Develop Bugs

applytheme - Tool for universal themes.

I'm working on a tool I'm calling "applytheme". Basically you create a theme.zip, stick it in an archive with the included applytheme binary and update-script, sign it, and it will update the files on any of the Dream firmwares with the ones you've provided.
There are some limitations currently:
It can't yet determine space required before-hand, so you may run out of space in the middle. If you do, you can just restore the original theme with the restoration update.zip.
It can't add files - only replace existing ones.
The original files are stored in /data/original_theme.zip, which will eat your /data space, but only the replaced files are stored.
This version is a test release and may or may not have bugs. Be sure to back up your phone before trying it.
Please consult the example for figuring out what to put in the theme.zip, but it's basically full-path-to-filename-you-want-to-update/full-path-to-file-you-want-to-replace
So if you wanted to replace "assets/images/android_320x480.png" (the boot screen) in "/system/framework/framework-res.apk", you would have a file in your theme.zip called "system/framework/framework-res.apk/assets/images/android_320x480.png".
Case matters - please use the correct case (which is usually all lowercase).
Example theme (replaces boot animation only, with a cupcakedroid):
applytheme-200902090018-example.zip
Restoration update.zip (restores from /data/original_theme.zip then deletes original_theme.zip):
theme_restore-200902090018.zip
Source code (for developers or other curious people):
applytheme-200902090018.tar.gz
EDIT: 200902082117 fixes a couple of stupid bugs in 200902081755 :/
EDIT: 200902082316 removed extraneous/incorrect free space check; noticed that the update script stuff is significantly more stupid than I'd thought - update scripts should work now.
EDIT: 200902090018 close files so space can be reclaimed during patching
Reporting problems
If one of the applytheme updates fails, while still in the recovery mode please do the following:
Press ALT+X to get to the console
Press <enter> to get to the prompt
Type cp /cache/recovery/log /sdcard/recovery.txt
Type df >> /sdcard/recovery.txt
Type reboot to reboot.
Send the recovery.txt from the SD card to zinx <AT> users.sourceforge.net with the subject "applytheme error log"
If I don't have the log (or at least the error message from the log), I can't know why it's failing, and can't do anything to fix it.

I am looking at your post but don't see the benefits of doing it like this. you would still need to do this every time you add a theme or just a image and you still need to sign it or am I just not seeing the benefits of using it

kron2 said:
I am looking at your post but don't see the benefits of doing it like this. you would still need to do this every time you add a theme or just a image and you still need to sign it or am I just not seeing the benefits of using it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Current themes replace the whole system.
If you change as single file in /system/app/Browser.apk (say, an icon), you have to replace the whole file.
You don't have to do that with applytheme, so you can replace the icon no matter what firmware is being run.

This would be great themes wont need to be converted any more.

manup456 said:
This would be great themes wont need to be converted any more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, for example:
More Vintage Less War via applytheme (theme by manup456 )
EDIT: Oh, I should note I tested this one with RC33. Didn't bother to time the progress meter though, so just wait until it tells you to reboot with home+back.

This looks like an amazing tool! I'm surprised more people haven't checked this out.
Let me get a few things straight before I give it a shot.
Let's say I was updating some basic images in the framework-res.apk. All I need to do is:
~Download your applytheme-example.zip
~Open up the theme.zip (remove current folders inside)
~Create the folders system\framework\framework-res.apk\res\drawable\
~Add the icons I've changed, with the exact original names
~rename applytheme-example.zip to update.zip
~load onto SD card and load onto phone as usual
~success?
I don't quite understand the backup system...
When you load the update onto the phone, it backs up the images you're replacing and puts them into a \data\original_theme.zip?
Then, if for some reason you want to revert to the original theme, you simply run the theme.restore.zip on the phone and it grabs all the \data\original_theme.zip images and places them in their original location?
Also, if the theme you're installing is a few megs, then the \data\original_theme.zip will get rather large, no? Will this cause any issues?
Thanks!

