Develop Bugs

How to get these.....

Alright I have loaded ROM's onto my phone but I am still pretty new to this, I am wondering if anyone can take the time to walk me through of how to get Home Screen's like these (the first one and the red one on PG1)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=378000
Thank you very much for any help you are willing to give.
P.S. what ever help I get I will be more then happy to give to other begginner's.

The big clock is called HTC Home and that's fairly easy to find, just make a simple search for it. The tray on the bottom looks like PHM Trays which you can get from PHM Tools.

carltmac said:
Alright I have loaded ROM's onto my phone but I am still pretty new to this, I am wondering if anyone can take the time to walk me through of how to get Home Screen's like these (the first one and the red one on PG1)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=378000
Thank you very much for any help you are willing to give.
P.S. what ever help I get I will be more then happy to give to other begginner's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you bother reading the thread or are you the type to look at pics and ask for help, right off the bat?

Actually I did take the time to read a lot of the post's but as I said in my first post I am pretty new to this stuff and a lot of the talk was quite confusing to me because of the short form's and such so program's and stuff like that.
Like I said before, I am just looking to see if some one has the time to help me, not looking for people to chirp about how new I am and such. Thank you.

carltmac said:
Actually I did take the time to read a lot of the post's but as I said in my first post I am pretty new to this stuff and a lot of the talk was quite confusing to me because of the short form's and such so program's and stuff like that.
Like I said before, I am just looking to see if some one has the time to help me, not looking for people to chirp about how new I am and such. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright so I have read the first like 11 pages and no where in there have I found how to get those 2 Home Screen's running on my Dash?
Please help

As for the Red Carousel theme....go here.
Download the needed cabs in the bottom of his first post and read his install instructions.
As for the HTC home, if you READ where to get it from its in his first thread also...
- HTC Home
http://depositfiles.com/en/files/3306160
Download that cab.
Once you've downloaded the cabs...you transfer them to your phone using Active sync. Place them in your documents folder. Using your phone Resco Explorer program direct yourself to the My Documents folder and click on the cabs to install them.
If asked where to install them, pick Main memory (phone itself) not the memory card.
DO NOT UNZIP or UNRAR the CAB files.
After the cabs are installed. REBOOT.
Once rebooted, Click on start->settings->Home Screen->Home screen layout
Once there, choose which home screen...you'd like to have.
Done

Thank you for the help, I have one question though, I downloaded the courosel theme and unzipped it to a folder and then I copied to my from through My Computer (I'm not sure if that matter's?) but when I selected the Courosel theme in Home Screen, the text messages and voicemail stuff look's all messed up? Is that because I unzipped the file?
Another question came up....
I dled the LCD clock and unzipped it, copied the folder to my phone and then went to Resco Explorer and clicked the Setup.xml and it did a bunch of stuff, I thought it installed but then when I rebooted my phone nothing happened?

DO NOT UNZIP or UNRAR the CAB files.
Jesus man
the lcd plugin is a CAB
If you need help anymore this member (Gixxum) is the man to go to.

Alright thank you very much, I didn't realize that that was a cab file since I have never worked with a cab before.
I installed the cab. and got a message saying that I may need an older version of WM?
I then rebooted and the LCD clock was not there?

I couldnt edit again so I has to do another post, the problem I was having was just that I didn't go to the background image and change it to courosol.
thank you.

pfunkside said:
DO NOT UNZIP or UNRAR the CAB files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No matter how big or what colors we use people seriously have selective reading. lol

actually I read that a few times but I was not sure what a cab file was.
Funny how much you care about the mistakes I made instead of helping haha.
Thanks everyone.

alright I have one more question and I thought I would post it here instead of opening another thread. When I am using txt messaging and I sent a txt (I will use this as an example) at 8:01 PM and some one sends me a txt back in the same minute it will say that they replyed at 7:01 PM. It always says one hour earlier for replys? I have searched through options but I cannot seem to find where to change it?
Thank you ahead of time.

