Database Users

(Dev) Here goes nothing

This is my attempt to get some more creativity, innovation, and roms here on xda. alot of people here have incredible skills but they cant be harnessed because they dont know what to do. if you are an artist we need you make icon packs. you have made 30 roms but you cant sign them. blah blah.
so no one abuse this but i attached a toolkit to do anything and everything with android on windows. im pushing this to be used for creating themes. hopefully it can help. but i thought it would be nice if everyone had this and the opensource community could start to grow even more.
i like this idea because it can help fellow Devs and even the watchers. everyone can get involved and give something to the community.
And now i present the Avabox
Any questions post them up.
OUTLINE------------------------------------------------------------
unyaffs-you have the ability to take system.img and data.img from you nandroids and get specific items from them.
Autosign- sign anything and everything. name your zip update.zip and follow the readme. roms themes, apps, anything.
Baksmali- put in apk in the folder. read readme. edit any icons wallpapers, anything. close it up and enjoy.
Perlscripts- this opens the boot.img for you.
Read the readme on all of these programs.

So this is going to be a quick tutorial Im gonna put up a video soon on how i got this to work on my computer
First things first download Avabox and unzip it in your C folder (same place you put androidsdk).
then get the java runtime from here not to be confused with the java development kit but since your there might as well grab it as well.
Install the java runtime then reboot
then open up avabox and click on autosign and place the zip you want signed in that folder and name it update.zip (dont add the .zip part it should already be a zip file).
then open up command prompt and type:cd\
cd Avabox/auto-sign
java -jar signapk.jar testkey.x509.pem testkey.pk8 update.zip update_signed.zip
After that last enter give it a second and look in your avabox/update file and you'll notice a new file called update_signed.zip
I know that this is almost word for word from the read me but a few differences can go along way expect a video shortly..... well around wednesday or whenever i can get someone to help with this

porting
im interested in learning how to port and combine different aspects of themes and other mods. will this do it or is there other software i need. I can do the work if shown the way. I read all the post everday with peopl;e asking for this and that and i do it myself. If shown I would help with requests as much as possible. HELP PLEASE

Thank you Avalaunch!!

so with this software, can i take a signed theme mod (like launcher or taskbar) and it will grab the images for me to edit, and then repack and sign to a flashable zip?

Everyone that knows how to use bak/smali, I have a question.
The modifications I made to the extracted pngs aren't getting transferred back to the original apk when I close it back up. Any Ideas? I'm getting really close to a breakthrough for 2.1. Any help would be appreciated

regaw_leinad said:
Everyone that knows how to use bak/smali, I have a question.
The modifications I made to the extracted pngs aren't getting transferred back to the original apk when I close it back up. Any Ideas? I'm getting really close to a breakthrough for 2.1. Any help would be appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hm ill have to check into it. it should be making a new classes.dex too. i never really used it on edits.

Avalaunchmods said:
hm ill have to check into it. it should be making a new classes.dex too. i never really used it on edits.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It changes the classes.dex and resigns it it looks like, but doesn't copy the mods of the pngs to the apk.

regaw_leinad said:
Everyone that knows how to use bak/smali, I have a question.
The modifications I made to the extracted pngs aren't getting transferred back to the original apk when I close it back up. Any Ideas? I'm getting really close to a breakthrough for 2.1. Any help would be appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean? Baksmali and Smali are for decompiling classes.dex and opening it up for the .smali files that are inside. Smali takes that output and recompiles it back into classes.dex for your .apk or .jar file.

You need to update the baksmali and smali .jar's. You have older versions and that will cause issues with certain .jar and .apk's when decompiling. baksmali-1.2.1.jar and smali-1.2.1.jar are the latest versions and will not require the BOOTCLASS PATH to be included...

Does the autosign work windows 7 (64 bit)? I've heard issues with other autosigns on 7. If it doesn't, no biggie I got xp in a VM... lol

obannvi said:
What do you mean? Baksmali and Smali are for decompiling classes.dex and opening it up for the .smali files that are inside. Smali takes that output and recompiles it back into classes.dex for your .apk or .jar file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I get it now, after playing with it for a while.
Avalaunch, you should change the first post.
Baksmali- put in apk in the folder. read readme. edit any icons wallpapers, anything. close it up and enjoy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that description is a little confusing to a person that NEVER used smali/baksmali before. It makes it seem like after you edit the unzipped files, you could just run smali and it will put al the changes in the new apk. I figured out that's not how it works lol I feel pretty stupid now looking back at my last question haha

regaw_leinad said:
Yeah I get it now, after playing with it for a while.
Avalaunch, you should change the first post.
that description is a little confusing to a person that NEVER used smali/baksmali before. It makes it seem like after you edit the unzipped files, you could just run smali and it will put al the changes in the new apk. I figured out that's not how it works lol I feel pretty stupid now looking back at my last question haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What im trying to figure out is why would you even need to use baksmali/smali to edit .png's inside an .apk. All that needs to be done is opening of the .apk with 7zip, modify whats in /res/drawable etc then close...No need to sign .apks or anything. If anything, the script needs to contain something to extract /res/ * from the .apk to edit.

