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hey guys,
just curious if you could some how choose what you want to have in the theme and if you can mix themes, if so how? for example i installed epic unleashed 2.5 and i loved the battery indicator and i installed the 982dark theme for the droid 2 and it's great with a couple exceptions... personally I think i'm going back to the Kangerade Blue for the Droid2 but i still want the original battery indicator from the epic rom.
thanks
-Jim
As far as I know, we don't have this level of customizability on D2 as of now. However, we are starting to see this. Like this, for example:
http://www.xda-developers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=784855
I used to use a ROM for the old Touch CDMA that did in fact have this level of customizability - there was a thread that had pretty much every individual piece available to customize. But again, I haven't seen this for D2 yet.
damn... ok well hopefully we get there eventually... until then I'll just stick with the theme I overall like the best lol
I have this problem with themes too, and the solution is simple. Take the theme that you are going to install, open the zip, and just remove the apps, fonts, or framework you don't want altered.
For example, I despise the font changes alot of themes force on you. Makes my twitter streams unreadable, so I just open the zip, and delete the fonts folder. That way it won't override the stock fonts. I've never tried deleting individual files, but that method should work for icons as well.
Just open the framework.res (rename the .res to .zip or .rar if you have WINRAR installed, or just use the "open with or choose default program" option) goto the res folder, then drawable-hdpi and just delete the battery images from the folder before you install the theme.
An easy way to do this, is to make a copy of the zip first so you'll have a proper version of the theme to view. Open it up with winzip, WINRAR or whatever archiving tool you use on your computer. Then browse the files in thumbnail view to find the images you want to get rid of. Make a note of their file names, then open up the other zip, locate the files in question, right click, delete em.
I'm not quite understanding what you're saying Natty
For example, right now I'm using the Revolution Remix theme. If I unzip it, there are 2 folders: META-INF and system.
Under system there are 3 folders: app, fonts, and framework. In the framework file there are 2 .apk files (framework-res.apk and blur-res.apk) and the systems.jar file.
In the app folder there are all .apk files, and the font folders are all .ttf
I'm not seeing any pictures to be deleted, unless you mean to actually delete the respective app .apk files (for example, I dislike the Talk app icon and the Market app icon)
Edit:
So I guess you're supposed to just rename the .apk to .zip, but for some reason the files are not allowing me...Could these files be locked? (I don't know if that's a stupid question or not lol)
Edit #2:
So I got 7zip (yay for google), but when I go to open the .png files they don't want to open...an application opens to view them, but it just sits there saying "loading"
Natty_lite said:
I have this problem with themes too, and the solution is simple. Take the theme that you are going to install, open the zip, and just remove the apps, fonts, or framework you don't want altered.
For example, I despise the font changes alot of themes force on you. Makes my twitter streams unreadable, so I just open the zip, and delete the fonts folder. That way it won't override the stock fonts. I've never tried deleting individual files, but that method should work for icons as well.
Just open the framework.res (rename the .res to .zip or .rar if you have WINRAR installed, or just use the "open with or choose default program" option) goto the res folder, then drawable-hdpi and just delete the battery images from the folder before you install the theme.
An easy way to do this, is to make a copy of the zip first so you'll have a proper version of the theme to view. Open it up with winzip, WINRAR or whatever archiving tool you use on your computer. Then browse the files in thumbnail view to find the images you want to get rid of. Make a note of their file names, then open up the other zip, locate the files in question, right click, delete em.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if that would work for png files inside of framework-res.apk.... I would think that would cause a bootloop
It will work for the fonts folder and for any app you dont want to get altered in /system/app.
So just remove the app from the system/app folder? That's what I'm somewhat confused about.
DGalt11 said:
So just remove the app from the system/app folder? That's what I'm somewhat confused about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you dont want a themed app to overwrite your current app, then just delete the apk file from /system/app inside of the themed zip file. Or if you dont want a themed font to overwrite ur current font, then just delete the fonts folder inside of the themed zip file.
But deleting files from inside the framework-res.apk... I doubt that would work.
Any idea how to edit the Market? It's not under system/app.