Are you sure your time is right? Go to settings --clock & alarm-- and scroll to where on earth you are. Do a reset try that.

I checked the times man and NOTHING! this is kind of brutal, it's not like it's a huge problem but it's just ******* frustrating, any ideas guys?

Whats the time difference on the clock?

has anyone successfully edited the .9 images

has anyone successfully edited the .9 images and got them working in their themes ?
Plz reply the poll too...

check out teknotiq, he explained some of the information to me about his work with editting .9 pngs... also most themes such as BUUF, Fadte to Blue, Stericson's themes, all have .9 pngs edited... you can check with them as well

I too have got them successfully edited...
i have made this thread just to know wheather .9.png images are changed widely ?
so thanks on your reply....
want more people reply....

They can be changed but they always break, I have never had one loop me at the boot screen. Some look ok and others dont, its just trial and error.

I've noticed the best way to change these .9.pngs is to give them a 1 pixel border. The buttons for instance, the inside is one color and the border should be a 1 pixel black or whatever color of the theme. You have to erase the corners to, if not they stretch weirdly.

hey pud, try editing the clear notifications button and change its color, without it breaking. Then send me a pic. I was stuck on this forever....

damnitpud said:
I've noticed the best way to change these .9.pngs is to give them a 1 pixel border. The buttons for instance, the inside is one color and the border should be a 1 pixel black or whatever color of the theme. You have to erase the corners to, if not they stretch weirdly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i do it the same way

Stericson said:
hey pud, try editing the clear notifications button and change its color, without it breaking. Then send me a pic. I was stuck on this forever....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ll try doin that and give it to u...

I figured out the .9.pngs! The procedure is here! Updated: 02/13/09
::New:::
If you have downloaded the SDK and Eclipse, you have all the tools you need, If not you should grab them and follow Google's guide.
This process is somewhat a pain in the butt, but worth it. You need to take the .9 off of the file name that you want to change, then drag it into the draw9patch tool from the Android SDK(in the tools folder) Here is some info about draw9patch. Pay attention to the Note in the middle of the page. Once you have your 9patch file edited and saved you need to compile it, the lines will remain on this .9 image until it is compiled with eclipse. you need to open a project, or create one in eclipse, drag the .9.png into the drawable folder, then right click your project folder and choose android tools/export unsigned application package. Once this is done, you want to open the apk with WinRar and pull your .9.png files out. you will notice the lines are gone! That is all, I am sure people who have not downloaded the SDK and Eclipse yet might have problems understand this process, but I will try to help you. I am not a guru with Eclipse but i know enough to get by.
Good luck and happy stretching =)
Playing with the SDK today, i found in "SDK\tools\lib\res\default\drawable" all of the .9.pngs have the black lines intact. These could be good for learning the best way to stretch these images. Also the xmls have not been converted to binary, so it might make for some interesting hacks for themes.
Here is a screen shot of the draw9patch tool. The bottom and right sets the content area and the left and top set the stretch area.
I am not sure if i am going to disclose this info just yet (because of the competition) but i wanted to let everyone know its been figured out and we will all know very soon!
i am uploading some screen shots now with some perfect buttons! Anyone who has used my theme knows the buttons looked somewhat messy, well no longer will they be.

damnitpud said:
I am not sure if i am going to disclose this info just yet but i wanted to let everyone know its been figured out and we will all know very soon!
i am uploading some screen shots now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
way to go! excited to see some sshots!

looks amazing man! I've been using this theme for the last week and i must say its totally grown on me. Thanks for putting out some kick ass updates

Great to hear.
To tell you the truth, I loved your theme. The only reason I uninstalled it was because of the .9.pngs stretched out and looked bad.
After seeing these pics though I will reinstall =)

That's cool but this theme competitions is starting to suck, no one want to share any info due to fear of losing. I'm fearing this comp.. my be counter productive.

are some .9's harder to edit than others? never tried editing the buttons and such but the ones i've tried editing (the notifications bar etc.) seem not to mess up, no matter what i do to them. are some of them just really temperamental?