The steps are a bit more like this:
Download applytheme-example.zip
create system/framework/framework-res.apk/res/drawable/
add the files you've changed
create a theme.zip with the files above - MAKE SURE IT HAS THE PATH, STARTING WITH system/
replace the theme/theme.zip in applytheme-example.zip with your new theme.zip
sign the applytheme-example.zip with the replaced theme/theme.zip
put it on the SD card as /sdcard/update.zip and update as normal
success! (unless there was a problem during patching, then it may be partially applied and you can use theme_restore.zip to fix it)
MOONSSPOON said:
When you load the update onto the phone, it backs up the images you're replacing and puts them into a \data\original_theme.zip?
Then, if for some reason you want to revert to the original theme, you simply run the theme.restore.zip on the phone and it grabs all the \data\original_theme.zip images and places them in their original location?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep.
MOONSSPOON said:
Also, if the theme you're installing is a few megs, then the \data\original_theme.zip will get rather large, no? Will this cause any issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It can get large, yes, but keep in mind that it's only the original files that have changed that get put in it. Most themes right now are much larger .zips than they actually are, because they include much more than what was changed. If it gets too large to fit, the update will just fail part-way, and you can restore using the theme_restore.zip.
You can also delete it if you don't want to restore.
If you have any better ideas for any of this, I'm definitely open to suggestion - It's not anywhere near finalized yet

Great work. Definitely a step in the right direction for generalizing themes and allowing them to work with any build without modification.
Some thoughts for the next steps... Perhaps do a once-over of the files in theme.zip and compare their sizes with the existing files? This would just about double the time it takes to install, but should catch any out-of-space issues before any replacements had been made. Alternatively, perhaps there's a way to detect failures and automatically revert and display an error?

MasterBunnyFu said:
Great work. Definitely a step in the right direction for generalizing themes and allowing them to work with any build without modification.
Some thoughts for the next steps... Perhaps do a once-over of the files in theme.zip and compare their sizes with the existing files? This would just about double the time it takes to install, but should catch any out-of-space issues before any replacements had been made. Alternatively, perhaps there's a way to detect failures and automatically revert and display an error?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Automatic reversion can be done.
The update stuff is too stupid to let me display an error (Seriously. There's no way to display a message to the user. All I get is the unchangeable 'Failed on line 3'.) - an error is kept in /cache/recovery/log though.
Checking the file sizes would indeed take twice as long - everything is compressed, so I'd basically be creating every file touched, but discarding the output, then creating it all again. It already takes quite some time, and it should normally have enough space free, so I would prefer to go the automatic reversion route if people don't want to have to use the theme_restore.zip after a partial update.

So I tried throwing in your more vintage theme, but I get the error failed on line 4.
I feel like a leecher posting this message, but explain to me how it's done.

APrinceAmongMen said:
So I tried throwing in your more vintage theme, but I get the error failed on line 4.
I feel like a leecher posting this message, but explain to me how it's done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should just be putting in it; can you post the /cache/recovery/log from after it fails? May need to copy it somewhere before rebooting.
I expect it's due to lack of space, but it was ok here :x

In an effort to make it a bit easier initially, I've written "toapplytheme". It takes a theme update, the update it was based on, and outputs an applytheme compatible theme.zip - You still have to put in in theme/theme.zip in the applytheme update zip and re-sign it, though.
If you use something other than the update it was based on, you're going to end up with a lot of extra and/or missing files, so don't do it.
Ex:
Code:
toat MyExcellentTheme.zip JFv1.41_RC33_light2.zip theme.zip
toat-200902091613.zip

Worked for me
I have an ADP1 w/the latest JFv1.43h, I extracted Rusty Metal (from the RC33 version, using you tool). Put it there on the example, signed it all and voila...
The only thing I noticed is that the background did not get changed, but that is a minimal issue (and easily fixed).
Great job Zinx, I don't understand why all theme designers don't use this tool.
A matter of time I hope?

