file attached. In the zip, you should see a file called 'xUltimate-d9pc' and a folder called 'Original'. Put the image into the folder 'drawable inside 'res' inside 'Original'. Then open the file named 'xUltimate-d9pc' and wait. When it has finished, there should be a new folder and inside should be the compiled image.
5. Replace the image in framework. Right click framework-res.apk > 7-zip > open archive. Drag the new image into the framework, make sure you have the same file name. You shouldn't need to sign it.
Now you should have a framework-res.apk working with no problem.
I'm not sure if it will work for a custom rom as I use the framework-res.apk from my X10
Hope this helps.
that worked! thanks much!!! the one step i did add to this is to re-sign the rom. i have had nothing but problems anytime i have not signed it after making any changes. it may be an un-needed step, but it worked. thanks again!!!
Can I bump this real quick?
This is my first post here and I'm sorry if I shouldn't bump this thread but my problem is closely related and I hope someone out there knows what I'm doing wrong.
First things first, I'm using the EVO, that's probably important information.
I just flashed Warm Z TwoPointTwo and I love it, except... I really want the vanilla lockscreen. No problem, right? Just rename or delete HtcLockScreen.apk and you're good to go.
That works, and the vanilla lock screen appears upon hot reboot, but the images aren't right; they are all transparent in Warm Z. I have been trying basically all day to get the stock images back into framework-res.apk and nothing has worked; I bootloop every time.
The images are jog_tab_* except that the images in MY framework-res.apk have for example jog_tab_bar_left_end_confirm_gray.png (for all of the left and right end confirm images), whereas the AOSP framework-res.apk has 9patches for all of those.
I've tried deleting the jog_tab_* images in mine and placing in the ones from AOSP, I've tried placing the AOSP images in alongside the ones already in my copy, but nothing works.
I've tried apktool, apk manager, xultimate... I've read about 25 xda threads on this and tried every new suggestion. It bootloops no matter what I do. I think I'm missing something.
I've done the 7zip replacement without re-signing, I've re-signed, I've done xultimate with compression 0, and I've tried creating my own metamorphs. Something about Warm Z is conflicting with the vanilla images, but I'm too inexperienced in themes and the Android OS to know what's up.
Perhaps Warm Z changes definitions elsewhere as to which images are used, or perhaps something else isn't lining up properly with the vanilla lockscreen code. I hope someone out there knows what on earth I'm talking about.
Searched and couldn't find just this...a black notification pull down. I think I am one of the few that likes the stock look just want a black/ transparent pulldown and don't want a whole new theme to get it. I am running dl30 BTW. I KNOW THAERE ALOT OF REQUEST BUT HOPEFULLY MINE IS EASY TO FULL FILL WITH A COUPLE OF OPTIONS TO ADD AS A ZIP FOR THOSE THAT LIKE A SEMI-STOCK LOOK. HOPE TO SEE A COUPLE SOON.
THANKS IN ADVANCE
A little FYI...I really like the midnight pulldown and buttons....many others are nice as well..
This can be done by modifying the png images in the framework i believe. If you use 7zip to extract it and then edit with photoshop or gimp and save the png and put back into the framework file.
If i am wrong somebody can correct me though.
bump....seems easy but I am an idiot with this phone?!?
I want it also
I pulled out the files and changed everything and put it back into the apk file. When I put it back on my phone I didnt get any changes. I thought I read that if your only changeing pics, this is all that was needed.
I posted asking if there was something I was missing but no answer.
I have the changes if I could get the phone to take them.
Yeah i tried ti compile it too just now....fail.
MSHancock said:
I pulled out the files and changed everything and put it back into the apk file. When I put it back on my phone I didnt get any changes. I thought I read that if your only changeing pics, this is all that was needed.
I posted asking if there was something I was missing but no answer.
I have the changes if I could get the phone to take them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Attach your framework-res.apk & twframework-res.apk and let me look at it. It will be hard to give an accurate explanation without first doing this.
EDIT: Or do what nitsuj said below and it should work. Your probably having problems with .9 pngs
MSHancock said:
I pulled out the files and changed everything and put it back into the apk file. When I put it back on my phone I didnt get any changes. I thought I read that if your only changeing pics, this is all that was needed.
