Develop Bugs

[Q] A doubtless foolish question about wallpaper

I apologize in advance for what must be a foolish question. My inability to locate an answer when I search the forums just helps reinforce the notion that the answer is glaringly obvious, so I fully expect to be taken to task for having an IQ slightly below that of the average potted plant.
When I install a ROM on my Epic, and sometimes even when I simply apply a theme, it often has a very nice wallpaper that accompanies it. If I browse other wallpapers in any of what I would consider the "usual" locations (Wallpaper, Live Wallpapers & Gallery), I can't help but notice that the theme's wallpaper is not among the available choices. The implication is that if I were to select a different wallpaper - even just to see how it might look - I would be unable to return to the theme's wallpaper without re-flashing. Surely this can't be right?
Am I missing something? Wouldn't it make sense to simply include the wallpaper as a standard, everyday typical wallpaper, easliy accessible through the usual menus? Or is there, perhaps, some way of choosing "no wallpaper," which would default to the theme's background image?

default wallpaper is located in 2 places,one I know for sure is in the framework-res,the other I cant remeber,Ill have to wait to get to my PC when I get to the houe,in about 2 hours...
Sent from my Frankenstein FROYO using XDA App...

Lol its ok I spent about 2 hours banging my head against the wall trying to figure this out too...but I found it out, so here's mine in my case:
I have emotionless beast theme, so that was the default wallpaper I was looking for. You'll need an explorer like astro file manager.
Go to the very root of the phone (keep hitting up till your in the folder simply named "/"
Navigate to "system", then to "framework"
In there is a .apk, not a folder, named framework-res (there prbly is a folder too but that's not what you want). Click it, astro will bring you up a menu, and hit "browse file"
In the next screen navigate to "res", then to "drawable-hdpi"
Finally you're in the right folder. Scroll down till you see the picture file named "default_wallpaper"...this should be it
Now remember, this is simply my case...but I suspect its a standard practice for devs to put the wallpaper there in most roms so I'm betting it'll work for whatever you're using
NOTE: you can't take a shortcut and simply search for "default_wallpaper" since its located in an .apk file, which astro doesn't search through.
Hope this helps!
Sent from my baked and emotionless SPH-D700

^
Squishy figured it out. It is tucked away in framework-res, where people who don't know better would probably never look.

DiGi760 said:
^
Squishy figured it out. It is tucked away in framework-res, where people who don't know better would probably never look.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yayy me!
Sent from my baked and emotionless SPH-D700

Thank you very much, squshy 7!
I believe you're entirely correct about finding it again, but I wonder if you (or anyone else) might have some idea as to why something so apparently simple as changing your wallpaper has to be so complex an affair as to force one to acquire software he might not own to look in places he'd never otherwise go to find files he might not know about and break them open to tinker about in areas he probably has no business messing around with...all to put back a silly wallpaper he didn't mean to change in the first place? Shouldn't part of the experience involve a certain amount of "user friendliness?"
Obviously, I'm no developer (potted plant-brained folk need not apply), so perhaps there's a reason why a ROM or Theme can't install the wallpaper in such a way as to become more easily accessible? Is it a problem with permissions that prevents copying the wallpaper into the appropriate directory? An issue with protecting the developer (as in, preventing his wallpaper from being distributed separately from his ROM/Theme? Something else entirely?
At any rate, thank you very much squshy 7! I appreciate your having pointed me in the right direction!

I think he just stuck it in the default hiding place for internal wall-papers. Each of google's launchers also has some internal wallpapers that are tucked away from people. Changing your wallpaper is easy. Changing back to image that is hidden from you is tougher.

DiGi760 said:
Changing your wallpaper is easy. Changing back to image that is hidden from you is tougher.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly my point! I'm just curious about why it should be hidden away in the first place - and not just a single ROM/Theme, but so far every one I've tried.
Since I'm fairly certain there's not some world-wide conspiracy of developers to go out of there way to make such an apparently simple thing difficult for their end users, it struck me that there must be a reason behind it, and while I appreciate squshy 7's work-around and can certainly follow his instructions, it leaves me curious about why anyone should have to.
Please note: My problem is fixed - it's now just my curiousity that wonders at the need for such complexities.

