[Android Software Development] S.Death:
These are the steps explaining you how to create a custom firmware based on the SmartQ firmware releases.

Warning : Creating a firmware and changing the files may cause your device to stop working, I won't be held responsible for any damage caused by this.

Creating a firmware file is actually very easy, not much is involved and nothing more than some basic software is required to create the files. If you don't understand the steps below than maybe you shouldn't fiddle around with this and wait for other members to create these.

There is nothing explained here about the flashing itself, as I will create a seperate How-To about that with pictures explaining the steps of the recovery.

Also there is nothing explained about kernel building itself, I have no clue how to do that and I'll leave that up to SmartQ.

Use the instructions below to make your own Firmware file with the software you want in it and make all configuration changes you want.

1. If you haven't already download the latest official firmware from SmartQ.

2. Extract the zip file. You then have 2 files, a Chinese .txt file with the release notes. And a file called "SmartQT15".

3. Rename the file "SmartQT15" to "SmartQT15.zip". Accept any warning about making the file useless, as in fact you are making it useful.

4. Extract the zip file. Then you end up with 4 new folders :

"boot" - This will be the files required for booting the OS. And possibly the recovery.

"data" - The user apps and data are in this folder.

"META-INF" - The certificate SmartQ used is in this folder and also the update script that manages the update process.

"system" - The actual Android OS.Stay clear of the boot folder, unless you are 100% sure about what you are doing, this may cause a bricked device without the possibility to reflash.

Add apps to the app subfolder in the data folder. Make sure if you do add apps to set the permissions in the update script file and make changes accordingly. The data-extra.tar file is extracted during the update process.

In the "META-INF\com\google\android" folder you can find the updater-script file, you can edit this with Notepad++. This file tells the CWM based recovery what to do and in this file the permissions are set for apps. Also is it required to edit this if you want to create a pre-rooted firmware.

Be carefull what to change in the system folder it can cause your OS not to boot, but it should be no problem to revert back to another build that did work previously as you didn't touch the boot folder and the recovery should work normally.

Once you have made all the changes you wanted to do. You follow the steps back.

5. zip the 4 folders backup using Winzip or WinRAR, whatever suits you best (You can use compression, I tried out Fast, Normal, Good compression in WinRAR and the firmware flashed without problems). Make sure you have the 4 folders in the "root" of your zip file. Use for filename "SmartQT15.zip"

6. Rename the "SmartQT15.zip" file to "SmartQT15" and accept any warning again about changing the extension of your file.

You have now created a flashable firmware file for the SmartQ Ten3 T15.

Copy his file to the root of an empty microSD card and follow my How-To about flashing Custom Firmwares.

Don't use the guide to flash original SmartQ firmwares as this won't work, by changing the firmware package you break the firmware signature and the recovery will check for this during flashing.

Signature checking can be disabled though in the recovery as I will explain in the new How-To.

If you have any questions feel free to post below and I'll do my best to answer them, all the above is based on my experience and from what I could find out on the Internet.