Database Users

[Q] How do you install .zip updates without CWM or TWRP?

For those of us with a locked bootloader who can't install CWM or TWRP, how do we install zip files? Such as a theme for a deodex TW ROM?
I've done some googling but everything I find just says "install CWM". ugh
Looks like some devs in the past have been able to modify the 3E recovery to remove the signature verification check. But I don't think we have that yet.
There is a modified 3E recovery in this thread below with instructions on how to install. But it's for a different phone and might kill ours. I dunno.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=909213

You dont.
Place or replace the files manually. Or be paitient and wait a bit for the bootloader unlock
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

Bender B. Rodgriguez said:
You dont.
Place or replace the files manually. Or be paitient and wait a bit for the bootloader unlock
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect answer.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

Bender B. Rodgriguez said:
You dont.
Place or replace the files manually. Or be paitient and wait a bit for the bootloader unlock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a huge amount of files in the extracted zip. Not really sure what all needs to be copied over. I did manually replace the systemui and it changed a few things. But I'm definitely missing quite a bit of the theme still. I'll keep playing with it for a bit longer I guess.
Edit: I think I'm starting to figure it out. There are a ton of res folders in the theme and if I open the stock APK's and copy the res contents from the theme over to the existing res folders, that might do it.
But it's time to eat dinner now.

CZ Eddie said:
There is a huge amount of files in the extracted zip. Not really sure what all needs to be copied over. I did manually replace the systemui and it changed a few things. But I'm definitely missing quite a bit of the theme still. I'll keep playing with it for a bit longer I guess.
Edit: I think I'm starting to figure it out. There are a ton of res folders in the theme and if I open the stock APK's and copy the res contents from the theme over to the existing res folders, that might do it.
But it's time to eat dinner now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM flashables are nothing more than batch files or macros of sorts. Just manually follow along with whatever the updater-script is doing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

Yay, it worked. Thanks guys.
7zip & Root Explorer are once again my two favorite utilities on the planet.
This is the theme I just applied to my deodex AT&T ROM in case anyone is wondering.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2264498

CZ Eddie said:
Yay, it worked. Thanks guys.
7zip & Root Explorer are once again my two favorite utilities on the planet.
This is the theme I just applied to my deodex AT&T ROM in case anyone is wondering.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2264498
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So how did you do it? And does it work for any other zip files ?

eraycetin said:
So how did you do it? And does it work for any other zip files ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For themes you can just open the zip file in Windows and locate the internal files. Then use those to replace the same files that are on the phone.
But the Google Play store has apps that will flash zips without needing recovery or a reboot. I don't know the names but if you Google you'll find it.

(Request) stock systemui and odex from mf3

Install a transparent notification bar, forgot to keep a copy of the original sysmui. Now i have no status bar and a black baground. If anyone can copy it from their phone, i really appreciated. Im on a active with mf3. Thanks
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 2

Could you go into a little detail on what happened and what you have done to try to fix it? I don't understand what your saying.

I think he wants the systemUI.apk for the active because he fubar'd his.

jd1639 said:
I think he wants the systemUI.apk for the active because he fubar'd his.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any ideas where to get that? I don't even think that will install without flashing, but can't flash on MF3 yet.
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app

agent929 said:
Any ideas where to get that? I don't even think that will install without flashing, but can't flash on MF3 yet.
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can copy the file from root explorer without flashing. I was able to get a copy of the systemui and place it into the sys/app folder. Now everything is back to normal.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 2

Sweet nice job. Will remember that for the future
Where did you get it from?
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app

agent929 said:
Sweet nice job. Will remember that for the future
Where did you get it from?
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it from a friend who just picked up a s4 active.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 2

So you just copied the apk off his phone I'm assuming? I'm also assuming it's the same apk as the regular S4? (I'm just trying to get better knowledge so I can help somebody in the future.)

agent929 said:
So you just copied the apk off his phone I'm assuming? I'm also assuming it's the same apk as the regular S4? (I'm just trying to get better knowledge so I can help somebody in the future.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As the other person replied - with root access, you can download ES File Explorer, or Root Browser, give the app root access via SuperSU, navigate to the System > apps folder, find the file(s) you want, copy/move them where you need.

FourPointedFreak said:
As the other person replied - with root access, you can download ES File Explorer, or Root Browser, give the app root access via SuperSU, navigate to the System > apps folder, find the file(s) you want, copy/move them where you need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I'm well aware you can do that but I didn't know that apk would actually function like an apk if you did that. Just thought it was more to it than that.
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app

agent929 said:
Yeah I'm well aware you can do that but I didn't know that apk would actually function like an apk if you did that. Just thought it was more to it than that.
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you have the appropriate odex file along with it and you know how to do it - it should be fine. You have to know how an APK file works, Applications are basically glorified ZIP archives. The java code is stored in a file called classes.dex and this file is parsed by the Dalvik JVM and a cache of the processed classes.dex file is stored in the phone's Dalvik cache.
An odex is basically a pre-processed version of an application's classes.dex that is execution-ready for Dalvik. When an application is odexed, the classes.dex is removed from the APK archive and it does not write anything to the Dalvik cache. An application that is not odexed ends up with 2 copies of the classes.dex file--the packaged one in the APK, and the processed one in the Dalvik cache. It also takes a little longer to launch the first time since Dalvik has to extract and process the classes.dex file.
If you are building a custom ROM, it's a really good idea to odex both your framework JAR files and the stock apps in order to maximize the internal storage space for user-installed apps. If you want to theme, then simply deodex -> apply your theme -> reodex -> release.

