How do I remove the stock contacts pic from SecContacts.apk?
Have managed to change all the contact images in SecMms_Blue.apk, SecTeleService.apk, SystemUI.apk and InCallUI.apk with the vrtheme system with no issues. However the SecContacts is a different story, the new image injects just fine however nothing changes. Have even used Mali Texture Compression Tool to covert my png to pkm and inject that, still no change.
Have pulled a couple of custom themed roms just to see if I can work out how it was done (without any luck). I suspect these roms are using a modded SecContacts.apk and possible other apk's in the system.
I don’t really have the technical skills to decompile/compile apk's to inject a image and do it that way (I think, may well have to learn how too).
So if any kindly themers can point me in the right direction or supply me with a modded Stock ANG2 SecContacts.apk that I inject my own image with vrthemer it will be a great help.
Stock deoxed 4.4.2 ANG2, Ktoonsez kernal
Should I ask in the theme section?
Related
So i've been looking to theme my X and someone told me to use Rom Manager for themeing because it's easy. But if all i did was a basic root and i didn't change bootloader or i'm not deoxed or whatever else you can possibly do to this phone will this mess my phone up? Or is it fine to use to theme my phone with just a basic root?
quic said:
So i've been looking to theme my X and someone told me to use Rom Manager for themeing because it's easy. But if all i did was a basic root and i didn't change bootloader or i'm not deoxed or whatever else you can possibly do to this phone will this mess my phone up? Or is it fine to use to theme my phone with just a basic root?
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Rom Manager will need the Bootloader in order to do the installs. Rom Manager basically boots into recovery and installs the .zip file you downloaded.
If you don't Deodex your phone and install a theme, I do not think it will 'break', but your theme is likely to be half-a$$ed. Themes replace images (which should still work even if not de-odex) and they edit certain parts of other files (services.jar for example) to change the colors of some text. If your phone is Odexed, the coding for those colors will not be in the right place and thus won't change.
Zaphod-Beeblebrox said:
Rom Manager will need the Bootloader in order to do the installs. Rom Manager basically boots into recovery and installs the .zip file you downloaded.
If you don't Deodex your phone and install a theme, I do not think it will 'break', but your theme is likely to be half-a$$ed. Themes replace images (which should still work even if not de-odex) and they edit certain parts of other files (services.jar for example) to change the colors of some text. If your phone is Odexed, the coding for those colors will not be in the right place and thus won't change.
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so i have the stock 2.2 and it's rooted but i can't deodex the phone yet right?
quic said:
so i have the stock 2.2 and it's rooted but i can't deodex the phone yet right?
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You can Deodex. You can either follow the manual process (there is a thread in the Themes section.
Or if you want to download Rom Manager/Bootstrap, you can then either load a complete system (Nandroid backup) of a 2.2/rooted/deodexed system (There's one of these in the Themes section as well)
Or there is a version of the 928Droid Black Glass that supposedly will Deodex your system while it installs the theme ...
WHAT IS AN ODEX FILE?
In Android file system, applications come in packages with the extension .apk. These application packages, or APKs contain certain .odex files whose supposed function is to save space. These ‘odex’ files are actually collections of parts of an application that are optimized before booting. Doing so speeds up the boot process, as it preloads part of an application. On the other hand, it also makes hacking those applications difficult because a part of the coding has already been extracted to another location before execution.
THEN COMES DEODEX
Deodexing is basically repackaging of these APKs in a certain way, such that they are reassembled into classes.dex files. By doing that, all pieces of an application package are put together back in one place, thus eliminating the worry of a modified APK conflicting with some separate odexed parts.
In summary, Deodexed ROMs (or APKs) have all their application packages put back together in one place, allowing for easy modification such as theming. Since no pieces of code are coming from any external location, custom ROMs or APKs are always deodexed to ensure integrity.
HOW THIS WORKS
For the more geeky amongst us, Android OS uses a Java-based virtual machine for running applications, called the Dalvik Virtual Machine. A deodexed, or .dex file contains the cache used by this virtual machine (referred to as Dalvik-cache) for a program, and it is stored inside the APK. An .odex file, on the other hand, is an optimized version of this same .dex file that is stored next to the APK as opposed to inside it. Android applies this technique by default to all the system applications.
Now, when an Android-based system is booting, the davlik cache for the Davlik VM is built using these .odex files, allowing the OS to learn in advance what applications will be loaded, and thus speeds up the booting process.
By deodexing these APKs, a developer actually puts the .odex files back inside their respective APK packages. Since all code is now contained within the APK itself, it becomes possible to modify any application package without conflicting with the operating system’s execution environment.
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
The advantage of deodexing is in modification possibilities. This is most widely used in custom ROMs and themes. A developer building a custom ROM would almost always choose to deodex the ROM package first, since that would not only allow him to modify various APKs, but also leave room for post-install theming.