Edit: Never mind, didn't know "market" was actually vending.
removing the png specifically will cause an issue however if you have another png that you would like you use you can just replace this and it will not overwrite then.
theecho said:
removing the png specifically will cause an issue however if you have another png that you would like you use you can just replace this and it will not overwrite then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah that's what I did. just copy / replace.
DGalt11 said:
yeah that's what I did. just copy / replace.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So did the install go smoothly without the M logo freeze or bootloops? I hope so.
I'm Glad others came to pick up my pieces, lol. That's why this forum is so great. To summarize for those joining the party late, just take the .png's from another theme, and replace the unwanted images with those. Don't just delete them
It's working fine, no reboots or stuck in boot loop or anything. Didn't even need to wipe data / cache.
Now if I could just figure out a way to remove the font they used from just the browser and my apps and nothing else (b/c it looks really nice in the notification bar, the menus, on the widgets, etc. but makes reading email or reading stuff in the browser really difficult) I'd be golden.
So I started removing one font at a time, nothing changed.
So I removed the whole fonts folder, and still didn't get any change in the fonts in the theme.
Ideas?
Thats exactly why I got rid of it. What good is a font that you can't read? I'm not sure if you can just remove it from the statusbar specifically.
Remember, removing them prevents it from changing the fonts that are currently installed. So if they're already different, then they'll just stay that way when you install the edited version of the theme. You're gonna need to flash to the stock theme first, then flash to another theme (like the NexTheme for example) with all the edits that you made.
I see, so those files in the fonts folder aren't actually fonts. They're more like...where the fonts you want get stored. So you need to actually replace the file.
From what I've figured out, the majority of the fonts are derived from DroidSans. If you change that, you change most of the fonts including those in the apps, widgets, etc. So is there no way to specifically change a font in, lets say, apps vs. widgets? And what are all those other files in the fonts folder for
I have no idea. I just deleted the whole folder prior to installing to ensure I kept all stock fonts.
*EDITED*
This is very easy now after having the permanent ROOT -- thanks to PAUL for wonderful Visionary+, Evostance for brilliant guide, and those geniuses who make this happened (you know who )
First you need to get permanent root. Here is the link to the guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=834427
(If you read till page 10, you will definitely know how to do it and what to expect).
Second, go buy ROOT EXPLORER from the market. (Best explorer for rooted phone period).
Go to /system/customize/resource
Make sure you enable the r/w (read write option), other wise you cant do modification.
You will see both the audio and bootanimation there.
If you hated that sound (just like me), just delete the audio.mp3. If you want to change the bootanimation, just copy your bootnimation.zip to overwrite the default one.
That's all....reboot the phone....and you will have your peace...and enjoy the new bootanimation.
kuailan said:
I am just wondering is the good old way of adb pushing the bootanimation.zip work for HD? I do noticed the stock animation are located in /customize/resource folder in the system ROM. Has anyone try changing the bootanimation? Just hated those sound in bootup (prefer no sound).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
firstly i'd like to state, this is development and not Q & A not being mean just stating.
secondly if you had read the ref guide which is pinned to the top you might have got your answer.
finally your answer...
NO
you can not write on the nand with the temp root. no can you adb push.
permanent root is on its way and i believe the nand will be unlocked on that so you may have write permissions. once this has been obtained then you can push a custom boot animation if required.
El_Nino9 said:
firstly i'd like to state, this is development and not Q & A not being mean just stating.
secondly if you had read the ref guide which is pinned to the top you might have got your answer.
finally your answer...
NO
you can not write on the nand with the temp root. no can you adb push.
permanent root is on its way and i believe the nand will be unlocked on that so you may have write permissions. once this has been obtained then you can push a custom boot animation if required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all thank you for the answer (actually I also thought so, and your answer just confirmed that)
And as for posting in develeopment, I DO believe that changing bootanimation is part of Android development (anything that involved creating/modifying and changing of the default system files). Just like recovery or flashing tools, people also develop bootanimation changer application to make life easier for others.
Also I did some search, and this is the first post for any bootanimation for Desire HD. I hope once "root" has been accomplished. People can just use this thread to put the guide to changing those animation.
Therefore I do read and follow the guidelines.