Not me if i had info like that i would share it because for me i don't care if i win or lose one this not my first comp and second i have been doing this to long.
@Damnitpud
Good work bro.

For the few .9 pngs I have modified so far I just used the layer blending properties to apply an overlay with some opacity and saw no ill effects. I haven't done many yet, but if I am just changing colors, I don't see why this shouldn't work for all fo them. Since it preserves the original shapes and layouts, just adds a tint to the image.

I am going to type up the steps to getting the .9s working properly. I am going to end up sharing the info, i'm not one to usually hoard info. There is still some learning to do with the draw9patch tool, but at least we can get rid of those damn lines after messing with it in in the draw9 tool.
I will add it to the first post of this thread.
Meltus said:
are some .9's harder to edit than others? never tried editing the buttons and such but the ones i've tried editing (the notifications bar etc.) seem not to mess up, no matter what i do to them. are some of them just really temperamental?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes some are very hard and only distort at larger sizes. The buttons are very difficult, even opening them up and saving the file will break it. you don't even have to change anything. Try changing the btn_default_normal.9.png and use the stock btn_default_pressed.9.png. you will see a big difference when you press that button.
That's cool but this theme competitions is starting to suck, no one want to share any info due to fear of losing. I'm fearing this comp.. my be counter productive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, that is why i am going to release the info, its pretty simple but very tedious. Not as bad as compressing the images like i figured out before. But that's only because there is not as many.
Not me if i had info like that i would share it because for me i don't care if i win or lose one this not my first comp and second i have been doing this to long.
@Damnitpud
Good work bro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the first time...well second time i have found something the community was looking for answers to, i am normally one of the herd waiting for the relases...not doing the release myself. i would love to win the competition, but i doubt perfect buttons will give me that much of an edge. =)
And thank you!

manup456 said:
Not me if i had info like that i would share it because for me i don't care if i win or lose one this not my first comp and second i have been doing this to long.
@Damnitpud
Good work bro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I want to get into the comp but it's not for the money. I'm doing it because it's fun to see what people can come up with and I enjoy a challenge. Besides isn't the comp about who's theme is most aesthetically pleasing, since none of us are releasing the themes to the public until after the comp no one will see those things anyway unless you post up 100 screens shots that is.

I gave away my secret in the first post =)

Sweet jesus.
You've opened a whole new can of worms.
The world is in our hands, now.

Woohoo!

I successfully edited my first .png and ported it as a theme!
Colored Vibrating Phone!!
I want to appologize for being impatient to all the current theme developers specifically Manup. After spending an hour how to get the .png to save in the archive file, I can see that editing each individual icon could take hours and hours if you want it to look right.
Time for me to try at some more difficult stuff.
Hope to be posting my first theme within the next few months.

um..what did you do that took so long?

well....
Remember that this is my first self attempt at this.
I was having trouble getting it to save to the archive. The pop up was behind other applications I was running, so I didn't see it prompting me to save to the archive.
Next is just the editing of the .png itself. If I was just copying and pasting it wouldn't have taken any time. I had to find the icon I wanted to put there, then change the colors just right. It isn't really hard, just time consuming, but you already know that. This is why I was apologizing. Its my first time, give me a break.

Ok I went to edit the first android boot screen.
and of course it hung on boot screen in a loop. My file went from around 3k to 31k so obviously the file is too big. I can't seem to find an option to compress or deflate the file using 7zip.
Can any give me some suggestions?

You don't the .png images with 7zip you do it with Photoshop or whatever graphic design program. There is a post some where explaining how to compress the .png images i just don't know it of hand.