obannvi said:
What im trying to figure out is why would you even need to use baksmali/smali to edit .png's inside an .apk. All that needs to be done is opening of the .apk with 7zip, modify whats in /res/drawable etc then close...No need to sign .apks or anything. If anything, the script needs to contain something to extract /res/ * from the .apk to edit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually doing more than that. I am changing the code to look for instead of <name of file>.jpg to <name of file>.png
While also putting the new png in the apk. Think that's possible? I changed all of the locations where that file comes up in the smali code.

regaw_leinad said:
I'm actually doing more than that. I am changing the code to look for instead of <name of file>.jpg to <name of file>.png
While also putting the new png in the apk. Think that's possible? I changed all of the locations where that file comes up in the smali code.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gotcha. So you're looking in blah.smali for any reference to .jpgs and changing that reference to look for .png instead??

obannvi said:
I gotcha. So you're looking in blah.smali for any reference to .jpgs and changing that reference to look for .png instead??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, not working too well atm, but working on it.

I think this is what I've been looking for. Downloading now.
Just noticed that ActivePerl was for 64bit. I am downloading 32bit as I have only have 32bit Vista Pro installed and not the 64bit.

regaw_leinad said:
Yeah I get it now, after playing with it for a while.
Avalaunch, you should change the first post.
that description is a little confusing to a person that NEVER used smali/baksmali before. It makes it seem like after you edit the unzipped files, you could just run smali and it will put al the changes in the new apk. I figured out that's not how it works lol I feel pretty stupid now looking back at my last question haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess i need to explain more. i use baksmali to make apks easier to search through. for me at least. instead of changing the type and everything i just put it in the folder and baksmali then do changes and create a new archive. sign and change .apk. if you smali it back to apk then it wont save edits. sorry about that anyways has this helped people so far? i love showing that windows can be a dev platform

&RoidRage said:
I think this is what I've been looking for. Downloading now.
Just noticed that ActivePerl was for 64bit. I am downloading 32bit as I have only have 32bit Vista Pro installed and not the 64bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes just google active perl i use win 7 64bit and when this toolbox was made, it was only made for certain people who had 64bit.

Sorry for the n00b question, but I have searched and haven't had much luck. Hopefully, this is the best place for this question. I just started editing .png's and updating some apk's files to customize some things on my phone for looks. However, I am really interested in modifying the taskbar and notification screen, but I have no clue where to start. Is there a guide somewhere I could follow to learn how to change them? What programs, if any additional ones will I need etc..?
Thanks for your help!
Figured it out on my own. framework.apk and resources.apk

Apktool and Rosie.apk

Okay I am trying to make some changes to my Rosie. I'm not going to ask how to make the changes I want I will hopefully figure it out myself....My question is about apktool. I keep getting FC on startup after trying to decompile and the build the rosie apk without making changes. What I've done
1) apktool d Rosie.apk
no errors ( Yes I have put the correct htc framework into apktool fw)
2)I Made no changes at all
cd Rosie
apktool b
3)I go to the build dir and the apk is there from here I have tried two different things
3a) Sign the apk using
java -jar signapk.jar testkey.x509.pem testkey.pk8 Rosie.apk your_app_signed.apk
3b)Leave the apk alone withouot signing it since it's a system app I dont think it needs to be signed, but I'm not sure
4) I put into a flashable file, in my update script I wipe dalvik cache as well, everything installs fine and I know this step isn't the issue
5) I reboot nand get constant FC so I have to pull the battery
I can't figure out why I'm getting this error so If anyone can help I would appreciate it alot....Thanks

it's not just Rosie I cant get to work....It's any apk...I decompile and build and they dont work with non changes....any ideas?

Hey bro I just started a thread on this in the theming section I'm with you on the Rosie.apk can't get it to work.

I haven't done system apps before, but I have successfully used apktool. There is (if it's different or maybe I'm just losing my mind) and additional tool called apk manager that utilizes the apk tool. That's what I've used that's so successful. It basically just gives you a list of choices with what to do with your apk. All you do is place the apk in the specific folder where the script can reach it and then run he script, make your choices, and bam. You have what you want. That could be either a system apk, regular apk, or a folder that's been decompiled. (I used a tool after that called j2gui that let's you take the .classes file and see a near perfect reproduction of the original java code).
Jack Attack!

I have had my fair share of dealings with Rosie, but apktool can do the job.
Everything up to Step 3 is good, although I don't 'cd' into Rosie, I just run:
apktool b Rosie from the previous folder.
Anyway, system files like Rosie do not need to be signed so scrap that route. The issue you have is with the new Rosie.apk that's been compiled not containing the original META-INF folder so won't be accepted by the system.
Check out this post that describes in full what I am trying to say. You'll want to focus on Step 3 and onwards in that post

i'm trying to do the same thing and i'm having a ton of different problems.

I believe about a month ago I checked the Apktool website and checked their list of bugs. There is a really nasty bug in the newest version (at the time I read it) where if you generated your .apk, then some things would be written incorrectly and of course would be the reason why your apps no longer work.
I'm gonna suggest you all check what versions you have and go to the previous version which worked great, or they might have fixed that already.