-----------------edited---------------------
kuailan said:
First of all thank you for the answer (actually I also thought so, and your answer just confirmed that)
And as for posting in develeopment, I DO believe that changing bootanimation is part of Android development (anything that involved creating/modifying and changing of the default system files). Just like recovery or flashing tools, people also develop bootanimation changer application to make life easier for others.
Also I did some search, and this is the first post for any bootanimation for Desire HD. I hope once "root" has been accomplished. People can just use this thread to put the guide to changing those animation.
Therefore I do read and follow the guidelines.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well glad you're a happy bunny
but several things,it isn't development as you were asking a question at time of writing.
secondly themes section deals with bootanimation and things like that. sound can be disabled by just renaming the file i.e. add a .bak after mp3 just for back up purpose or you can delete the file entirely up to the user.
with customs roms, they may be in a different location. i do believe that AOSP builds are located in media where as in sense builds /customize/resource
it can change depending on the developers choice really. thats why when a person releases a theme, it states what rom the user must be using to avoid problems.
anyways there's no need to carry on with that as you have got what you wanted, full root so you can do w.e. you like know
my personal favourite boot animation was the original hero one, but since that doesnt work anymore/havent found 1 that has been converted to work with the new roms, i like "making fro-yo" it just draws a pic of a frozen yoghert and colours it in.
I purchased Bootanimation changer by Andres Schomis a while back when I was still using the original Desire. There are quite a few nice and interesting ones there. My fav so far is the pissing droid (to piss off some of my iphone mate ) and the alienware. I am sure they are also available in this forum (just do a search). There is no option for desire HD yet, but seem like the one that work for Desire also work just fine in HD. To make the app work, you will need to set the custom path. I highly recommend that app for bootanimation.
Somehow I feel this thread should be in the Themes/Apps subforum instead Since it basically has to do with customization. Anyway, thanks a lot for the instructions.
phunkycow said:
Somehow I feel this thread should be in the Themes/Apps subforum instead Since it basically has to do with customization. Anyway, thanks a lot for the instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed with you there mate
I do like the instructions, always helpful for those not browsing the development threads (which do take up a lot of reading time )
Ok can some one tell me what i'm i doing wrong?? it's been more then 6 hours since I started working on this.
Here is my anamtion
Download me please
I cant figure out whats wrong with it....
I even saved it as store with winrar even tried copying the files inside the HTC stock zip and still same problem
can someone help me please?
Bump any one can help?
Just delete the bootanimation.zip inside the /system/customize/resource
Then just copy your animation to the same path /system/customize/resource.
Make sure your animation is also named bootanimation.zip
For some reason I'm not able to enable the r/w function in the resource folder. The only place I can do it is in the root directory (with system, sdcard etc). Any idea of why this is happening? (my phone is perma-rooted and I have granted Super user permissions).
kuailan said:
Just delete the bootanimation.zip inside the /system/customize/resource
Then just copy your animation to the same path /system/customize/resource.
Make sure your animation is also named bootanimation.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did my animation that made with Photoshop dont work any idea why? any other animation works fine
Sylpher said:
For some reason I'm not able to enable the r/w function in the resource folder. The only place I can do it is in the root directory (with system, sdcard etc). Any idea of why this is happening? (my phone is perma-rooted and I have granted Super user permissions).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This drove me mad for a while too.
I uninstalled root explorer then re-installed and I could the select r/w for all folders.
hi
do i need s-off for this or is just permanent root enough??
thnx
anyone got any good animation zips and sounds?
combat goofwing said:
anyone got any good animation zips and sounds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, thats what i wanna know too
Does anyone know what would happen if you removed the boot animation entirely? Will the phone still boot ok?
I'm happy not to have one at all if it speeds things up
Guys
first I didn't find the bootanimation in system ressource i found it in data/local/
along with the android-audio.mp3
second I tried to change these file it worked but the animation doesn't show up and I have just a small android when I boot up
What can I do ?
PS : my file may be too big 27 megabite for the bootanimation.zip
I tried already, but why whenever I reboot, the bootanimation.zip would revert to the original one?
I am currently using the super fast and reliable desire_hd2 build on my HD2. I have changed the icons (framework-res.apk) on the build with no trouble but I have come across this thread. Here are some cool looking skins which I would love to apply to my device but having trouble doing so.