Yeah you want to save the file in photoshop using the save for web & devices...or the pngout program. read thru this here. has my way and the pngout way in the posts.
Ill give ya a tip, this is how i do it at least. i extract the update.zip then extract all the apks that i am going to change. I start editing all the files in framework-res, then move to Launcher, contacts and phone. After these are done i normally import them into the update.zip, sign it and test it.
When i import the images i just open the update.zip in WinRar, then double click the apk i need to import images into. It opens the apk in a new WinRar window, i browse tot he folder i need then just drag the images into it. Do that for each apk then sign it and test it.
Hope this helps.

I was using 7zip for extraction and paintshop pro for editing
I was doing fine. I was just excited to get that far. One of the problems I ran into was when I edited an image file it went from 3k to 30k when. I even used png crush and it only compressed to 24k. Not sure if it is even important yet.
I was only:
A) apologizing for expecting so much when it is so much work.
B) proud that I figured it out and am on my way to editing/creating my own theme.
I only ask one thing of some of the more senior devs. Please don't be so critical. All of us are at several different levels. What may seem juvenile to you might be a huge hurdle to others. This is why we are dependant on you for themes.

Brutal-Force said:
I was doing fine. I was just excited to get that far. One of the problems I ran into was when I edited an image file it went from 3k to 30k when. I even used png crush and it only compressed to 24k. Not sure if it is even important yet.
I was only:
A) apologizing for expecting so much when it is so much work.
B) proud that I figured it out and am on my way to editing/creating my own theme.
I only ask one thing of some of the more senior devs. Please don't be so critical. All of us are at several different levels. What may seem juvenile to you might be a huge hurdle to others. This is why we are dependant on you for themes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good job on getting going, im getting ready to make a go of it as well. I dont think they are criticizing you just being helpful. Have you seen how critical people are in the theme makers posts, cant believe half the theme makers still do it lol.

Brutal-Force said:
I was doing fine. I was just excited to get that far. One of the problems I ran into was when I edited an image file it went from 3k to 30k when. I even used png crush and it only compressed to 24k. Not sure if it is even important yet.
I was only:
A) apologizing for expecting so much when it is so much work.
B) proud that I figured it out and am on my way to editing/creating my own theme.
I only ask one thing of some of the more senior devs. Please don't be so critical. All of us are at several different levels. What may seem juvenile to you might be a huge hurdle to others. This is why we are dependant on you for themes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope i didn't come off that way...i was just trying to help. no ill intenet in that post at all =)

Thank you.
It always helps with reassuring words while trying something this complicated.

Thank you damnitpud.
I have been following the forums very closely since October. I have even followed your posts and tutorials. I am just trying to ride the wave crest and not fall in, because getting out is a *****. I have had to not only pick up the 'ol writing computer

Read through my post here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=3339701&postcount=6
It tells you how to edit the update.zip without extracting anything but the drawables folder. After a lot of time and effort I have streamlined the process as much as possible so maybe you can pick up a few tricks with that walkthrough. And I use gimp, I dont mess wtih compression or saving file for web. I take big images, save them as a png, resize them to 48x48 using the XP power toys resizing tool and drag-and-drop them into my update.zip. I dont know what is happening but everyone keeps thinking its way harder than it really is.
Then when I swap themes from ADP to RC33 or vice versa I open up my theme in 7zip and a blank theme in the version I want to convert too. I got to each apk and drag-and-drop the drawables folder straight into the other update.zip replacing the existing drawables folder. If you do it my way you can convert a theme in minutes or if you have all the artwork you can turn it into a theme in about 15-20 mins TOPS.
My biggest suggestion is to experiment with trial and error, use your nandroid backup and make mistakes, its the best way to learn and there is nothing that compares to hands on experience, that way you know what works and you can tell people from experience instead of hearsay.

7Zip is the best tip you gave B, I tried using WinRar but it wasnt as user friendly for this stuff. Especially as 7Zip saves as you swap and move up the file tree.

