Database Users

Need a means to compile apks

OK seeing as my computer currently doesn't work, I need to know if there is an app for my phone that will at least edit the contents of an apk, if not compile one. Anyone?
Also, if this is in the wrong section, feel free to move it, mods.
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053

Realorasz said:
OK seeing as my computer currently doesn't work, I need to know if there is an app for my phone that will at least edit the contents of an apk, if not compile one. Anyone?
Also, if this is in the wrong section, feel free to move it, mods.
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053
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Click to collapse
apk's are just renamed zip files.

If so, then is there an app that will directly edit zip files? And do they need to be set to store compression level? If so, is there an app that does so?
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053

Realorasz said:
If so, then is there an app that will directly edit zip files? And do they need to be set to store compression level? If so, is there an app that does so?
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053
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Click to collapse
yes, set to store...all you have to do is long-press the file and select rename...same to change it back afterward. I don't know about what app will allow you to set to store, but there are a TON of free zip apps. Check the market

I need to edit them though, and if I extract it edit it then zip it with an app, it's not set to store.
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053

Root explorer can open xml files in apps but I don't think it can edit them.

After modding the contents of a non-system apk file i believe you'll have to re-sign the apk. I dont know of any way to do that on your phone, i am admittedly not an expert though. Ive modded icons and such for apps and the only way I could find out how to get them installed was to re-sign them on my PC and push back to the phone.
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

CMoney87 said:
After modding the contents of a non-system apk file i believe you'll have to re-sign the apk. I dont know of any way to do that on your phone, i am admittedly not an expert though. Ive modded icons and such for apps and the only way I could find out how to get them installed was to re-sign them on my PC and push back to the phone.
Sent from my X10i using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Yeah signapktic can sign on the phone, all I need is an app that either will, zip things set to store like in sundae or one that will directly modify the contents of the zip.
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053

The files inside apk is I think encrypted. normal text viewers (ex. notepad) cant see it. and the resource files (styles strings colours ) are archived again. Btw it would be great if we have an app to disassemble them within 4n. Coz copying apk from and to to computer is a pain

akila87 said:
The files inside apk is I think encrypted. normal text viewers (ex. notepad) cant see it. and the resource files (styles strings colours ) are archived again. Btw it would be great if we have an app to disassemble them within 4n. Coz copying apk from and to to computer is a pain
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Click to collapse
Well making it a zip on my phone didn't screw anything up. I can still browse normally. What I need is a means to edit a zip without compressing it, like you have to for bootanimatjons and everything else.
From my X10a running WB CM 6.1.3 V053

I would suggest having a look through the market....download every free app you can find and see if any help. There are so many out there that I have no idea which would work for exactly what you will want it to do. Really, trial and error is the best way, sometimes lol

eclipse
I'm not sure I understand correctly, some previously mentioned are right on track.
Contents of an APK file are as normal zip files, extract the APK with winrar, 7zip or similar program.. make modifications and re-zip it and change the file name.
Important process called "Zip Align" optimizes the file for the APK format and helps to optimize and align the archive for memory mapping I/O ensuring the payload is delivered correctly, for more info - mmap
If you would like to reverse an APK file, I choose to use APKTOOL a Google hosted project and complete with it's own reverse engineering syntax called "baksmali" - This wraps AAPT - Android Asset Packaging Tool part of the android SDK - need this installed.
An issue exists with obfuscated Java classes. Meaning source code has been scrambled (obfuscation algorithm) enabling it be understood by a compiler but no longer is human readable. Another issue is Signing the APK file as most installers are to authenticate the issuing publisher.
To build an APK anyone only need's have the Eclipse IDE and Android SDK installed and you can do this without even having an Android device by using the emulator to build and test your application.
Happy play!
EDIT: Apk edit and Apk tool are both able to help in this situation also.

Soft key color change?

I'm curious if anyone has used Rom Toolbox, and knows if it can change the color of the three soft key colors (you know, back, home, task mgr)? Or do you know how to do this WITHOUT running a ROM. I'm not a big fan of ROMs. I know how to manually replace the boot animation, but figured if ROM Toolbox can do both of these, then I will use it. Either my search skills are very crappy (which I know to be fact, lol) or nobody has ever really posted about this. Any help would be appreciated. These are last two things I need to finish my customizing. Thanks.
EDIT: CRAP! Can a mod move this to the Q&A? That's where I was, and I somehow ended up in the General section, lol. Thanks.

