[Guide][MOD] How to Mod Espier Launcher

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WhiteBoy997

Senior Member
Sep 13, 2010
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717
The Garden State
What errors does it give, and soon, I'm going to make some edits to make it simpler.


Sent from my Liberty using XDA App

im using apk manager, instead of apktool, and ive edited my arrays.xml, so when i run the script, i choose compile, and it says an error has occurred, then asks if its a system apk, (y,n), so i chose no, and the script closes.

ive tried recompiling it as a system app, ive installed it on my phone both signed and unsigned apks. they both just force close. im very familiar with apk manager, and i have no clue why its doing this.

ive tried apktool and it doesnt compile either.

any suggestions?
 
Last edited:

WhiteBoy997

Senior Member
Sep 13, 2010
718
717
The Garden State
lol the indentation doesnt matter. i know that for a fact.

any chance you could create the apk, with just the modified arrays.xml?

if you can, pm me, because the arrays.xml i sent you was an old one, and i have a completed one on my desktop.

thanks bro
 
Last edited:

supetawesomedude

Senior Member
Mar 17, 2011
346
84
Gilroy
lol the indentation doesnt matter. i know that for a fact.

any chance you could create the apk, with just the modified arrays.xml?

if you can, pm me, because the arrays.xml i sent you was an old one, and i have a completed one on my desktop.

thanks bro
sure, ill try. just send me the icons that you've chosen and named.

**UPDATE**
METHOD FOR ASSIGNING THIRD-PARTY APP ICONS HAS BEEN UPDATED, HOPEFULLY MAKING IT EASIER AND FASTER TO FOLLOW. PLEASE SEE ORIGINAL POST FOR NEW SCREENSHOT AS WELL.
 
Last edited:

kristjanp

Senior Member
Feb 11, 2011
60
2
how to edit the launcher, so it wouldnt show browser and messages, contacts,phone apps twice, on dock, and on main screen?

Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
 

WhiteBoy997

Senior Member
Sep 13, 2010
718
717
The Garden State
Just go under preferences> application hide > function switch to on> and choose the apps you don't want to be shown on your desktop screens.

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G
 

kristjanp

Senior Member
Feb 11, 2011
60
2
I know that function, but it isnt what i need. I have phone,messages,contacts,browser on home screen with icons and on dock they are also but with different icons...when i remove dock icons and put them on screen, then theres double of each of those apps. With different icons also. Il make a screenshot

edit:

screenshot-1327590289318.png
 
Last edited:

TMinh

Senior Member
Aug 19, 2009
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Danang, Vietnam
facebook.com
I know that function, but it isnt what i need. I have phone,messages,contacts,browser on home screen with icons and on dock they are also but with different icons...when i remove dock icons and put them on screen, then theres double of each of those apps. With different icons also. Il make a screenshot

edit:

screenshot-1327590289318.png

It's the app own functions. All you need to do to avoid double icons is hide Contacts, Phone, Browser and Messaging (icon number 1,2,4 and 7 on screenshot) in preference.
 

supetawesomedude

Senior Member
Mar 17, 2011
346
84
Gilroy
I know that function, but it isnt what i need. I have phone,messages,contacts,browser on home screen with icons and on dock they are also but with different icons...when i remove dock icons and put them on screen, then theres double of each of those apps. With different icons also. Il make a screenshot

edit:

screenshot-1327590289318.png

Instead of trying to hide the shortcuts made by the app itself, hide the stock browser, phone, messaging. Works great for me! Just follow the instuctons a few posts up.

Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
 

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    c33ec723d787deeace48c2ce8bf16.jpg

    After receiving many questions on how I modded my Espier Launcher.apk I decided to write this tutorial. Many thanks to Taine0 for inspiration and initial instructions!