[Q] How to edit theme images and not have phone hang on boot?

I've figured out all apk files are really just zip files, but why am I not able to unzip the framework-res.apk file, edit the images within, then save it again without causing my phone to hang on boot?
Is there some step I am missing? I've tried rezipping with normal compression, store only, and only photoshopping and resaving a single image within the apk and still it fails.
How are images edited and updated? What am I missing?

I use apkmanager myself for most theming. You might look into it
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

An apk is a zip, but it's a *signed* zip
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Here is the way I do it. I use 7zip to do this and I think it is the only program that can do it.
The way you can do it is to extract the drawable-hdpi folder within the framework-res.apk then do all your edits and save them with the exact same file names. Then you can go back into your framework-res.apk and drag and drop the drawable-hdpi folder back in and it will over write the original ones. Now just hit the Up (like to move up a directory) button until you see the message "framework-res.apk has been changed. Update it in the archive?" then click yes. Now you can put it on your phone without force closing. If you were just editing framework-res and it was not within another .zip file then you won't get that message and that is fine.

APK Manager.
You can use extract/zip (2/3) for image-only edits, but you need to decompile/compile (9/11) to mess with xml files.
Do *not* sign system apks (like framework-res.apk). Do sign other apks.
Btw, this is in the wrong forum.
(Next step: learn about the update.zip packaging script. Remember to name it something besides update.zip afterwards, because on the Fascinate we're installing everything through Clockwork, which should be the only file actually called update.zip.)

s44 said:
APK Manager.
You can use extract/zip (2/3) for image-only edits, but you need to decompile/compile (9/11) to mess with xml files.
Do *not* sign system apks (like framework-res.apk). Do sign other apks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oooh! I didn't know this app made xml's editable. That opens up a whole new set of theming fun. I can't wait to release my new theme. It should be well received (I hope)
Btw, this is in the wrong forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I considered putting this in Themes, but this was a theme development question, so here it ended up. If the Theme and Development forums ever hook up and have a few drinks, then spawn a sub-forum, Theme Development, I assure you it would have been a much easier decision to make

Thanks everyone for helping me out. My last time playing with a phone is an old WinMo 5 device. Anroid seems limiting in it's own ways (no dedicated theme files (can't update without losing the apk theme), but much better for customizing for a 'look' of the OS.

[REQ] Need help decompiling/recompiling framework-res.apk

Could someone help walk me through this? I've decompiled/recompiled plenty of apks, however the framework-res.apk is being relatively stubborn. After recompiling the apk I get force closes in random areas of settings, etc.
I use apktool (as I need to edit an xml file's value), to decode, then build.
Are there any random steps I'm missing?
I've tried this over and over to get the same results everytime.
Someone said it is because of corrupted xml, and if so how do I prevent the problem from happening?
Anyway, thanks in advance.

Check out the theme guides in epic themes and apps forum, grab apk manager, the op says to decompile and recompile without making any changes as some apks can just be problematic and error. But you should be able to edit xmls (no pngs! Drag and drop after!) And recompile with no prob, use like notepad++ as windows notepad adds junk characters tat cause issues too.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[Q] Help understanding to make Themes

ok so i've read several, several threads on making themes, metamorph files, and what not and just wanted to ask a couple of questions since i'm going to try to start my own theme for my fascinate.
i know i need to be in the framework-res.apk and twframework-res.apk files. Is the twframwork-res.apk only needed if i'm themeing for tw or can i just work in the framework-res.apk? also i've read somewhere not to mess with the .9.png files is this true here or is it ok to change these? also i'm not 100% on how to zip for a clockwork flash. do i just do a normal .zip file or is there something else thats has to be done to be flashable thru clockwork. o and is there anyhting else in the drawable folder i shouldnt touch? thanks for the help in advance

I am a little curious myself, but I haven't taken the time to look into it. You might check out this wonderful pdf:
http://tinyurl.com/2dnt4lv
I hope you get a more proper answer. Bump.
Swyped w/ XDA App. System: http://tinyurl.com/26tmcr9

Best way to learn how to build something is to take it apart. There are many valuable resources on line about android themeing. Knowledge of performing xml edits for font color and graphic placement. And using 7zip to be able to open an apk using the open archive feature and being able to extract and add image files from the drawable-hdpi folder. Make a back up of you phone and utilize some reverse engineering and experiment with some image replacement and give it a flash. Coming from windows mobile and no android knowledge I had things figured with about 3 hours of reading and experimenting.
good day.

You will need both framework files if you intend on getting it fully themed. It all depends on what you want to change. You can mess with the .9's, assuming you know how to do it properly. IE: modify your .9, edit your .9 in draw9patch, then compile in eclipse.
To sign a zip ---> java -jar signapk.jar testkey.x509.pem testkey.pk8 zip-name.zip new-zip-name.zip.zip

ty for the pdf that explains a lot in simple terms, and maybe I'll dive in on my eris first just in case lol, and thanks for the zip signing
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Also look up apk manager in search (don't have the link handy)

on the .9.png files do I just open them in gimp/photoshop and then open it again in draw9patch to resave it? lol lil confused on these particular files
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App