[THEME-62] Black and White Arc theme v13 [MAY-9-2012]

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bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
I made a nice black/white theme for the Arc with help of the UOT Kitchen v4, some modding and using the great themes of hansip87 (10-in-1) and like-p (v1.8 mod) as base themes. It's based on the original Arc theme and therefore it doesn't have graphical glitches like a lot of highly customized themes. The theme is compatible with the 4.0.2.A.0.62 firmware of the Arc. Arc S and Neo are not supported but may work. Also flashing on a locked bootloader using Xperia CWM Auto-Installer may not work so be warned and make backups! It may also be required to re-login into you Google-account due to replacing of system-files.

WHAT I'VE ADDED/CHANGED:
-Customized selectable/sliding notification area widgets v2b (tnx to sj8023ld and rablex) in black and white with 2G/3G toggle. Widgets can be changed by using the included QuickPanel Settings app.
-CRT on/off animations (tnx to unknown Japanese user).
-Reboot options to CWM, fastboot and normal reboot (tnx to AdamTt, tRippinthehead and Black_jackss) in power-menu.
-Swipe-to-Remove notifications (tnx to ThJap).
-Kill app long-pressing back-button (tnx to kenjidct). Enable under Settings => Apps => Development.
-Media volume stepping in 30 steps instead of 10 (tnx to AndroidON).
-Disabled scrolling cache to improve smoothness while scrolling in list-view (tnx to AndroidON).
-Xperia S style lock-screen (tnx to FlamEmo).
-Increased smoothness of spinners (tnx to D.O.C).
-UOT Kitchen v4 changes: black/white theme, battery icon with percentage, glowing parts, customized notification area, flying animations, bubbles loading circle.
-Customized system-backgrounds. You can choose from 10 system-backgrounds in addition to the default SE themes. Suggestions for new system-backgrounds (at least 960x854 resolution in good quality) are welcome. I will not add more system-backgrounds, but instead I will replace system-backgrounds to not let the size of the package get too big. Choose them under: Settings => Display => Theme. Or don't replace DefaultThemes.apk to have only the default Sony-Ericsson themes.
-ICS boot-animation. Can easily be changed for something else by replacing bootanimation.zip with another custom animation. Or don't copy bootanimation.zip to have the default boot-animation.
-Recompiled .apk files to minimize the file-size.
-Zipaligned .apk files for optimal performance.

CWM FLASHABLE INSTALL (using DooMLoRD's kernel):
1. Make a backup as a lot of people don't read these instructions and end up in a boot-loop!

2. Download/transfer the zipped flashable theme to your phone: CWM_BnW Arc theme v13 for 4.0.2.A.0.62.zip: MediaFire

3. Start your phone at least once before flashing the file in CWM. Flashing directly after a firmware flash may result in a bootloop.

4. Restart and you're done!

MANUAL INSTALL (using rooted stock kernel):
1. Make a backup as a lot of people don't read these instructions and end up in a boot-loop!

2. Download the theme: BnW Arc theme v13 for 4.0.2.A.0.62.zip: MediaFire

3. Extract all the files in the zip-file to /system/

4. Change the permissions of the files as below (when applicable). Double-check each file as you could end up in a boot-loop if you don't set them right!
bootanimation.zip (boot-animation) = "owner/user: ---, group: rwx, world/everybody: r-x" (chmod 075)
QuickPanelSettings.apk (QuickPanel Settings) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
android.policy.jar (reboot-options) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
framework.jar (reboot-options) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
SemcPhone.apk (phone app modded for 2G/3G toggle) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
framework-res.apk (theme, reboot-options and mods) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
DefaultThemes.apk (system-background) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
libsurfaceflinger.so (CRT-on/off animations) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
Settings.apk (settings app modded for kill app by long-pressing back-button) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)
SystemUI.apk (theme and mods) = "owner/user: rw-, group: r--, world/everybody: r--" (chmod 644)

5. Move the files (when applicable) to the right place in the below order or you may have to restart (multiple times) to move them all due to UI-errors. Be sure the permissions are set as in step 4!
bootanimation.zip = /data/local/
QuickPanelSettings.apk = /system/app/
android.policy.jar = /system/framework/
framework.jar = /system/framework/
SemcPhone.apk = /system/app/
framework-res.apk = /system/framework/
DefaultThemes.apk = /system/app/
libsurfaceflinger.so = /system/lib/
Settings.apk = /system/app/
SystemUI.apk = /system/app/

6. Restart and you're done!

SCREENSHOTS:


NOTES:
-The launcher on the screens is GO Launcher EX.
-Widgets on the screens are: Palmary Weather Premium and Aix Weather Widget, Android Pro Widgets, SiMi Clock Pro (Donate), Simple Calendar Widget, Beltegoed Sinopia, GTasks, TrackID™, PlayerPro Music Player.
-Icons and dock background are from Custom Launcher Icons / DroidIcon.
-The original SE 4.0.2.A.0.42 firmware files can be found here (tnx to XperienceD) in case you want to return to the stock theme or want to recover from a bootloop. To recover from a bootloop you can use CWM, also on a locked bootloader using Xperia CWM Auto-Installer. Just replace the files in my CWM package with the original files and flash it to go back to the stock theme. Bootanimation.zip can be deleted manually to have the original SE boot-animation.

