Database Users

[Q] picking and choosing what you want from a theme?

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.

battery mod

Hello,
I found this thread :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=765419
and I have some questions about this :
1) Is it possible to "tweak" our framework-res.apk with this battery mod.
2) Can I use this method to "tweak my framework-res.apk : http://circle.glx.nl/
3) When I download my new framework-res.apk, how to boot on recover mode on the phone to put the framework-res.apk on the system ?
4) Do you know an other easylier method to tweak icons on the HD2 under android ?
Thanks a lot !

+1 I asked myself to but no time to seach forum

@Karlichon
What is with this batmod? Are you done with them?

karlichon said:
1) Is it possible to "tweak" our framework-res.apk with this battery mod.
2) Can I use this method to "tweak my framework-res.apk : http://circle.glx.nl/
3) When I download my new framework-res.apk, how to boot on recover mode on the phone to put the framework-res.apk on the system ?
Thanks a lot !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I think I'll answer this, but bear with me as it's NOT easy or for the faint of heart. If you read this and you DO NOT feel comfortable I would recommend you not giving this a go.
Before you start ANY of these steps below, MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP YOUR FILES BEFORE REPLACING THEM. I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED FOLLOWING THESE STEPS! You have been warned.
1) Visit the website above and run through the steps to get the battery images you want. For the purposes of this tutorial/howto I am not covering how to change anything else (KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid).
2) The easiest ones to change are the Version A-I ones, just choose which battery set would work best for you on your phone and click "Next"
3) Choose "Do not include icons" and click next. The icons it is talking about here are the signal, wifi, usb etc notification bar icons and as I mentioned I will not cover how to change those here.
4) Leave "Do not change notification status bar" selected and click next. Again I'm not covering that here.
5) You can choose a different boot anim if you want, they are very easy to upload to your phone and you can figure out where they have to be put yourself with no problems. IMPORTANT: If you do change the boot animation, make sure you choose the correct type of rom you have from the dropdown selection.
6) Upload your existing framework-res.apk (using something like DroidExplorer, navigate to /system/framework and paste it onto your desktop, then upload here). This will update the relevant files in your framework-res.apk automatically. (If you cannot obtain your existing framework-res.apk I cannot guarantee method 2 will work, sorry but feel free to try)
7) Replace your framework-res.apk (via DroidExplorer or your chosen ADB browser) on your phone and reboot. Voila!
This worked for me on shubcraft 2.0 drop mode but obviously I cannot guarantee it will work for everyone. Please remember my warnings above that this is not guranteed.

hello, thanks for your quick help, but it doesn't work for hyperdroid rom V1.7
any idea ?

karlichon said:
hello, thanks for your quick help, but it doesn't work for hyperdroid rom V1.7
any idea ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is another far more complicated way around it, but it really does take about half an hour to work out.
Basically, you need to get your framework-res.apk and extract it with winrar or something similar (an apk is basically just a zip file) and find the folder called res/drawable-HDPI. this is where all the icons for things like your battery icons live.
Copy and paste the new icons from someone elses framework-res or even one you download from the website above into this folder and replace the drawable-HDPI folder into your framework-res.apk, replace it onto your phone and reboot.
Again, this is a quick description of a much lengthier way of doing it but it does work. Also, my disclaimer in the post I made before still stands, do this AT YOUR OWN RISK and do NOT complain to me if something breaks. If you don't fully understand, don't do anything.

I tried the kitchen method, but I receive a huge error log after uploading the framework apk

is the page currently partly down?

rafpigna said:
I tried the kitchen method, but I receive a huge error log after uploading the framework apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't seem to work all that well with frameworks from our current modded builds. I've tried it with a rooted desire framework (from my gf's desire) and that worked. Evidently all the work that the devs do on our hd2's make them very different to other android builds. the second method I posted (adding the png's to your existing framework) works perfectly.
BlackPit666 said:
is the page currently partly down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, seems up to me.

yes its up again

rafpigna said:
I tried the kitchen method, but I receive a huge error log after uploading the framework apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for me the same, desirehd revolution rom of mdj
can anybody help me?

Reno_79 said:
there is another far more complicated way around it, but it really does take about half an hour to work out.
Basically, you need to get your framework-res.apk and extract it with winrar or something similar (an apk is basically just a zip file) and find the folder called res/drawable-HDPI. this is where all the icons for things like your battery icons live.
Copy and paste the new icons from someone elses framework-res or even one you download from the website above into this folder and replace the drawable-HDPI folder into your framework-res.apk, replace it onto your phone and reboot.
Again, this is a quick description of a much lengthier way of doing it but it does work. Also, my disclaimer in the post I made before still stands, do this AT YOUR OWN RISK and do NOT complain to me if something breaks. If you don't fully understand, don't do anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you tell me which files i need to replace to get another battery icon? only the files which "batt" in it?

