yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
The splash image cannot be easily changed. But you can change the boot animation easily. Just put your desirable bootanimation.zip in system/media using root explorer and reboot.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] gdm320:
Thanks sonny!

So I guess what I can do is just put a bunch of them on the sdcard storage portion then copy and paste them over when I want to use a particular one.

I appreciate it.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Yes, but make sure you rename each one to bootanimation.zip after copying it.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] styckx:
Is there a straight forward tutorial for theming.

I can yank apks off the phone with adb pulling them out, editing the pngs in drawable etc etc but still not sure how to push the the apk back. (permissions)

The other really confusing part is how to prep the themed apk into a flashable format.. Reading a lot of the tutorials I've seen always seem to be written for someone who already knows 1/2 of it and goes from "Step 1..." to Android shorthand in a matter of a few sentences.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Use the attached zip. Put your modified framework (if you have one) in system/framework and your modified apps in system/app and flash it in recovery.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] styckx:
Ahh, there we go, a template! Perfect.. Thank you!
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] styckx:
Template working fine, thank you again..

Now more questions..

I'm at a lose here.. I'm editing my Wifi icons.. Why are some of the png's loaded with full transparency (when opened in Photoshop) like they should, why are others are not?
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
I don't use Photoshop. Try http://pixlr.com/editor/, free and easy to use.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] styckx:
Interesting.. I clicked, saw it was an online editor and thought "this is going to suck".. Gave it a try and I'm actually impressed how well it actually works. Thanks for that..

Bill
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] gdm320:
Here's a question for people with some Boot Animation expertise...

From what I understand the bootanimation.zip holds numerically ordered image files that are what generate the animation. If I wanted to adapt a boot animation for one device to another device, theoretically all I'd need to do is re-size the images for the original to meet the resolution of the target... is that correct?

If so I'm going to have to jump on that rather than bother people with the request I made for the a red/Droid-esque boot animation.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
You can try using the bootanimation as it is. If it looks out of place, then resize the images.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sunder74:
apk manager...

Ive been playing with apk manager where i usually decompile and compile manually I thought this tool would be a big help and it is except for one thing...it duplicates drawable folders in the couple times I've used it. Have you any experience with this? Also is there a standalone version of the image editor you posted? Thanks in advance I really enjoy your work.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Sorry, there is no standalone version. You have to be online.

In apkmanager/other, replace the apktool with the one attached and try again.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sunder74:
hey sonny i didnt see an attachment...
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Sorry, here you go.

Unzip and put it in apkmanager/other.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Hey Sonny (or anyone else).

I've done a bit of themeing in the past-- have bounced between APKManager4.9 and 4.7, whichever happens to be working atm. I seem to run into this problem often (error posted below).

In this instance, I was trying to decompile the latest Dropbox version. Downloaded from market, pulled from /data/app/ -- I know not to make any modifications to anything before decompiling.

So, this attempt was on the untouched version from the market.

Any ideas?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Fri 05/27/2011 -- 10:49:21.81|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
java version "1.6.0_23"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_23-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 19.0-b09, mixed mode)
Could Not Find C:\SDK\APKManager49\place-apk-here-for-modding\../place-apk-here-
for-modding/signedsignedDropbox-1.1.1-Ver.2.apk
Could Not Find C:\SDK\APKManager49\place-apk-here-for-modding\../place-apk-here-
for-modding/unsignedsignedDropbox-1.1.1-Ver.2.apk
I: Baksmaling...
I: Loading resource table...
I: Decoding resources...
I: Loading resource table from file: C:\Users\AlexR\apktool\framework\1.apk
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=
hardwareAccelerated, value=0xffffffff
Exception in thread "main" brut.androlib.err.UndefinedResObject: resource spec:
0x010102d3
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResPackage.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResTable.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResTable.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResAttrDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.AXmlResourceParser.getAttributeValue(Unknow
n Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.XmlPullParserDelegate.getAttributeValu
e(Unknown Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.StaticXmlSerializerWrapper.writeStartT
ag(Unknown Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.StaticXmlSerializerWrapper.event(Unkno
wn Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.XmlPullStreamDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)

at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResStreamDecoderContainer.decode(Unknown So
urce)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResFileDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.AndrolibResources.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.Androlib.decodeResourcesFull(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.ApkDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.apktool.Main.cmdDecode(Unknown Source)
at brut.apktool.Main.main(Unknown Source)
Press any key to continue . . .
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Hey, can you try Apkmanager 4.9 with the Apktool posted on the post above yours. That is the magic combo that works for me everytime :).
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
I'm pretty sure that was what I did, but I'll double check and edit this post with results. Thank u :)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Hmm. it still errors, but it does seem to decompile. It worked to compile as a system apk, and same with signing (copying over files). I just installed it to /data/ and it apparently worked fine. .. so, now to the modding!!