If I had to take a guess, it probably is for the same thing you are calling in to question: simplicity.
Think about it: changing the default (stock) wallpapers is easy enough...but have you ever actually "seen" the wallpapers, as in where they are located?
I haven't, simply because I've never looked. But we never wonder because they're so readily accessible from the wallpaper changer.
Again this sounds like they're doing nothing but making it harder for themselves and us. Why not put the default wallpaper for your ROM in the same location as the other wallpapers so its easier for us to change back and forth?
In my opinion, in that question lies what I feel is the answer: because maybe it's easier for them to put it in that drawable-hdpi.apk for some reason. So we're brought back to simplicity; it's just in this case it's for the devs sake.
All of this is, of course, entirely conjecture. I'm no dev and I really have no idea. But I think it's sound reasoning right?
Because all humans are lazy lol.
Sent from my baked and emotionless SPH-D700

squshy 7 said:
Why not put the default wallpaper for your ROM in the same location as the other wallpapers so its easier for us to change back and forth?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those other default wallpapers that aren't from your gallery are usually built in to the launcher in a similar way.

DiGi760 said:
Those other default wallpapers that aren't from your gallery are usually built in to the launcher in a similar way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah - I think I'm beginning to understand. In other words, there's no there there. There's no single place, repository, directory or folder into which any installed image magically becomes a wallpaper? And if a developer wanted to make his wallpaper more "accessible" in a way that would simplify our lives, he'd have to sort of "crack open" whatever launcher we might be using and insert it, which is neither likely nor desirable. Do I have that right?
If so, then the best we could hope for would be an easily accessible copy of the wallpaper that we could insert into our own gallery for future use - which would still be preferable to the digital gymnastics currently required.
I'm slow, but I do get there eventually. Thanks for helping me sort it all out.

Pretty much. Sometimes you have to do the work to pull a wallpaper out of a launcher or framework-res. Once you have it, changing your wallpaper to it is the easy part.
If I go to change my wallpaper, it asks me to select wallpaper from:
Home screen wallpaper
Live wallpapers
Wallpaper gallery
Wallpapers (com.android.launcher)
Wallpapers (com.ebproductions.android.launcher)
The last three are for different launchers. The next to last one has the stock Epic wallpapers. These wallpapers are all stored in the apks.
I'd be willing to bet that there is a way to simply put the wallpaper in folder and point some setting to it. It isn't done that way because by default, that stuff is all packed in to different things where it is nice and self-contained and many rom developers just adjust the default settings until they have a reason to make a departure.

[Q] How do I make images like this?

I recently saw images in the themes section, that I loved and subsequently now use for my phone. Shown:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=781455
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=783946
Now, how do I resize the images properly? Scale, resize? Differences? What program to use (free, I'd prefer)? How to add that black bar so lovely at the bottom of the images and the text there? I tried figuring it out, but I couldn't figure out how to search how to do that specific thing.
Any help would be great! I want to start making images in that fashion for other applications, as those are very limited.

When I had my Hero, you could download Desktop Visualizer - this will allow you to associate certain pictures to the icons you want. It will also allow you yo resize them....my suggestion is start with a big icon and resize it smaller - smaller to big makes it look grainy...as for the dock bar....I used (use) LauncherPro - under LauncherPro setting you can change the dockbar....hope this helps!!

The black bar at the bottom looks to be a custom dock for LauncherPro. I've seen it in collections of LP Docks before (I'm unfortunately not immediately able to find it, but google it and spend a few minutes, and you ought to find it no prob).
As for the icons, Simi Folder would be one way to do it if what you're linking to is a folder. Not sure for just an icon that links directly to an app -- you can certainly resize icons in LPP, but I'm not sure off the top of my head how to do it and maintain the scale. You could probably compress it using Photoshop such that when it gets stretched, it looks correct? I dunno, someone else may have better ideas...

