Hey!
I was wondering, is there a way of adding apps to a rom... theres a few apk's i practially have to have installed, so i was wondering is there a way to add these files to a zipped rom so they install within the the system folder on the phone takin up dedicated rom space instead of dedicated phone storage....
been searching for a while about this, an theres a few close threads but they stopped before it was answered.
Also i have tried unzipping the rom, adding the apks, then rezipping an it didnt work, it started installing an finished within 2 seconds so obviously it didnt install the rom.
Thanks in advance!
You should just be able to add them to the /system/app folder. You just have to use a custom recovery to flash it, because the original zip is signed, where yours isn't. So if you turn the check for signature off in the recovery it should work just fine.
Alternatively you can learn how to sign your zip file, but that's far more time consuming.
i tried doing that, toggled it off in clockworkmod and still does the same thing. so not entirely sure wat i'm doing wrong, all i'm doing is rezipping it to a zip file using winrar.... should i try somethin else?
and yeah i made sure it did it to a zip file an not a rar file
360nitrous said:
i tried doing that, toggled it off in clockworkmod and still does the same thing. so not entirely sure wat i'm doing wrong, all i'm doing is rezipping it to a zip file using winrar.... should i try somethin else?
and yeah i made sure it did it to a zip file an not a rar file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a similar problem like yours.
Here is where we were wrong. We unzipped the .zip, added whatever we did, and then selected the folder and added to zip, which is wrong. You have to select ALL the folders and files WITHIN the folder unzipped and add it to archive.
Meaning, I have for ex. update-OD4.0.10.zip, after I unzip it it gets a folder containing all the files and folders of the ROM. You have to go one level in, select them all (files and folders in there) and add it to zip. Et voila!
Hope you understand my English!
mi3x said:
I had a similar problem like yours.
Here is where we were wrong. We unzipped the .zip, added whatever we did, and then selected the folder and added to zip, which is wrong. You have to select ALL the folders and files WITHIN the folder unzipped and add it to archive.
Meaning, I have for ex. update-OD4.0.10.zip, after I unzip it it gets a folder containing all the files and folders of the ROM. You have to go one level in, select them all (files and folders in there) and add it to zip. Et voila!
Hope you understand my English!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that makes me feel stupid haha!!! your totally right, that sorted out the problem, thanks a lot!!! sometimes its the simplest things that you forget about
Yes you will of course have to add the folders in the same structure as before, as the update script are telling the recovery which folders to flash where, and you are leaving that script unchanged.
360nitrous said:
Now that makes me feel stupid haha!!! your totally right, that sorted out the problem, thanks a lot!!! sometimes its the simplest things that you forget about
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My pleasure I loled as well! At least I went deeper in my feeling stupid, changing RAR tools, different compression types etc... and the answer was there all along.
Wondering if all zip files (apps, obviously) are flashable. Suppose I download an app in a Zip file and I flash it using CWM, does it get flashed and turn into a system file? I have also noticed that there a images in a few zips I've downloaded and extracted (using androzip). What happens to these images when i flash the zip?
Seriously confused.
Apps and .zips are two different things.
You cant install apps through flashing(Except if someone has made a flashable .zip)
Also apps are not in .zip/.rar format they are in .apk and can be installed through your file manager
Thats why we have a FAQ thread stuck in the section... pls ask questions there..
Ok forum, so I got this idea: because a lot of people ask for CWM packages of this and that, why not let them create CWM flashable stuff without having to beg devs or other users to make them?
I think it saves them (yes, I am talking about YOU!) and us the trouble. So I created these two base CWM flashable zips to get everyone started:
Data_Skeleton.zip - Used for apps that you can uninstall afterwards.
System_Skeleton.zip - Used for anything that should be installed as a system app
Now, a short guide on how to use them:
1. Download the appropriate ZIP for what you plan to package. If you want to make a regular app package use Data_Skeleton.zip, for system apps, use System_Skeleton.zip.
2. Open the zip file with anything else other than Windows Explorer! Use 7zip, winzip, winrar or anything else, just not Explorer!
