[GUIDE] Theme editing and related things.

[Guest sisterchick]

;) Waaaaahhhhh!!! I am still having trouble with my theme. I tried signing and that didn't seem to fix my issues with FC on CM settings. Any other ideas? Below is a link to my latest fail build if that helps. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6409094/GreenREVO_307_Test7.zip This is for CM6.1 NB307 D/S.

I am using apktool to build/decompile on Win7 x64. Editpad Pro to make xml changes to styles.xml and menu_selector.xml. I made the xml changes to the stock build, recompiled and then ported the updated drawable-mdpi.

Frankish - Do you have any other ideas for me? I tried it again, editing just the styles and menu_expanded. Compiled and replaced the meta-inf from stock. Still getting FC, so tried Meta-inf and Android manifest from stock. Still fail. I've tried a second computer too. I also tried v1.3.1 of apktool, but it made a huge rsc file - compiled framework-res was nearly twice the size. I'm outta computers and ideas here. I hate to admit defeat, but I am nearly there.

[Guest Frankish]

Thanks for the quick response!

I thought I was pretty careful on the circle battery but maybe not! They're certainly a bit of a pain. What I'm trying now is a stock decrossed apk ran through the uot kitchen with a circle battery and see if that will recompile cleanly with the other text colour xml changes and then add the theme specific images in after.

The one from uot worked when I flashed it so we'll see anyway! Again many thanks for everything.

That one will recompile just fine. I keep 2 clean frameworks for theme porting for each rom. One regular battery the other circle. I got a decent setup for quick porting. Including my own script for signing the .apks afterwards.

[Guest Frankish]

Frankish - Do you have any other ideas for me? I tried it again, editing just the styles and menu_expanded. Compiled and replaced the meta-inf from stock. Still getting FC, so tried Meta-inf and Android manifest from stock. Still fail. I've tried a second computer too. I also tried v1.3.1 of apktool, but it made a huge rsc file - compiled framework-res was nearly twice the size. I'm outta computers and ideas here. I hate to admit defeat, but I am nearly there.

I'd love to help but still not sure how or what. As you are using what appears to be another device and rom i can't really test or help much at all.

[Guest jt_mcg]

That one will recompile just fine. I keep 2 clean frameworks for theme porting for each rom. One regular battery the other circle. I got a decent setup for quick porting. Including my own script for signing the .apks afterwards.

I would have imagined you had a pretty good system set up as quickly as you've pushed out themes for new releases!

I've never used 3/4 of these themes, do most or all of them have black menus now?

I did nothing with regards to signing and it's worked so far. I'm assuming/hoping I don't need to worry about that or will that affect the nandroids like the problems people were having with restoring previously.

Thanks

[Guest Frankish]

I would have imagined you had a pretty good system set up as quickly as you've pushed out themes for new releases!

I've never used 3/4 of these themes, do most or all of them have black menus now?

I did nothing with regards to signing and it's worked so far. I'm assuming/hoping I don't need to worry about that or will that affect the nandroids like the problems people were having with restoring previously.

Thanks

Yes nandroids will be broken unless you sign them. However it will make no difference unless the rom is signed with the same key. The themes that don't use black menus are,

Desire sense.

Desire slate.

Elegant steel.

Galaxy s.

I think the rest use black menus.

[Guest jt_mcg]

Yes nandroids will be broken unless you sign them. However it will make no difference unless the rom is signed with the same key. The themes that don't use black menus are,

Desire sense.

Desire slate.

Elegant steel.

Galaxy s.

I think the rest use black menus.

Thanks again. It's much appreciated now I just need to ask Sebastian about the key.

[Guest Frankish]

Thanks again. It's much appreciated now I just need to ask Sebastian about the key.

It says in first post it's signed with the test key. You need signapk and the 2 testkey files.

[Guest jt_mcg]

It says in first post it's signed with the test key. You need signapk and the 2 testkey files.

Thanks again! I should open my eyes more.

The test key files are testkey.pk8 and testkey.x509.pem?

Edit:

java -jar signapk.jar testkey.x509.pem testkey.pk8 framework-res.apk framework-res.apk

Is that right, it gave back some feedback about zip file must have at least one entry and doesn't look to have changed.

Do I change it to framework-res.zip to sign and then rename it to.apk?

Edit again: I think I have it...