I believe people are misunderstanding what I'm asking.
I know how to get it all set up on my homescreen and such. I have the setup like that currently, no problem, using DesktopVisualizer and LPP.
I'm more asking about how they placed those bars on the image and the writing. See, they have an image that they got from wherever on the internet, put that minimalistic black transparent bar on the bottom and wrote "Texts" there, so that one would use it as a tile of sorts (as the theme they're going for is an "Android Phone 7" sort of thing"). I want to basically get images from wherever in the internet as well and use them for other applications. Like, create a, say, "Market" one, where the image I found will represent in some form, a market, and then put that black transparent bar in the image and type "Market" in some font in the corner like they did so that I can then use DesktopVisualizer to use the image as the icon in the manner shown in those posts. I'm assuming you can't just go and place a huge image (####x###) as the icon and hope it fits right. They resized theirs down to like 355x115 or something. Every time I try to resize something like that, though, it does not like it in the least. So, I'm wondering how they did that, too.
In a sense, they're like icon sets, if you will, and I want to then expand their offerings, as they only offer "icons" for a few applications or needs.
God, what a text wall. Sorry!

I wouldn't mind knowing myself, I'm all for customizing my Evo, and the more I learn the better I can do so.

I'm sure it's a relatively simple process, I just simply don't know how and wouldn't even know how to search for it. Like, what, "black bar on image?" Ha!
Hundreds of views, hardly any replies! You'd think this wise community would know!

totalanonymity said:
I believe people are misunderstanding what I'm asking.
I know how to get it all set up on my homescreen and such. I have the setup like that currently, no problem, using DesktopVisualizer and LPP.
I'm more asking about how they placed those bars on the image and the writing. See, they have an image that they got from wherever on the internet, put that minimalistic black transparent bar on the bottom and wrote "Texts" there, so that one would use it as a tile of sorts (as the theme they're going for is an "Android Phone 7" sort of thing"). I want to basically get images from wherever in the internet as well and use them for other applications. Like, create a, say, "Market" one, where the image I found will represent in some form, a market, and then put that black transparent bar in the image and type "Market" in some font in the corner like they did so that I can then use DesktopVisualizer to use the image as the icon in the manner shown in those posts. I'm assuming you can't just go and place a huge image (####x###) as the icon and hope it fits right. They resized theirs down to like 355x115 or something. Every time I try to resize something like that, though, it does not like it in the least. So, I'm wondering how they did that, too.
In a sense, they're like icon sets, if you will, and I want to then expand their offerings, as they only offer "icons" for a few applications or needs.
God, what a text wall. Sorry!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The text is just in the image, it isn't some magical add-on. It is probably just a black rectangle and then transparency adjusted to taste.
There are a handful of win7 style icon packs like that. You could use one of those as a template (for size) and use your own images and text. Minimal PS or GIMP experience needed. Just keep the aspect ratio of the images when you are resizing them and provided they aren't absurdly larger than the ~355x115 or whatever size you are aiming for they should still look fine.

The second link says it comes with photoshop templates. You could always just download the 30 day free trial of photoshop.

looks like a simple photoshop job to me, just add a second layer above the background, rectangle marquee the section you want to be the transparent bar, then paint bucket the area with a black (or any color) at 50% opacity, then add text.

jstalford said:
The second link says it comes with photoshop templates. You could always just download the 30 day free trial of photoshop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, can't believe I missed that. Oops!

Those are pretty cool looking layouts nice find.