3. Look inside the zip! DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING! All you need to do is ADD STUFF!
4. Browse into the "data" or "system" zip folders, then down into the "app" folder inside.
5. After you get to the "app" folder, copy and paste the APKs you want to flash in the folder.
REMEMBER: do not DELETE anything! ADD APK files ONLY in the "app" folder.
6. Wait for the APK files you copy to get added to the archive.
7. Close the archive.
8. Rename and copy the archive to your SD card.
9. Boot into CWM and flash the copied zip file you just created.
10. Enjoy!!
Sooooo, quick 10-step process into cooking you own CWM Zips. You can do much more with them than flashing apps, but for general purpose usage, this should be enough!
Thanks and complaints go underneath.
PS: this idea was given to me by lambstone in a separate thread! Thanks a lot mate!!!
Peace,
C.
Nice thread, waiting for other..............
There's market apps that does this I.e apps2zip
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2
Ayysr,
App2zip works well for this purpose, but only when it works. There are apps that can't be zipped correctly, mainly those that rely on libs, media and/or other files that can't be included automagically. Needless to say that some apps (mainly games and such) store data on the SD card.
All of this can be easily accomplished by copying the files in a zip file; also learning something about Android in the process, wouldn't you say?
Peace,
C.
cheatman said:
Ayysr,
App2zip works well for this purpose, but only when it works. There are apps that can't be zipped correctly, mainly those that rely on libs, media and/or other files that can't be included automagically. Needless to say that some apps (mainly games and such) store data on the SD card.
All of this can be easily accomplished by copying the files in a zip file; also learning something about Android in the process, wouldn't you say?
Peace,
C.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your right, I was not trying to deny your effort in any way
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2
I actually wasn't expecting anyone to comment on this thread to begin with
The fact that you mentioned app2zip is perfect! I know the intent is not to deny my effort, in fact, I am happy new information surfaced because it's useful and appropriate.
Very few contribute to such posts with relevant info for others. I think this is the point: sharing insightful and relevant stuff with others. But judging by the number of thanks you have, you already know this very well already
So, thanks! And glad to have you in my thread
Peace,
C.
cheatman said:
I actually wasn't expecting anyone to comment on this thread to begin with
The fact that you mentioned app2zip is perfect! I know the intent is not to deny my effort, in fact, I am happy new information surfaced because it's useful and appropriate.
Very few contribute to such posts with relevant info for others. I think this is the point: sharing insightful and relevant stuff with others. But judging by the number of thanks you have, you already know this very well already
So, thanks! And glad to have you in my thread
Peace,
C.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have trying to put 5 apk files on data/app exactly doing what it's in your post, then rename it to apk.zip, but when i'm trying flashing from cwm it's geting error
E:Can't open /sdcard/apk.zip
(bad)
Installation aborted
do I miss something??
edit: i'm using data_skeleton.zip
Make sure you don't extract the ZIP. Open it and add files. If you extract it, you get that error message (usually). That is a problem related to the unzip process in CWM, it's not very "compatible"
I have also re-upped the DATA CWM zip, maybe it got borked in the process. So download again from first post. It works on my tab. You can test it by just getting the zip and flashing it empty, like that.
cheatman said:
Make sure you don't extract the ZIP. Open it and add files. If you extract it, you get that error message (usually). That is a problem related to the unzip process in CWM, it's not very "compatible"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No dude, I do not extract the zip file, I do exzctly what you said in 1st post, just open it with winrar, look for Data-app, then adding apk files on app section/folder inside the zip files, i just try once again to make sure, and i just add 1 different apk file, but still not work, btw i always use this same method before when I' want to replace boot animation for ICS CM9 ROM and adding some apk file to ROM file, and it's always work.
cheatman said:
I have also re-upped the DATA CWM zip, maybe it got borked in the process. So download again from first post. It works on my tab. You can test it by just getting the zip and flashing it empty, like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will try this one..,
EDIT: have try your 2nd Data_skeleton.zip, it's work when flashing from cwm with or without add apk files, but not with previous zip file, thought the problem it's coming from your zip file..,
Glad the second one works!
Thanks for letting me know the first zip was borked!
Its a good thread man, makes creating flash able zips simple, you should also look into zipsigner2 on the play market
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2
Thx for the great work!!
Does this one only works for apks?? say i would like to add some files to system/bin or system/lib what do i need to add??