Or maybe not lol

Edited January 28, 2011 by jt_mcg

[Guest Frankish]

No there is a modified version that signs apks. Forgot to mention that sorry.

[Guest szeraf]

Installed, still gives same message :/

try to install the x86 version of the jdk instead the x64

[Guest jt_mcg]

No there is a modified version that signs apks. Forgot to mention that sorry.

Thanks

I'll try and get my hands on it.

Really appreciate your help.

[Guest phlum]

An excellent guide - hopefully this'll sort out the black text-on-black statusbar that UOT kitchen doesn't seem to do.

HOWEVER! I've a few files from the UOT kitchen that relate to different statusbar bits. Where do I put them - drawable-hdpi-v4 or drawable-mdpi-v4?

EDIT: In the original framework-res for the UOT .zip, the files are in the hdpi folder - but I believe that's for Desire ROMs. Would it be any different for the Blade?

Edited January 29, 2011 by phlum

[Guest Frankish]

An excellent guide - hopefully this'll sort out the black text-on-black statusbar that UOT kitchen doesn't seem to do.

HOWEVER! I've a few files from the UOT kitchen that relate to different statusbar bits. Where do I put them - drawable-hdpi-v4 or drawable-mdpi-v4?

EDIT: In the original framework-res for the UOT .zip, the files are in the hdpi folder - but I believe that's for Desire ROMs. Would it be any different for the Blade?

Blade is also a hdpi device. MDPI would be your Hero's your LG Optimus's (i think) and other devices with a low res. ;)

[Guest jt_mcg]

Frankish, sorry to bother you, but I've never had so much fail in my life as trying to sign framework-res so it works with clockwork!

Maybe I'm skipping something simple, I don't know. I've used several signing tools I've found on xda and elsewhere and all have reported no errors and have seemed to work. (updating the time-stamp, creating the meta folder, changing the icon, renaming the apk etc) The only one that showed errors was the one I tried last night and I found one that was nearly the same but said it was modded to support apks in the README.

As of now I'm only signing framework-res.apk, do I need to sign services.jar too, or the finished .zip?

The theme installs fine, I reboot and the theme has taken effect, I reboot into recovery make a back up, reboot, reboot to recovery and restore the backup.

Originally it would just bootloop, now that I've tried (failed) signing it goes to the lockscreen but when I unlock it framework fcs and it goes back to the bootanimation and then to the lockscreen again.

If you have a link to the tool that works for you I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks

[Guest phlum]

Blade is also a hdpi device. MDPI would be your Hero's your LG Optimus's (i think) and other devices with a low res. ;)

Cheers!

Also, when I make a new framework-res, do I only include new files or do I leave everything in there?

[Guest Frankish]

Frankish, sorry to bother you, but I've never had so much fail in my life as trying to sign framework-res so it works with clockwork!

Maybe I'm skipping something simple, I don't know. I've used several signing tools I've found on xda and elsewhere and all have reported no errors and have seemed to work. (updating the time-stamp, creating the meta folder, changing the icon, renaming the apk etc) The only one that showed errors was the one I tried last night and I found one that was nearly the same but said it was modded to support apks in the README.

As of now I'm only signing framework-res.apk, do I need to sign services.jar too, or the finished .zip?

The theme installs fine, I reboot and the theme has taken effect, I reboot into recovery make a back up, reboot, reboot to recovery and restore the backup.

Originally it would just bootloop, now that I've tried (failed) signing it goes to the lockscreen but when I unlock it framework fcs and it goes back to the bootanimation and then to the lockscreen again.

If you have a link to the tool that works for you I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks

Hmm i think you need to ask Seb, has he signed with the test key really or is it actually a type and he meant platform key. It only needs to be framework-res.apk and it works as long as the rest of the framework has the same key. I think he lied, i bet you need platform key but confirm with him.

[Guest Frankish]

Cheers!

Also, when I make a new framework-res, do I only include new files or do I leave everything in there?

Eh?

[Guest jt_mcg]

Hmm i think you need to ask Seb, has he signed with the test key really or is it actually a type and he meant platform key. It only needs to be framework-res.apk and it works as long as the rest of the framework has the same key. I think he lied, i bet you need platform key but confirm with him.

