[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III] monstaX:
Ok everyone, this is my first tutorial that I am ever putting out and I will try to be as thorough as possible. This tut is not so much for the people that dont know much about android, it is more for the people that understand most of it already. But as always feel free to read through it and start learning as most of us around here have! So without further a do lets get started!!

FIrst you need 7-zip!!! So go install it!!

So first, the first thing you need to do is go to this link and download the apktools and aapt that are in the zip:http://www.mediafire.com/?acrgcd0w850q0gj

After you extract this zip you will have a folder with all the tools we will need to do this!!!! Now, if you are doing this then you probably already have done it on Ice Cream Sandwich or Gingerbread. So the next thing we need to do is remove your "Environmental Variables". Environmental Variables are basically the commands that you can run in command prompt from any folder on the computer. If you have the android sdk or previously have tried to decompile and compile Apk's chances are you have the setups in the Environmental Variables.

Remove Unneeded Environmental :

1)Hit the start menu on the bottom left hand corner of Windows

2)Right-Click on Computer and select Properties

3)On the top left-hand corner select Advanced System Settings

4)A window comes up and select the button that says "Environmental Variables"

5)In the window that comes up there is two boxes. We are going to edit the bottom one labed "System Variables". Now grab the scroll bar and look for the variable Path. It should be under OS and above PATHEXT. Double-Click "Path" Variable

NOTE: Each path ends in a ";"

6) So now you will need remove every instance that would point to anything android related. For example one is "C:\SDK\platform-tools\;" If it has this then apktools will run the aapt.exe from that platform-tools folder instead of the one that is provided in the zip.

ALTERNATIVE: An alternative would be to delete the aapt that you have in your folder that you have in your Path System Variable.

I know this was not very clear but I again this is for the users a bit more advanced.

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DECOMPILE/COMPILE SystemUI.apk and other Apk's. EXCEPT framework-res.apk

Ok, you can do this however you want but for this tut I am going to extract apktools.zip and place the folder on my desktop. So we're going to open the folder and then place the APK we want to edit along with a JELLYBEAN framework-res.apk into the folder. For example if you want to edit a CM10 "SystemUI.apk" then you will pull the framework-res.apk from /system/framework/ folder nd place it in your desktop JBapktools folder.

Once you have both SystemUI.apk and framework-res.apk inside the JBapktools folder we are ready to start. First rename either one of these files "apktool149.jar" "apktool142.jar" "apktool144.jar" to just apktool.jar. REMEMBER only rename ONE cus we need to keep track of the versions of the apktools.

Next, bring up the folder window and anywhere on the white space hold SHIFT and Right-Click. Then youre going to choose open command window here.

The first command is going to be: java -jar apktool.jar if framework-res.apk

This is going to install the framework.

Now close out the window.

Next go back to the folder and make sure you rename the jar file you renamed earlier back to its original name. For example if you have apktool144.jar and apktool149.jar in the folder then you must rename apktool.jar to apktool142.jar because that is its original and actual version number.

To decompile and recompile SystemUI.apk you need apktool149.jar so once all three are named to their real names then rename apktool149.jar to apktool.jar.

Now,YOU ARE READY!!! Finally.

Again, In the folder SHIFT +Right-Click and select open command window here.

the command to decompile is: java -jar apktool.jar d SystemUI.apk

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Then hit enter you should see something like this:I: Baksmaling...

testI: Loading resource table...

I: Loaded.

I: Loading resource table from file: C:\Users\Jose\apktool\framework\1.apk

I: Loaded.

I: Decoding file-resources...

I: Decoding values*/* XMLs...

I: Done.

I: Copying assets and libs...

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Of course it wont say Jose but it will say your User Accounts name.

Now in the folder you should see another folder in there called SystemUI. Now its DECOMPILED!!!!! WHOOOOO!!!!!!

You can make your edits and edit the pngs and xmls or the smali or whatever your guru-self wants to do.

Now to RECOMPILE!!!!!

To recompile we will still be using apktool149.jar so no need to rename anything back or whatever.

The first thing you should do is open the SystemUI.apk in 7-zip. You can right-click SystemUI.apk and in there, there should be a META-INF folder and a AndroidManifest.xml file. Select both of these be selecting one first(should be highlighted blue) the holding down Cntrl button and selecting the other file. Now that they are both selected click and drag out to apktools folder. We will need these files in a little bit.

Next in the command prompt window, or if you closed it, the reopen by SHIFT+Right-Click and selecting open command window here. The command to decompile is:

java -jar apktool.jar b SystemUI

NOTE:Make sure you use the letter "b" and dont add .apk to the end of it as we are recompiling the FOLDER and not an actual apk file like we do when decompiling.

It should say something like this:

I: Checking whether sources has changed...

I: Smaling

I: Checking whether resources has changed...

I: Building resources...

I: Building apk file...

Sounds very sexy when reading it I know but we aren't done yet. Remember the META-INF Folder and the AndroidManifest.xml file we pulled out earlier. Ok from the apktools folder select both files again by using Ctrl button. Now type Ctrl C. This will COPY these files to the clipboard. Now that we have the files copied go into SystemUI FOLDER and then go into build folder and then into apk folder. To make it look more neat navigate to /Desktop/apktools/SystemUI/build/apk/ . Now that you are in the apk folder hit Ctrl V. This will PASTE the META-INF and AndroidManifest.xml file into the folder. If a window comes up just choose COPY AND REPLACE.

Last thing to do before we can compile is to go into /SystemUI/dist/ and delete the apk file that is there. The recompiling process is almost complete!!! Go back to command prompt window and just push the ARROW UP on the keyboard. This should bring up the last command you typed in. If its not there then just type it in again:

java -jar apktool.jar b SystemUI

The final apk file should be in SystemUI/dist/ folder!!!!

If you are having any aapt problems then you probably still have a path in Environment Variables that has an aapt.exe in it. Other than that askk and I'm sure myself or someone else can help!!

I will be putting up the how to decompile/recompile framework-res.apk in 2nd post tomorrow or soon because I dont have time right now. The process is different. Have fun themeing and doing whatever it is you do!!!

Added a donate link guys. I'm only 16 so I can't say buy me a beer! So how bout half a gallon of gas? That would be great. Let me know if you donated to I can thank you and put you in my posts!! I have a passion for doing these things so I do not expect any donations from anyone. I do it because I love it and can't get enough of it!! Thanks everyone for being supportive :D

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