DanOtero said:
I have an ADP1 w/the latest JFv1.43h, I extracted Rusty Metal (from the RC33 version, using you tool). Put it there on the example, signed it all and voila...
The only thing I noticed is that the background did not get changed, but that is a minimal issue (and easily fixed).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just applied Rusty Metal to my G1 using the standard way (not this tool) and the background doesn't install with it anyways, so it's not a problem with this tool, but the theme itself simply doesn't include it.

[HOWTO] Install Latest WaveSecure in ROM

I found that [email protected]'s ROM had a good idea of adding WaveSecure to the system partition (preventing listing in the My Downloads part of market, and preventing uninstallation through normal means), but his version is slightly out of date now (latest version is 3.0.0.43)
As a result, I set about finding a means to install WaveSecure to ROM myself. Here are my findings for anyone interested in doing the same.
Install the latest version from the market (3.0.0.43 at this time). Now use adb pull to get it off the device onto your pc
Code:
adb pull /data/app/com.wsandroid.apk D:\com.wsandroid.apk
Now open Market back up from the menu, go to My Downloads, and choose Wavesecure Mobile Security Beta and uninstall it for just now (to get it off the data/A2SD location that normal apps are stored in) - thanks, my-space!
Then push the saved apk to the system partition after a remount (to make it read/write)
Code:
adb remount
Code:
adb push D:\com.wsandroid.apk /system/app/com.wsandroid.apk
Then set it all up as usual (will appear in apps list immediately)
and remount system as read only again
Code:
adb remount
And that seems to be it so far. Remember to change the D:\com.wsandroid.apk path to whatever you actually used.
Let me know if anyone finds any problems with this, but I've done it and, fingers crossed, it's worked OK for me.
Obviously, this is only for root users, and there are no guarantees for this.
Couple of questions that might need looked into -
- Do settings carry across after a wipe (as Paul claims Modaco's version does. I've never tried it so can't confirm)
- Is there any disadvantage to using this method? (I guess this is all Modaco's update.zip does, but I don't know)

you forgot to metion to uninstall wavesecure before it is pushed back into system....

my_space said:
you forgot to metion to uninstall wavesecure before it is pushed back into system....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops! Knew I'd forget something, as I always seem prone to do. Well spotted, and OP corrected.
Thanks

No worries I got a bit confused when i pushed it back onto the phone and was still in my downloads...

I've rooted my phone already but whenever i try to use the command adb remount I get "remount failed: operation not permitted". Suggestions?

I see more and more often, redundant threads.
What How-to will you post next time? How to change backlight settings?
You're pointlessly spamming the board.

I can't say i agree with the 'pointlessly spamming the board' comment, but i would have thought this would at least be better in the applications and themes subforum rather than in development.
Don't forget that an awful lot of android users (and more recently all HTC devices) are more and more 'newbs' and need stuff like this.
While this is good and provides info that people like that need (and myself cos i'm crap at adb and stuff like that so wouldn't have had a clue how to do this previously), maybe the development forum is not the best place for it....

I'm guessing one won't be notified via Market if there's an update available if you push an app to /system/app/, right?

usb0 said:
I'm guessing one won't be notified via Market if there's an update available if you push an app to /system/app/, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't be notified, correct

If anybody doesn't already know, WaveSecure have started hosting update.zip files. This means it's now easy to update your "baked-in" version of WaveSecure without much messing around.
https://www.wavesecure.com/installations/update.zip
Download the file, save it to your SD card, reboot into the recovery console and choose the option to apply an update.zip file.
Voila! Your version of WaveSecure will be updated to the very latest version

DJBenson said:
[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's really awesome! Thanks for the tip!
Just a question of curiosity: If I push an app to /system/app/ and then issue the rm-command to remove its apk, won't there be lying a bunch of files associated with the program and with absolutely no function, since the app itself is removed? How do I know the name of these files and where they are located for removal?