I posted asking if there was something I was missing but no answer.
I have the changes if I could get the phone to take them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to do what you are trying to do.......grab the twframework-res.apk from your phone by pulling it with adb...or simple version just grab it out the rom you are currently using by moving the og rom file to your desktop and use 7zip to extract it.
now use 7zip again to extract the drawable-hdpi folder from the apk.
swap out status_bar_background.9 for a transparent one you grabbed from another theme...or you can make one by yourself...but its a .9 image so you ll have to patch it in 9 patch.
if you want to avoid that heres a transparent one for you http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15331201/rom/transparentbackground.zip (just extract it and swap it)
open up the twframework with 7zip again and copy this drawabl-hdpi folder over the old one....then you can push this framework back to your phone...or just take one of our theme update.zips and open it up with 7zip...go into the system folder, delete the app and font folders...go into the framework folder and delete whats theres and place the twframework-res.apk in it....put the zip file on ur sdcard...boot to recovery and flash it
Thanks
Thanks for the tips guys. I will work on this today and have something later.
as soon as I get back to my comp I am going to try and fix it...
Hi Guys,
I'm coming from Windows Mobile 6.5 where theming was a bit different:
When I started with 6.5 I used to think the only way to change the look of my phone interface was to flash a custom rom, but then I realized I could theme individual components (6.5 theme, Taskbar, Icons, Start Menu, ect) and it turned out to be pretty easy.
With Android I'm begining to think the opposite exists, is it basically true that in order for me to change the colors of the taskbar, or menus, taskbar icons - I have to use a custom rom?
I have been reading over these threads for the past three days and I have learned a lot, but I'm still confused...
I used to do M2D themes and change the xml and such, but when I read the Android theming guides ALL of it seems foreign to me...does't seem like I can just swap out pngs for pngs I made in Photoshop Am I making this seem more difficult than it is?
Are there individual themes for my taskbar, dialer, ect (not roms)? And if so can a former Windows Phone user explain them in comparison to installing a cab?
I know I have a ton of questions so any help at all would be appreciated
Thanks
MEGA MAN
There are MANY apps out there that will allow you to make these changes. Do some searches on the market and you'll find them. Do some research into rooting your phone (at your own risk) which will allow even more options.
You do not have to use a custom ROM to theme your phone, but it makes it a lot easier overall. AFAIK, you still have to have your phone rooted to theme more than icons.
To theme images, it really is just swapping out your images for the images already there as long as they contain the same dimensions, format (pretty much always .png), and name.
The .xml files are easiest to edit if you have decompiled the apk with a tool call apktool, because then they are in readable format.
Apktool is also really great for getting .9.png's in decompiled format with the stock guidelines intact.
You can theme various different components with an app called Metamorph or Ninjamorph, otherwise, you're going to have all your different parts together.
I've been theming android for getting close to two years now, so if you would like more help, you can PM/email (david1667jones gmail) me for more specific answers.
megaman - ain't it a trip coming from WM to android? yeah...WM seems such a simpler way. especially CHT2...that is really the best modding system ever.
been experimenting for the past 2-3 weeks and have been successful. (even have a usable CM7 theme that i may post...)
so let's hash this out. maybe teach eacho other a thing or two. if i am being too basic, let me know.
apk - like a cab. tricky thing is that (i believe) if you edit an apk, you replace the entire apk. unlike a cab where you can replace 1 single file. there are theme programs (metamorph - haven't used it, ADW and others that allow replacement with a single file...but they take a little work. nothing easy like cabs for WM.)
to begin you need 7zip (or winrar i hear works.) this will allow you to open apks, replace files and restore them in seconds:
http://www.7-zip.org/
i assume your rom is rooted (i really don't understand the term, but it allows freedom to mod your phone. i am using an HD2 - WM phone - running nand android so by default my phone is rooted.)
let's explore - take any apk and open it with 7zip. you will see 3 files (this is off of memory as i am at work right now.) open them and look around. ((want to find your installed apks and back them up? search market for Astro. (settings> backup and save your apks to your sd card)))
under res you will see drawable folders - this is the jackpot. in there you will see your images. there is a lot of redundancy in apks. the trick is finding the right image. try changing some, etc. this is the most basic of theming.
before moving on to xmls, etc (which there are quite good guides for this) just try the above. when you replace the files move up the folder hierarchy and it will ask you something about saving/restoring - cilck yes. the apk is now modded.
install the apk and see the changes.
however, if you are editing the core apks - system and framework-res, we will need to talk about how to do that (i use clockworkmod flashing...easy to do.)
let me know if this helps.
