[Xperia Arc Themes and Apps] SXUsr:
Flashable Clockwork Mod (CWM) zip​

ClockworkMod Recovery zips are used for flashing individual files to whole ROMS and can be a life saver if you push a badly edited apk to your Phone that results in a bootloop. There's also a few programs that can assist you with that too, but if all you're doing is replacing a few files all you really need is a template, then it's just a matter of creating the Phones folder setup in the zip which is simply creating folders: system\app - system\media\audio etc then dragging and dropping your files into it. A basic understanding of the updater script is essential, a ROM.zip will more than likely wipe your Phone whereas a Theme.zip may just replace files but it might delete some also.

See below for a CWM.zip Template but first some helpful links...

ERRORS encountered in CWM Recovery

[Tool]easy flasher v4 (ur own update.zip)

[TUT] [for NOOB] editing updater-script for noobs!

[TUTORIAL] Making Flashable ZIPs, EDIFY Script, ZIP Signing & Key Creation

[Utility-Tool][DEVandThemers]CWMflashpack.zipCreatorV1{TheCollective}w/EdifyScripting

This is my Theme_CMW_Template.zip which is set up so you can add your own files to the framework and apps folders in the main system location, but you can easily add other folders to it if you want to add things like fonts, tones or anything else, just remember to add folders within folders if that's where the files you want to include are such as tones, media\audio\alarms for example.

If you navigate to META-INF\com\google\android you will find the updater-script which controls how the zip works and the text you see when you run it in CWM. As this zip is just for basically over writing files you don't need to edit anything except for a few lines...

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...this is how I've edited it for my Ice Green ResMods theme...

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...so just edit it using Notepad++ to your liking.

When adding files to your zip add them using Normal as the Compression Method...

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...and that's pretty much it. Remember to remove the text files I've added otherwise they will be flashed to your folders too.

Deodexing​

The first thing I do when installing the latest firmware is Deodex it, mainly because having a deodexed ROM is easier to modify and you'll find a lot of the modifications that are are in the Themes And Apps sections require you to have a deodexed ROM. I use the dsixda's Android Kitchen to deodex and [MENTION=4451099]pankaj88[/MENTION] has written a great guide here - [GUIDE] How to DEODEX stock ODEXED ROM using dsixda's kitchen - so you can do it yourself, or you can give the following tools a try. :)

- [GUIDE] - The differences between Odex and Deodex Files

[TOOL][WINDOWS]Universal Deodexer[ALL DEVICES!!]​

[FIXED][UPDATE - V3][TOOL][WINDOWS]Universal Deodexer[ALL DEVICES!!]

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- [TOOL]CARBONITE TOOL [Dedeoxder tool][All devices]

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And that's pretty much it, the only way you're really going to learn is by reading then putting into practice what you've read and picking stuff up along the way, fortunately this far into the history of Android there are numerous guides for numerous mods and tools to help with a variety of tasks and the following links are going to be a big help...

U.I Modding

Tutorial :- Changing App Icons

[TUTORIAL]How to Theme Your MMS

[How-to] Edit the "About Phone" display

How To Colorize Lock Screen Clock in Jellybean

[TUTORIAL] How to add various framework/Settings mods

[TUTORIAL] Where to find the colors for making a theme

[TUT][JB] HOW TO THEME SystemUI.apk for TOTALLY newbie!

[TUTORIAL][ICS][GB][JB]How to change Android's black background

Text...

Text Color Guide

[GUIDE][REF]Changing System Text Settings

Statusbar...

[MOD][TUT] Merge The WiFi And Signal Icons

[GUIDE][MOD][SYSTEMUI] How to add 0.0K/s meter on statusbar ICS/JB

[TUT] How To Center The Clock On The Statusbar..And Move Other Icons As Well!

[How-To]Removing Battery Percentage, Adding Toggles,Battery Circles to Statusbar

Misc...

Some Extra Theming and Moving the Power Widget Down

[HOWTO] Integrating/Adding applications to the settings menu

[GUIDE] How to get Transparent App Drawer [Launcher2.apk or Trebuchet.apk]

[GUIDE][Mods][All Devices]How to add/ Change Clocks to Analog/ Digital with Seconds

Various Tools...

[TOOL][BETA]Miui Theme Converter/Convert apk Themes!!!

[TOOL][JAVA]"The Rom Fumbler" aka "The Battery Icon Creator"[V29.0]

[TOOL]Boot Animation Factory-Create,Preview and Manage Boot Animations

Useful Links

findicons.com

colorschemer.com

[GUIDE] Tips for themers

Ultimate Online Theme Kitchen

[GUIDE] Want to learn how to theme?

[GUIDE] Smali coding guide for beginners

General Questions about Themes GO HERE!!!!!

[Guide] How to port themes to T-Mobile Theme Chooser

[Collection] ICON SETS | Over *750* different Icon Packs

[TOOL] Remote Theme Injector - theme your favorite paid apk

[TEMPLATE] Icon Packs/Themes for Apex, Nova, Holo, ADW, and more!!

[INFO] Custom framework-res.apk resources.arsc using vendor overlays

If you feel something more should be added to this thread please feel free to suggest it. :)

Credits & Thanks:

[MENTION=2851357]_calum_[/MENTION]

[MENTION=2295247]Diamondback[/MENTION]

[MENTION=4543339]ebs512[/MENTION]

[MENTION=4666531]Rizal Lovins[/MENTION]

[MENTION=4315551]Ticklefish[/MENTION]

[MENTION=3562083]wanam[/MENTION]

[MENTION=4419114]rovo89[/MENTION]

[MENTION=2014360]Annex1[/MENTION]

[MENTION=4543339]ebs12[/MENTION]

And not forgetting [MENTION=3924617]iBotPeaches[/MENTION] and [MENTION=1922851]Brut.all[/MENTION] for making it possible with - [UTIL][Feb 02 2013] Apktool v1.5.2 - a tool for reverse engineering apk files