I'm a bit confused by that question. My understanding (which may be incorrect but from what I've seen of the "guts of a ROM" appears to be the case) is that the applications reside in the apk files, they are not extracted. If you list the content of any of the app folders (/system/app, /data/app or /data/app-private) then all you get is a bunch of apk files (and some odex files). So when you 'push' an apk to the phone, that application is then "installed", when you rm/remove an application, you do so by removing the apk.

if you remove the apk you have left something in /data/dalvik-cache. wiping the dalvik-cache every now and then helps reclaiming that space, though it is not much.
the app settings and data are stored in /data/data, you could delete the files manually by checking their names (no idea if/what convention the names follow), imho not worth the trouble as it is only a few kb.
odex files aren't created if you don't do in a PITA process manually. don't worry about them, don't touch them, then you're good. odex files are only for system apps.

I bought a used phone and it had WaveSecure already installed. I couldn't find it in the applications list to uninstall, so I did a factory reset on the phone. The application was still there and it still didn't show up in the applications list.
I have the Superuser Permissions application, so someone must have rooted it.
Is there any way to uninstall this?

motomeup said:
I bought a used phone and it had WaveSecure already installed. I couldn't find it in the applications list to uninstall, so I did a factory reset on the phone. The application was still there and it still didn't show up in the applications list.
I have the Superuser Permissions application, so someone must have rooted it.
Is there any way to uninstall this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
""Just (re)flash a ROM................""

I just noticed that WaveSecure now points to this post for instructions to install as system application, and I am not sure that the update.zip maintained with them is up-to-date.
However, you can now select to download the .apk directly to your PC thus eliminating the first Market step in this guide.

strife242 said:
I just noticed that WaveSecure now points to this post for instructions to install as system application, and I am not sure that the update.zip maintained with them is up-to-date.
However, you can now select to download the .apk directly to your PC thus eliminating the first Market step in this guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe it is kept up to date, as VillainROM kitchen uses it as a source for the WaveSecure app (fetched each night to keep it up-to-date).
I've certainly never had any problems with it.

Excellent guide Pulser,... I should really reinstall Wavesecure now Im not using a MoDacO Custom ROM. Nice one bruv.

Found this to be helpful.
https://www.wavesecure.com/blog/how-to-make-wavesecure-hard-reset-proof.aspx

I just did a search in the Market fro 'wavesecure' and two things popped up WaveSecure and WaveSecure UninstallProtection Add-on which needs to be uninstalled before WaveSecure and if the add-on is uninstalled it is supposed to lock the phone. (all this is in the description I have yet to try)

Wow.

Hi all,
I have been a winmob user for over 5 years and i know pretty much everything about them. (see join date) Though 3 days ago i got a a8183 desire.
My god i have a lot to learn about Android. Winmob seemed so much simplier to pick apart with registry and custom roms.
Anyways i have been reading thread after thread for days yet i still have a couple of questions that i cannot get clear answers for.
I have a a8183 telstra desire running on optus. I have updated to the latest offical 2.2 ROM. (Everyone mentions OTA (over the air) though i downloaded it and installed thru windows).
So i would appreciate if someone could help me out with my questions/assumptions.
1. From what i have read you cannot r00t a froyo OS. Is that right? Though i have found an app z4root that will do it temporarily until reboot. Unrevoked doesnt seem to work.
2. To change system files you need not only root though you need the clockworkmod recovery part of the bootloader. (eg. to replace HOST file for adblocking).
3. You need permanent r00t to install the clockworkmod (so i cannot do this).
4. You cannot remove default ROM apps from your phone without the clockworkmod.
5. You need clockworkmod to install custom ROMs.
So from what i gather.. r00t is good. though really only cause it gets you the clockworkmod recovery which is where you can really hack it.
And to get this i need to downgrade to 2.1, r00t, clockwork then use a hacked rom for 2.2?
Your help is greatly appreciated.

