Modifying T-Mobile Official ROM

[Guest Speckles]

Overall, I like the 2.1 official ROM, but there's some things I'd like to change: (I don't like the RMB ROM - too much white. I prefer the black of the T-Mobile version)

Change the bottom left 'Favourites' icon to goto Contacts instead.

Remove "Mobile TV", "Music", "My Phonebook", "Roadsync", "TopApps", "Web'n'Walk", "SIM Toolkit".

Not sure what "Provisioning" is, so I'd probably leave it unless someone else knows.

Removal of some other crap like the "My Photo Frame".

Change desktop from "3x3" to "3x2".

For fun: Change the startup "Android" logo to the Nexus bootup logo.

and maybe some other tweaks if any of the above works.

Now the problem: How do I go about doing all this? I know Linux, I have a Linux box here acting as a server. I'm also a software engineer as my day job, so hopefully it shouldn't be too difficult.

But at the moment, I've no clue.

I know how to extract the contents of the UPDATA.APP using the Perl app, but I've no idea if it's possible to change some of the above. I'm kinda hoping they disappear when I delete certain files.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Speckles

[Guest whackster]

Overall, I like the 2.1 official ROM, but there's some things I'd like to change: (I don't like the RMB ROM - too much white. I prefer the black of the T-Mobile version)

Change the bottom left 'Favourites' icon to goto Contacts instead.

Remove "Mobile TV", "Music", "My Phonebook", "Roadsync", "TopApps", "Web'n'Walk", "SIM Toolkit".

Not sure what "Provisioning" is, so I'd probably leave it unless someone else knows.

Removal of some other crap like the "My Photo Frame".

Change desktop from "3x3" to "3x2".

For fun: Change the startup "Android" logo to the Nexus bootup logo.

and maybe some other tweaks if any of the above works.

Now the problem: How do I go about doing all this? I know Linux, I have a Linux box here acting as a server. I'm also a software engineer as my day job, so hopefully it shouldn't be too difficult.

But at the moment, I've no clue.

I know how to extract the contents of the UPDATA.APP using the Perl app, but I've no idea if it's possible to change some of the above. I'm kinda hoping they disappear when I delete certain files.

It would be much easier to modify the MCR zip, you can remove/add whatever apk's you want, sign the zip, and flash the update over the official 2.1 ROM.

Or you can simply delete what you want using adb (I'm having trouble getting it to work while the phone is on, don't know why), or using a file manager from the phone directly (like Root Explorer).

As for the Icon changes, I think you would have to modyfy Launcher.apk, but that's a bit tricky, no clue how to do that...

The boot animation can easily be changed, it is in system/media/bootatnimation.zip, there are a couple of examples on this forum on how to change it.

:(

[Guest HunteronX]

Overall, I like the 2.1 official ROM, but there's some things I'd like to change: (I don't like the RMB ROM - too much white. I prefer the black of the T-Mobile version)

Change the bottom left 'Favourites' icon to goto Contacts instead.

Remove "Mobile TV", "Music", "My Phonebook", "Roadsync", "TopApps", "Web'n'Walk", "SIM Toolkit".

Not sure what "Provisioning" is, so I'd probably leave it unless someone else knows.

Removal of some other crap like the "My Photo Frame".

Change desktop from "3x3" to "3x2".

For fun: Change the startup "Android" logo to the Nexus bootup logo.

and maybe some other tweaks if any of the above works.

Now the problem: How do I go about doing all this? I know Linux, I have a Linux box here acting as a server. I'm also a software engineer as my day job, so hopefully it shouldn't be too difficult.

But at the moment, I've no clue.

I know how to extract the contents of the UPDATA.APP using the Perl app, but I've no idea if it's possible to change some of the above. I'm kinda hoping they disappear when I delete certain files.

You could use Bobo's ANDE software which was used for 1.5 theming. Just edit a Launcher.apk instead of framework-res.apk

You can get it from here:

http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile...-design-editor/

EDIT: This can be used to overwrite XML's, but I don't know how to edit ones from within the file to get the results you want.

