[Desire HD Themes and Apps] podge13:
I've now managed to figure this out, many thanks for checking it out anyway.

Just in case anyone else has any problems - the reason I was unable to compile my changes was because you need to have the appropriate dependencies for the compile to work. Instructions are for Windows:

1) Download apktool and apktool-install-windows from HERE.

2) Use WinRAR to extract the above downloaded files to the same directory. I put mine in C:\APKTool (for ease when using command prompt later). I will refer to this working folder at several points as I progress for ease. It would probably help to use the same directory.

3) From your sense gingerbread rom, in my case Leedroid 3.2.1, you need to extract "framework-res.apk" and "com.htc.resources.apk" from the system/framework directory on your phone. Put those two files in the same directory with the apktool files (C:\APKTool\). You will also need your SystemUI.apk from system/app on your phone.

At this stage, your folder will have the following files;

apktool.jar
aapt.exe
apktool.bat
com.htc.resources.apk
framework-res.apk
SystemUI.apk

4) Go to Start, then Run. Type 'cmd' (without the quotes) and then press enter. You should now be staring at a command prompt window.

5) Type 'cd C:\APKTool' (without the quotes) and your working directory should change to your previously created APKTool directory.

6) Type 'apktool if framework-res.apk' (without the quotes!).You will be given a message that the framework has been installed.

7) Same again, this time 'apktool if com.htc.resources.apk'. (without the quotes!) Again, you will get a message saying framework installed.

8) Now type 'apktool d SystemUI.apk', again without those quotes! This will leave you with a correctly decompiled SystemUI.apk. You should see the following messages:

C:\APKTool>apktool d SystemUI.apk
I: Baksmaling...
testI: Loading resource table...
I: Loaded.
I: Loading resource table from file: C:\Documents and Settings\podge13\apktool\fra
mework\1.apk
I: Loaded.
I: Decoding file-resources...
I: Loading resource table from file: C:\Documents and Settings\podge13\apktool\fra
mework\2.apk
I: Loaded.
I: Decoding values*/* XMLs...
I: Done.
I: Copying assets and libs...

Don't close this command window just yet, leave it minimised for later.

9) Now we need to edit the files. I used the method outlined below by chuandinh, many thanks to both him and monx®!

So, go to the correct file - in my case, it was located here: C:\APKTool\SystemUI\smali\com\android\systemui\statusbar\StatusBarFlag.smali. Open it with Notepad.

The changes are as follows;

-------------------------------------------------------------------

On line 15, change

.field public static final HTC_RECENT_APP:Z

to

.field public static final HTC_RECENT_APP:Z = false

-------------------------------------------------------------------

and on line 79/80, change:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

:goto_0
sput-boolean v0, Lcom/android/systemui/statusbar/StatusBarFlag;->HTC_RECENT_APP:Z

to

:goto_0
const-string v0, "2.1"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Save the file, almost done!

10) Back in the command prompt, type 'apktool b SystemUI' (no quotes...) Let it load - you will see the following messages:

C:\APKTool>apktool b SystemUI
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling...
I: Checking whether resources has changed...
I: Building resources...
I: Building apk file...

You can now close the command window, you're done with APKTool!

11) Goto the compiled directory, and look for a build folder. In my case, C:\APKTool\SystemUI\build\

12) Open your ORIGINAL SystemUI.apk with WinRAR. Drag the classes.dex from your build directory into the WinRAR window. Press OK on the "achive name and parameters" window that appears.

13) Job done! Your original SystemUI.apk now contains the modified content, and now all that remains is to get it onto your phone. To get it onto my DHD, I simply booted into clockworkmod recovery, pluged the phone into usb, and used adb. The command you need is: adb push C:\APKTool\SystemUI.apk /system/app.

Hopefully that will help someone! Any questions, please ask!:D