hi sage, i too came from windows mobile so i know how you feel, lucky for me i jumped on the android bandwagon earlier with the htc hero, after i got bored with my HD1, anyway your wrong on quite a few points, so i'll point you in the right direction.
1) the latest version of unrevoked (www.unrevoked.com/recovery) is more than able to root the froyo roms, its a one click app and can root your device in minutes
2) to easly modify system files you need s-off (this is equivalent to HSPL on wm devices) after you have rooted, you need to search for alpharev, this is a linux live cd, you just burn it and boot it and it will security unlock your device.
3) when you download and run unrevoked, it will not only root your device but insatall the latest version of clockworkmod recovery. (just hold vol down and power when your device is off to access hboot, and choose recovery from the list) so unrevoked kills 2 birds with one stone
4) to remove the apps in the /system/ partition there are 2 ways, from recovery using adb, or if you flash the s-off mod, you can remove them directly from your device using a file manager.
5) yes you need clockworkmod or another custom recovery to install custom roms, but now you know how to do it, thats not a problem

Hi Sage,
If you're looking for an easier way to get rid of all the Telstra apps (more like a blob of links really ) on your phone you may want to try one of the stock HTC WWE ROMs. It's clean and you can flash it via exe, just like in WM. The latest RUU I believe is the 2.29.405.2. Also, be aware of the risks of rooting your phone.

thanks for your response guys
Ok so i am now r00ted and running Leedroid's WWE ROM! (thank you!) it was actually pretty easy.
I think unrevoked was failing cause i was using a USB HUB.
OK so now i just want to remove some more of the default apps that come with it.
So i will try alpharev to security unlock my device. (is this permanent or if i reflash my rom it will come back?)
once i have done this i can then delete anything i like thru r00t explorer?
At this stage i am trying to just make some more room for apps. As a number of them wont move to SD Card.
A couple of last questions if i may. I have an new SD Card on order. Am i able to simply copy everything from my existing SD to my new and then swap it over in my phone and it will all be ok? Or do i need 'clone' it with some tool?
Where in the system paths do i remove 'shortcuts' within all apps? (or even simply rename them.)
Much appreciate your help. Android is growing on me. I especially love adb logcat!

ok.. i am now security off'd alpharev worked a treat.
i am now using r00t explorer to try and delete items from /system/app though they come up read-only so i cannot delete them
i take when i get to remove these the phone will have more stoage space for apps yeah?
i also still cannot find where the all apps shortcuts sit! (so i can rename/remove).
and lastly now i have the alpharev bootloader so gonna google how to change that
i did use the Leedroid apps2sd ROM. though most of my apps are still going to phone memory and i cant move them across.
Is there a fix for this? i guess once i work out how to delete these read-only files ill be ok anyway.

Unfortunately removing system apps wont give you more space to install apps, they are stored under a different partition, /system and /data are not on the same disk so you can save as much space on /system as you want but it won't affect /data at all.
With running out of space you have a few choices:
Go to settings..applications..then manage and move as many apps to SD as you can. This is fro-yo apps2sd, not all data is moved and not all apps can be moved, so you will probably run out of space again anyway.
Or
Reboot into recovery and partition your sdcard to create an ext partition, when you boot your rom ALL apps will be moved to the ext partition leaving lots of free space. Backup your sdcard before you partition it, you will lose all data.

Sage said:
ok.. i am now security off'd alpharev worked a treat.
1) i am now using r00t explorer to try and delete items from /system/app though they come up read-only so i cannot delete them
2) i take when i get to remove these the phone will have more stoage space for apps yeah?
3) i also still cannot find where the all apps shortcuts sit! (so i can rename/remove).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Press on Remount as R/O, this should allow you to delete/replace system stuff & ringtones, fonts...etc.
2)No, because apps install to data/apps & not system/apps.
3)You mean like the applicatiuon menu when we used to delete shortcuts or rename them? Hahaha man that was sooooooooooooo long time ago for me. Anyway, the applications installed are displayer & you can't hide them or rearrange them like Winmo. You might want to try Launcher Pro to hide apps in the apps drawer.
If you need more info, ask freely because 2 years ago I went through the same