Thank you guys so much for your knowledge!
I do have my phone rooted and I have bootloader installed
The one reason I thought that I had to download a "ROM" is because I keep reading about having to be deodexed in order to modify...and I was underthe impression that most custom roms provide this deodexing?
on to APK's...I do have 7Zip and I have opened some up and found where the graphics are...now I am actually extracting the apk so I can manually go through each folder and see whats there including graphics...there does seem to be another way of opening the APK with 7Zip and not actually extracting it, but I don't thing I can actually see the image previews this way. >>>so I extract, change my desired images, re-zip and change the file extention back to .apk - BUT then I read about signing APK's? ...and signing zips?
After some researching I found a thread in which someone posted something like they make a copy of there current ROM "theme?" and then copy it in zip form on to their PC where they goe through all of the desired APKs and then Zip it back together and install it from the screen that you get to after holding the power button and home (recovery screen maybe?) <<< Anyway is this possible? This seem most like what we did in windows phone...but again I think where I'm getting caught up is the signing aspect...I've seen auto signers, but I feel like the ones I've seen were only for XP and I have Windows 7.
Woo... ok wrote a lot there - if you have anytime to elaborate on anything, I'd be happy to hear.
...and jsmccabe - that HD2 is one awesome device...I remember everybody asking if Windows 7 would everbe available and now you guys are dual booting with WP7 and Android - AWESOME!!! (if I didnt have Verizon
megaman...sorry it took a bit. "real life" and all that...
megaman 2 said:
The one reason I thought that I had to download a "ROM" is because I keep reading about having to be deodexed in order to modify...and I was underthe impression that most custom roms provide this deodexing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- not sure what deodexed means. is your rom cm7? if so, tmobile themes is an "easy" way to make a theme.
- are you theming to share or for yourself? if the latter just replace the the files in your rom and flashe the rom. if the former, what type of rom?
megaman 2 said:
on to APK's...I do have 7Zip and I have opened some up and found where the graphics are...now I am actually extracting the apk so I can manually go through each folder and see whats there including graphics...there does seem to be another way of opening the APK with 7Zip and not actually extracting it, but I don't thing I can actually see the image previews this way. >>>so I extract, change my desired images, re-zip and change the file extention back to .apk - BUT then I read about signing APK's? ...and signing zips?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- you can extract to make life easier. but when you are ready to make the changes just drag the new icons into the original apk. it will update it for you and you can install it and done.
megaman 2 said:
After some researching I found a thread in which someone posted something like they make a copy of there current ROM "theme?" and then copy it in zip form on to their PC where they goe through all of the desired APKs and then Zip it back together and install it from the screen that you get to after holding the power button and home (recovery screen maybe?) <<< Anyway is this possible? This seem most like what we did in windows phone...but again I think where I'm getting caught up is the signing aspect...I've seen auto signers, but I feel like the ones I've seen were only for XP and I have Windows 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM themes are pretty easy to do. i started with this, the problem is it replaces the entire apk to replace 1 image. which if you are modifying systemui or frameworks, may overwrite other things (colors that you didn't want to.) easiest thing to do....find an already established CWM theme and keeping the same structure, replace the images and flash via CWM.
let me know if you want more details...cheers and good luck!
Hey guys, this is gonna be kind of long so bear with me:
I'm running a Le Pan TC970 and we currently have root access, but no CWM or custom ROMS. It runs on Froyo 2.2 OS and as we all know, it's ugly as sin. I've successfully managed to use this framework-res replacement script (found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=889963) to swap out icons galore and change the status bar and notification area to blacked-out colors. I'm trying to make a theme for our community, because I know I can't be the only one looking at this ugly OS and screaming.
