Replacing default smileys - creating flashable zip

[Guest Telltale]

Ok so I've created a pack of smileys (Smileys.zip) which I want to use to replace the default smileys in System/framework/framework-res.apk/res/drawable-hdpi however I don't know how to do this. So far I've copied my framework-res.apk file from my phone to my computer and then copied the emoticons into the archive, however I'm not sure how to now place it back onto my phone as when I tried simply copying it over the previous system file using ES File Manager it caused my phone to crash.

I've googled it and there seems to be a lot of reference to using programs such Android SDK, Android Command, ADB and Android Design Editor. However all the instructions leave me confused and you seem to need to have a decent knowledge of using command prompt. Also there seems to be a lot of mention of signing which I don't really understand so any help on that would be great too.

So what I thought would be easier is if I created a flashable zip as I'm very comfortable with using Clockwork to flash ROMs and such like. But then I don't know how to go about doing this so any advice on how I should go about creating it, folder structure, settings etc would be great.

[Guest FatherD]

Ok so I've created a pack of smileys (Smileys.zip) which I want to use to replace the default smileys in System/framework/framework-res.apk/res/drawable-hdpi however I don't know how to do this. So far I've copied my framework-res.apk file from my phone to my computer and then copied the emoticons into the archive, however I'm not sure how to now place it back onto my phone as when I tried simply copying it over the previous system file using ES File Manager it caused my phone to crash.

I've googled it and there seems to be a lot of reference to using programs such Android SDK, Android Command, ADB and Android Design Editor. However all the instructions leave me confused and you seem to need to have a decent knowledge of using command prompt. Also there seems to be a lot of mention of signing which I don't really understand so any help on that would be great too.

So what I thought would be easier is if I created a flashable zip as I'm very comfortable with using Clockwork to flash ROMs and such like. But then I don't know how to go about doing this so any advice on how I should go about creating it, folder structure, settings etc would be great.

A couple of things you could try which have always worked for me: upload your framework-res.apk to http://uot.dakra.lt/kitchen/ .. just choose a simple mod like 'circle battery' then when you pick up the finished .zip replace the framework-res.apk with your original one that you have placed the smilies in! This is a shortcut way of getting a flashable zip, which you can edit over and over and reflash.

A question though - Are you making sure that you are inserting the modified icons into the .apk without altering the compression, there is a lot about compressing the files on this forum, it will mess up the .apk?

Hope this helps :)

Edited August 5, 2011 by FatherD

[Guest FatherD]

Also .. I just looked at the smilies - very nice!

One small criticism - they could do with being saved at slightly higher compression to reduce the file sizes a bit, I have found that modded frameworks can grow a bit too large if you are not careful :)

All the best

[Guest Telltale]

Thanks for the helpful reply. I'll try out your kitchen method, unfortunately the site is down for the moment so I'll try it later.

And I don't have the first clue about compression, do I need to simply reduce their filesize? I should be able to do this in GIMP which I used to create them. Or is there something else I need to do to make sure I don't change the compression of the framework-res?

[Guest FatherD]

Thanks for the helpful reply. I'll try out your kitchen method, unfortunately the site is down for the moment so I'll try it later.

And I don't have the first clue about compression, do I need to simply reduce their filesize? I should be able to do this in GIMP which I used to create them. Or is there something else I need to do to make sure I don't change the compression of the framework-res?

Yep .. reduce their filesize - I use the gimp also (great tool) .. just save them with a .png compression of between 7-9 that should take the size down. Don't mess in any way with the original compression on the .apk - if you are in Linux!? - use Ark as the default for .zip archives, it has an embedded viewer which lets you open the .zips or .apks as a normal folder you can drop your changes in by importing a folder, and choosing /framework/framework-res.apk .. where the framework folder holds your edited framework-res.apk .. this will not alter the compression in any way, resulting in reliable .zips every time .. I hope this makes sense to you :)

Just re-read: Don't change the actual size of the smilies, 38x38px is the right size, I believe - just lower the quality a little by increasing the compression as you save them, if you dont get the option .. do a 'save as' and name them slightly differently, then you will get the compression option, then re-name them to the original!

Edited August 5, 2011 by FatherD

[Guest Telltale]

I was already saving them at level 9 compression on GIMP so I can't compress them any further, however it only increased the .apk by around 5 kilobytes so will that be enough? If not I can always reduce the resolutions slightly.

Just waiting now for the kitchen site to be updated. I tried creating an update.zip using the blank template in this post however it wouldn't flash properly as it said the update-zip wasn't supported beyond 1.5 or something like that.

[Guest FatherD]

I was already saving them at level 9 compression on GIMP so I can't compress them any further, however it only increased the .apk by around 5 kilobytes so will that be enough? If not I can always reduce the resolutions slightly.

Just waiting now for the kitchen site to be updated. I tried creating an update.zip using the blank template in this post however it wouldn't flash properly as it said the update-zip wasn't supported beyond 1.5 or something like that.

Ok .. that small increase on the framework is no problem, I also change some images to 'indexed' in order to reduce the file size, that can save an awful lot. Go for it when the kitchen comes back up - my Ginger Circles was started from a kitchen bake from a B15 framework.

Best of luck.

[Guest Telltale]

Ok .. that small increase on the framework is no problem, I also change some images to 'indexed' in order to reduce the file size, that can save an awful lot. Go for it when the kitchen comes back up - my Ginger Circles was started from a kitchen bake from a B15 framework.

Best of luck.

Thanks for all the help mate, I'll let you know how it goes as soon as the site is running.

[Guest Telltale]

Unfortunately it didn't seem to work: it applied the Circle Mod but didn't change the emoticons at all, even when I tried using it with one of the Kitchen's emoticon packs rather than my own. Any idea why?