mr.r9 said:
1) Press on Remount as R/O, this should allow you to delete/replace system stuff & ringtones, fonts...etc. Typo..You meant R/W
2)No, because apps install to data/apps & not system/apps.
3)You mean like the applicatiuon menu when we used to delete shortcuts or rename them? Hahaha man that was sooooooooooooo long time ago for me. Anyway, the applications installed are displayer & you can't hide them or rearrange them like Winmo. You might want to try Launcher Pro to hide apps in the apps drawer.
If you need more info, ask freely because 2 years ago I went through the same
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm..actually the new MTD partition table hack should be able to free space on the /system, adjusting partitions with less for /system and /cache and more for /data/app should give enough space..Though I'm not sure if he wants to try this right now, since it's considered an advanced task and maybe he'd like to get more accustomed to Android before attempting it? His wish though..
And well, there's yet another method to remove system apps, other than the other two methods. This is to modify the zip file of the custom rom to remove the actual apks from /system and reflashing it on top of the actual flash..

droidzone said:
And well, there's yet another method to remove system apps, other than the other two methods. This is to modify the zip file of the custom rom to remove the actual apks from /system and reflashing it on top of the actual flash..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ohh yes indeed. OP, you can edit the zip before installing it to your device. You can remove/replace application in system/data and fonts...etc. Just remember to change signature verification to off in your recovery.

my god. i have spent days on this baby and im only barely scratching the surface
much appreciate all your help guys!
ok.. so its time to use app2sd i hear that app2sd+ is better though? (it moves more data to SD yeah? appcache?)
i only have 2Gb microsd right now so i might wait until i my 8GB arrives before i flash a new ROM and start again (again!)
i also noticed these online kitchens. http://cookmyrom.co.cc
which look great! tho they are still a version behind the leedroid i am using tho its a good way to get rid of some default apps.
i certainly like the idea of reparitioning the default disk though not quite ready for that yet especially when app2sd+ sounds much more straight forward.
i am dumbfounded that you cant remove 'shortcuts' from the All Apps! or even rename them!! my god. i would think that was first thing available on such an open source OS.
So i have now created a folder called "Folder" to reduce the clutter.. and now i guess i cant even rename it!?? and if i create another one its called "Folder" too!
lol.. this OS is so advanced yet some basic stuff seems to be overlooked.
I did try launcher pro though it removed my HTC Sense (which i like). So i might need to keep looking for an app to help organise my All Apps and my desktop (is desktop what its called?)
And just how do i add ringtones?
love your work guys thanks again.

Create a folder called Ringtones on the root of your SD to have...ringtones.
When you open a folder, long press on the header to rename it.
As for organizing, I stopped caring & started to use search, but maybe if you want you can try an app called folder organizer.

mr.r9 said:
Create a folder called Ringtones on the root of your SD to have...ringtones.
When you open a folder, long press on the header to rename it.
As for organizing, I stopped caring & started to use search, but maybe if you want you can try an app called folder organizer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice one thank you!

Sage said:
...So i have now created a folder called "Folder" to reduce the clutter.. and now i guess i cant even rename it!??...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open the folder then hold where it says folder to change its name.

Ok. Now have app2sd working!
thanks to all of you. Beginning to love this android phone now. I feel sorry for all the people who use them as they come from the factory! Thank god for all the xda people who rip them to shreds and make them better

If i can have one last question. Any way to remap hardware buttons to start an app?
Like when you hold down the search button it launches Google Voice. I want it to launch a different app..
I did a search and found the hardware button remapper though it only does hardware to hardware.. not hardware to app

For Folders(Assuming you're using full HTC Sense), just open it and hold the title bar. Took me some time to figure out. You cannot easily rename the apps in "All apps", but you can remove them(Which is essentially uninstalling them) from Settings > Applications > Manage, unless they are system apps which need to be manually deleted either via S-OFF + Root explorer(OR something similar) or ADB + Custom recovery(Clockworkmod or Amon Ra).
For setting a custom ringtone, open the music app, select the music > Menu > Set as ringtone.

so no love on the hardware remap for apps?
Oh well i have done a lot of googling and it seems it cant be done (well at least not easily).
My last question is when you launch an app from a folder the folder stays open.. any way to force close or change its behaviour?

for those following this. I found the Tasker app remaps hardware buttons amongst doing amazing other things.
Still no love on closing folders though.

i ended up using tasker to create app widgets to replace the folders...