Edit the systemui.apk file, in the res/drawable-hdpi folder all the icons are there.
Custom ROM not needed, just root since it's a system file.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

More difficult than thought. I extracted SystemUI.apk from "system/app", replaced the default images with the ones I want to use, zipped it back up, renamed it from SystemUI.zip to SystemUI.apk, and then when I attempted to paste it back into system/app, it wouldn't let me since the folder is read only. I can't seem to change the permissions of "/system/app" so that I can paste this in there. I had a feeling this try wouldn't work, as I got the instructions from a Galaxy Nexus instruction which stated that it would really only work if a deodexed ROM was installed, but figured i'd give it a shot anyway.
I also tried using ROM ToolBox. Created my theme, but it says the theme is incompatible when I try to install it (followed the directions step by step for creating the theme). Looks like I may have to contact the developer of RTB since it would appear that the Nexus 7 isn't supported yet.
"We have compared the images and apps with your current system and have determined that this theme will not work for your current device setup."
Any other thoughts? Am I doing something wrong? Just don't really have a need for a full fledged ROM. Just wanna change 3 little software buttons, lol.
EDIT:
Forgot to mention that I also tried Zip Themer, but like RTB, it doesn't support Nexus 7 yet. I'll be sure to inform both developers

Use root explorer, put the modded apk on your SD then using the phone copy it from SD to /system/app with root explorer and click the mount r/w button at top , or use adb t push it to the device
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

If your rom is odexed (which the stock.rom is), then you will not be able.to achieve what you want...
You will need to deodex your rom before theme'ing
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

Odexing roms

Okay lets start off by saying I am not the creator of this so I am in general. Here is where I got everything I needed. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1500475 . By following these simple steps you can have an odexed version of any rom you want.
To go one step further I modded the odex script to also odex all my app in the data/app folder. So what does that mean? Well no dalvik-cache unless I install a new app! Which in turn leads to less total space used.
Have fun and as always do a backup first just to be safe! I have had no issues doing this but as they say stuff happens.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Manually installing system app, reboot, no .odex

I recently rooted my stock AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 (MF3) and have been implementing a few improvements that I've found on this thread but have run into a strange error twice already when trying to replace an existing system app with a modded version.
With other phones in the past I simply paste an app into system/app and set RW-R-R permissions, then reboot the phone. During the next boot it usually says "android is upgrading 1 of 1" and creates a matching .odex file in the /system/app folder and everything works perfect.
So far I've tried to replace the SecPhone.apk with a version that allows call recording, and the TetheringProvision.apk with one that will let me tether on my AT&T phone. In both instances I reboot, but it never says "upgrading", nor is an .odex file created, and then the app fails to work. With the TetheringProvision.apk I also kept getting a "failed to change permissions" error in ES File Explorer, so I retried with Root Explorer, and SMangager but none of them could change the permission on the apk once it was in the system/app folder (yes /system was mounted R/W). I'm not sure if this is related to the above problem or not.
Has anyone else had a similar issue? I have frozen most of the Samsung bloatware apps and while I've been careful, I suppose I could have accidentally frozen something important, but everything other than these replacement system apps seems to be working perfectly. I thought android automatically checked for new apps on every boot, but apparently not on my phone.
Is there any way to force an app check on boot? Thanks for the help.

So I guess no one else has had a similar issue...
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

You can not mod a rom that is odexed...period, unless it is made for odex.

TheAxman said:
You can not mod a rom that is odexed...period, unless it is made for odex.
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Click to collapse
Sorry, what do you mean by "period, unless it is made for odex"? Can you or can't you?
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium

stinky73 said:
Sorry, what do you mean by "period, unless it is made for odex"? Can you or can't you?
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
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For an Odexed system, an Odex file is required to be installed along with the original file. So if a mod is created for an "Odexed" system, it will have a .odex file accompanying it that must be installed also. Installing a deodexed file into an odexed system doesn't work unless the deodexed file is split down into its 2 parts again (original file, plus .odex file)..

