Database Users

[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
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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.

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

[Q] Tweaking Nexus 4 (SystemUI.apk/framework-res.apk)

Hi guys.
I am trying to tweak my phone by my self and was wondering about how to do it.
What I want to do is change the battery icon in the notification bar to show percentages. I know there's already a flashable mod available, but I wanted to use my own icons and to learn how to do the mods my self so that I can modify the phone more to my tastes my self. (You know, since I do own a nexus phone now) (Also, I completely agree with what efrant said in his post about knowing about how to do things yourself, not only how to use 1-click tools and ask people "Help!! I bricked my phone!!" without knowing what I did wrong..)
I used to own a galaxy s and had changed the battery icon there by modifying the framework-res.apk file, but when I downloaded the existing battery percentage mod, I found that the modder actually changed the SystemUI.apk file, so I'm kinda stumped.
The process I used to modify the galaxy s was:
- Uncompile the framework-res.apk using apkmanager
- Edit the /res/drawable/stat_sys_battery.xml and /res/drawable/stat_sys_battery_charge.xml files
- Put the new icons into /res/drawable-hdpi
- Recompile the apk to unsignedframework-res.apk
- Open both the original framework-res.apk and unsignedframework-res.apk and move the edited files and icons from framework-res.apk to unsignedframework-res.apk
- Copy /resources.arsc from unsignedframework-res.apk to framework-res.apk
- Done.
So to summarize, my question is: Is the process I used okay for the Nexus 4? If there are any differences what are they and what do I have to do.
Of course, I would be grateful if I could get a detailed guide to modifying the phone, since I'm kind of a noob when it comes to doing my own modifications.

bef0re y0u d0 that, can y0u share y0ur framework-res and SystemUI?? I want t0 m0d my htc desire....

sakithree said:
Hi guys.
I am trying to tweak my phone by my self and was wondering about how to do it.
What I want to do is change the battery icon in the notification bar to show percentages. I know there's already a flashable mod available, but I wanted to use my own icons and to learn how to do the mods my self so that I can modify the phone more to my tastes my self. (You know, since I do own a nexus phone now) (Also, I completely agree with what efrant said in his post about knowing about how to do things yourself, not only how to use 1-click tools and ask people "Help!! I bricked my phone!!" without knowing what I did wrong..)
I used to own a galaxy s and had changed the battery icon there by modifying the framework-res.apk file, but when I downloaded the existing battery percentage mod, I found that the modder actually changed the SystemUI.apk file, so I'm kinda stumped.
The process I used to modify the galaxy s was:
- Uncompile the framework-res.apk using apkmanager
- Edit the /res/drawable/stat_sys_battery.xml and /res/drawable/stat_sys_battery_charge.xml files
- Put the new icons into /res/drawable-hdpi
- Recompile the apk to unsignedframework-res.apk
- Open both the original framework-res.apk and unsignedframework-res.apk and move the edited files and icons from framework-res.apk to unsignedframework-res.apk
- Copy /resources.arsc from unsignedframework-res.apk to framework-res.apk
- Done.
So to summarize, my question is: Is the process I used okay for the Nexus 4? If there are any differences what are they and what do I have to do.
Of course, I would be grateful if I could get a detailed guide to modifying the phone, since I'm kind of a noob when it comes to doing my own modifications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like it should still work. The only difference is the nexus uses xhdpi images, but the hdpi will still work as well.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

[GUIDE] Remove/change gradient on navbar and statusbar- Change navbar icons [ROOT]

A very simple guide on removing the disgusting shadow effect on the homescreen, plus changing the icons in the navbar.
EDIT: Useless guide. Every change can be made using themes. Coming from a N5 confuses me too much. Thanks @vobiscum
Since usually we would make this changes in xposed, and since xposed is not aviable (for now, I hope), we need to change some png images in the SystemUi.apk container located in #/system/priv-app/systemui folder.
This is just one way to achieve our goal, I made it supereasy for beginners.
Attention: don't extract and compress again any system apks with 7zip or similar programs: it will result in a bootloop. Just replace the needed images directly in the container. If you need to do something else, google APK-Tool.
1)Get a root explorer from googleplay. I'm using FX File Manager (it needs a plugin for root privileges);
2)Go to #/system/priv-app/systemui folder and copy systemui.apk;
3)Paste it in a pc-redeable partition or in the external sd;
4)Get the file and extract it with 7zip or winrar. Don't delete the systemui.apk imported.
5)Navigate in the excracted folder and get the files you want.
---Gradients are located in res/drawable-xxhdpi-v4, their names are: nav_background.9.png and status_background.9.png.
---Navbar Icons are located in res/drawable-xxhdpi-v4 and drawable-ldrtl-xxhdpi-v4.
6)Open the files with Photoshop or Gimp and edit them on your taste. Want a ghost navbar? Do it.
7) Drag and drop the modified files in the Systemui.apk according to their original locations;
8)Put the modified file on your sd/phone;
9)IMPORTANT: DO A BACKUP VIA TWRP
10)Copy-paste via root-explorer the SystemUi.apk back in place. It may be requested to remount the folder in r/w.
11) DONE! If you get some lag/problems, just reboot. If it bootloops, go for twrp.

