[Xperia Arc Themes and Apps] emwno:
HOW TO: APKTOOL​

Firstly, the most basic thing you will need to learn how to use if Apktool, without it modding apks is more or less impossible. Read the following:

What is Decompiling?

Android apps are basically made up of Java codes and XML files. After compiling the app, these files cannot be viewed. Decompiling is a process which decompiles the binary form of XMLs and .Java files into readable form. The XML files can be retained as it is, but the .java files are converted into smali files, a totally different language.

What is Recompiling?

Recompiling is simply a way to convert the XML and smali files back into the binary form and building up of the APK with the changes made. All apps after recompiled have to be signed (except system apps).

Now, pick your operating system and let's get started.​

Firstly, you will need to download Apktool from here and it's depidencies and helpr script from here finally install Java from here.

Install Java before continuing.

Next, create a folder in your main drive and label it 'apktool' for easy access and extract the files in the above packages there.

Now your mainly set up, congrats. Now you can add the apks you may want to modify in the folder. But note, when modifying system apps from a rom you will need to install its framework-res.apk first, or decompile / compiling will give errors.

If you want to modify, open up the apktool folder you create, in it, hold shift and right click, then choose 'open command window'. In the cmd window these are the commands you will want to use.

Installing framework-res.apk.

apktool if framework-res.apk

Decompiling apk. (Replace name_of_app, with the name of the apk you are trying to decompile).

apktool d name_of_app.apk

Compiling apk. (Replace name_of_folder with the the name of the folder in which your apk was decompiled, don't add .apk extension here)

apktool b name_of_folder

Install Java, by running the following commands in Termianl, one by one.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ferramroberto/java
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin
sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jdk

Next download Apktool from here and Linux specific dependencies from here.

Extract them to the desktop and open up Terminal and cd to the Destkop

cd ~/Desktop

Once there, run the following commands one by one to set permissions. (Replace emwno with your username and hit enter after every command)

chown -R emwno '/home/emwno/Desktop/apktool.jar'
chown -R emwno '/home/emwno/Desktop/
chown -R emwno '/home/emwno/Desktop/apktool

Next make all 3 files executable by doing the same thing one at a time pressing enter after each command. (Replace emwno with your username)

sudo chmod +x '/home/emwno/Desktop/apktool.jar'
sudo chmod +x '/home/emwno/Desktop/aapt'
sudo chmod +x '/home/emwno/Desktop/apktool'

Next we need to move these files to the bin folder. Run the following in the same terminal.

gksudo nautilus

A new window should pop up, from the left navigate to "filesystem/usr/local/bin drag all three files from your Desktop into the bin folder and then close it.

Congrats, now your set up to use Apktool, from the Terminal!

Now, if you want to modify an apk. Open up Terminal, cd to the apks directory and run the following accordingly. But note, you will need framework-res.apk when modifying system apps from a specific rom.

Installing framework-res.apk.

apktool if framework-res.apk

Decompiling apk. (Replace name_of_app, with the name of the apk you are trying to decompile).

apktool d name_of_app.apk

Compiling apk. (Replace name_of_folder with the the name of the folder in which your apk was decompiled, don't add .apk extension here)

apktool b name_of_folder

Before continuing, install java from here.

Next download Apktool from here and MacOS specific dependencies from here.

Unpack both to /usr/local/bin directory (you must have root permissions to do so).

Congrats, now your set up to use Apktool, from the Terminal!

Now, if you want to modify an apk. Open up Terminal, cd to the apks directory and run the following accordingly. But note, you will need framework-res.apk when modifying system apps from a specific rom.

Installing framework-res.apk.

apktool if framework-res.apk

Decompiling apk. (Replace name_of_app, with the name of the apk you are trying to decompile).

apktool d name_of_app.apk

Compiling apk. (Replace name_of_folder with the the name of the folder in which your apk was decompiled, don't add .apk extension here)

apktool b name_of_folder