I am using your tutorial B.
I don't have photoshop, so I am using Paintshop pro PhotoX2 which works fine for me.
I was using 7zip, but I am used to using Winzip. I am currently using Winzip12 so thats serving my needs nicely.
What I was referring too isn't so much difficult in moving files around, it is more or less knowing WHICH files you can mess with. I have seen posted that don't mess with .9.png files at them moment as that can cause problems. I also do not know what size a theme is aloud to be in the update.zip. I also wanted to know If i have to include ever single file or if it is just neccessary to do just the things you want to change.
It isn't hard to actually do the file changing and such, the "HARD" part is more Time consuming then hard, and thats the artwork required to actually change the look of the component.
More questions will pop-up I am sure, but I am in the Trial and Error Stage right now.
Another question if anyone reads this, Where is the Clock Widget located? I see that every theme maker edits this, and lets be honest, If you use this widget, it is the center focal point of every theme. Just changing this gives the whole desktop another feel.

Brutal-Force said:
...Where is the Clock Widget located? I see that every theme maker edits this, and lets be honest, If you use this widget, it is the center focal point of every theme. Just changing this gives the whole desktop another feel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's in the Launcher.apk.

All your questions are in the tutorials, if you drag the drawable folder onto your desktop you can see the pics when you doubleclick the folder.
Just my thought,
The clock is something that most people change, but I dont use the clock, that is why the time is in the corner constantly. I feel the clock just eats up space on my desktop. Of course I like it with as few icons as possible.

Thanx for the replies.
I had also found the clock in the Launcher.apk file, but for some reason, when I try and edit it and put it back into the folder it causes my phone stop at the boot screen. I just wanted to make sure I was trying to edit the right file.
I somehow expected it to be in a completely different place.
Yes a lot of my questions may seem to be repeats, but I had initially started this thread as just a Eureka thread. But as long as people who are in the know are reading it, I am glad to ask questions. Sometimes the Main threads and stickies are 150 pages deep and after not reading them for two days you kind of get behind.

well if we are asking questions....then can someone help me
when I go to update my phone with the update zip i get
E:Wrong digest
system/app/Launcher.apk
E:Verification failed
and yes I am new at this...

Have you rooted with RC29 yet?
Looks like what happens before you root.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480
Read this first.

I had the exact same "wohoo" feeling when I made my first theme mod and it was a success.

Is it ok to post free apps that you have modded?

Well I have a couple apps that I am modding to my liking. I'm modding the actual apk file itself. Is it ok to post them when finished, or could that be an issue

If they are free I don't see why not.

Free does not always equal open source or give you the right to distribute.
You should email the developer to make sure.

I just figured it would get deleted by a Mod due to the fact it wasn't my work originally. I got a couple I know people will like.
Fancy Widget, working on a clear Pandora (couple versions actually), and Some more that I come across.

ViViDboarder said:
Free does not always equal open source or give you the right to distribute.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right that what I was thinking.

ViViDboarder said:
Free does not always equal open source or give you the right to distribute.
You should email the developer to make sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second this. An e-mail to the dev would be the best idea.

Wonder how Pandora would respond to a bad grammer, spelling, and sounding email? Hey look at this email this no body actually thinks we will give him permission to distribute our program, just changed to his liking. haha

enragedpaza said:
Wonder how Pandora would respond to a bad grammer, spelling, and sounding email? Hey look at this email this no body actually thinks we will give him permission to distribute our program, just changed to his liking. haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, post it here and I'm sure we can proof read it for you.
Pandora was only a small start-up not too long ago. Although I think your chances are VERY slim on getting them to give you permission to redistribute their APK. Think about it, what if you started putting in a virus and everyone blames it on Pandora?
If you have a clear theme you want people to use, you're probably better off packaging something yourself that requires users to download the official APK for Pandora and modify the contents themselves.
What I just described is pretty common practice as it puts the modification of the content in the end users hands which is (arguably) within their rights.
So posting a zip of some original images (not modified versions of theirs) and instructions on downloading their APK and making the modifications is the safest way to do it.

