[TUTORIAL] How to easily THEMES .apk (for DEODEXED ROM only)
- Thread starter Andrewtst
- Start date
Well CyanogenMOD has a built in theme chooser. You can get themes from the playstore or in XDA Android Themes section.
You can get a look-a-like Xperia Z theme here : http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2259148
Download the APK then install it and go to theme chooser in settings and apply it.
hi, i just want to change some .png files to make an app look in another color. but if i replace them with the 7-zip method via drag and drop i get an error while installing the apk. i get the error "app was not installed" is there something i miss? even if i try it via decompile and recompile the app can't get installed.
help please.
help please.
Did you sign your apk after recompile?
Also uninstall the older apk to take card of signature mismatch....
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25After few days surfing, asking & testing. I decide to make a easily tutorial for theming in Windows, I think as long you know to use computer, they is nothing much difficult to theming/modifying the .apk yourself.
My guide only cover:- De-compile & compile of .apk
- changing the .png file inside .apk
- Modifying tricky .9.png file.
- Modifying .xml file.
- Zip Align the .apk
What you need:
- Your phone must be ROOT and DEODEXED.
- CWM pre-install recommended, you can simply get this function by installing superatmos / Lucifr kernel.
- 7-zip - for replacing file inside .apk
- JRE (Java Runtime Environment) - required to run the APKtool
- Android-SDK - must install before APKtool & Zipalign work.
- APKTool Download the apktool & also apktool-install-windows.
Before Start:
- Always remember make a backup for any .apk file you plan to change or amend.
- Recommended make a flash-able version of origin not amend .apk in-case something went wrong, you can always flash back the original file via CWM. Example if you did something wrong in your systemUI.apk (for statusbar) it will probably make your phone nearly impossible access any part due to unstop FC.
- ronhoover88
- superatmos
- tarunagg
- Vertumus
10My Achievement
Below is what you can get after themes. Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM BELOW, NOT RELATED TO S II - i9100G
CENTER CLOCK for SONY XPERIA Z phone.
De-compile the SystemUI.apk, then change some code at status_bar.xml in /res/layout
Step 1 - FindCode:<com.android.systemui.statusbar.policy.Clock android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Clock" android:gravity="left|center" android:id="@id/clock" android:paddingLeft="6.0dip" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:singleLine="true" />
Step 2 - Replace Step 1 code withCode:<com.android.systemui.statusbar.policy.Clock android:id="@id/clock" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:gravity="center_horizontal|center" android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.StatusBar.Clock" android:singleLine="true" />
Step 3 - Then search forCode:xmlns:systemui="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/com.android.systemui">
and now cut Step 2 code and paste in bottom Step 3 code.
Step 4 - Lastly findand past following code beside it.Code:<LinearLayout android:orientation="horizontal" android:id="@id/ticker"Code:android:background="@drawable/status_bar_background"
Save the edited status_bar.xml
Sony Xperia Z Center Clock Screenshot.
8Modifying .xml file
- After you have de-compile the .apk, now all inside .xml is readable where you can make some changes on the color selection, clock position and etc. by just simply open with notepad and modified.
- Before de-compile, the .xml look like below which is not readable and understand by human.
- After de-compile, now the .xml is readable and understand by human.
- Now you can amend what ever you like, Google/Search XDA forum for which .XML to amend.
- Use this color code checker site for getting your desire color code.
- After done, don't forget, you must compile back the .xml before it is understandable by Android OS.
- Screenshot below showing modifying the sub text .xml to ICS blue color.
Change allat zzz_tw_secondary_text_sub.xmlCode:from android:color="#ffffffff to [B]android:color="#ff3f9bbf[/B]
7De-compile & Compile of .apk
Why this step is required:
- You need to de-compile the .apk before you can correctly modified the tricky .9.png and also to see a readable .xml for amending.
- Install JRE (Java Runtime Environment) & Android-SDK.
- Download the apktool & also apktool-install-windows, extract the file and put inside your Windows Folder.
- Open command prompt (Start - Run - CMD)
- Before de-compile the .apk, make sure you copy out your current phone framework-res.apk & twframework-res.apk, lidroid-res.apk only required if you using lidroid-res.apk in your framework.
Code:[B]apktool if [location of .apk][/B] Example: apktool if D:\APK\framework-res.apk apktool if D:\APK\twframework-res.apk apktool if D:\APK\lidroid-res.apk - Now, De-compile the .apk
Code:[B]apktool d [filename.apk] [directory][/B] Example: apktool d D:\framework-res.apk D:\De-compile - If sucess, you will seen the following line in your CMD.
- The De-compile folder will be generate as seen below.
- Now you can amend whatever you like to amend, after done, proceed to following step.
- Compile back:
Code:[B]apktool b [directory][/B] Example: apktool b D:\De-compile - Extra build folder will appear inside your De-compile folder, all file inside here already compile and can use later in your Android phone.
7Modifying tricky .9.png file.
- The .9.png cannot just simply amend using any photoshop and put back, because by doing so, either the amend .9.png won't appear or just simply give you FC in your phone when running it.
What to do:
- De-compile the .apk.
- Below showing the different between before and after de-compile of .9.png, as you can seen on right image,they is extra 4 black dot + 1 black bar and surrouding with transparent bar, all this area must be keep and not amend during photoshop. The de-compile image will auto increase 1 x pixel + 1 y Pixel.
- Just amend without touching those area, save it and then put back to correct folder and compile back.