    WHAT THIS GUIDE IS FOR:
    -How to change icons in espier launcher
    -How to change page indicators
    -How to change dock
    -How to change notification bubble
    -How to add custom icons (for apps not natively themed by espier launcher) RECENTLY EDITED
    -How to install onto phone

    A. Preliminary Steps:

    1. Install apktool

    2. Create a directory called Espier launcher mod

    3. Download Espier Launcher and rename to launcher.apk

    4. Place Espier Launcher into that directory.

    5. Open terminal.

    6. Change terminal directory to your Espier launcher mod folder.
    E.G. I ran this:
    Code:
    cd /home/gaurav/Desktop/Espier launcher mod

    7. Decompile the apk.
    Code:
    apktool d launcher.apk

    B. Changing basic icons.
    **UPDATE**
    Now, to prevent icons from being edited (in a bad way) by Espier Launcher, download this icon and place it in drawable-(h/m/l)dpi. This is crucial to prevent your icons from getting a weird white glow around them!

    1. Open res/drawable-(hdpi/ldpi/mdpi/xhdpi) *depending on what screen size your phone is. I have an mdpi so i will go into drawble-mdpi

    2. Change the desired icon
    For example, the file
    Code:
    ic_com_android_camera_preparecamera.png
    can be replaced by an image of the same (or similar) size. when you're done, it should look like:

    Screenshot

    3. Refer to Section G

    C. Changing page indicators

    1. Open res/drawable-mdpi

    2. Find the file:
    Code:
    ic_screen_level_focus.png 
    ic_screen_level_normal.png

    3. Replace these two files with desired ones

    4. Open res/drawable-hdpi

    5. Replace these files with desired images.
    Code:
    ic_screen_level_focus
    ic_screen_level_normal.png
    ic_screen_level_search_focus.png
    ic_screen_level_search_normal.png
    ic_screen_level_widget_focus.png
    ic_screen_level_widget_normal.png

    6. Refer to Section G.

    D. How to change dock

    1. Navigate to res/drawable-mdpi (in my case)

    2. Find file called
    Code:
    toolbar.png

    3. Replace with desired (make sure the dock image is correct size for your phone)

    4. Refer to Section G.

    E. How to change notification bubble.

    1. Open res/drawable-mdpi

    2. Find and replace with desired image
    Code:
    icon_shuzi1.png

    3. Refer to Section G.

    F. How to add custom icons

    *Warning* This section is a lot more confusing. Please read carefully. *Warning*


    1. Navigate to /res/values/arrays.xml

    2. Now, it gets tricky. ;)

    3. Go this website

    4. Search for an app. It should look like this:

    Screenshot

    5. Now, in arrays.xml, scroll down until you see this type of coding

    Screenshot

    6. Get to the end of that "chunk" of xml.

    7. Let's say we're theming the facebook app. So we add this to xml. (and fill it out with info)
    Code:
    <item>ACTIVITY_OF_APP</item>
    	<item>DESCRIPTIVE_ACTIVITY_OF_APP</item>
    	<item>@drawable/NAME_OF_APP</item>

    For example:
    Code:
    <item>com.facebook.katana</item>
    	<item>com.facebook.katana.LoginActivity</item>
    	<item>@drawable/facebook</item>

    You get the first line of info like this:

    Screenshot

    and the second:

    Screenshot

    in that third line of that xml we add (@drawable/NAME_OF_APP), you can name your app anything you want. i made it "facebook" in this case.

    8. Save and exit.

    9. Find a desired image for your application (in this case facebook).

    10. Rename it to "NAME_OF_APP.png" in this case, "facebook.png"

    11. Drop that file into drawable/mdpi

    12. Repeat steps 1-11 for as many applications as you want to theme.

    13. Refer to Section G.

    G. How to install on your phone

    1. First, save and close everything you're working on.

    2. Open your terminal, and change its directory to the "espier launcher mod" folder

    3. Type in
    Code:
    apktool b 'PATH_TO/espier launcher mod' 1.apk

    4. Take that 1.apk, and sign it, using a program like ApkSigner

    5. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.

    6. Mount it as a mass storage device.

    7. Transfer that signed.apk to the root of your sdcard.

    8. Now on your phone, uninstall any current version of EspierLauncher you may have.

    9. Then, using a file manager, install the signed.apk from your sdcard.

    YOU'RE DONE!