[Q] Edit the default android lockscreen

Hello you all
I would like to have some information about editing the default android lockscreen.
First of all, I know that it is much easer to work with a lockscreen replacer like widgetlocker. But I hate the fact there is a lag on it, you sometimes can unlock the default screen, open for example the app drawer when suddenly your phone get locket again, but this time with the slow responding widget locker.
And besides that, I like to mess around with that sort of things
What I did so far just deleting the htc sense lock screen (thanks to warriorvibhu http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=948976). But when you do so, you notice that the sliders on your screen are way to big.
This can be solved by flashing an other framework, and I did that (using remove_HtcLockscreen.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10192875&postcount=2). The only problem is that this framework is, in my opinion, deadly ugly. So I thought "as I've seen that it is possible, I just going to modify the things my self".
I did all sort of things, using the new framework to see which things where changed. The plan was to look where the lockscreen was defined, to look for diferences and to make modifications in the standard sense framework.
The two most important things I already have done is
- modifying the keyguard_screen_tab_unlock.xml of the framework-res.apk so that it matched with the one in the framework-res.apk that I downloaded - resulted in nothing.
- deodexing the android.policy.jar classes.dex file. I've seen that there are a lot of smali files in there reguarding the "lockscreen" and "keyguard", but first of all I don't now which one does what an secondly, I've seen that the standard sense android.policy.jar doesn't contain a classes.dex file. I've already tried to push the android.policy.jar with the classes.dex file in my phone, but I noticed no difference.
Reading this it appears to me that it doesn't seem that I have done so much. But I can assure you, I've done a lot more, but most of the time it had nothing to do with the lockscreen and/or resulted in a bootloop.
But now my ideas have come to an end, and this is why I'm asking for help. Can somebody set me off in the good direction? I know that it must be possible to make the sliders normal, so it is really driving me crazy not to see which files I should edit.
Thank you in advance,
Erwin

ErwinP said:
This can be solved by flashing an other framework, and I did that (using remove_HtcLockscreen.zip from http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10192875&postcount=2). The only problem is that this framework is, in my opinion, deadly ugly. So I thought "as I've seen that it is possible, I just going to modify the things my self".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed this one when I was using Sense and the lockscreen looked OK, not too big, not too small, just like the default android.
Kinda like this, but better:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10486389&postcount=85

Thank you, but again, this is something that changes icons etc. And all I want to do is make the slide bars look like in that ROM
But reading trough that topic, it looks to me that it appears to be difficult to make changes in sense roms... Still hoping that someone can point me the files that should be edited, or at least set me of in the good direction.
But thank you Alex_GP for your fast respons!
Erwin

I don`t know these stuff, but you can try PM-img HewGBalls http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=3193485 and asking him for directions, seeing that he`s the one that worked on this before.

Need help with themes...

I'm new to Android, coming from my FrankenPre2 after giving up hope on webOS and HP. Picking up the Epic Touch has been great, besides the LOS and battery issues. I was pretty deep into modding the Pre, so I'm looking to do the same here.
My first thought was to try to modify the images on the Epic, but I am lost as to where to find the correct files to modify. I was able to change the icon for the messaging app and the Incoming/Outgoing phone call animation, but that's pretty much it. I don't know where to start with the phone app, since images seem to be spread out all over the place. Opening up the phone apk yeilds a ton of images, and I don't know which ones to change.
My question would be to any themers out there, or anyone familiar enough with Android. How do I know which images I need to edit? Is there a directory or a file list which gives corresponding locations to specific images, such as the "1" button or the "Call" button, or the launcher icons? Or is it more a process of trial and error? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Can you post screenshots of the things you want to change
(sxreeshot is done by holding power and home)
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium

gtuansdiamm said:
Can you post screenshots of the things you want to change
(sxreeshot is done by holding power and home)
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much everything. My first shot will be at the stock icons on the launcher. The I'd like to start on themes for the phone, email, and messaging apps. Pecifically, on the phone I'd like to change much of the color scheme, since the stock colors are in my opinion pretty ugly. But I also want to change the dial pad numbers and other standard buttons.
I was directed to this thread by another Android user:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=821638
Looking into it, the framework-res.apk does have a lot of images that are familiar, but there are a lot of images that aren't there. I think I'll have to start learning about the names of the file locations, and going by trial and error. It would be awesome if there was a simple blueprint as to where the images you want to change are, but ah well. I've got a lot of learning to do. Thanks for the response, and if you have any other suggestions, let me know.