CHANGES FROM v12 TO v13:
-Customized selectable/sliding notification area widgets v2b (tnx to sj8023ld and rablex) in black and white with 2G/3G toggle. Widgets can be changed by using the included QuickPanel Settings app.
-CRT on/off animations (tnx to unknown Japanese user).
-Reboot options to CWM, fastboot and normal reboot (tnx to AdamTt, tRippinthehead and Black_jackss) in power-menu.
-Swipe-to-Remove notifications (tnx to ThJap).
-Kill app long-pressing back-button (tnx to kenjidct). Enable under Settings => Apps => Development
-Media volume stepping in 30 steps instead of 10 (tnx to AndroidON).
-Disabled scrolling cache to improve smoothness while scrolling in list-view (tnx to AndroidON).
-Xperia S style lock-screen (tnx to FlamEmo).
-Increased smoothness of spinners (tnx to D.O.C).
-UOT Kitchen v4 changes: black/white theme, battery icon with percentage, glowing parts, customized notification area, flying animations, bubbles loading circle.
 
Last edited:

Kalram

Member
Aug 4, 2011
10
1
When replacing SystemUI.apk I got an infinite loop saying the status bar keeps crashing.
I can't even get to the phone restart.
I have set the permissions of the new files as you said (rw- r-- r--).

What can I do?

Edit: Hey, as always, I got an idea just after pressing "send"… By locking the screen, I can access to the "Turn off" function without being blocked by that error.

However my phone self restarted after placing "framework-res.apk" into "/system/folder".
Now it's in an infinite loop of restart :(


Edit²: From what I've read I should have used Root Explorer, other apps can't set permissions correctly.
Seems I have to flash my phone again. Is my only solution for stopping it to remove the battery?


Edit³ : I took the battery off, then reflashed it. This time I bought Root Explorer to change permissions and apply the theme, no error message and my theme is in!
(I made a slight variation of your Black&White in the end)

I'm on a Xperia Neo and everything works so far.

I hope my story will help some people ;)
 
Last edited:
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bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
Sorry for the late reply. You could have flashed the doomlord custom kernel with recovery support. Then it was possible to flash a theme via a zip-file with all the right permissions.

But flashing also works :). I always use su file manager to set permissions. Root explorer also works. Just always check the permissions when they are in the system directory, before you move them to their final destination.
 

Kalram

Member
Aug 4, 2011
10
1
The thing is, I have a locked bootloader and want to keep it that way for warranty.
So I guess I can't install any kind of recovery, from what I've sawn.
Thanks for the help anyway, much appreciated !
 

bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
Can I just use "framework-res.apk" ??
No. You have to set permissions and move it to the right locations. installing it the normal way will not work. Or you mean mod it with UOT then yes, but use this one as it includes a reboot option and without you could end up in boot loop.
 
Last edited:

bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
Ditched the CM version as the status bar cannot be changed with UOT. When you want a nice black and white skin for CM then use JAMT Black (Free or Donate)

Updated the skin with notification widgets, reboot v2, and some transparency for the notification pull-down background. Rest is the same. Will upload when UOT is back online.
 

bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
Added a version for the 42 firmware. This one is exactly the same as the 368 version apart from reboot v1 (no reboot into recovery). Will update to reboot v2 once it has gotten an update.
 

bassie112

Senior Member
Apr 17, 2011
489
118
I have installed ur theme and I like it very much! :)
Thank you for your work.

But can u please make the theme without widget toggles (under the notification bar) ?

And with honeycomb circle battery in this thread below?

Please tell if u want to make it or not ;)

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1284651

When you don't use systemui I think you get the default notification area. So restore the factory systemui and you would be fine. I will have to look into the battery styles. Will get back on this.
 

chitose_ndy

Senior Member
Jan 30, 2011
1,756
193
30
Jakarta
When you don't use systemui I think you get the default notification area. So restore the factory systemui and you would be fine. I will have to look into the battery styles. Will get back on this.

But I like the transparent notification background,
I just can't do the transparent notif background..
Somehow I always fail..
I try to flash with adamtt file but the notif background unable to be transaparent..

If u don't mind please upload it :)

Thank you for ur kindness ;)

Sent from my LT15i using xda premium
 

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