Thanks, I'll double check with him. I'm happy enough for myself without it working and just leaving the stock theme on my sd, but if I'm going to share it with people who may have a propensity of f'ing things up I'd like to have it working properly for them!

[Guest phlum]

Eh?

I'm not entirely sure how to word it in layman's terms...but then again, you're not a layman XD

What I mean is that the only thing I want to change is the status bar. I have a smattering of files for the status bar, and files for everything else. Should I delete everything else before recompiling my framework-res, or leave it all in there?

[Guest Frankish]

I'm not entirely sure how to word it in layman's terms...but then again, you're not a layman XD

What I mean is that the only thing I want to change is the status bar. I have a smattering of files for the status bar, and files for everything else. Should I delete everything else before recompiling my framework-res, or leave it all in there?

Leave it all and just replace the files for statusbar. If you remove images you get compile errors as xml points to images that are not there.

EDIT: And trust me i'm not a pro. This time last year when i got my HTC Tattoo i thought it was the best thing ever running the stock rom ;)

Edited January 29, 2011 by Frankish

[Guest phlum]

Oh. I'm having some issues. Lots of errors!

There's a picture attached. I'm fairly sure that I've done everything correctly...did I need to keep the folders in the framework-res?

EDIT: Or rather, there's isn't a picture attached 'cause I'm an idiot. It's here now!

Edited January 29, 2011 by phlum

[Guest jt_mcg]

Hmm i think you need to ask Seb, has he signed with the test key really or is it actually a type and he meant platform key. It only needs to be framework-res.apk and it works as long as the rest of the framework has the same key. I think he lied, i bet you need platform key but confirm with him.

It was the platform key!

That and some issues with 7x64 plus some of the "signing for idiots" batch scripts I used screwing up my environmental variables had me really hating myself yesterday!

In the end plain old signapk.jar from the command line on xp 32 bit with the platform keys wound up doing the trick.

Thanks a lot for all your work and help!

[Guest Frankish]

It was the platform key!

That and some issues with 7x64 plus some of the "signing for idiots" batch scripts I used screwing up my environmental variables had me really hating myself yesterday!

In the end plain old signapk.jar from the command line on xp 32 bit with the platform keys wound up doing the trick.

Thanks a lot for all your work and help!

Great news. Puts you in business then ;)

I'm currently re-taking up Flibs rom with the impending r7 so now all my themes are ported for...

Modaco Froyo

Japanese Jellyfish

FLB G6

I'm glad development has slowed down for these roms it gives me time to catch up ;)

[Guest jt_mcg]

Great news. Puts you in business then ;)

I'm currently re-taking up Flibs rom with the impending r7 so now all my themes are ported for...

Modaco Froyo

Japanese Jellyfish

FLB G6

I'm glad development has slowed down for these roms it gives me time to catch up :D

You're a trooper and have been a real help! I'm going to port the most of the rest of your great work over to Seb's newest hopefully by Tuesday.

I think as I'm changing the hex codes for each theme I'll put the colours etc for the specific xml files into a spreadsheet for each theme. If you've not done something similar to help speed up the process I'll send it over when it's done.

I also asked Sebastian if any changes were coming in framework-res or services.jar that way I don't finish em up and have to change them all again :D

I did all the services.jars yesterday waiting for nandroids to back up and fail restoring ;) So as long as the more complex battery ones compile correctly I'm ready to push out the themes soon!

Which are most popular and I'll try and concentrate on those first?

Edited January 30, 2011 by jt_mcg

[Guest biopsin]

Hi..need some assistanse.

I decompiled orginal framework, also i decompiled framework modded thru UOT-kitchen. Copied battery icons from UOT and replaced in orginal. Edited xmls in orginal to match new icons.

but

when i build i get this.

Please Type/Drag in the Folder U want to Buildú║framework-res

W: Could not find sources

I: Checking whether resources has changed...

I: Building resources...

aapt: warning: string 'permlab_accessLocationExtraCommands' has no default trans

lation in C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Skrivebord\Android\APKTool\framework-r

es\res; found: bg cs da de el es es_US et et_EE fi fr ga ga_IE hr hu is is_IS it

kk kk_KZ ko lt lv mk mk_MK nl no no_NO pl pt pt_PT ro ru sk sl sr sv tr uk

I: Building apk file...

This build jams at bootup, so how do i resolve those 2 warnings?

appriciate some input..