Thanks Sonny -- is it common to get errors when you're putting together apks? I don't usually.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
I sometimes get errors when using Apktool 1.3.2 (the one that comes default with Apkmanager 4.9).
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
If I upload a zip (dropbox app) of the uncompiled stuff, anyone willing to compile and sign (if needed) for me to test it? killin me.

lol, dropbox just updated to newer version too.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Sure, upload the app and the images you want to add and I will compile it for you.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Thanks man. it may look like craps, btw.. obv haven't had to check out the color mix. ;) Attached is just a zip of the modded 'project' folder -- only xml edits done. Once compiled, I'll drop in modded pngs.

So appreciated
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
The recompilation resulted in an error. Just upload a fresh apk and tell me what edits you want to make in the xmls.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Man, thx so much. I'll buy one of your themes for this :)

Attached untouched apk

AndroidManifest.xml

Replace Theme.Light with Theme.Black

res/values/colors.xml (hopefully just copy and paste-- all besides colors should be the same)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<resources>
<color name="whiteBackground">#ff000000</color>
<color name="blueBackground">#ff990000</color>
<color name="dialogBoxTitleBackground">#aa000000</color>
<color name="blackBackground">#ff000000</color>
<color name="buttonHighlight">#ffde0000</color>
<color name="textFieldStroke">#ffff0000</color>
<color name="filelistBackground">#ff000000</color>
<color name="fileTextSmall">#ffe6e6e6</color>
<color name="fileTextName">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="fileTextDisabled">#ffe6e6e6</color>
<color name="textHighlight">#ffde0000</color>
<color name="textDisable">#ffe6e6e6</color>
<color name="text">#ff000000</color>
<color name="loginText">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="loginButtonText">#ff000000</color>
<color name="settingsHeaderBackground">#ffde0000</color>
<color name="settingsHeaderForeground">#ff000000</color>
<color name="settingsDimmedText">#ffe6e6e6</color>
<color name="settingsRegularText">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="tourBackground">#ff9c0000</color>
<color name="tourText">#ffde0000</color>
</resources>

And.. I think that's it! (besides the drawables later...)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Hey, I just tried it. It doesn't recompile with any of my Apkmanager/Apktool versions.

Another alternative is to add the desired changes in a CM7 Theme Chooser apk.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Gotchya - glad its not just me :) I've picked apart some of the theme Chooser apks, but haven't built one myself. I'll definitely check it out.

. . NS4G . . CM7 . .
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] dreamsforgotten:
Your not a lone decalex. I have yet to see someone theme it some apps are good at making themselves unable to de/recompile.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
Hey Sonny -- so I'm trying your alternative approach, making the dropbox changes in the CM7 Theme Chooser. I'm currently using your Vivid theme from the market.

I have your Self-Theming Vivid.zip, and following the Guide you posted on compiling theme chooser apks. But doesn't this process still involve decompiling the dropbox app, making the xml changes (above, to colors.xml and android manifest), then recompiling? -- the part that's giving me errors. Or were you talking about another method?

Thx again for your help! :)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
That guide is only for flashable themes, for theme chooser themes, follow this guide:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=964391
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
<-- Genius. Thx ;)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] decalex:
k.. feel like I'm making progress here..

The part where I'm stuck is, how to incorporate an app's AndroidManifest.xml > "Theme.Light" to "Theme.Black" in the theme chooser xml.

I don't want to repost the whole thing, but here's the question I asked in the theme chooser guide section:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=14388550&postcount=414
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
In res/xml/com_dropbox_android.xml:

instead of using:

<color name="whiteBackground">#ff000000</color>
<color name="blueBackground">#ff990000</color>

use

<item name="color/whiteBackground">@color/whiteBackground</item>
<item name="color/blueBackground">@color/blueBackground</item>