Reno_79 said:
there is another far more complicated way around it, but it really does take about half an hour to work out.
Basically, you need to get your framework-res.apk and extract it with winrar or something similar (an apk is basically just a zip file) and find the folder called res/drawable-HDPI. this is where all the icons for things like your battery icons live.
Copy and paste the new icons from someone elses framework-res or even one you download from the website above into this folder and replace the drawable-HDPI folder into your framework-res.apk, replace it onto your phone and reboot.
Again, this is a quick description of a much lengthier way of doing it but it does work. Also, my disclaimer in the post I made before still stands, do this AT YOUR OWN RISK and do NOT complain to me if something breaks. If you don't fully understand, don't do anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This method will not work with the battery icons which shows all 100% increments. This method will only work for the standard battery icons, which only involves like 12 battery icons.
In order to add the 1% increment readings in the battery, it involves modifying xml files to read and associate the correct battery icons at each increment.

can you give a tut how to add the version a manually?

nvm, I got it!

Getting some Blur back?

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.

(Leedroid2.3d) sense lockscreen when ringing?

Hi
Ive deleted the sense lockscreen apk from my rom (unlocks fine with vanilla lockscreen now)
but when phone rings whilst locked, the sense lockscreen still shows.
is there either an APK or some other file i can delete so the phone will show vanilla lockscreen when it rings?
thanks

Extract your ROM's com.resource.apk file from the system folder and inside you will find a folder named res. In that res folder search for anything that has "lock" in its name and replace those files with what you see fit (if you just delete them you may not be able to answer the phone ). The files i mentioned should be in /res/drawable-hpdi .

radu_wizu said:
Extract your ROM's com.resource.apk file from the system folder and inside you will find a folder named res.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice work, soldier
Just what i needed to know
Worked a treat
Cheers

So what exactly did you replace the files with?
I would like to have the same done to my phone.

You can replace them with a lot of things. If you want a large choice,just get the files ffrom a Sense HD rom and pick from there, if not you can basically put anything you like in there as long as you keep the original names.

Tutorial: How to use 7zip to Theme your favorite ROM: Updated how to mod market app.

I decided to detail and share how I used 7zip to Theme my favorite ROM. Im doing this because I found it a bit tough to find a detailed guide that contained all the steps. Hope this will help some people who would just simply like to change a battery or signal icon, or whatever.
Have you ever seen a ROM that you really liked the icons but it was not for your phone. Well I did so heres what I did.
1. Download 7zip.
2. Download your current ROM, and the ROM which contains icons you like.
3. Right Click on your current ROM, choose 7zip and choose" extract to "what ever your rom is called"". This will create a folder with contents of your ROM.
4. Do the same for the ROM that you may want to take icons from.
5. Now start opening up the folders. I like to keep one ROM on one side of the screen and the other on the other side. Depending on whether the two roms are for the same phone will determine whether similar files will be in the same location. For the most part you will be opening framework_res.apk and systemui.apk.
6. Opening these apk's is as simple as following step 3 again. Right click apk, choose 7zip, extract to whatever apk is called.
7. Go into the folder of the apk, go to res, go to different hdpi folders, there may be a few. I found it helpful to have both roms open at the same time. Looking for icons of the same name.
8. So you've found the icons you want to change. Once you are ready to copy them from one rom to the other, you must be certain they have the same name, if they dont, then you must change the name of your new icons to match the ones you plan on replacing. Do this before copying them. When you copy them over its important that your computer ask you if you want to replace the file of the same name. That means it does in fact have the correct name.
9.This is where I got confused, putting it back together again. So here is what you do. Back out of the folder that you just changed all the pngs in. Lets say its drawable hdpi. Keep this drawable hdpi folder handy cause you will need it in a moment. Now open up the folder which contains your ROM in a seperate window. Lets say we are changing stuff in the systemui.apk. Navigate to the original apk for systemui, not the new folder of the same name.
10. Right click it, Choose 7zip. But this time select open archive. Now in archive navigate into the res folder and you will see drawable hdpi.
11. Right click it. and delete it. Now remember I said to keep the other drawable hdpi folder handy....drag and drop it into the archive to replace the one you just deleted. Now close the window. Do this for as many system apks you choose, most common are like I mentioned earlier framework-res and systemui, but you may want to change things in settings, dialertabactivity, contacts....etc.
12. Now you want to put these newly themed apks back into the original rom. Its easy. Keep the newly themed apks handy.
13. Right click on the original rom zip, choose 7zip, choose open archive. Navigate to the apk you want to replace. Delete it. Now drag and drop the newly themed one into the archive. Repeat this process for all the apks you may have changed.
14. Close the archive window and install the newly themed zip in cwm. You may want to add something like a V1 onto the end of the newly themed rom, that way when you copy it onto your sd, you can keep the original on there as well.
Hope this will help someone get there rom exactly how the like it...and if it did...hit thanks.