Check out SystemUI.apk
This is the pulldown icons and such
Found under system\app\
I think the dialer is contacts.apk

KelvCast said:
Check out SystemUI.apk
This is the pulldown icons and such
Found under system\app\
I think the dialer is contacts.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I would never have looked in the contacts for the dialer icons. There doesn't seem to be a perfect logic as to which apk's hold the images, so I guess it's going to be a lot of trial and error here. If you know of any more locations, let me know. Thanks!

you need to modify the images in the following that I know of to get a pretty standard theme
Framework-res
touchwiz framework-res
contacts.apk
systemui.apk

[REQ] Kill the "snowman"

I have a theme request for the Galaxy Nexus... I've tried doing this myself, but with my novice level of expertise, I'm afraid it's hopeless...
I really detest the new "Evil Snowman" image that shows up for all contacts without a pic, caller ID, text messages and some icons. I have no idea why Google chose this image. The little robot was much nicer. Anyway, if anyone has the time, I would really appreciate a theme that keeps everything stock, but replaces all the horrible "Evil Snowman" images with something better - a little Android Robot would be great.
I'd be happy to donate to anyone that can do this.
Thanks so much...

if you look a little further back in this forum (or maybe it was in Rootzwiki, not sure which) there were a few themed apks and zips that I found I looked through them but never saw anything that interested me.

I looked too... The problem is that I really just want a stock look, and no snowman. I don't want to change everything else.

Matt_TX said:
I looked too... The problem is that I really just want a stock look, and no snowman. I don't want to change everything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what img do you want there instead? i can do that for you as i get back home.
tell me what rom/version you're using too
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

etoy said:
what img do you want there instead? i can do that for you as i get back home.
tell me what rom/version you're using too
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I'm not that fussy... Perhaps a little Android man in a color scheme that goes with the stock look.
The problem is that the snowman is everywhere... Here's a list of places I've seen, there may be more...
- Phone App / Contacts
- Caller ID
- Conference Call
- Messaging
- People App Icon
- People App top of screen
- People App contacts
If you can do this for me, I would be delighted... I will also gladly donate if it works.
BTW, I'm running Stock 4.0.4 for the CDMA/LTE Galaxy Nexus (Rooted and De-odexed)
EDIT: I like the contact image shown here, but perhaps in colors that better fit the stock look:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1467139

I agree with you Matt...although I never thought of the stock 'unknown' contact image as an Evil Snowman, lol.
Anyways, the files that you want to change are in framework-res.apk\res\drawable-xhdpi\ic_contact_pictureXXXX.png. Attached to this post below, you'll find a quick screengrab that I took from my theme's working project folder.
Speaking of which, I will be updating my PCB Blue theme to include the Android robot image (specifically 'ic_contact_picture_2.png') by default, as I also prefer it over the "Evil Snowman"
You should be able to just edit framework-res.apk with WinRAR since you're only replacing normal PNG files. Extract them first, rename them, then drop them back into the .APK...on the other hand, if you like my PCB Blue theme, you can always wait for the next version where that will be done.
** EDIT ** - I am attaching the 3 untouched PNGs from framework-res.apk to make things a bit easier for you. They have been renamed properly to have Android use the robot as default. You therefore shouldn't need to do anything else but pop them into your framework-res.apk (many guides exist on how to edit this file, but the quick version would be to use ADB in Recovery to make changes (pull --> edit --> push --> set permissions) to the file.
Also, it may be possible that the other apps/APKs have their own resource image for an unknown contact. If that's the case, you'll have to dive into those APKs too (I only mod framework-res.apk myself, didn't peek into any others).
Hope that helps.