This was very helpful. Is there a guide you could recommend to me on how to make an odex file from the modded apk that I have so that I can get these programs working on my S4?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

stephend9 said:
This was very helpful. Is there a guide you could recommend to me on how to make an odex file from the modded apk that I have so that I can get these programs working on my S4?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
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Following article explains the odexing procedure "http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1208320"

Building first ROM for G900V

Good day, all!
I've been working on [my first] ROM for Verizon S5 and everything seems to be going great! I've cleaned out as much Samsung/Verizon/Google trash as I can, applied some tweaks to build.prop, changed some default apps to (IMHO) better replacements, and anything that is left (functions correctly) has been moved to /data/app so they can be Uninstalled fully (not just Turned Off). Just a few quick questions:
1) How can I "bake-in" app data? I have replaced the normal, crap launcher with Holo Launcher and cannot seem to get correct permissions when the ROM is installed thru SS. I believe the issue is permissions for /data/data/ get screwed up or not set correctly. I have looked and looked and tried to determine the correct permissions, but still no joy. I've tried to fix /data/data permissions in the updater-script, but it seems like each subfolder/file has different permissions making me think I'll have to go thru them one-by-one.
I have a work-around in place using a OneTimeInit script that does work, but it seems like that's not really the best approach?
2) Kind of ties into question number 1, I patched the framework-res.apk in to allow WiFiHotspot, but without being able to install the system settings data properly, there is not a "Quick Shortcut". Again, I've resolved the problem using the OneTimeInit to update Sqlite DBs after the system is up.
3) How do I de-odex the stock ROM? Using Android Kitchen doesn't seem to do it right. It works mostly but I still seem to get various FCs. I tend to believe that some things just cannot (should not) be De-Odex'd?
I've also discontinued Zip-Aligning because it sometimes produces errors on my ROM. Is it not advised to use Android Kitchen to do these tasks or is there some trick to getting it to work just right?
Bonus Question) I was going to share my ROM on XDA but it says I'm not allowed to post in Development. I assume because of my low post count. Any way I can get an over-ride or should I just make a few more posts and then do it?
Thanks again guys!
I appreciate all the help as always!
Jake

jake5253 said:
Good day, all!
I've been working on [my first] ROM for Verizon S5 and everything seems to be going great! I've cleaned out as much Samsung/Verizon/Google trash as I can, applied some tweaks to build.prop, changed some default apps to (IMHO) better replacements, and anything that is left (functions correctly) has been moved to /data/app so they can be Uninstalled fully (not just Turned Off). Just a few quick questions:
1) How can I "bake-in" app data? I have replaced the normal, crap launcher with Holo Launcher and cannot seem to get correct permissions when the ROM is installed thru SS. I believe the issue is permissions for /data/data/ get screwed up or not set correctly. I have looked and looked and tried to determine the correct permissions, but still no joy. I've tried to fix /data/data permissions in the updater-script, but it seems like each subfolder/file has different permissions making me think I'll have to go thru them one-by-one.
I have a work-around in place using a OneTimeInit script that does work, but it seems like that's not really the best approach?
2) Kind of ties into question number 1, I patched the framework-res.apk in to allow WiFiHotspot, but without being able to install the system settings data properly, there is not a "Quick Shortcut". Again, I've resolved the problem using the OneTimeInit to update Sqlite DBs after the system is up.
3) How do I de-odex the stock ROM? Using Android Kitchen doesn't seem to do it right. It works mostly but I still seem to get various FCs. I tend to believe that some things just cannot (should not) be De-Odex'd?
I've also discontinued Zip-Aligning because it sometimes produces errors on my ROM. Is it not advised to use Android Kitchen to do these tasks or is there some trick to getting it to work just right?
Bonus Question) I was going to share my ROM on XDA but it says I'm not allowed to post in Development. I assume because of my low post count. Any way I can get an over-ride or should I just make a few more posts and then do it?
Thanks again guys!
I appreciate all the help as always!
Jake
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Click to collapse
1: All I had to do was place apk in /system/app or /system/priv-app and thats it. Make sure when you add your apks you dont unzip the archive. basically use kitchen and build your base rom then simply open the archive and make your edits. I also used the updater script from beans base build and only edited the ui print.. Messing with the updater script i wouldnt recommend as it could be causing some of your issues.
2: If using beans base theres no reason for you to edit anything as the hotspot is already baked in.. you must have borked it.. If you are not using beans base then maybe you should copy his files for the native hotspot as its already done properly. I wouldnt mess with framework or settings apks unless you know what your doing. Id work on gettin the fcs n other issues sorted first as you might b doin too much too fast.. work on learning how to make your apks work first before making edits to framework n settings apks.
3: The kitchen is best to deodex and zipalign.. also these two things should not cause fcs or errors if done properly. zipalign should help more than anything.. i just like workin with deodex bcuz its easier and only one set of files instead of .apk and .odex for just bout everything..
Again, if you are not using beans bases id recommend to do so.. his bases are already deodexed have hotspot zipaligned read/write to ext sd etc.. so you wouldnt have to do all from scratch and have so many issues..
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Premium HD app

