Database Users

[Tutorial] Unpack and repack apk's using APKmanager for theming

IMPORTANT - APK extraction is needed only when you are going to edit or replace png's for theming. If you want edit xml's, you need to decompile the apk instead of extracting it.
If you want to decompile an apk, read this tutorial - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1664292
1) Download apkmanager ( http://apkmultitool.com/downloads/Apk_Manager_5.0.2.zip ) and install it
2) Put the apk you want to decompile in 'place-apk-here-for-modding' folder.
3) Double click on 'script'
4) Ignore the 'adb not found' command and press enter
5) Type 22 i.e. 'set current project' and press enter.
6) Type 1 and press enter
7) Type 1 again and press enter to extract
8) Wait until the extraction finishes.
9) Minimize command line and go to projects -> filename.apk -> change/edit the required png's
Warning - Do not edit 9.pngs or replace them just like that. They are not normal png's. For mor info on how to edit 9.png's, follow music.soul's tutorial - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1559154
10) Switch back to command-line, type 3 and press enter.
11) If it is a system app's apk, type 1 and press enter. If it is a normal apk, type 2 and press enter.
12) Wait until the command-line comes back to its initial look.
13) Go to 'place-apk-here-for-modding' folder, your new file will be unsignedfilename.apk
14) Copy the file to SD card, rename it and remove 'unsigned' from file's name.
15) Push the file to original folder using root explorer and set proper permissions.
EG - If you modded framework-res.apk, push your new file to /system folder. Set permissions to rw-r--r-- and then move the file to /system/framework folder.
PS - Make a nandroid backup before doing this if you modded framework. Backup the original app's apk in case something goes wrong
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Excellent guide

evil_penguin said:
Excellent guide
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Click to collapse
Thanks
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APK manager is the only thing I need? Or do I also need Java SDK and Android SDK. For theming only.

Thanks dude! now I will start to mod my stock LUBKPL rom to my personal preferences and if it goes fine I will share my mods. Now in Mexico there are president elections and I work for one of the 4 countenders so I will star my mods before July 5 here are a LOOOOOTTTT of work rite now!

kevin03 said:
APK manager is the only thing I need? Or do I also need Java SDK and Android SDK. For theming only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You only need apkmanager and a good image editing software like photoshop.
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How about unpacking and repacking roms? How do I do that?

Woho. One more awesome guide. Thanks dev
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Both the guides are very clear and detailed, I think they are eligible enough to be featured on XDA news. What say guys? How can I submit his threads for XDA news?
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kevin03
7zip.It's easly

Rishris said:
Both the guides are very clear and detailed, I think they are eligible enough to be featured on XDA news. What say guys? How can I submit his threads for XDA news?
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, that's too much. I did not write the guides to get featured on XDA news. I just wrote them to help newbies. And I dont think they consider such normal stuff for XDA news. Thanks for the appreciation anyway
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So I got the apk manger from the link you posted and followed all directions, but when I get to the step where I decompile the apk, i get an error.
I've attached a picture maybe this will help.
what im trying to decompile is a MMS.apk from my nexus.
thanks in advance and sorry for reviving an old thread.

[mod] ICS apk de/recompile script for APK Tool - Windows

ICS Framework-res.apk does not like to be decompiled and recompiled by APK tool.
The work around is to use 2 different versions of APK tool and keep swapping files for decompile and recompile.
I have put this in a handy little batch file package to manage all this. It really is basic stuff, but hopefully for those who are not quite sure, it will ease the pain a little.
Please feel free to test it. Enjoy:
This is an updated script to modify ICS *.apk using APK tool.
I take no credit for Apk tool or the process.
I have simply automated it for Windows as there are issues with ICS framework-res modification
Pre -requisites
1. WinRar
2. Java
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Initial setup
1. Extract the apk folder from the .zip to the root of C:\
The structure should then look like c:\apk\ACTIONS
2. Go into c:\apk\ACTIONS\Install_files
3. Double click "Setup_Install.bat"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usage
Simply double click START.bat and follow the instructions
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Limitations
Can decompile any one .apk with any name at a time. Do not put any .apk files into the "in" folder until prompted to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to Rob222 for confirming the method.

Updated the OP. Now can decompile / recompile any name .apk
Simple script. Double Click start and follow prompts.

hi!
got this problem
Ficheiro não encontrado
1 ficheiro(s) copiado(s).
Error: Unable to access jarfile C:\Windows\System32\\apktool.jar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
any hint ?
i already made the java paths .. tryed java6 and java7
but always that error

ruizit0 said:
hi!
got this problem
any hint ?
i already made the java paths .. tryed java6 and java7
but always that error
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What command did you run when you did that?
Did you run the setup file first?
You will need to be an administrator. Are you? If so try right click on the start script > Run as administrator

Just realised I somehow had left part of the usage instructions for the old version in the post by mistake. That maybe why some of you have issues.

Nice one bro... that was surely something that many have tried.. nice work..
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Did not work
I set up the script as per the OP but I get the error attached

Think I need this. Getting errors trying to build apks.
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Phone_Guru said:
I set up the script as per the OP but I get the error attached
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please walk me through, step by step what you did from downloading to receiving this error
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Hey I'm a total noob with apktool on win. But I have unzipped apks on my phone using root explorer swapping res files and made working theme mods...
Could you guide to a good guide to doing this stuff on windows with a GUI I'm code illiterate virtually but know what's going on
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I was able to get the CM 10 Framework-res to decompile and recompile using this version:
http://www.mediafire.com/?clk29i70rg7n8i9

