I have been looking at various themes and I notice that many include specifically themed apps...like facebook and gmail. Can you extract only the themed apks from the theme without installing the theme? And then install those apks on a device? I've read threads about extracting from installed roms/themes but I would prefer to extract only what I want without having to install and restore a backup. I see that I can unzip the files and get the apk but how to I install to my phone? Is there a difference whether the apk is in system/app or data/app?
Just delete everything from zip you don't want. Then flash away
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Thanks I'll give it a try.
don't try flashing it on eb13 unless its eb13 ready
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Good call. When you say take out everything I don't want... does that includes all the framework file a well or are there items that I should leave?
Take out anything you don't want. If you want 1 or 2 things.
How ever if you going to use someones framework-res.apk you need to use there twframework-res.apk. I also suggest keeping phone.apk and dialertapactivity.apk together also.
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Related
so basically i have flashed cm6 on my incredible and a theme and i want to know if there is a way i can make a rom of what i have on my phone now of if i can combine the zips to make a working rom i can further edit. i have a rom kitchen set up and i am still trying to learn all the in's and out's of it.
undeclared said:
so basically i have flashed cm6 on my incredible and a theme and i want to know if there is a way i can make a rom of what i have on my phone now of if i can combine the zips to make a working rom i can further edit. i have a rom kitchen set up and i am still trying to learn all the in's and out's of it.
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I would say that is what alot of people are doing right now with incredible rom's.....that is why people are releasing patches and fixes after seeing them working in other roms.
......I have a rather easy question that applies to this subject also....
before loading a rom to my phone, can i go into the zip file and remove some 3rd party app apk files that i don't want before running it and will it still be ok ?
JustinD,
U can not just unzip it change things and rezip. It needs a signiture. Use the basic htc kitchen that's posted in chef central, it will unzip it into a working folder allowing u to change things at your will, u also use the kitchen to rezip and sign.
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tcberg2010 said:
JustinD,
U can not just unzip it change things and rezip. It needs a signiture. Use the basic htc kitchen that's posted in chef central, it will unzip it into a working folder allowing u to change things at your will, u also use the kitchen to rezip and sign.
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Excellent. Thank you. I figured it wasn't as simple as I put it, but I just wanted to make sure before I did something stupid.
Or use 7zip to manipulate files in the archive without even having to unzip it.
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mini_monsta said:
Or use 7zip to manipulate files in the archive without even having to unzip it.
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No. Changing even 1 byte will change the signature needed. You need to use the kitchen so you can resign the ROM and flash it.
Even if u did just unzip, rezip, and flash it would just throw back an invalid signature error and return u to recovery menu. No real harm done.
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Clockwordmod has signature validation disabled by default. So it will still flash if you change a kb or remove an app.
If I wanted to delete some APKS from srf 1.2 zip file so they don't re install when I flash can I just go into the file delete those apks. Or will that cause problems in other places I am thinking not but am just wondering?
Seegy24 said:
If I wanted to delete some APKS from srf 1.2 zip file so they don't re install when I flash can I just go into the file delete those apks. Or will that cause problems in other places I am thinking not but am just wondering?
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I do it all the time.
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As long as its not important .apk's like."tw-framework.apk"
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Yeah I wasnt going to do anything important just stuff like galaxy s tuner and kies air and other stuff I have never used
yup, i generally do that with all roms i download.. go through and pull out stuff i don't want/need before flashing..
Thanks for the fast response I just did it so hopefully next time I flash it is a little cleaner I made a copy of the original in case I did something wrong I can always install it the way it has always worked in the past.
Is there any way to unzip a ROM, and add the APKs for the apps that I want? Like for instance, a ROM may not come with Google voice, so I wanna add that in and make it like a system app. Is this possible, or do I have to just download it, along with the rest of the apps I want?
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I'm not quite sure but there's a program that is supposed to zip the rom into a .zip and do the opposite so I don't see why you cannot unzip a rom, add the apk's u want and then rezip and flash. I would be careful though these developers put alot of work into these roms so who knows you could accidentaly remove something crucial to the system, look into the Android software developement area, there's alot of information on how to make roms and such. I tried learning what I needed to to make a rom but got lost about 3 hours into reading lol. In the main forum area under android developement/hacking should be a noob corner somewhere
What's the point of doing what you're asking anyway? Just to have all your apps installed as you install the rom?
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yeah, so then I don't have to go find them. Lol more of a vanity thing. I'm not worried about taking stuff out, just adding to.
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You don't have to unzip the ROM if you have winrar or 7zip right click on the ROM open as archive find system/app put the apk files in that folder close the ROM zip out and then do as you normally would to flash the ROM it will instal what you add
You can adb pull the .apk files you want them add to the zip it isn't suggested to unzip sometimes it corrupts the zip file
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That's a good suggestion. Can't you also just do a batch backup with titanium and then do a batch restore once you flash your new rom?
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Yeah, but then there's the long process of letting the apps install and all that... its just a pain. I mean, I don't mind doing it, I was just asking if it'd be easier to do that
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I used to do this in the past to remove and install Apks before flashing a new rom. Kind of personalize it for what I wanted and what I use. I haven't been doing this lately though. I just do a batch restore with Titanium backup now. It's pretty quick, and has worked well.
Is there anyway i can backup my whole ROM as a zip file? I want to be able to bring it to my computer, edit some png's, then reflash and have the modifications up. If there is such thing please let me know. I am extremely interested in this!!