nice work there, some genuinely earned thanks :good:
it will result in a bootloop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess this is to do with the odexed apk's..?

sminki said:
i guess this is to do with the odexed apk's..?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that is to do with zipaligning, but don't ask me further, I'm pretty noob about this. I know that many apks works well even after they are recompiled as a zip; but some resources need a particular procedure. This way avoids any problem due to recompiling.
For editing xml, I generally use APKtool and replace the original META-INF folder and AndroidManifest.xml, this is the proper way to recompile it (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2203166).

Smokehrbar88 said:
I think that is to do with zipaligning, but don't ask me further, I'm pretty noob about this. I know that many apks works well even after they are recompiled as a zip; but some resources need a particular procedure. This way avoids any problem due to recompiling.
For editing xml, I generally use APKtool and replace the original META-INF folder and AndroidManifest.xml, this is the proper way to recompile it (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2203166).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man made a theme is too easy no need root
https://plus.google.com/+MassimoBotta/posts/27CAAv91Lth

vobiscum said:
Man made a theme is too easy no need root
https://plus.google.com/+MassimoBotta/posts/27CAAv91Lth
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you can change navbar icons with a theme? Well, damn me. Damn Haweii. How about other pngs in SystemUi.apk (for example the gradient?)

Not useless, and to be honest, I prefer getting my hands dirty pulling things apart rather than relying on other people, gives you a better understanding of how things work

Customize Xperia Themes [no computer]

Sometimes someone makes a theme you love, but you wish just one thing was different, or maybe, like me, you have a modded system with dark background, and you apply a theme with dark text on settings dashboard, etc, and you can't read the words. This is what I do about it, (screenshots - Dark Sense theme by @shehabskull). Maybe someone else will appreciate...
** Note - you may not use this method to modify someone else's theme, then re-post it as your own. Always give credit and get proper permission before using a developer's work.
I posted a similar thread a year and a half ago, but seems like Sony theme creator has changed since then, (can't say for sure since I've never used it, but the files and folders in recent themes seem different than they were back then).
This assumes you know something about apktool. If not, that's a different thread. I recommend using ApktoolX for decompile / recompile, and Mixplorer for editing.
1. Install ApktoolX - https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673368273298927619 - and set it up, (check 'root' in settings, make apktool folder, copy framework files and import each one). Also copy whatever theme you want to mod to apktool folder.
2. Decompile theme apk. You will get a folder with a few files and folders in it. One of them is called 'assets', which contains a bunch of zip files. The zips are all apks with zip extension.
3. Make a temp folder somewhere and copy whatever zips in the assets folder you want to mod, (settings, systemui, etc). Change the file extension from zip to apk. Then go back to ApktoolX and decompile those. Now you can mod the values.
4. After making mods, use ApktoolX to recompile. When recompile is done, change the filename back to what it was originally, (whatever.zip). Then copy that zip into the original location in the decompiled theme apk, deleting the one that's already there.
5. Now go back to ApktoolX and recompile the theme. When it's done, you will get a filed called (whatever)_src.apk. Use ApktoolX to sign it, (click on the file and choose 'sign' from the menu). The new file can be installed normally.
Note - occasionally you can change something that will recompile and install just fine, but will cause systemui to crash or something. If so, just boot to recovery, and delete the theme from /data/app.
Also - some themes might have a certain asset you like that another theme doesn't have. You can add them, but you have to modify android manifest xml accordingly, (look at it and you'll see). They're not always cross-compatible, though.

Nice guide.. Keep it up ?
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