scar45 said:
I agree with you Matt...although I never thought of the stock 'unknown' contact image as an Evil Snowman, lol.
Anyways, the files that you want to change are in framework-res.apk\res\drawable-xhdpi\ic_contact_pictureXXXX.png. Attached to this post below, you'll find a quick screengrab that I took from my theme's working project folder.
Speaking of which, I will be updating my PCB Blue theme to include the Android robot image (specifically 'ic_contact_picture_2.png') by default, as I also prefer it over the "Evil Snowman"
You should be able to just edit framework-res.apk with WinRAR since you're only replacing normal PNG files. Extract them first, rename them, then drop them back into the .APK...on the other hand, if you like my PCB Blue theme, you can always wait for the next version where that will be done.
** EDIT ** - I am attaching the 3 untouched PNGs from framework-res.apk to make things a bit easier for you. They have been renamed properly to have Android use the robot as default. You therefore shouldn't need to do anything else but pop them into your framework-res.apk (many guides exist on how to edit this file, but the quick version would be to use ADB in Recovery to make changes (pull --> edit --> push --> set permissions) to the file.
Also, it may be possible that the other apps/APKs have their own resource image for an unknown contact. If that's the case, you'll have to dive into those APKs too (I only mod framework-res.apk myself, didn't peek into any others).
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Scar,
The snowman is definitely evil. I feel like he is mocking me with that sideways smile. I don't like it... Hahaha... Just kidding
From what I can tell, the contacts.apk, phone.apk and mms.apk all have their own "snowman" images so I think they would all have to be edited. I know that I can do this using 7-zip, but it's really a bit beyond my comfort level right now. I'm still learning
If I edit the framwork-res.apk, does it override the files in the individual apps? It sounds like it doesnt. BTW, your image with the droid at 45 degrees is fantastic. It is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Do you have a larger version for to replace the one that shows up with caller ID?
Thanks,
Matt.

Matt_TX said:
Scar,
The snowman is definitely evil. I feel like he is mocking me with that sideways smile. I don't like it... Hahaha... Just kidding
From what I can tell, the contacts.apk, phone.apk and mms.apk all have their own "snowman" images so I think they would all have to be edited. I know that I can do this using 7-zip, but it's really a bit beyond my comfort level right now. I'm still learning
If I edit the framwork-res.apk, does it override the files in the individual apps? It sounds like it doesnt. BTW, your image with the droid at 45 degrees is fantastic. It is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Do you have a larger version for to replace the one that shows up with caller ID?
Thanks,
Matt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LMAO! You know, the more I look @ him, the more I dislike him too...especially with that sideways smirk...
If you did check those other APKs and see snowman images, then yep, it's quite certain that those APKs will need to be modded. I use WinRAR and it couldn't be easier...one thing you must remember is to choose ZERO or STORE compression when working with 'framework-res.apk' and possibly others. They are not compressed in the ROMs (at least AOKP, which I run).
So, if you edit only framework-res.apk, then it probably will NOT change the caller ID, contacts photos, etc.. In terms of the image, I took that directly from 'framework-res.apk', so I unfortunately don't have a better/larger image. You might try Photoshop/GIMP, using an image resize method that is "better for enlargement".
Cheers Matt!

I'm still no further forward in my quest to kill the snowman. I like the robot image posted above, but the issue is that it's 108x108 pixels. I basically need 4 different images. One light grey as shown which is 128x128, this will work for the People App, MMS and the Framework. Then I need a darker one which is also 128x128 for the contacts list in the phone app. Next I need a dark image which is 360x360 (for caller ID screen) and another light image which is 360x360 for the People app (viewing a contact).
In summary:
128x128 light grey
128x128 dark grey
360x360 light grey
360x360 dark grey
I have tried to resize the image, but it looks like crap. Can someone please help me? I think I can get this done with the right png files.
Thanks,
Matt.

Matt_TX said:
I'm still no further forward in my quest to kill the snowman. I like the robot image posted above, but the issue is that it's 108x108 pixels. I basically need 4 different images. One light grey as shown which is 128x128, this will work for the People App, MMS and the Framework. Then I need a darker one which is also 128x128 for the contacts list in the phone app. Next I need a dark image which is 360x360 (for caller ID screen) and another light image which is 360x360 for the People app (viewing a contact).
In summary:
128x128 light grey
128x128 dark grey
360x360 light grey
360x360 dark grey
I have tried to resize the image, but it looks like crap. Can someone please help me? I think I can get this done with the right png files.
Thanks,
Matt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking for the same here. Any luck?