elliwigy said:
1: All I had to do was place apk in /system/app or /system/priv-app and thats it. Make sure when you add your apks you dont unzip the archive. basically use kitchen and build your base rom then simply open the archive and make your edits. I also used the updater script from beans base build and only edited the ui print.. Messing with the updater script i wouldnt recommend as it could be causing some of your issues.
2: If using beans base theres no reason for you to edit anything as the hotspot is already baked in.. you must have borked it.. If you are not using beans base then maybe you should copy his files for the native hotspot as its already done properly. I wouldnt mess with framework or settings apks unless you know what your doing. Id work on gettin the fcs n other issues sorted first as you might b doin too much too fast.. work on learning how to make your apks work first before making edits to framework n settings apks.
3: The kitchen is best to deodex and zipalign.. also these two things should not cause fcs or errors if done properly. zipalign should help more than anything.. i just like workin with deodex bcuz its easier and only one set of files instead of .apk and .odex for just bout everything..
Again, if you are not using beans bases id recommend to do so.. his bases are already deodexed have hotspot zipaligned read/write to ext sd etc.. so you wouldnt have to do all from scratch and have so many issues..
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Premium HD app
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Click to collapse
Thank you for the response!
It seems perhaps I didn't quite make clear what I've done versus what I'm trying to accomplish.
Firstly, I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm "having so many issues". Everything in my ROM is in perfectly fine working order. I just have these few quirks that I would like to address both so I can learn, and to make this and future projects better.
While I appreciate the recommendation to use bean's base, I have taken a look at his and there seems to be nothing in his which copies data into /data/data/com.whatever.package (or at least there's nothing in his zip in the /data/data folder -- not sure if his ROM has the toggle activated?)
I have the Apps working correctly in my ROM -- they just go in /data/apps, /system/app or /system/priv-app, respectively.
What I need, is to get /data/data/com.whatever.package/ copied With Correct Permissions when the ROM is installed; I do not want a second zip to update things after install, especially for a toggle and a couple shortcuts, seems silly.
For instance, when you boot your phone up with the default [stock] samsung launcher, it has a list of default apps and widgets on the first screen you see such as phone, messages, a clock widget, etc, etc. Since I've replaced the stock launcher with Holo Launcher HD and some other default apps have also been replaced, there's very few shortcuts on the main launcher screen.
** Holo Launcher does have a list of default apps it adds to your main page, but many of those have been removed in my rom.
The solution I've come up with basically waits for the system to boot up to the point that Holo Launcher actually creates the default (mostly blank) /data/data/com.mobint.hololauncher.hd/databases/launcher.db and then my script uses sqlite3 to update the DBs with a list of different shortcuts -- ones to apps that actually exist.
The Hotspot Toggle is the same way as above.. Hotspot works fine in my rom if you go through settings!
I just cannot add the notification panel pull-down toggle to /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/database/settings.db until after the system boots up at least ONE time, and then update the DB to include WiFiHotspot in notification_panel_active_app_list and notification_panel_active_app_list_for_reset
As for the zipalign and deodexing, I will have to try those again now that I have a fairly stable rom.
****EDIT****
I think I figured it out. I can just use busybox to kill the systemui after I update the databases during the first boot. I also figured out how I can add the SetupWizard without it locking up on activation.
Thanks anyways, guys.
Look for my rom, coming soon!
=P

Please add support for more languages
I found a mod for Motorola latest 4.4 please port it
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app