ViViDboarder said:
Haha, post it here and I'm sure we can proof read it for you.
Pandora was only a small start-up not too long ago. Although I think your chances are VERY slim on getting them to give you permission to redistribute their APK. Think about it, what if you started putting in a virus and everyone blames it on Pandora?
If you have a clear theme you want people to use, you're probably better off packaging something yourself that requires users to download the official APK for Pandora and modify the contents themselves.
What I just described is pretty common practice as it puts the modification of the content in the end users hands which is (arguably) within their rights.
So posting a zip of some original images (not modified versions of theirs) and instructions on downloading their APK and making the modifications is the safest way to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I know they wouldn't give me permision haha. I don't know how to even create a virus. But your point is clear to me. So my easy install of clear Pandora will just sit in a folder for personal use.

enragedpaza said:
Yeah I know they wouldn't give me permision haha. I don't know how to even create a virus. But your point is clear to me. So my easy install of clear Pandora will just sit in a folder for personal use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about posting a not-do-easy install?
Sent from my EVO 4G using the XDA App.

I've never looked into the structure of apk files but I thought it was compiled code? How are you modifying it?

ViViDboarder said:
How about posting a not-do-easy install?
Sent from my EVO 4G using the XDA App.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol meaning? Or I could look into metamorph.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Minjin said:
I've never looked into the structure of apk files but I thought it was compiled code? How are you modifying it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll let you know when I'm on my pc.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

i've seen plenty of roms that have pandora (themed) included. would what you're wanting to do be any different?
i've even seen an "adless" version of pandora floating around somewhere before.

madsquabbles said:
i've seen plenty of roms that have pandora (themed) included. would what you're wanting to do be any different?
i've even seen an "adless" version of pandora floating around somewhere before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All I wanted was a transparent Pandora. I made every widget 50% transparent. I know there is metamorph and there is a theme/skin floating around that will do it. But, I dont like having to go through the process of downloading Metamorph, download this, download that. Just wanted to have it as a apk. I haven't used Metamorph since nexus one sold it 2 months after buying it. Might have changed since then, but it used to fail on doing some skins.

you should just make the theme, and let people morph it themselves. a theme is not the same as distributing the application.

New to modifying files, so need some assistance and advice

I will start off saying I am new to this as the title , so I will probably ask a lot of redundant questions and noobie questions, I hope that's ok.
What I want to do (for now):
I am attempting to do is modify the systemui.apk file. I would think that would be a fairly easy task, but with my VERY limited knowlege of things I'm not sure.
The file has a lot of icons for customizability, but I want to add some of my own, or rather this phones icons(samung epic 4g) default icons. I have the icons I grabbed from a stock rom, and saved them.
I have the toggles, and battery icons, which are what I want to add into the systemui.apk. Iwill probably call it something like Samsung default, since default name is already taken.
So all that said, how easy would it be for me, someone who has never even attempted this before, but has a small amount of knowledge of what stuff is, ie: difference between odex and deodex, where the files are located at, etc?
Stuff like what file/files to edit, what to put in the xml files as in what line coding or whatever they call it. Stuff like that.
I'm very simple in nature, so if there is a way to do what I want to do, please direct me in the right direction, and please, keep it simple if possible.
I do realize there are tutorials about how to theme and how to make or edit a systemui file but I can't seem to find a more specific way/thread to do what I want to do, not that I have found anyways.
My guess is I will have to edit some xml files and add some lines, I just an not sure what exactly to put in those lines, or what files to edit.