Also, I am almost certain that you can't declare anything from the Manifest. Try experimenting with styles instead.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
hi there. i tried to decompile SystemUI.apk from latest nightly #92 but i have this error:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|04/06/2011 -- 21:35:55,31|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
java version "1.6.0_24"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_24-b07)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 19.1-b02, mixed mode)
Impossibile trovare C:\apk_manager_4.9\place-apk-here-for-modding\../place-apk-here-for-modding/signedSystemUI.apk
Impossibile trovare C:\apk_manager_4.9\place-apk-here-for-modding\../place-apk-here-for-modding/unsignedSystemUI.apk
I: Baksmaling...
I: Loading resource table...
I: Decoding resources...
I: Loading resource table from file: C:\Users\etoy\apktool\framework\1.apk
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=theme, value=0x010300a3
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=theme, value=0x010300a3
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=theme, value=0x010300a3
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=theme, value=0x010300a3
W: Could not decode attr value, using undecoded value instead: ns=android, name=theme, value=0x010300a3
Exception in thread "main" brut.androlib.err.UndefinedResObject: resource spec: 0x010300a3
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResPackage.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResTable.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.ResTable.getResSpec(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.value.ResReferenceValue.getReferent(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.value.ResReferenceValue.toResXmlFormat(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.data.value.ResAttr.convertToResXmlFormat(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResAttrDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.AXmlResourceParser.getAttributeValue(Unknown Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.XmlPullParserDelegate.getAttributeValue(Unknown Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.StaticXmlSerializerWrapper.writeStartTag(Unknown Source)
at org.xmlpull.v1.wrapper.classic.StaticXmlSerializerWrapper.event(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.XmlPullStreamDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResStreamDecoderContainer.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.decoder.ResFileDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.res.AndrolibResources.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.Androlib.decodeResourcesFull(Unknown Source)
at brut.androlib.ApkDecoder.decode(Unknown Source)
at brut.apktool.Main.cmdDecode(Unknown Source)
at brut.apktool.Main.main(Unknown Source)

what's up? i'm new at theming,i use apk_manager 4.9 with the apktool attached by sonnysekhon one page back.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
For SystemUI to decompile properly, you may have to install the framework of the ROM you are trying to create a theme for. Try this in cmd:

java -jar apktool.jar if <PATH_TO_YOUR>/framework-res.apk
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
thanks a lot,it worked fine! no errors when decompiling SystemUI.apk now,but i'm stuck in editing the text color..

what do i have to edit exactly to make the notification parts black with white text? like in your "lucid" theme

here's my actual situation

i only miss to change that light grey notification square to black and to change the text color from black and grey to white,then i'm done! :)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
You have to edit status_bar_latest_event_content.xml in framework/res/drawable.

Not sure about the exact line but you need to add android:textColor="#ffffffff" to make the text white. Also in res/drawable-hdpi, change status_bar_item_background_normal.9 to a dark background.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] dreamsforgotten:
Ticker text is the scrolling words at the top left when you get a text, clock is in smali, notifications are in the status bar expanded xml but there is no color codes in the code native. You just add the android: color="ffxxxxxx" in somewhere before the android id. Use a line of code that has it as a guide. Change the ongoing notifications notification title etc
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
wow,thanks to both of you! i'm doing some experiments,it seems to quite work.

that's my actual progress:

i have to remove that grey separator between notifications and there's some more black text appearing sometime, i didn't recognize it yet but it's not impossible to do :)

i also accidentally made the "In Corso" carrier text white,now i have to also find where to make the carrier name "I WIND" white too (or neon green maybe :D).

it does only interest me to change the text colors,all i need is in status_bar_latest_event_content.xml and status_bar_expanded.xml,am i right?
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] dreamsforgotten:
Looks great! your def getting it.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
For the carrier text color, in layout/status_bar_expanded.xml,

change

<com.android.systemui.statusbar.CarrierLabel android:textAppearance="?android:textAppearanceLarge" android:textColor="#ffdfdfdf" android:layout_gravity="center_vertical" android:paddingLeft="4.0dip" android:paddingBottom="1.0dip" android:layout_width="0.0dip" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginLeft="5.0dip" android:layout_marginTop="1.0dip" android:layout_weight="1.0" />

to

<com.android.systemui.statusbar.CarrierLabel android:textAppearance="?android:textAppearanceLarge" android:textColor="#ffffffff" android:layout_gravity="center_vertical" android:paddingLeft="4.0dip" android:paddingBottom="1.0dip" android:layout_width="0.0dip" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginLeft="5.0dip" android:layout_marginTop="1.0dip" android:layout_weight="1.0" />

To get rid of the grey divider, in SystemUI/res/drawable-hdpi, change divider_horizontal_light_opaque.9 to a transparent image.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
hi...it's me again. first of all,thank you guys again,you're really helping me with my theme. i didn't have a clue on how to edit those infamous xml's before! :)

i sorted out how to edit the music "now playing" notification part by myself..i'm slowly understanding how it works.

i tried to fix the downloadprovider.apk too, to make the text white and it's ok,but the background is crap and i don't know how to change it into a plain black too.

also,the progress bar is that yellow-orangeish and i'd like to make it neon green too.

last thing (for now :P),do you know if there's some "standard" hex code for neon green? i made some tests but i can't find the exact one that everyone uses.

that's my last progress:

p.s. imho the full black pulldown is awesome on amoled screen! far better than transparent one :)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
For the progressbar, put the following code in framework/drawable/progress_horizontal.xml. This is Gingerbread green but you can tweak it to your liking.