Well the problem I'm having is really frustrating, the black notification bar looks great, however the notifications & clock are in black font. Therefore you can't see them with the new notif/status areas. I did some research and figured out you can change some color codes in the /layout/status_bar.xml file. But when I try to open it, it's all encrypted. I used APKTool to decompile and recompile it and it wasn't encrypted. I changed the #000000 to #FFFFFF. Then, flashed it using the script. This caused a massive boot loop and I couldn't power down the tab at all. Being impatient, with the help of a friend I figured out how to rip open the tab and pull the battery, allowing me to access the proprietary recovery & I reflashed the firmware and got back to stock.
I've tried pulling that file from other themes and just replacing it, I've tried decompiling & recompiling and editing the original file, I've tried everything I can think of and every solution I've searched for has lead me to endless boot loops when I try to screw with anything besides the icons & images in hdpi folder. This is the only stopping me from having a custom theme is the damn color code. Does ANYONE have any suggestions I can try?
I don't want to continue getting boot loops because each time I have to reflash the stock firmware, re-root, tiba restore to get my root tools back and it's a big fat pain in the A$$. We have no CWM or NANDROID capabilities, so this is really my only option. Before I throw this stupid thing, I thought I'd ask around XDA and see if someone knew the solution to my problem.
Thanks for any help
you should enable usb debugging and from then you can use adb
i you make backups of the file you might try pushing it back if the edit fails
however, you might want to take a look at this topic: [TUTORIAL] Where to find the colors for making a theme
hope this topic helps you
picard666 said:
you should enable usb debugging and from then you can use adb
i you make backups of the file you might try pushing it back if the edit fails
however, you might want to take a look at this topic: [TUTORIAL] Where to find the colors for making a theme
hope this topic helps you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've read this thread a few times, I could be doing something completely wrong I'm not sure. But I've used APKTool to decompile and edit the font colors as that guide suggests and then recompile and it always ends in a bootloop. I have tried pushing the individual files with adb & that was a flop also. It's just this one stinkin' XML file giving me issues. I'll try re-reading that again and see if I did something wrong, thanks for the help
dbaybay said:
I've read this thread a few times, I could be doing something completely wrong I'm not sure. But I've used APKTool to decompile and edit the font colors as that guide suggests and then recompile and it always ends in a bootloop. I have tried pushing the individual files with adb & that was a flop also. It's just this one stinkin' XML file giving me issues. I'll try re-reading that again and see if I did something wrong, thanks for the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
color is 8-digit number: AAEEGGBB, where AA is alpha value (or transparency, where FF is the least transparent and 00 is fully transparent), and RRGGBB is the color code in RGB hex (in the OP you wrote 6digit colors, so i'm not sure if you used those in the xml or the proper format, because using 6digit colors might be a cause of bootloop)
picard666 said:
color is 8-digit number: AAEEGGBB, where AA is alpha value (or transparency, where FF is the least transparent and 00 is fully transparent), and RRGGBB is the color code in RGB hex (in the OP you wrote 6digit colors, so i'm not sure if you used those in the xml or the proper format, because using 6digit colors might be a cause of bootloop)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I meant it that way, sorry. Once the XML file was viewable in Notepad++ (it was encrypted until I used APKTool) I noticed it said "FF000000" and I wanted it white, so I replaced only the "000000" with white, leaving it exactly "FFFFFFFF".
I also tried swapping out that file with files from other themes that already had white text. Every time results in a boot loop. I'm not sure if the files for my tab are proprietary but when I edited it myself and recompiled I just don't get why it wouldn't work.
In some of the research I've been doing, I stumbled across this thread - http://forum.xda-developers.com/archive/index.php/t-1060199.html - which states that if you edit and XML file you must delete the resources.arsc so it knows to create a new one reflecting the changes.
I'm using APKTool to decompile the framework.res.apk file and once it's decompiled "resources.arsc" isn't there. It only shows back up once I recompile the framework-res.apk.
Can someone give me a lead as to if this is true and if so, how to do it properly?
try apkmanager
picard666 said:
try apkmanager
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried this out, decompiled, edited, compiled, signed, flashed. Still got the bootloop and fried my 16GB microSD card. Flashed the same file several times now with no problems besides the bootloop, so this is the only thing I can accuse of frying my SD card.
Sigh. I give up at this point.