Lets say you are running cm9 with theme Chooser but you don't like some of the icons but more less like the theme.
Copy the apk from your data app folder using root explorer or whatever you are using...paste to your SD....copy it too your computer.
Use 7zip the same way you do with a system app. But this time at the point where you are in the archives delete the Meta folder also. Don't replace, just delete it. Now close 7zip.
Next you will need a tool called autosign, just Google it. With this tool you will drag and drop your newely themed apk into it and run it. Its very easy you will see, the result be an new signed apk being produced. Rename it back to original and move your modded apk back to your SD. By now you should have uninstalled the original from your phone so that you can install this one.
Remember if this apk ever has an update on the market it will revert back and you would need to mod the new version.
Hope this helps. If it does hit thanks.

vanisleryan said:
I decided to detail and share how I used 7zip to Theme my favorite ROM. Im doing this because I found it a bit tough to find a detailed guide that contained all the steps. Hope this will help some people who would just simply like to change a battery or signal icon, or whatever.
Have you ever seen a ROM that you really liked the icons but it was not for your phone. Well I did so heres what I did.
1. Download 7zip.
2. Download your current ROM, and the ROM which contains icons you like.
3. Right Click on your current ROM, choose 7zip and choose" extract to "what ever your rom is called"". This will create a folder with contents of your ROM.
4. Do the same for the ROM that you may want to take icons from.
5. Now start opening up the folders. I like to keep one ROM on one side of the screen and the other on the other side. Depending on whether the two roms are for the same phone will determine whether similar files will be in the same location. For the most part you will be opening framework_res.apk and systemui.apk.
6. Opening these apk's is as simple as following step 3 again. Right click apk, choose 7zip, extract to whatever apk is called.
7. Go into the folder of the apk, go to res, go to different hdpi folders, there may be a few. I found it helpful to have both roms open at the same time. Looking for icons of the same name.
8. So you've found the icons you want to change. Once you are ready to copy them from one rom to the other, you must be certain they have the same name, if they dont, then you must change the name of your new icons to match the ones you plan on replacing. Do this before copying them. When you copy them over its important that your computer ask you if you want to replace the file of the same name. That means it does in fact have the correct name.
9.This is where I got confused, putting it back together again. So here is what you do. Back out of the folder that you just changed all the pngs in. Lets say its drawable hdpi. Keep this drawable hdpi folder handy cause you will need it in a moment. Now open up the folder which contains your ROM in a seperate window. Lets say we are changing stuff in the systemui.apk. Navigate to the original apk for systemui, not the new folder of the same name.
10. Right click it, Choose 7zip. But this time select open archive. Now in archive navigate into the res folder and you will see drawable hdpi.
11. Right click it. and delete it. Now remember I said to keep the other drawable hdpi folder handy....drag and drop it into the archive to replace the one you just deleted. Now close the window. Do this for as many system apks you choose, most common are like I mentioned earlier framework-res and systemui, but you may want to change things in settings, dialertabactivity, contacts....etc.
12. Now you want to put these newly themed apks back into the original rom. Its easy. Keep the newly themed apks handy.
13. Right click on the original rom zip, choose 7zip, choose open archive. Navigate to the apk you want to replace. Delete it. Now drag and drop the newly themed one into the archive. Repeat this process for all the apks you may have changed.
14. Close the archive window and install the newly themed zip in cwm. You may want to add something like a V1 onto the end of the newly themed rom, that way when you copy it onto your sd, you can keep the original on there as well.
Hope this will help someone get there rom exactly how the like it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Vanisleryan for this. I always wondered exactly how to do this!

Subscribed to it and looking for more guides...
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I9000 powered by RemICS-JB

If I understand your tutorial, we modify the ROM apks/theme before flashing the whole ROM on phone ?
But what if we just want to adjust some icones without re-flashing the complete ROM ?
I may not have really understood tour tutorial I try to do my best with english language lol, anyway thanks for it

That's how I do it, but yes you could just theme one system app like say contacts. Delete it using root explore and then reinstall it after. You may have a few force closes but everything should be fine after you do a reboot.
Personally I like having the whole rom themed so its easy to get back to reinstall if go and try some other rom. To each there own..there is always more than one way to do just about anything.
JW1 with Dmore 3.1, personally themed to look like Omega black and blue.

Updated second post how to change a market app and reinstall on phone.
JW1 with Dmore 3.1, personally themed to look like Omega black and blue.