About the other issue, editing download provider xmls fixes the market download text but not for other downloads. Not sure how to fix that. Was that your question?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<layer-list
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:id="@android:id/background">
<shape>
<corners android:radius="5.0dip" />
<gradient android:startColor="#ff444444" android:endColor="#ff444444" android:angle="270.0" android:centerY="0.7" android:centerColor="#ff444444" />
</shape>
</item>
<item android:id="@android:id/secondaryProgress">
<clip>
<shape>
<corners android:radius="5.0dip" />
<gradient android:startColor="#8016e8ff" android:endColor="#a00f9cac" android:angle="270.0" android:centerY="0.8" android:centerColor="#801ad5eb" />
</shape>
</clip>
</item>
<item android:id="@android:id/progress">
<clip>
<shape>
<corners android:radius="5.0dip" />
<gradient android:startColor="#ff8ebf2a" android:endColor="#ff8ebf2a" android:angle="270.0" android:centerY="0.8" android:centerColor="#ff8ebf2a" />
</shape>
</clip>
</item>
</layer-list>
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] dreamsforgotten:
A quick shortcut to finding the right color code is use the color chooser in gimp. It gives you 6 color numbers, everything after the ff.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] Moystard:
I am using the SupeAOSP ROM on my Nexus S and I have a problem with the brand new Music application. Some resources are changed by the ROM and the application looks ugly: big square instead of the pin icon notably.

Do you have a quick method to fix that? I guess I have to change the resources embedded by the ROM...
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Look in the res/drawable folders of the app and change the image that you dislike.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
i'm quite done with my theme (then i'll show you :))..i just don't know how to put a custom background to the titlebar? i found some nice images for title_bar_medium.9.png,title_bar_tall.9.png and they just work fine..but if i change title_bar_portrait.9.png or title_bar.9.png,nothing changes. i still get the usual grey titlebar. i also tried editing activity_title_bar.9.png but then i have FCs on every app i try to run. do i have to edit some .xml to have a simple image as titlebar or what?

and another question is: what do you advise me to do to start creating a CM7 t-mobile theme? to get a ready theme (like androidian) and edit it or start from scratch?

does a cm7 theme cover all the existing mods (images + statusbar/notification,etc..) or it's also needed to prepare a standalone morph for some missing xmls?
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
In CM7, the notifications title background is called shade_header_background.9 in SystemUI and not titlebar_portrait.9.

Follow this guide for the Theme Chooser themes:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=964391
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
er.. i mean this grey bar on top of the screen..isn't it called "titlebar"? it's the same in all apps and i didnt find how to change it yet.

i checked shade_header_background.9.png but it's the notifications title background bar on notification pulldown,just below the power widget.

i'm just trying to make it look like the second one (which is taken off a cm7 theme) but i can't find/edit that file :confused:

p.s. thanks for the tmobile theming thread tip! i'll study it asap ;)
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Look for activity_title_bar.9 in the framework.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
yea,i tried to edit that png but then i have FCs on all apps i try to run.

i've read there's some 9patch infos in this png and i have to dig out how to use a themed one preserving those infos inside.

in CM7 themes the activity_title_bar.9 is redirected to frameworks_res_title_bar.9.png.. how to do it on framework-res.apk?

that's from android.xml inside androidian.apk:

<item name="drawable/title_bar">@drawable/frameworks_res_title_bar</item>
<item name="drawable/activity_title_bar">@drawable/frameworks_res_title_bar</item>

i tried also this but i didn't understand how to make it work. :(
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
If you edit that png and break the .9 image, it will FC some apps because they will fail to load the title. You can get an all black one from my onyx theme. Its already .9 patched. Put that in your framework and you're good to go.

I would suggest focusing your time on the theme chooser themes as they are superior and compatibility is no issue.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] etoy:
thanks a lot,i realized how to edit it using your black one as template,i added a 1px neon green line and i'm set with that too!

i love how it looks now,apk manager is still my best friend :) thanks for your useful tips.

i'd like to kinda finish my theme idea as a "preview", editing the single apks..then i'll focus on creating a theme chooser theme from scratch, adding every single mod i did but i think it will be a long and hard work. is it possible to include ALL the mods in a single theme chooser theme or i'll have to prepare also some additional morph, due to some limitations? i've seen you made some morph for lucid,vivid,etc... is it because of some limitation of the CM7 theme engine?
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Yes, due to the limitations of the theme engine, the lockscreen and some system dialogs etc can't be themed, that's why you need the morphs.
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] MaxPatlick:
edit: ^^^ that looks like an answer to my question

I'm asking this question for my girlfriend.. how hard would it be to change the unlock icon to the nyan cat?
[Nexus S Themes and Apps] sonnysekhon:
Not sure what you meant by nyan cat, but changing the unlock icons is easy. Just put the ones you like in a morph. Or better yet, put them in your ROM before flashing in system/framework/framework-res.apk/res/drawable-hdpi.