If you want app widgets, there's also "Desktop Visualizer".
In terms of killing of an app, have you tried "Settings -> apps settings -> development" then there's an option there for "stop apps via long press"?

[Solved] Any way to access an apk file immediately after flashing?

I'm not sure if this is possible as ICS has no built in file manager, but is there anywhere I can put an apk file that it would be accessible without one? Specifically I want to be able to open an apk to install a file manager as the first thing I do after flashing a rom, to avoid needing to go through the market.
I thought maybe I could leave it in sdcard/download but it seems like the downloads program is blind to anything in that folder that wasn't officially "downloaded". (I suppose I could upload one to my dropbox and download it via the browser, if there are no viable options). Also made a few stabs at getting the gallery program to show one but it seems to filter out anything that's not a picture or video.
Any ideas for places to stick an apk and get one of the stock programs to let me open it?

maybe email it to yourself?
but you would have to log into the email app to do that
but there isnt really anyway to access the file without a file explorer

Open your favourite rom zip, add your apk to /system/app, save the zip, push that zip to the phone, flash.

Peesashiz said:
maybe email it to yourself?
but you would have to log into the email app to do that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah in general I'm trying to cut out the step of signing into anything and just restoring my apps from a backup before I need to cancel automatic restore functions (which I do want on and running once I do my own initial run of things).
bk201doesntexist said:
Open your favourite rom zip, add your apk to /system/app, save the zip, push that zip to the phone, flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm guessing this comes with the consequence of raising any apk added in this manner to system app level? Not that I distrust the apps I'd have in mind for this to do anything malicious themselves, but is there any danger of opening security holes by elevating apps not designed to be system apps?

What I've done many times is just enabling Air Plane as soon as I can after flashing a ROM. That's way I can install any apk I want.
Hope it helps.

heo_con184 said:
What I've done many times is just enabling Air Plane as soon as I can after flashing a ROM. That's way I can install any apk I want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm but then what is your method for getting to that apk? If you do it over wifi that seems to defeat the point, no?
Personally I've found that it works just fine to uncheck the boxes for recovery syncing during the setup process, and then just re-enabling them later in settings. (Alternately, not signing into my google account at all until I've performed a backup). That way even if I end up signing into the market to download a recovery app, it doesn't automatically try to re-download everything else on its own.
I'm starting to think that my dropbox solution will be the cleanest, as it'll be a simple step of opening the browser and downloading a single apk every time at the same link.
I bet that the inclusion of a basic file explorer will be one of those headline items in a future android release. A nice basic functionality that the bloggers can rehash to death before anything actually hits.

Download the file manager apk over wifi and install the APK via download manager.
I do it all the time with Chinese android tablets with no market access.
Or Bluetooth it from another device.
Or just use the market
LTE EX Galaxy Nexus - 4.0.3 AOSP
Asus Transformer - Revolver OC/UV

JoeSyr said:
Hmm but then what is your method for getting to that apk? If you do it over wifi that seems to defeat the point, no?
Personally I've found that it works just fine to uncheck the boxes for recovery syncing during the setup process, and then just re-enabling them later in settings. (Alternately, not signing into my google account at all until I've performed a backup). That way even if I end up signing into the market to download a recovery app, it doesn't automatically try to re-download everything else on its own.
I'm starting to think that my dropbox solution will be the cleanest, as it'll be a simple step of opening the browser and downloading a single apk every time at the same link.
I bet that the inclusion of a basic file explorer will be one of those headline items in a future android release. A nice basic functionality that the bloggers can rehash to death before anything actually hits.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Transfer by USB from my laptop.

