New to droid modding

[chrisl20]

hey, im skynyrd...im pretty new to all this modding stuff.. Started a few weeks ago while i was on a 9 day road trip i was bored, as could imagine,.. and i started looking up ways to make my droid2 faster just for the soul fact that my original droid seemed faster than my all-new-all-powerful-DROID2!. So, with laptop and phone in hand with 6k miles of driving, i started to slowly learn how to oh-so-simply put liberty 1.5 on my phone...then i wanted to overclock, and theme it....so i found out about droidoverclock, and a sexy red and black theme by darkandroid and stuck it on...now, i want more...I have been reading up for the 2 weeks ive been back from my almost 2 week adventure, and i will not stop reading and trying until i successfully make my own theme, and *fingers crossed* maybe make my own app...so, im sure there will be a post or two from me on here,...or maybe even a couple other forums...thanks to all in advance for any help you give, or have already given from me reading up on a prior post,...and thanks for your patience with another eager nOOb...to start off, i dont expect a reply to this here but, i have a couple ?s that if answered here or directed to a correct thread could save me hours of searching...I would like to know the simplest way of figuring theme modification...I have 7zip and dropbox and android sdk, eclipse, java jdk ide ee(i think that is the one i downloaded, id have to look again to be certain...I was wondering if i could simply just open the framework apk and change the png files i wanted to without having to resign the apk before installing...i was also curious as to which apks and zips need to be resigned, and if i need to rename said framework or compile it to a zip and rename update.zip...annnnd if it could be ran from bootstrapper or pushed by adb or using metamorph... ..also..lol sorry, stupid e-ffin intro i know, and apologize again.... what is the best way to edit the .9.png files...i have photoshop cs5 but doesnt have the fireworks package...i also have gimp....really, honestly....i have downloaded a whooolllle ton of stuff that i probably dont need, but by the time i am done studying up allll of this stuff...i will be successful with what i want to do...again, thank you for reading all of this dreadful message, and double thanks if you can give me a nudge in the correct direction on any of my ordeals.

 

[CJM]

Welcome to the forum.

what is the best way to edit the .9.png files..

Heres a tutorial on.9.png's:http://www.droidforums.net/forum/up-coming-themers/123430-tutorial-drawpatch9.html
You can use adb or metamorph to apply your changes. I'm not familiar with bootstrapper.

 

[252chevyboyz]

Welcome, CJM has posted a good link there. Bootstrapper could be beneficial if your flashing roms. For flashing almost everything else i just use metamorph. MM is a good way to install .zip files i think. You prolly could run it through bootstrap tho prolly and be fine as bootstrap views everything on the sdcard

 

[Hawaiian Princess]

welcome to the forum! hey I haven't come across this link before...lol...well then

Swype with an Aloha from Hawaii

 

[dlwhtrose]

Welcome to the forum. We also have a subsection dedicated to the Droid2 that you may find interesting. To get there click on the Forum tab at the top of the page then scroll down until you see the Droid 2 section.

 

[chrisl20]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, I guess I forgot to mention I do already have bootstrap and have been making nandroid backups so I don't haveto go to my local verizon dealer and say "well idk what happened, but its not working...please help an idiot such as myself..."...buuut, I probly could because the "dealers" that work at the verizon store are VERY far from tech savvy...I tried editing out my pattern lock and ditching the regular circles that came w the reddroid theme and making them gears of war cog skulls, then when that failed I tried making them allll transparent for a super sleek spy look, but that was an epic fail too...probably because I tried signing the framwork res apk before I put it back in it reddroid zip and flashed it using bootstrap...I read somewhere last night that SOME things DON'T need resigned and some do? Anyone help w some clarification as to which is pertaining to my delimma? Do or don't resign...that is the ?....again thanks all

 

[CJM]

Try going to Droidpirate.com and see how they metamorph the lockscreens. I think you might have better luck with metamorph. When you find a morph that works for you, just use 7zip to swap the images with ones you made.

 

[chrisl20]

learn linux?

should i study up on linux proficiently so i can just push and pull certain files as i please or is metamorph and bootstrapper a more simple and convenient way to go about doing the theme modification as i please?

 

[CJM]

Being able to push and pull files is easiest. So any studying you do will pay off. Meta Morph also works and it isn't hard to create your own. Theres a “how to" video on youtube by stericson about making your own meta morphs.

Swyped from a Droid

 

[chrisl20]

Thanks again for all your help guys, i am an idiot though, i guess i should have read up more about AOSP and how liberty doesnt use the regular blur lockscreen png's, but now that im figuring it out, im determined to make a Frankenstein theme of limeslice, dark android red, star wars, and juice red themes, ...only thing im taking from limeslice is going the be the market i think, maybe the sick lockscreen with the r2d2 images edited in instead of the regular lock and vibrate, again thanks you all for your patience and wisdom, your helping turn a complete NOOB, into a rookie, and maybe someday ill be up to par enough to make my own theme instead of bastardizing everyone elses