    Hope everyone finds this guide very useful! If you want to see what it looks like as a completed project Check out my DeviantArt
    4
    Well, thanks to supetawesomedude and his awesome guide, I moded espier launcher so now it has Suave theme :D This theme is for MDPI devices only (I dont have HDPI devices so I can't test). Backup your Espier Launcher config, remove it, install the file below and restore the config :D Enjoy :D

    2
    Ugh, can't get it to compile! I made all my changes, and went into command prompt and changed my directory to
    Code:
    C:\Users\Casey\Desktop\Espier launcher mod
    Then I typed
    Code:
    apktool b C:\Users\Casey\Desktop\Espier launcher mod 1.apk
    It just spits the settings back out at me, doesn't compile. I've tried with quotes, without quotes, everything. The only way I can get apktool to give me anything other then the commands it to change my directory to
    Code:
    C:\Users\Casey\Desktop\Espier launcher mod
    then type
    Code:
    apktool b 1.apk
    Then it gives me this:
    Code:
    Exception in thread "main" brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.directory.Direc
    toryException: java.io.FileNotFoundException: 1.apk (The system cannot find the
    file specified)
            at brut.androlib.Androlib.readMetaFile(Androlib.java:142)
            at brut.androlib.Androlib.build(Androlib.java:159)
            at brut.androlib.Androlib.build(Androlib.java:154)
            at brut.apktool.Main.cmdBuild(Main.java:182)
            at brut.apktool.Main.main(Main.java:67)
    Caused by: brut.directory.DirectoryException: java.io.FileNotFoundException: 1.a
    pk (The system cannot find the file specified)
            at brut.directory.ZipRODirectory.<init>(ZipRODirectory.java:55)
            at brut.directory.ZipRODirectory.<init>(ZipRODirectory.java:38)
            at brut.androlib.res.util.ExtFile.getDirectory(ExtFile.java:55)
            at brut.androlib.Androlib.readMetaFile(Androlib.java:138)
            ... 4 more
    Caused by: java.io.FileNotFoundException: 1.apk (The system cannot find the file
     specified)
            at java.util.zip.ZipFile.open(Native Method)
            at java.util.zip.ZipFile.<init>(Unknown Source)
            at java.util.zip.ZipFile.<init>(Unknown Source)
            at java.util.zip.ZipFile.<init>(Unknown Source)
            at brut.directory.ZipRODirectory.<init>(ZipRODirectory.java:53)
            ... 7 more

    Any suggestions? This is why I usually use apkmanager lol.
    You have to install framework-res.apk
    Copy the framework-res.apk (in /system/framework) to your Espier launcher mod folder

    Then, run this:

    C:\Users\Casey\Desktop\Espier launcher mod

    and then

    apktool if framework-res.apk

    Then continue with the guide
    2
    Serious tminh? I tries before and gave me trouble compiling. Will try this eve. Thmx


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

    Yes, so far I added up to 18 custom icons (those I use most).
    Just find custom icon, edit arrays.xml and compile, that's all. No need to edit anything in public.xml.
    And I compile/decompile/sign APKs by using APK Manager latest version (5.0.2), it's easier than typing command in apktool. Option 9 for decompile, 11 for compile and 12 for sign :)

    How to use it (for people who have never used it before :D )

    Instructions (Windows):
    - Place apk in appropriate folder (Any filename will work, if running for first time folders will not be there, you must run and then the folders will be created)
    - Run script
    - Minimize the script
    - Edit files inside the project folder
    - Maximize the script

    Instructions (Linux):
    - Place apk in appropriate folder (Any filename will work, if running for first time folders will not be there, you must run and then the folders will be created)
    - Open terminal and change-directory to apkmanager (Easiest way is to type "cd ")
    - Chmod 755 Script.sh
    - Chmod 755 all files apps inside other folder
    - Run script by typing ./Script.sh
    - Minimize the script
    - Edit files inside the out folder
    - Maximize the script


    You can use my modded Espier with Suave theme (attached below), add more icons since previous uploaded version.
    1
    I've been looking for ways to mod Espier Launcher and recently asked one users from deviantArt to teach me how but didn't get a response and now I saw this. Thanks a lot mate, this is very useful ! :]

    Yup! I got a lot of requests so I made this guide! Glad you like it!!

    Sent from my Liberty using XDA App