First of all: wrong section - this belongs to Q&A.
About modifying APKs, I'm also not much familiar, but I believe that apktool and those GUI tools that includes it can be fairly helpful. I personally use APKChanger to do all my APK-related mods.
Sent from Google Nexus 4 @ CM11

AndyYan said:
First of all: wrong section - this belongs to Q&A.
About modifying APKs, I'm also not much familiar, but I believe that apktool and those GUI tools that includes it can be fairly helpful. I personally use APKChanger to do all my APK-related mods.
Sent from Google Nexus 4 @ CM11
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome it looks like a good start, I will give it a go, and report back.
Hope this works, as I am not really doing much to the systemUI file, all I am doing is adding in, what's not there, so the rest can stay in tact, just I want to add some preferred icons/png files I have on hand already. I'm not diescting to make a rom or anything, so I can't see this as being really hard thing to do.....for those that have done it could probably do this in about 5 mins work without breaking a sweat....me however it seems it's takeing awhile lol.

easyrider77 said:
Awesome it looks like a good start, I will give it a go, and report back.
Hope this works, as I am not really doing much to the systemUI file, all I am doing is adding in, what's not there, so the rest can stay in tact, just I want to add some preferred icons/png files I have on hand already. I'm not diescting to make a rom or anything, so I can't see this as being really hard thing to do.....for those that have done it could probably do this in about 5 mins work without breaking a sweat....me however it seems it's takeing awhile lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very cool program, thanyou for the info. I kinda messed around with it a bit, and it's vvery nice for those not so smart at heart people like me.
I still have a snag though. I know where the icons are, I'm just not sure how to activate them via the like settings and such.
Take the battery mod within 3mini for example, you open 3minit, and under the battery part it you select it and it has a bunch of icons you can pick, but the stock ones aren't there. I am wanting to add stock icons, which are in the res/label-dhpi folder, (I think that's what it's called), but it's the folder that has the icons in it. Now, to access those icons, you have xml file you have to point to to tell it to actually see the icons in said folder, via a code line as I call it.
There is my problem, I am not sure really WHAT code line to put in said xml file/files, so I'm running into a wall.
So I can extract/decompile the apk file fine, and I have a folder/files with some more folders and files under that. I have looked at the stuff but since I'm not a programmer at all, and not to get off on another rabit trail here, but I cannot even do simple plain html....yes I know it's a text thing, but if you don't understand the if's and waits and the language of it all, well it might as well be german.
People always say "what's the problem, it's easy" well I suppose it is, if you are savvy to that stuff, but for those that have a hard time with one thing, it comes oh so simple for another, but it doesn't mean someone is stupid, it just means it's not their thing. Some atre meant to be some things, some are not. Not everyone is meant to be a doctor, yet some are because they understand those sorts of things better.
Anyways, I am sorry for trailing off, in short I am saying if you have a hard time with what I call coding, and yes it is a coding in some form, just as html is, even though it's still text, it's still a code that tells things what to do, IE: code
In short, I am nt sure what file/files to edit,. and even then I am not sure what lines to put in them.
Here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2032614 is a good example of what I mean. While I appreciate this persons hard work and efforts, people like me it may as well be written in a foreign language of sorts, because while I understand editing a certain file, and I get the concept of CODE: that's where I end up getting lost. I have opened the said xml file, and see the code, but when they say code, well I have to ask things like what line to I edit, where do I cut/paste the lines in that post to, do I delete another line and replace it with that code, etc..etc..
I in NO way am trying to trash people for their posts and efforts, so I hope it's not taken that way, I just sometimes have to be drawn a picture for things, like a child. As hard as I might try, I just am not grasping what to do after the point of opening the file and editing it.
I suppose I will just give up this quest I have for what I want to do, unless I fin somone kind enough, and patient enough to go a little further into explanation of what I need to do to further go on. it can be hard for some people, especially if you are a programmer to explain a little more in depth about what a person needs to do, I have friends that have that mind set, and they to get irritated at people like me .....I guess it is what it is.
Thanks again for the info, I appreciate all that xda and the people here do, and all thier time and effort towards the mods.

Well I can't provide further help then... My ability stops at making navigation bar mods which only involves modifying 5 lines of xml. Good luck with learning from scratch :beer:
Sent from Google Nexus 4 @ CM11