ROMs with File managers

Hi Guys,
I was wondering if there were any AOSP Roms out there with built-in File Managers? It sucks having to go to Google Play to download one, just to install the rest of my programs.
Thanks in advance.
Shecherez

Scheherez said:
Hi Guys,
I was wondering if there were any AOSP Roms out there with built-in File Managers? It sucks having to go to Google Play to download one, just to install the rest of my programs.
Thanks in advance.
Shecherez
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Off the top of my head, slim includes one.
Alternatively, You can also just use titanium to create a flashable zip of your necessary apps (requires pro version I believe)
Alternatively to that, using 7zip on pc , you can also just drag and drop whatever apk you want into the system folder of whatever gapps package you flash when you flash roms. Or you can drag and drop the apk into system or data folder of whatever rom.zip you want to flash, If you have a computer handy regularly. (I find gapps easier because I download gapps packages WAY less often.)
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

i'd rather just choose the rom i like then worry about some file manager.
it takes about a minute to go to play store and install es file explorer and then install titanium to recover your apps.
i agree it would be handy if every rom had a file explorer but downloading doesn't take much time.

Scheherez said:
Hi Guys,
I was wondering if there were any AOSP Roms out there with built-in File Managers? It sucks having to go to Google Play to download one, just to install the rest of my programs.
Thanks in advance.
Shecherez
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mahdi ROM and SlimKAT has inbuilt file managers..

Rohit02 said:
Mahdi ROM and SlimKAT has inbuilt file managers..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol just wanted to say that but you beat me to it.
Edit: Still, I always download ES file and delete the one in the rom.

Flashable apps(flash any apps into your internal or system storage)

This patch is multi devices and multi roms, you can use it on any roms, this patch will allow you to install apps/games into your internal storage, not just in system storage. This patch very useful if you like doing flashing/changing rom, you don't have to install apps/games manually, one by one like before, with this, you just flash it in the recovery that you've installed all apps that you always use on previous roms...
How to use it ?
- Download the patch from here
- Extract it : You'll find these folders
> data/app
> META-INF/..../updater.script
> system/app
- If you want to install your apps in internal storage, put your .apk files inside "data/app"
- If you want to install your apps in system storage, put your .apk files inside "system/app"
- Repack the zip, then flash in the recovery
- Don't forget to wipe cache and dalvik cache before flashing...
- Enjoy
If you like this patch, don't forget to press THANKS button

Great work bro.... It will be useful for those who like to make a mod or app ported but they posted through root explorer, as an example (rw-r--r--) LOL , I'm sure many who download your work even though no one comments. here as it.
Keep up bro

excellent... I may look into modifying to add "system/priv-app" as an option [emoji106]
update: modding not required as /system includes /system/priv-app from updater.script point of view ~ just had to add a priv-app folder to paste apks into

Cemungudh mastah

ibanez7 said:
Great work bro.... It will be useful for those who like to make a mod or app ported but they posted through root explorer, as an example (rw-r--r--) LOL , I'm sure many who download your work even though no one comments. here as it.
Keep up bro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you my friend,
iBuzman said:
excellent... I may look into modifying to add "system/priv-app" as an option [emoji106]
update: modding not required as /system includes /system/priv-app from updater.script point of view ~ just had to add a priv-app folder to paste apks into
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, you can add everything inside system folder, not just app in system/app or system/priv-app, if you had a mods in the other folder(in system/etc for example), just make folder "etc" inside folder system....
cause my script is working for the whole folder in system...
itsnie said:
Cemungudh mastah
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
teenagers words

nice one done

where download link?

Yes where download link...?
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk

Sir i need that zip.. but link is broken

ibanez7 said:
Great work bro.... It will be useful for those who like to make a mod or app ported but they posted through root explorer, as an example (rw-r--r--) LOL , I'm sure many who download your work even though no one comments.
I need that zip can u give me??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The link is broken but I think someone made a copy here.

How to make a zip file of android app

How can i make a zip file of my essential apps to install via twrp
as like gapps installs

Titanium Backup Pro

vyomD123 said:
How can i make a zip file of my essential apps to install via twrp
as like gapps installs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can i download zip file
Sent from my SM-J111F using XDA Free mobile app

What zip file ???
Norm is to click on a link and download .
Sent from my SM-N930F using XDA-Developers mobile app