Theming Guide for changing system text settings.

[kook]

Stop changing activity title bar.9

It doesnt like changes....replace it with stock and try again.

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Weird, I have that image themed in my theme and works fine across all the roms I have it on. I would only do the framework through an update.zip. Also make sure that when editing the framework your are only opening it as an archive with 7zip so you are not breaking the signing. Also do this with the update.zip.

Mine's themed in GE also. I find it strange as well.

 

[cupfulloflol]

This is happening on unedited recompiles of framework-res for me though. With me taking the stock unthemed framework-res from the ROM, decompiling it, recompiling it, signing it, then getting it onto my phone. I use adb usually, but have tried creating update.zip files as well. So something somewhere is screwy on my end, I just can't figure out what.

 

[kook]

This is happening on unedited recompiles of framework-res for me though. With me taking the stock unthemed framework-res from the ROM, decompiling it, recompiling it, signing it, then getting it onto my phone. I use adb usually, but have tried creating update.zip files as well. So something somewhere is screwy on my end, I just can't figure out what.

How are you pushing in onto your phone? The best way and most stable for me is to throw it into a zip and flash it like a ROM/theme.

 

[928Droid]

This is happening on unedited recompiles of framework-res for me though. With me taking the stock unthemed framework-res from the ROM, decompiling it, recompiling it, signing it, then getting it onto my phone. I use adb usually, but have tried creating update.zip files as well. So something somewhere is screwy on my end, I just can't figure out what.

Uninstall your Java and reinstall with lastest version. We were all having similar issues with DeOdexing Droid X and Droid 2 Stock Roms using xUltimate. Someone mnetioned reinstalling the Java, and after redoing the Java install with the lastest version, it worked perfectly for me and others.

And, I was having similar problems as you with APk Manager, now it works perfectly too.

 

[marty4short]

What image controls the white boxes when you hold down the power button or long press the screen?

 

[kook]

Popup middle bright....popup bottom bright

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[gflam]

What xml file controls the back grounds for apps like mms.apk, contacts.apk and the music apk. I'm mostly interested in the contacts apk or is it the same file for all of them?

 

[thebowers]

What xml file controls the back grounds for apps like mms.apk, contacts.apk and the music apk. I'm mostly interested in the contacts apk or is it the same file for all of them?

These are controlled by the AndroidManifest.xml of each app. In that xml it states that what "theme" as you could call it that the .apk will use as a base. With those if it has a black background it is using Theme.Black or just Theme. You could changed this system wide by editing the framework-res.apk. You could do it by editing the styles.xml or editing the colors.xml (both are in /res/values) to another color or what have you.

 

[gflam]

Okay well i used the file compare in command prompt to compare a transparent contacts.apk and a stock one and i found no differences between the colors.xml but there was this difference with the styles.xml there also was a lot more folders in the transparent one it had a lot of variations of the values folder is this usual? anyway here were the differences between the two xml files
Stock Styles
<resources>
<stylename="DialtactsTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme">
<item name='android:windowNoTitle">true</item>
Transparent Styles
<resources>
<stylename="DialtactsTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Wallpaper">
<item name='android:windowNoTitle">true</item>

So does that mean if i were to take the stock one and just write the word .Wallpaper after the word Theme in the styles.xml file the stock one would have the background pointed to the wallpaper making it look transparent and that's all there is to it or do i have to do stuff within the androidmanifest.xml as well?

 

[thebowers]

Okay well i used the file compare in command prompt to compare a transparent contacts.apk and a stock one and i found no differences between the colors.xml but there was this difference with the styles.xml there also was a lot more folders in the transparent one it had a lot of variations of the values folder is this usual? anyway here were the differences between the two xml files
Stock Styles
<resources>
<stylename="DialtactsTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme">
<item name='android:windowNoTitle">true</item>
Transparent Styles
<resources>
<stylename="DialtactsTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Wallpaper">
<item name='android:windowNoTitle">true</item>

So does that mean if i were to take the stock one and just write the word .Wallpaper after the word Theme in the styles.xml file the stock one would have the background pointed to the wallpaper making it look transparent and that's all there is to it or do i have to do stuff within the androidmanifest.xml as well?

Yes you would only have to changed that part here in contacts to make it show the wallpaper. You could also do Theme.Transparent and it would show the widgets in the background as well.

If you look in the manifest.xml you will see it points to these theme values in styles.xml of contacts. It isn't always going to be that way. That's why you will need to look in androidmanifest.xml for sure.

 

[gflam]

Okay well thanks a ton i'm off to play with my apks now ha

 

[gflam]

Okay so i got a stock contacts apk to become transparent so that was my first milestone but i did have an already transparent one to compare it to.

So now when i got to another apk one that i don't have something to compare it to say the mms.apk the email.apk etc i don't know what to change. I know you told me to look in androidmanifest.xml to figure out what i'm supposed to edit the only problem is since i'm new to coding and what not i don't know what i'm supposed to be looking for in this file. So my question is what should i be looking for in androidmanifest.xml to tell what xml is controlling the background color.
Thank you a ton for any help

 

[skylordusa1]

hahahahahah You guys make this stuff look so easy.. hahah Then I try it and always have problems. hahahhahah Im still stuck on just doing the stuff outlined in the OP. I downloaded the new liquid rom v1.7 today. i pulled the framework-res.apk off the phone. I used apk manager to decomplile. I made the edits to the styles.xml. Then when I went to compile I got errors in apk manager. Is this because Im making edits to liquids rom framework? I see in some posts you guys say dont use a modified framework to edit. Is this what you mean? Cant use the framework from someones rom?

 

[kook]

hahahahahah You guys make this stuff look so easy.. hahah Then I try it and always have problems. hahahhahah Im still stuck on just doing the stuff outlined in the OP. I downloaded the new liquid rom v1.7 today. i pulled the framework-res.apk off the phone. I used apk manager to decomplile. I made the edits to the styles.xml. Then when I went to compile I got errors in apk manager. Is this because Im making edits to liquids rom framework? I see in some posts you guys say dont use a modified framework to edit. Is this what you mean? Cant use the framework from someones rom?

Make sure you use the stock liquid 1.7. If you use a themed one, it won't compile. Once it's compiled, push all the themed apps back into framework.

 

[skylordusa1]

hahahahahah You guys make this stuff look so easy.. hahah Then I try it and always have problems. hahahhahah Im still stuck on just doing the stuff outlined in the OP. I downloaded the new liquid rom v1.7 today. i pulled the framework-res.apk off the phone. I used apk manager to decomplile. I made the edits to the styles.xml. Then when I went to compile I got errors in apk manager. Is this because Im making edits to liquids rom framework? I see in some posts you guys say dont use a modified framework to edit. Is this what you mean? Cant use the framework from someones rom?

Make sure you use the stock liquid 1.7. If you use a themed one, it won't compile. Once it's compiled, push all the themed apps back into framework.

Hey Kookahdoo,

I see you have hit the ground running on this whole theming thing. You got some pretty cool themes out there. Great Work. Glad to see you were able to figure all this stuff out. Wish I could say the same hahahahhaha..

When you say stock liquid 1.7 you mean the one that is being installed with the rom right. All I did was install the liquid rom. Then I used adb to pull the framework-res.apk off my phone. I didnt install a theme over the rom yet. After I pulled it from the phone I decompiled it fine using apk manager. I then made the changes to the styles.xml file that was outlined in the OP. Then when I went to compile it I got errors. Cant remember the exact errors right now cause Im at work