I am asking for help on how to get these skins onto my phone as I think it would be awesome to swap and change these skins at will without changing the build.
Thanks in advanced.
nokn956120 said:
I am currently using the super fast and reliable desire_hd2 build on my HD2. I have changed the icons (framework-res.apk) on the build with no trouble but I have come across this thread. Here are some cool looking skins which I would love to apply to my device but having trouble doing so.
I am asking for help on how to get these skins onto my phone as I think it would be awesome to swap and change these skins at will without changing the build.
Thanks in advanced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dl the skin apk you want, install as if a normal app, then go to settings - personalise - themes, choose your theme. done.
kam333 said:
dl the skin apk you want, install as if a normal app, then go to settings - personalise - themes, choose your theme. done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The skins that come as a .apk file are easy to install. What if they come in a zip or rar file like this one. Now once this zip is extracted it has system/app folders with a load of .apk files for browser. calendar, friendstream etc and a META-INF folder. I have tried placing these folders into the root folder of the Android folder (desire_hd2 or simular, depending on which build you are using) and restarting. The first two times I tried, with different themes my phone would not boot past the htc splash screen and melody. I thought it might be because I were putting the META-INF folder in there as well. I have just tried to leave out the META-INF and my phone booted up fine. Then came the problems. Everytime I tried to start an application like browser, camera, mail etc, then a force close would come up and the application would refuse to start. I am currently reinstalling the desire_hd2 build for the third time today and still wondering what I am doing wrong.
Any help please
nokn956120 said:
The skins that come as a .apk file are easy to install. What if they come in a zip or rar file like this one. Now once this zip is extracted it has system/app folders with a load of .apk files for browser. calendar, friendstream etc and a META-INF folder. I have tried placing these folders into the root folder of the Android folder (desire_hd2 or simular, depending on which build you are using) and restarting. The first two times I tried, with different themes my phone would not boot past the htc splash screen and melody. I thought it might be because I were putting the META-INF folder in there as well. I have just tried to leave out the META-INF and my phone booted up fine. Then came the problems. Everytime I tried to start an application like browser, camera, mail etc, then a force close would come up and the application would refuse to start. I am currently reinstalling the desire_hd2 build for the third time today and still wondering what I am doing wrong.
Any help please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi,
as far as I know, we can't use those native android files on android ports as they often require recovery mode to install (hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong).
sorry ur stuck with the apk's for now.
I do know you can put the framework-res.apk in root-system-framework in the android folder on your sd card, reboot to alter the wifi, battery and other icons at the top of the screen, just experimenting now to see if you can import the the icons for calendar, mail, message, internet friendscreen etc. Seems there might be a problem moving the com.htc.resources.apk to framework folder as you would framework-res.apk. Will try and report my findings on here.
good luck.
would be interested to see if you get it sorted
As shocking as it may seem I want some blur on my phone! Im currently running gummy 2.5 but after using blur for a couple of months i miss the messaging, email, alarm, camera, sticky note widget and most importantly the icons! is there anyway for me to get any of this back? I tried installing the apks but to no avail. I think I could do with just the icons. Any advice? Thanks!
They won't install like normal apks to the best of my knowledge. You seem to have all of the APKs though from blur so try one of these methods, not 100% sure it will work but it likely should. (Edit: I'm not entirely sure what you are talking about with the icons, but this should help you get the APKs you want back)
REMEMBER TO BACKUP EVERYTHING BEFORE DOING EITHER OF THESE!
1) Download the empty InstallAPKs.zip from this post.
2) Open the archive in 7z or winrar
3) Navigate to system/app and put all the APKs you wan't to install into the zip (just drag them into the archive and let it add/update them. I'd have stuck them in the zip for you but I don't have any blur apks with me)
4) Reboot recovery and install the zip
or
1) You could manually go into the system folder and replace the apks using root explorer. Remember to set permissions to 644 for each file you replace if doing this.
Background: Really not loving the default New Contact icons and the random colors. Should be easy enough to change. What I tried (and failed miserably...)
MODest ROM 11 (Twiz/stock 6.01-based)
Flashpoint 5 Kernel
Copied SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA.apk from
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
to my Win7 PC.
Used 7-Zip to unpack the file to a temporary folder.