I think the boot animation is stored in /data/local/.

Edited May 30, 2010 by HunteronX

[Guest Speckles]

Thanks, I'll hack away and see if I can brick my phone again :(

(Maybe it would be a good idea to get a spare Pulse, is there anyone shop selling them cheaper than £150 at the moment? I remember paying £130 for mine)

[Guest Speckles]

Can't delete any of the files :( Now I know why people like to have a rooted rom...

Is there a version of the T-Mobile ROM that is rooted, but without any other changes?

Maybe I should try the MCR ROM. I used to use MCR 1.7 before flashing to 2.1.

[Guest eckengucker1]

Yep MCR 2.1 is stock and rooted.

But you can delete files befor you flash your update.zip to your phone. You've just to sign the zip-file again. Seach board 4help

[Guest Josh04]

I flicked through Launcher.apk last night, it wasn't clear at all where it was defined what soft key 0 did : /

[Guest ultravox]

This is a very interesting subject.

I came from WM, and I'm used to cook ROM's with a kitchen.

Android is a complete new world for me. Is there a good place to start learning how to cook our own version?

[Guest whackster]

What I'm interested in is to know what needs to be done to make the vanilla apps work on the t-mobile stock??

Because I had problems simply overwriting the apps using Root Explorer, no idea why... I've deleted the odex files, but the apps simply disappear from the drawer.

[Guest starkos]

What I'm interested in is to know what needs to be done to make the vanilla apps work on the t-mobile stock??

Because I had problems simply overwriting the apps using Root Explorer, no idea why... I've deleted the odex files, but the apps simply disappear from the drawer.

I think that happened to me before with calendar app, but I've recently replaced contacts, contacts provider & mms apks and they're working fine. Maybe try wiping dalvik-cache and fixing uid mismatches from recovery menu?

Edit: Sorry just realised you were talking about stock rom, not Paul's MCR lol

Edited May 31, 2010 by starkos

[Guest whackster]

I think that happened to me before with calendar app, but I've recently replaced contacts, contacts provider & mms apks and they're working fine. Maybe try wiping dalvik-cache and fixing uid mismatches from recovery menu?

Edit: Sorry just realised you were talking about stock rom, not Paul's MCR lol

Actually you are right, I didn't mean the stock rom, and I completely forgot about the dalvik, trying that now. :(

Probably because BigBear and Paul's ROM are more common to me anyway :(

Edited May 31, 2010 by whackster

[Guest whackster]

Wiping the Dalvik cache solved the problem I have the vanilla calendar & provider now, lets hope it syncs like it should :(

[Guest whackster]

If I remove .dex from apk, do I need to sign it, and can anyone point so a helpful topic on signing apks? Is it the same as for the update.zip?

Or I have to odex it later?

[Guest Speckles]

Whilst hacking apk files, do we have to sign it? Or can we just tick the "Run unsigned packages" box in the development menu of settings?

[Guest eckengucker1]

To sign an App just use "SignApk"=>http://rapidshare.com/files/389657927/SignApk.rar

How to sign apk or zip files using SignApk.jar:

* Download SignApk.rar from link given above

* Extract it anywhere on your drive (eg. c:\SignApk)

* If you don’t have java installed, download and install it.

* Copy certificate.pem and key.pk8 into your extracted SignApk directory

* Within SignApk directory type:

java -jar signapk.jar certificate.pem key.pk8 your-app.apk your-signed-app.apk

And you don't have to odex the App. Odexing is just the step to copy the dex-file out of the apk (basicly a zip-file) for a faster access.

Edited June 1, 2010 by eckengucker1

[Guest rjm2k]

Not sure what "Provisioning" is, so I'd probably leave it unless someone else knows.

Provisioning just lists provisioning (settings) messages from t-mobile, I just signed up for the my phone backup on the tmobile website and it sends you a text message which once processed appears in the provisioning program. Not sure if the software needs to be there for the message to be processed or if it's just for displaying old messages so that you can re-apply them.