On the other hand, since the .odex files were supposed to quickly build the dalvik cache, removing them would mean longer initial boot times. However, this is true only for the first ever boot after deodexing, since the cache would still get built over time as applications are used. Longer boot times may only be seen again if the dalvik cache is wiped for some reason.
For a casual user, the main implication is in theming possibilities. Themes for android come in APKs too, and if you want to modify any of those, you should always choose a dedoexed custom ROM.
Source From www.addictivetips.com
This looks to be a copy and paste from the description here.
If you are not the original author its usually a wise idea to acknowledge the original author/source.
And optimized dex files (odex files) may also depended on the framework classes interfaces. This means that you may end up with bootloops or FCs if you change the interface of framework files. The odex files have therefore been given a signature that all files must match.
Deodexed apks can on the other hand be used on several roms as they may only be depended on the resources in the framework-res.apk file.
So you can have an odexed framework with deodexed apks! But if you want to change the interfaces in the Framework then it is easier to deodex all instead of re-odex all.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Thanks for it! For me more clear now.
I need to verify this, So on an ODEXED STOCK ROM, Can I make changes like
editings png's inside System APK files,
Decompile and compile framework-res.apk,
Make changes to the framework-res.apk to enable crt screen effect ... ?
Clears another thing up for me...
Thank you for your post.
Sorry guys for posting a stupid question, but i'm not clear on one point.
I have the htc one S [s3]. How can I understand if /system/framework/framework-res.apk (and/or) framework-htc-res.apk are already deodexed? (in a practical manner)
I mean...since is an apk and I'm not seeing any framework-res.odex are they already deodexed?
Can I straightly modify it?
Thx in advance!
Hi... Cant cant i something? So what is better of them?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Emothic_Reagan said:
Hi... Cant cant i something? So what is better of them?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Is not that one is better than the other. They have different characteristiocs. Odexed are smaller and faster while deodexed are easily customizable but needs more space.
Guys I still need somebody to answer my question...plz...anybody?
Hey just wondering if anyone might know as to where I would be able to change the hue color that is around the recent apps when opened on left side of screen. Would like to change it from being black in ICS, I'm sure that honey comb had pretty much the same setting for this. ANy help is appreciated.
This is in the system UI.APK.. there are lots of icons .png files in there in different folders.. There is a Thread i read here on xda.. I do not think it was in this forum .it was a thread about honeycomb.
I do know you need to be rooted or BE Fairly skilled with adb. I did a search with luck on finding the thread i read. There are also in the themes and apps thread on here some stuff about doing this.
Sorry I am not much help.. Google search is your Best bet.
As Erica said, these options are in the SystemUI.apk
You can unzip the apk, to a folder on your hard drive, and modify the images as you desire (provided you keep the original file-name and PNG format)
Normally, you can change the colors in photoshop or Gimp.
If you wish to modify the xml files, then you will need to de-compile the apk. The good thing, is that PNG's are not really compiled, which makes them relatively easy to alter. After changing the images, just re-zip the entire directory structure, keeping the original file-name, and rename to SystemUI.apk (not systemUI.apk.zip)
Yeah I have gone through and change what I thought was the hue color image in both systemui/res/drawable-mdpi and systemui/res/drawable-sw600dp-mdpi. But the changing the color of that icon had no effect on the hue. Also I would think that it must be a .9.png image but those are not really panning out atm. I have got a dev of themes to get me his apktool he has been using for ICS framework and am going through the .xml files. But I don't have my tab with me a work today so will have to test more when I get home.
Hey guys and developrs I'm looking for Touchwiz 4x5 anyone can help or modify that
I got a 5x6 working at one point. Had to wipe my phone for some reasons and now I can't get it working again ?.
You have to decompile the SecLauncher4.apk in your system folder. Edit the values in some files. Recompile and throw it back into the system folder.
Make a copy of your original SecLauncher4.apk first!!
I'll see if I can post a helpful link later as I'm getting ready to head out for work
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
If you want to try and tackle it yourself, take a look at this link, its from the Note 2 forums...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1990801
For the Note 3, you'd need SecLauncher4.apk in the system/app folder.
(easiest way to get/replace the files is with root explorer)
I used "Tickle My Android" http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1633333 (use the theming menu)
Decompile
Edit the values you want in res/values-sw359dp-xxhdpi
(I just "stole" my values from a flashable, premodded 5x6 one in the T-mobile forums)
Recomplile
Backup your original and replace with your newly recompiled one (reboot, if it doesnt change automatically).
Thats what I did at least
If anything goes wrong, the phone will boot into "easy mode". Just replace the (failed) modded one with the original, and reboot.
(I'm not responsible if you eff up your phone )
Can you post here for us yours SecLauncher4.apk if you manage it to work again?
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
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i guess this is to do with the odexed apk's..?
sminki said:
i guess this is to do with the odexed apk's..?
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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).
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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
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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