Develop Bugs

[Q] Binary XML edits....

Hi there,
I am trying to learn all this theming and have started with the basics, the notification bar icons in framework-res.apk.
I can pull it from the phone, I can decompile it but I am having a challenge putting it all back together as I changed the number of images in a specific animation and then edited the XML file regarding that, but I think there must be other references to the files as now there are less files and the error log is saying it can't find the ones I removed (both the png's and the references in the one xml file) when trying to recompile.
Is there a master XML listing all the files expected or something.
many thanks in advance
David P

Let me guess you are using apktool?
What you need to do is take a clean version of the apk you want to edit. For arguments sake let's say you are editing framework-res.apk.
Decompile using apktool and make your edits to .xml files ONLY. Once done recompile using,
apktool b -f [foldername] framework-res.apk
Now this recompiled apk will probably not work. However the xml files will be properly recompiled. So now you extract the edited .xml files, add them to a clean unedited framework-res.apk (not a de and re copmpiled one) without extracting the .apk. Just add and replace the files using WinRar or whatever.
Also add your edited images to necessary folder in the clean .apk too. So the end result is a clean framework-res.apk that you have updated with your edited .xml files and edited images. This apk should function just fine!!
Sorry if this is a big mess but it makes sense to me and it works for me.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am not quite sure what I am using, I have tried ThemePro for windows and APKManager, both of which are just scripted batch files so I would need to check what they use to extract or decompile with.
So Basically, I decompile, edit the xml (while textual) then recompile so the XML's are binary again. Then pull the BINARY XML#'s from the APK and use those with all the appropriate files and folders which I then create a new clean APK from by zipping it and renaming to .apk, correct?
David P

ephumuris said:
Let me guess you are using apktool?
What you need to do is take a clean version of the apk you want to edit. For arguments sake let's say you are editing framework-res.apk.
Decompile using apktool and make your edits to .xml files ONLY. Once done recompile using,
apktool b -f [foldername] framework-res.apk
Now this recompiled apk will probably not work. However the xml files will be properly recompiled. So now you extract the edited .xml files, add them to a clean unedited framework-res.apk (not a de and re copmpiled one) without extracting the .apk. Just add and replace the files using WinRar or whatever.
Also add your edited images to necessary folder in the clean .apk too. So the end result is a clean framework-res.apk that you have updated with your edited .xml files and edited images. This apk should function just fine!!
Sorry if this is a big mess but it makes sense to me and it works for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of thanks!!! I'm looking for an explanation like this, all that I try give me an unusable framework-res.apk and now I know why.

ephumuris said:
Now this recompiled apk will probably not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apktool creates "clean" apks as you name them. There is almost no difference between application built from sources or using apktool. And almost no logical difference between original apk and rebuilt one (for most apps, of course apktool doesn't support some of them).
If you are talking about system apps, then your problems are most probably related to incorrect way of installing resulting apk, not to it's structure. You can't reinstall system app easily and one of workarounds is to copy AndroidManifest.xml and META-INF from original file and push it to a device. Actually you did this using your method and I think this is the reason, why you think there is something wrong with apks built by apktool.

[Q] how to theme .apk files for flashable theme

since i cant get metamorph to work on cyan i want to make my theme a flashable zip. i know were the images are located and everything in an apk but whats the best easiest way to decompile the apk then recompile with my edited images. should i just rename the apk .zip and then rename .apk wen done or will that unsigne it. or should i use apktool and just "apktool d framework-res.apk" and recompile using apktool? thanks for any help

I'm not sure about the correct way to do it, but I have edited the framework-res.apk fine by just rename to .zip, edit some pictures within the drawable-hdpi folder. Put that folder back in the zip then rename to .apk. Then just adb push to the correct location and reboot and everything is fine and looking good.

It depends. If you're just going to edit images you could just open the apk using z7 or winrar and replace the images. If you're going to edit xml files you'd have to decompile it using apktool.

Need help signing an apk

I hav modded xml's inside systemui.apk so should I resign that apk?? Is it safe to put it in system/app/ of my rom and flash it?

Use Apk manager or Signapk.jar

[TUT] how to replace the icons of settings

This tutorial is how to replace the icons in the settings.apk
requirements:
brain and apktool :angel:
1.first you need to decompile the settings.apk or use ninjamorph
2. locate the images you want to replace .
3. resize the images like in the original sizes of the images in the settings
4.recompile settings.apk
this how to recompile and decompile
1.install framework , pull it in the system/framework and place it on your sdcard and transfer to apktool folder
apktool if framework-res.apk
2. install twframework , pull it in the system/framework and place it on your sdcard and transfer to apktool folder
apktool if twframework-res.apk
3. decompile settings.apk pull it in the system/app and place it on your sdcard and transfer to apktool folder
apktool d Settings.apk
when it is done editing , its time to recompile your work
type apktool b -f -d Settings
then after that open the original settings.apk using 7zip or winrar
and open also the modded settings.apk that is located at the settings folder/dist
open both settings.apk and from the original settings.apk drag and drop the meta folder and android manifest to your modded settings.apk
and thats all . transfer the settings.apk from the dist folder to your sdcard and push it to system/app
try to see the images on the attached files , it will help you
dont forget to hit thanks :angel:

[Guide][framework-res.apk]

Someone please guide me on how to recompile framework-res.apk from stock rom
using advanced apktool.
Because when I tried to recompile as other apks and replaced it with older one I got boot-loop:crying: .

[email protected][email protected]@ said:
Someone please guide me on how to recompile framework-res.apk from stock rom
using advanced apktool.
Because when I tried to recompile as other apks and replaced it with older one I got boot-loop:crying: .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must set right permision after copy app to system

First you need to recompile the folder
Code:
ApkTool b (foldername)
after that you need to mod the system permissions or sign with an other system apk
How to do that?
copy meta inf folder and the xml file from the original apk

TecnoTailsPlays said:
First you need to recompile the folder
Code:
ApkTool b (foldername)
after that you need to mod the system permissions or sign with an other system apk
How to do that?
copy meta inf folder and the xml file from the original apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, but i now dont understand his problem

My problem is when I recompile framework-res.apk and copied to /system/framework
and changed the permissions to rw-r-r and restarted my phone it stucked on bootloop .
:crying:
Thanks TechnoTailPlays I will try your solution .

Guys use advanced apk tool for editing apk files , after recompile apk file change resources.arsc by using 7-zip or winrar

Thank you so much @technotailsPlays it worked. :good: