[MOD] Enable Xperia S on-screen buttons (Stock ICS)

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Hi, all!

It's my first mod and first thread on XDA, so forgive my mistakes.
I really don't like the Xperia S capacitive buttons. After ask a question about the matter on XDA, I decided to try to do it myself. And after a few hours eating some bits, I could finish my work:

Native ICS on-screen buttons on Xperia S!!!
(See screenshots attached)

Short story:

I started reading this post, that led me to this other post that led me to try to use a tool called apktool. Sadly, apktool seems a little buggy and I decided to modify the framework-res.apk without decompile and recompile it. How? Binary diff. I can't say it was easy, but after a few hours I could modify the apk. In the Long story, on the second post, I'll tell how.

Things you need:

1. Root your device (see this post to learn how to unlock and root)
2. adb installed (or a working recovery)

Things I don't need to say (but I will):

YOU are responsible for any damage this mod could cause in your phone. I did exactly what I described below and it worked for me, but only God can make sure it will work for you. I don't think it's a big deal since you can flash you ROM again in case of any problem.

How to backup:

If you really want to backup your original framework-res.apk, run it before installing:

brunojcm@brunojcm-desktop:~/Android/LT26i$ adb pull /system/framework/framework-res.apk framework-res.apk.bkp

And save the file framework-res.apk.bkp.
It's not very important because you can get this file from the ROM package or from here (link from optik19918).


How to install:

Install this mod is as simple as replace the file /system/framework/framework-res.apk by the modified framework-res.apk. Here follow some options to accomplish that:

Option 1 (via adb):

1. Choose a folder on your computer
2. Download framework-res.apk.

For firmware 6.1.A.0.452:
mediafire
my home (slow link)

For firmware 6.1.A.1.58:
my home (slow link)

For firmware 6.1.A.2.45:
my home (slow link)

3. Run the following steps (I did on Ubuntu Linux, but they are easily translatable to Windows):

brunojcm@brunojcm-desktop:~/Android/LT26i$ adb shell
shell@android:/ $ su
shell@android:/ # mount -o remount,rw /system
shell@android:/ # mkdir /system/tmp
shell@android:/ # ^D
shell@android:/ $ ^D
brunojcm@brunojcm-desktop:~/Android/LT26i$ adb push framework-res.apk /system/tmp/framework-res.apk
4765 KB/s (15874684 bytes in 3.253s)

brunojcm@brunojcm-desktop:~/Android/LT26i$ adb shell
shell@android:/ $ su
shell@android:/ $ mv /system/tmp/framework-res.apk /system/framework/framework-res.apk
shell@android:/ # ls -l /system/framework/framework-res.apk                    
-rw-rw-rw- shell    shell    15874684 2012-06-28 03:58 framework-res.apk
shell@android:/ # rmdir /system/tmp
shell@android:/ # mount -o remount,ro /system
shell@android:/ # ^D
shell@android:/ $ ^D
brunojcm@brunojcm-desktop:~/Android/LT26i$ adb reboot

4. Wait your phone to restart
5. Thanks me by clicking 'Thanks' button below
6. Say some bad words to the physical buttons!!!

Option 2 (via recovery):

1. Download the on-screen-buttons.zip
2. Reboot on recovery
3. Apply this zip
4. Restart the phone
5. Thanks me by clicking 'Thanks' button below (and also Soheil_rf for the zip version)
6. Say some bad words to the physical buttons!!!

Option 3 (via file manager):

1. Download the same file of option 1, step 2 (above)
2. Use your favorite file manager to copy the downloaded file to /system/framework/framework-res.apk
3. Restart the phone
4. Thanks me by clicking 'Thanks' button below
5. Say some bad words to the physical buttons!!!

How to uninstall:

Just repeat Option 1 or 3 above, but using the framework-res.apk.bkp you backed up or this one (link from optik19918).

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Some points:

1. The file is really smaller than the original, and it must be caused by the linux archive app when I copied the patched 'resources.arsc' to the original apk. It worked for me up to now, but I will try to figure out why it happened.
2. I will explain how I patched the 'resources.arsc' and changed the boolean value in the first reply of the thread. It was a pain in the ass, but worth sharing (edit: explained here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1823223).

Long story

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Reserved to tell the long story about the patch, If I have time.

EDIT:

And finally had some time! But it was to big for a single answer, I created a new thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=29979582

Hope you like it!

Thanks a lot! Can u make a flashable zip since now we have recovery in kernel!

Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

Originally Posted by WebMuth

Thanks a lot! Can u make a flashable zip since now we have recovery in kernel!
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

I don't know how to do it yet, but I can learn. :P

Let's test it on more devices before, and then we can do it.

Thanks!
but man pls upload it to mediafire or something like that! is to slow 50 minutes to download

Great Work

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I make it Flashable on-screen-buttons.zip



@ brunojcm :also I can make smaller buttons if you tell us how to patch resources
Thanks brunojcm

Wow this app is amazing, Awesome work guys....
I now only have to press once to go back or home, BUT there is one little problem. The last botton on the right is not assigned to open the settings menu like the original one. Is this fixable?
thx though grate work!!!!
Also could you make the black border slightly slimmer...

Originally Posted by slyevo

Wow this app is amazing, Awesome work guys....
I now only have to press once to go back or home, BUT there is one little problem. The last botton on the right is not assigned to open the settings menu like the original one. Is this fixable?
thx though grate work!!!!
Also could you make the black border slightly slimmer...

That button is for the task manager if you noticed is not needed the other button becose in apps that require that button now there is a new button with 3 dots that is the settings button

Oh and this thread is not ment for development section, but for themes and apps

Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

Originally Posted by WebMuth

That button is for the task manager if you noticed is not needed the other button becose in apps that require that button now there is a new button with 3 dots that is the settings button

Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

I have just figured that out, A bit late i know. Your mod is amazing i hit the correct button every time now!

Nice!
I've updated my xperia S to ICS. but i didnt find a topic about rooting it...
could you please point me to that topic? thanks

I'm going to unlock BL today just because this hack!


Portugal!