Found the .qmg files I didn't like.
Found a .qmg that would be a passable replacement for the ones I didn't dig.
Made 11 copies of that image in a working folder.
Renamed each copy to the exact name of each of the 11 files I wanted to replace.
Dragged those 11 files back into the open .apk in 7-Zip
On the Phone, in Root Explorer:
Made a copy of SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA.apk in the same folder:
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
deleted the original
Copied my mod'd apk back into this folder and set the perms.
Rebooted.
No Phone or Contacts on home screen or in Apps
Tried to 'install' the apk from Root Explorer.
Wouldn't install
Tried to delete cache & Dalvik from TWRP.
No Joy.
Tried to do a partial Nandroid restore of Contacts and sec.phone from Titanium (nothing there called /systempriv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA)
No Joy.
Nandroid restore from TWRP.
Back to normal.
Okay, what did I do wrong, and how can I change the icons?
Should I have used APKTook instead of 7-Zip, created a new signature, etc?
Should my mod'd apk somehow be flashed from recovery rather than copied to a system folder?
Is this some perverted Samsung-ism that would have worked fine on any other phone on the planet?
Thanks for reading.
ForestCat said:
Background: Really not loving the default New Contact icons and the random colors. Should be easy enough to change. What I tried (and failed miserably...)
MODest ROM 11 (Twiz/stock 6.01-based)
Flashpoint 5 Kernel
Copied SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA.apk from
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
to my Win7 PC.
Used 7-Zip to unpack the file to a temporary folder.
Found the .qmg files I didn't like.
Found a .qmg that would be a passable replacement for the ones I didn't dig.
Made 11 copies of that image in a working folder.
Renamed each copy to the exact name of each of the 11 files I wanted to replace.
Dragged those 11 files back into the open .apk in 7-Zip
On the Phone, in Root Explorer:
Made a copy of SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA.apk in the same folder:
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
deleted the original
Copied my mod'd apk back into this folder and set the perms.
Rebooted.
No Phone or Contacts on home screen or in Apps
Tried to 'install' the apk from Root Explorer.
Wouldn't install
Tried to delete cache & Dalvik from TWRP.
No Joy.
Tried to do a partial Nandroid restore of Contacts and sec.phone from Titanium (nothing there called /systempriv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA)
No Joy.
Nandroid restore from TWRP.
Back to normal.
Okay, what did I do wrong, and how can I change the icons?
Should I have used APKTook instead of 7-Zip, created a new signature, etc?
Should my mod'd apk somehow be flashed from recovery rather than copied to a system folder?
Is this some perverted Samsung-ism that would have worked fine on any other phone on the planet?
Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That apk took me a long time to figure out too. It's one of the apps you I had to modify for multi dpi. The only way I know of is to change the compression when you're putting the app back together and even then it took a couple tries. There's probably a better way but the compression change seems to work well enough.
I don't know if 7-zip has this option, but with winrar you can change the compression to "store". You should know right away whether or not it worked. You'll see the little phone icon in the bottom left of the lock screen. You may still have to do a factory reset to see your changes (probably not though) but the app should work without it.
By the way, you can swap those image files for .png files if you'd like. Just delete the corresponding .qmg or .pio file.
I saw your post in the rom thread about theming TouchWiz. You should check out @supergrobi94's theming threads. He's put together an impressive collection of options for 6.0.1 and 5.1.1 and there's also a [how to] section that uses the vrtheme zip that will modify the res folder of a specific app without having to break it down. I'm not sure how active he is these days but he's always been very helpful with requests and questions in the past if you need it.
Supergrobi94's theming threads:
This one has all the themes
This is the [how to] thread
kevintm78 said:
That apk took me a long time to figure out too. It's one of the apps you I had to modify for multi dpi. The only way I know of is to change the compression when you're putting the app back together and even then it took a couple tries. There's probably a better way but the compression change seems to work well enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that makes perfect sense. But I'd never have figured it out myself, lol.
I'll dig into those theming threads, thanks.
kevintm78 said:
☆☆Edge Panel for ModestRom v11☆☆
DOWNLOAD-This will change your Contacts app to the S6 version and the IncallUI app to the Note 7 version because the people stripe will not work with the N4 contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, this is from the MODest ROM thread, but I think it's germain here.