The beauty of apks is that if you're swapping oranges for oranges, you don't need to decompile. You only really need to decompile if you're changing XML files.
To swap one image for another image with the same name is easy.
1)Download winrar (or 7zip - but I use winrar).
2)Open the apk with winrar (do NOT extract)
3)Delete the images you want to change
4)Drag the replacement images back in. When the window pops up with options, change "compression" to "store"
5)Close winrar
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rootSU said:
The beauty of apks is that if you're swapping oranges for oranges, you don't need to decompile. You only really need to decompile if you're changing XML files.
To swap one image for another image with the same name is easy.
1)Download winrar (or 7zip - but I use winrar).
2)Open the apk with winrar (do NOT extract)
3)Delete the images you want to change
4)Drag the replacement images back in. When the window pops up with options, change "compression" to "store"
5)Close winrar
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh... yeah cool so this automates replacing different images in the apk with the same location... I just use a vrtheme skeleton CMW.zip folder and zip it when done for flashing.
So how do you decompile the arsc archive and mess with deeper stuff?
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thankssssssssssssssssssssss Alot
first i Run Setup_instal.bat as administrator in "C:\apk\ACTIONS\Install_Files"
after that my problem solve (i have problem like post 2 and 3)
and thats Awsome ,

graffixnyc said:
content removed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kindly remove your link. This thread is about the mod I am sharing, which I scripted. It is not about other mods.

rlorange said:
Oh... yeah cool so this automates replacing different images in the apk with the same location... I just use a vrtheme skeleton CMW.zip folder and zip it when done for flashing.
So how do you decompile the arsc archive and mess with deeper stuff?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you don't use this at all if you're going to be changing images. This is for the deeper stuff.

rootSU said:
Please walk me through, step by step what you did from downloading to receiving this error
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Click to collapse
I did exactly what the OP says, extracted the files into the root of the C drive, ran the setup and clicked on the start.bat and followed instructions. I now ran the setup again and took a screenshot of what appeared because it was so fast I couldn't see it. It said access denied and 0 files copied. I then took ownership of the System32 folder and ran setup again and it said 1 file copied. I now ran the start.bat again and got the attached error.

So am I right in thinking that you can't simply merge folders/files and zip like you can with root explorer because windows is not a Linux system?
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Phone_Guru said:
I did exactly what the OP says, extracted the files into the root of the C drive, ran the setup and clicked on the start.bat and followed instructions. I now ran the setup again and took a screenshot of what appeared because it was so fast I couldn't see it. It said access denied and 0 files copied. I then took ownership of the System32 folder and ran setup again and it said 1 file copied. I now ran the start.bat again and got the attached error.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you try right clicking the start.bat and run as administrator please? You're still getting access denied messages.
rlorange said:
So am I right in thinking that you can't simply merge folders/files and zip like you can with root explorer because windows is not a Linux system?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can swap anything like-for-like. You can put in a replacement folder, xml file or png as long as everything has the same name.
If you want to edit an existing XML, you cannot do this without decompiling as when an xml is compiled, it does not appear as plain text. Similarly if you want to add more pngs or xml files, resources changed so it has to be decompiled too.
But if its simply swapping like-for-like, you can just use winrar or 7zip as mentioned earlier.

rootSU said:
can you try right clicking the start.bat and run as administrator please? You're still getting access denied messages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried that and still got the error messages.

Fix for Voice Search

Not sure if this should be here, it does require some moving of files in system so thought this was more appropriate.
XDA User DjerX sent me a message when I was trying to fix Voice Search on MДЯCЦSДИT's JB build from a few days ago. Apparently the reason voice search isn't completing is because our system doesn't have enough space for the files. Technically they're there, but they contain 0 bytes. To fix this, go into system>usr>srec>en-US and delete any files that contain 0 bytes or just delete everything (the zip you download will contain all files necessary). Then download the following zip, https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6ZZJaoYHeYsbUNZenlua2stNUU/edit?pli=1unzip it and move the files to your sd card. You will need to remove some apps/files from system to make room for these files, I just deleted youtube, cyanogenmod wallpapers, gtalk and something else I can't remember to free up the approx 33 mb. Once you've made some space, open your root explorer again, copy the files and move them to system>usr>srec>en-US. Reboot. Enjoy!
Make sure your media volume is up or you'll think it's broken like I did

Belongs in general
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bstevens23 said:
Not sure if this should be here, it does require some moving of files in system so thought this was more appropriate.
XDA User DjerX se.....................e files and move them to system>usr>srec>en-US. Reboot. Enjoy!
Make sure your media volume is up or you'll think it's broken like I did
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just a 404 on the link

Andy_nu said:
just a 404 on the link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try it now. Not sure why it posted a ... link.
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busy box leftover files

i just installed busybox from the playstore, it's done successfuly but there are some files in the storage that bugs me. it's called toolbox-stericson and busybox-stericson. can i delete or just move those files to some folder, because it makes the structure of the storage ugly. thanks.
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Yes you may delete them, those are more of temporary files.
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Note 4 Bootanimation

I found this thread,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/themes-apps/bootanimation-matrix-flash-recovery-t2952816
More bootanimation..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2677522
for those who wanted to change the boot animations i tried and works...i follow this instructions.
You can still use these animations without flashing them through recovery.
- extract the zipfile with winzip or 7zip(recommended) or winrar.
- find the qmg file. In case of the crt shutdown it is shutdown.qmg.
- place it on your sdcard.
- use root explorer or es file explorer(enable root in options) and rename the original one for example: from "shutdown.qmg" to "shutdown_old.qmg".
- copy and paste the one you placed on the sdcard in the /system/media folder.
- go to properties and set the permissions to : RW-R-R
-restart.

Thank you , worked like a charm. no more bright red verizon logo. woo hoo...

When I try the link, it comes up that the page is not available or it has been deleted.
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segordon said:
When I try the link, it comes up that the page is not available or it has been deleted.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too
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Use chrome to get to it. I had to do that.