Is there a way to do that in which the device will launch the apk you move over? When I copy files over usb, it only ever puts them into whatever directory, and I need a file explorer to interact with them on the phone. And then I'm back to square one, as far as this particular task is concerned (once things are up and running I just use the LAN option in ES file explorer and it's as convenient as could be).

you have the apk in your computer right?
connect the phone to pc, and use adb to install
'adb install <apk_file_name.apk>'

Ah. I haven't used adb since I first unlocked/rooted a few months ago. Guess it probably pays to be a little familiar with those tools; they don't even occur to me when problem solving these days.

JoeSyr said:
Ah. I haven't used adb since I first unlocked/rooted a few months ago. Guess it probably pays to be a little familiar with those tools; they don't even occur to me when problem solving these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mark thread as solved then, if that solved it

Well a completely in-phone solution would still be nice, but I guess if there were any of those they'd have come up by now.
I'll probably use abd if I'm actively working at my computer and a dropbox download otherwise.

Couple mod questions

First question:
Using AlterRom and the auto-correct has words that are weird. Example it's always shows its unless I type it' at which point it will show up the correct word but seriously already there so what's the point. Would I be able to change out this and if so which file would I be looking for. Have looked for latinIME but isn't there.
BTW....no intent to speak ill of anyone's work here. I am sure there is a lot of hard work put into making these. just trying to get my OG Evo set up to hand down to a child.

BackseatDriver said:
First question:
Using AlterRom and the auto-correct has words that are weird. Example it's always shows its unless I type it' at which point it will show up the correct word but seriously already there so what's the point. Would I be able to change out this and if so which file would I be looking for. Have looked for latinIME but isn't there.
BTW....no intent to speak ill of anyone's work here. I am sure there is a lot of hard work put into making these. just trying to get my OG Evo set up to hand down to a child.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You never mentioned the second question and for the first,go into system settings/keyboard/input and uncheck the box next to auto wording or something like that.

Ok....so that didn't work. changed roms. Found 2 she likes really,really well. Shooter and Blue Merge by Team Nocturnal. Now possibly a bigger question. How do I remove a2sd? Here's what I have done so far:
SD Partion Swap 0,ext 4 1024
Rom Toolbox - Terminal Emulator - su-a2sd unintall(also ap2sd uninstall,app2sd uninstall,apps2sd uninstall)
Android Terminal Emulator - su-a2sd uninstall(same as above)
Still unable to remove. I can put apps on sd but when the phone restarts all it shows is an icon that looks like a sdcard and the name. The reason behind removing is that I want to set the phone up for her and then remove things like Root Explorer,Rom Toolbox and such to keep her from doing something that would cause me to have to do the whole process over again.
Edit: After massive looking I finally found a possible answer. Of course it came after making this post. In sys/ect/init.d I found some files but which do I remove? 04apps2sd or dtapp or both?

Well it doesnt matter...those files are recreated from the ramdisk on each boot
Sent from my PG06100

Why do you want to remove a2sd?
Edit: if you don't want the child to have a2sd either use an unpartioned sd card or don't put one in at all...

Answer is that by only using the system app manager she will not be able to remove needed things for the OS. Everything it will allow her to remove will be easily gotten back from the Market.
The no partition on the sdcard doesn't work. Still unable to move games for her to the sd without it loading with the sd icon. Also still unable to use Terminal to uninstall. How do I load a Rom without having it on my sd first?
Update: So I finally upgraded and am now in a pinch. I know nothing about Dev stuff except that those of you who do deserve credit because you create a lot of awesome roms. How would I go about asking if someone would take TN Shooter and remove a2sd for me so I can load it for her and no longer need to keep refreshing her phone when I mess things up? Also I kinda fear I am going to keep on and do something to brick it.