SO.....
If I want to 'try out' that Edge Panel, is there a way to revert back to the stock apps in question other than restoring a nandroid backup or re-flashing the ROM?
I ask because I'm thinking that, at least in the case of the Note 4 and its well known memory problems, 'bulk' memory writes like ROMs, nandroid retores, etc., stress the device, so I'm trying not to do it more than I have to.
During my last episode(see above) putting the stock apk back in its original folder didn't work.
Is there a standard procedure for either android generically, or touchwiz specifically, for safely reverting back to the stock system apps after experimenting w/ custom stuff?
EDIT: Just tried something. In Root Explorer, went into:
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
and simply renamed the .apk to .foo
Rebooted.
No Contacts, as expected, but no Phone either??? Not sure why.
Anyway, back into Root Explorer.
Rename .foo back to .apk
Reboot.
Still no Contacts or Phone, so something bigger at work here.
Before I have to restore Nandroid anyway (unless there's a better way???),
I flashed your EdgePanel.zip in TWRP to see if it would restore the Phone/Contacts apps.
Wiped the cache. Reboot.
Edge Panel is now there, but still no Phone or Contacts. WTF???
Last resort-TWRP- Factory Reset.
Now the Contacts/Phone are back (and all my other stuff is gone, lol)
So is whacking the Data a necessity here?
If so, it makes trying out things related to the phone/contacts a LOT more tedious...
Any workaround???
Thanks again.
ForestCat said:
OK, this is from the MODest ROM thread, but I think it's germain here.
SO.....
If I want to 'try out' that Edge Panel, is there a way to revert back to the stock apps in question other than restoring a nandroid backup or re-flashing the ROM?
I ask because I'm thinking that, at least in the case of the Note 4 and its well known memory problems, 'bulk' memory writes like ROMs, nandroid retores, etc., stress the device, so I'm trying not to do it more than I have to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it doesn't look like I ever made an easy way to go back. I had thought I did but I'm either overlooking it or it's not there. Feel free to rifle through my androidfilehost folders if you want to double check. All of my stuff is very organized so it could be buried in there somewhere.
If you still need a recovery zip let me know and I'll get one together. I'm actually going to make one anyway but if you need it right away I can get on it. I didn't realize that there wasn't a way back to stock.
ForestCat said:
During my last episode(see above) putting the stock apk back in its original folder didn't work.
Is there a standard procedure for either android generically, or touchwiz specifically, for safely reverting back to the stock system apps after experimenting w/ custom stuff?
EDIT: Just tried something. In Root Explorer, went into:
/system/priv-app/SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA/
and simply renamed the .apk to .foo
Rebooted.
No Contacts, as expected, but no Phone either??? Not sure why.
Anyway, back into Root Explorer.
Rename .foo back to .apk
Reboot.
Still no Contacts or Phone, so something bigger at work here.
Before I have to restore Nandroid anyway (unless there's a better way???),
I flashed your EdgePanel.zip in TWRP to see if it would restore the Phone/Contacts apps.
Wiped the cache. Reboot.
Edge Panel is now there, but still no Phone or Contacts. WTF???
Last resort-TWRP- Factory Reset.
Now the Contacts/Phone are back (and all my other stuff is gone, lol)
So is whacking the Data a necessity here?
If so, it makes trying out things related to the phone/contacts a LOT more tedious...
Any workaround???
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is strange that they are not coming back. You may just want to double check your permissions and that there isn't two of the same apps in your folder. At the time of making that Edge zip I was still using other programs to make zips for me and the major downside to that is having to name the new apps the exact same as the old so it would get overwritten so if it doesn't match you'll end up with two active apps in one folder.
Now I think the best way to do that is to use a binary script (osm0sis has great tutorials for this) to change the app getting replaced to a .bak file and then just copy the new app to the system, set perms, and reboot (dalvik cache/ cache needs to be wiped if it's a framework .jar file). But to each their own. If you can get the job done a better way then I would use what you're comfortable with.