Why not just transfer the rom.zip you used to flash and edit the framework-res and systemui.apk's and then gut a flashable zip and place those in appropriate folder and flash that? That's what I do if you need a plain empty flashable I can upload one for you
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Let me elaborate on that
You take a flashable that already contains an updater-script in it aka meta-inf.
Make a framework folder and this is where you will put your signed and renamed Framework-res.apk then make a folder named System and in system folder make an App folder and this is where you'll place the SystemUI.apk.
*note* you need to sign these when your done swapping pngs and rename them appropriately.
Once done sign the whole.zip boot into cwm and flash it this will replace the stock framework-res etc and you'll be good to go
http://db.tt/xfQOB8Kg
Use this .zip for your flashable this will do all the work in cwm mounting wise. Just delete the folders in the system folder and do what I told you above
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this post was so noobish i feel stupid
joe_d08_17 said:
Thank you very much. That sounds like a plan. But how can I make it so the apps will stay on the desktop and settings can be saved? I take it I would have to edit the XML files or something difficult right?:/
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What do you mean? All you'd have to do is open the zip and find the .apks extract them edit the pngs and sign them put them in the flashable and flash it... I'm not understanind your issue
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its because what i want is literally like a clockworkmod backup but as a flashable zip. This is not possible is it? I want all my settings and referennces to be saved along with my messages etc.
joe_d08_17 said:
its because what i want is literally like a clockworkmod backup but as a flashable zip. This is not possible is it? I want all my settings and referennces to be saved along with my messages etc.
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No if you create this flashable what you edit to put it this it will only change what your flashing like if you put nothing in the flashable then nothing will change. If you want to flash a vending.apk put in this flashable and flash it that's all that's going to change is the replacing of the market...
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What do you plan on editing anyways? An app? Your theme?
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Oh ok wow i am so dumb. I didnt understand you but now i get it. Thanks this sounds better
joe_d08_17 said:
Oh ok wow i am so dumb. I didnt understand you but now i get it. Thanks this sounds better
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No problem
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There also is a way to make a flashable from your nandroid backup. I don't remember where I saw the thread offhand but will look tonight.
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ok i got more questions-.- what is sign? and which apk's do i have to sign?
that would be great. if you find please post a link
joe_d08_17 said:
ok i got more questions-.- what is sign? and which apk's do i have to sign?
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Lol if you have windows 32bit ill find my installer on my pc for the apksigner and ill upload it for you xD
If you plan on editing an applications png then once you've opened it and replaced said pngs then it needs to be resigned and renamed to not have the "signed" in it
Signing means its certifed and has the ability to be installed as application
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lol upload it please. im using apk manager 4.9 but man this really tough. can u elaborate a bit more? im so sorry lol im just not grasping it.
do not give up on me!! lol
how bout this look: so im trying to make a minor change to an app just for fun. its airdroid. so is the first step to extract the apk or to decompile?
and lol i was trying to accomplish the task of making mynandroid backup a flashable zip but this interests me to.
So, lets get clear, what exactly r u helping me do now? In my head im thinking ur trying to help me edit an app and then install it in my phone right?
if im wrong then tell me what we are trying to do!! lol
Yeah that sounds like its much more difficult then what I use what I use you drag and drop the finished apk and it signs it lol simple give me a minute to find it upload it and paste a download link..pc sucks arse phone is much faster....
Edit: yes I'm helping you edit an apk and then have it install on the phone or be able to be pushed to the /system/app folder...
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http://db.tt/SxsN7FdP
Extract this and install it once done open the android apk signer and drop the apk file in the box hit sign and done
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Go into Themes subforum in the sticky at the top and read Guide to Themeing by Dreamsforgotten....it is awesome and has all the programs and links...plus he answer all questions.
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ok great im gonna try it. i tried it another time with apk manager and it didnt work. hopefully urs works.
Root programs that I've uninstalled via root uninstaller?
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Can you elaborate a bit more?
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slick_rick said:
Can you elaborate a bit more?
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I've removed some programs through root uninstaller. Such as gmail. I didn't make backups.
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Probably have to wipe data and reinstall roms or try flashing a Gapps package.
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some apps, such as gmail, can be downloaded from the market. For others have you tried pulling the apks from your rom.zip and placing them in /system/app?
While it is normally fine to remove certain system apps (I routinely strip down every rom I install of certain apps), getting them back can be a pain sometimes if you're not sure how to do it. Another way to achieve the same goal is to 'freeze' all the apps you don't want to use. They won't show in the app list and they won't run in the background but they will still be there if you ever need them.
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I would wipe data if it doesn't work reflash the rom.
Some of the stuff you may have removed may be best resolved by reflashing the build that you're using. For example, I use Gmail and another mail app, no need for Exchange or the stock email. I used to not back these up so when I actually needed to test something it was off to ODIN my phone again . Now I use TB and back it up before I remove it.
This is very simple to fix. It should never be a pain to accomplish either.
1: Find the apps you want to restore in the rom you flashed (if you don't have the original .zip, download it or a similar rom). Use 7zip or WinRAR to open the rom file.
2. Copy the apps you want to your sdcard.
3. Use Root Explorer or similar app to move or copy the apps to /system/app (you will need to make sure your file explorer can mount the /system in rw)
4. Reboot and enjoy
Basically you just want to pull the apps from a copy or the rom you flashed or a similar one (ICS>ICS GB>GB). Then move those apps to /system/app and reboot. The phone will reinstall them when it boots back up.