My system to test apps isn't much difference than yours. I think the only thing I do differently is change the app to be replaced to .bak instead of .foo although I can't imagine there's much difference. There's been a few apps like the Contacts app that gave me a bunch of trouble when modifying them but I can't remember ever having trouble bringing back the stock app. I wish I had more insight on that situation for you. If push comes to shove I would reflash the rom zip over factory reset only because the factory reset won't correct the system partition problem, if that's what's going on in this case.
kevintm78 said:
If you still need a recovery zip let me know and I'll get one together..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, Merry Christmas!
Thanks very much. No rush on that, I'm OK on the Edge version for the minute.
What would be extremely useful if you have some time/curiousity would be to replicate my steps, ie renaming the untouched apk in a fresh MODest flash (i.e. break the contacts/phone function), and then see if you can get the whole thing working again without a factory reset, or if not, why. I see on xda, you & I are not the first ones to be tripping over this contacts.apk issue.
The other thing that would be telling is after successfully installing the Edge.zip, whether you can modify something (like a picture) within the contacts apk within the zip, reflash the zip and have contacts/phone still working with the change active.
I think there just HAS to be abetter way than Factory Resets.
Thanks so much again for the insights. I really want to become at least minimally competent at hacking my own ROMs together so I don't have to feel like such a noob/mooch on here, but I really do appreciate the help.
What are your weapons/platform of choice, or, if there are better tools for noobs learning the ropes, I'm all ears.
EDIT: Just found this. The last post is interesting...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/devs-only/recompile-seccontacts-apk-t3377142/page2
ForestCat said:
First, Merry Christmas!
Thanks very much. No rush on that, I'm OK on the Edge version for the minute.
What would be extremely useful if you have some time/curiousity would be to replicate my steps, ie renaming the untouched apk in a fresh MODest flash (i.e. break the contacts/phone function), and then see if you can get the whole thing working again without a factory reset, or if not, why. I see on xda, you & I are not the first ones to be tripping over this contacts.apk issue.
The other thing that would be telling is after successfully installing the Edge.zip, whether you can modify something (like a picture) within the contacts apk within the zip, reflash the zip and have contacts/phone still working with the change active.
I think there just HAS to be abetter way than Factory Resets.
Thanks so much again for the insights. I really want to become at least minimally competent at hacking my own ROMs together so I don't have to feel like such a noob/mooch on here, but I really do appreciate the help.
What are your weapons/platform of choice, or, if there are better tools for noobs learning the ropes, I'm all ears.
EDIT: Just found this. The last post is interesting...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/devs-only/recompile-seccontacts-apk-t3377142/page2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not exactly sure what's going on with your contacts app not showing back up. Ever since modestrom v8 (I think) I've been doing the multi dpi on SecContacts_M_OSup_Note_Legacy_USA and every time I would test it doing the same as your way. After a reboot if the modified app was no good, then I would just delete that new app and change the name of the old app back to .apk, reboot and it would work again. I can't remember running in to any problems where I would have to factory reset or reflash the rom to get things working again.
There has been a couple times where I've had to factory reset to get a color change to show up or if you're adding toggles to the QS drop down that also (sometimes) requires a factory reset to show up.
As far as the post you linked, that is exactly how I do it except I use winrar to open the newly compiled app and drag the changes to the original. When I drag the changes over I change the compression method from "normal" to "store". If I don't change the compression the app doesn't work for me. The apps that I've ran into where I had to change the compression are: secContacts, secCamera, secSettings, and framework-res.apk. Any other app that I've worked on can be dragged and dropped without compression changes.
Jar files don't need an original signature though (so long as signature verification has been disabled, which it has in modestrom). They can be decompiled, edited, recompiled, and copied to the system. It does require a dalvik cache/cache wipe though on all framework files except for the framework-res.apk and twframework-res.apk
If you get a chance, you should start using apktool to decompile/recompile. It will make things easier for you in the long run and most of the time if you've made any mistakes in your edits apktool will catch it. If you're not familiar with apktool you can try using Tickle My Android or Advanced Apktool. You may also want to get Apktool by itself. I use all three of them. Android can be fickle and sometimes what works with one app won't work with another. What's nice about TMA and Advanced Apktool is that they'll do the drag and drop method for you, but when the compression needs to be changed that's when I use apktool by itself.
Sorry for the word vomit. Hopefully, this all makes sense.