Thx again
You need to create the appropriate folder structure on your PC/Laptop/Mac drive (system/bin or system/lib as per your example) and add it to the archive.
Do not create the folders directly inside the archive as they seem to get borked. Instead archive the folders after you create them locally. It also works if you extract the skeleton archive as an example, delete the "system" folder from inside it and add to the archive the system folder from your drive to replace the original one.
Sounds more complicated than it is. With these CWM Zips you can create any zip that changes either "/data/*" or "/system/*"
Anything, including full ROMs, libs, firmware etc (i.e. except kernel!) can go inside. Play with them. You can't mess your tab with them. Worst case, you need to flash again your ICS copy and factory reset...
Peace,
C.
yeah jejeje i just mess up i am trying to flash a sound driver for my phone (by the way it works in my live with walkman) but they are not working so.
but it is great because i was able to use your file to flash my phone it seems to be universal.
thx again for your work.
Is it possible for this to work for radio images?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5
No, it can't be used for radio images.
First off, radio images need to be flashed (i.e. not copied to a folder as this script does) and secondly because as far as I know with the latest versions of CWM don't support this anymore.
The old zips used to flash radio don't seem to be supported anymore. I recently encountered this problem while flashing a friend's HTC Buzz/Wildfire. So, no, I have no idea how to flash radio using CWM anymore. You can flash using Odin, though...
Peace,
C.
cheatman said:
You need to create the appropriate folder structure on your PC/Laptop/Mac drive (system/bin or system/lib as per your example) and add it to the archive.
Do not create the folders directly inside the archive as they seem to get borked. Instead archive the folders after you create them locally. It also works if you extract the skeleton archive as an example, delete the "system" folder from inside it and add to the archive the system folder from your drive to replace the original one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, this explains how come my /system/app zips were coming out fine but my /system/framework were messed up, thanks for the explanation.
I wonder if it's possible for a small tutorial in how to add our own text to a zip when it's being flashed.
I guess I could reupload the zips without the intro section (stating my nickname and galaxy tab / version etc.) if I weren't so lazy...
The problem with changing the text is that although a tutorial can be made, it requires external tools and such, which would make this waaay to complicated and out of the scope of this thread.
For your purposes (I assume you are using some version of Windows), here's my advice: extract the Zip archive, look for the "updater-script" file, change it and make sure you run it through a "dos2unix" tool to convert CR/LFs. Then add it back to the archive.
To everyone else: if this doesn't work for you, just stick to adding apps to the zip. You should be safe, there's no need to edit any files anyway!
Peace,
C.
Great, apparently it was just that simple, worked great, <3
Dumb question - is this only for Galaxy tab? Or can I use it on my Captivate?
Hi guys,
I installed a asop r3 nightly, along with gaps, but for some reason I can't find the default music player..the widget is missing too can't installed music from play.store as I'm in the UK
How can I get it on there?
Thanks in advance.
it's because of license, just search for playmusic.apk in the rom thread
edit: here the link for the apk
h ttp:/
/w ww.androidnext.de/news/google-play-store-market-music-books-movies-apk-download/
Thank you sir!
Hmm not sure how to installed those, the are zip files not apk?
HSKalay said:
Hmm not sure how to installed those, the are zip files not apk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on what their recommendation is.
If its just a .zip with the .apk inside it, you can just unzip and install the .apk with a file explorer.
If it's a .zip made for flashing, just flash it via CWM.
Yea, the zip file didn't contain a apk, and via cwm it failed to flash!
not sure what to do now...
HSKalay said:
Yea, the zip file didn't contain a apk, and via cwm it failed to flash!
not sure what to do now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What folders are inside the ZIP? If it has things like "assets", "META-INF" and "res", change the file extension to .apk and install as normal.
alexluckett said:
What folders are inside the ZIP? If it has things like "assets", "META-INF" and "res", change the file extension to .apk and install as normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup that was it, just figured it out and installed them (when I downloaded a apk file which was exactly the same size).
Thanks!
Hi,
I need to install HTC's Locations app on any custom ROM (ie: MyOneV or CM9/CM10)
So any1 can help me with this ?
(i tried it though, by moving these files (from MyOneV5.0FX Removed apks) htclocation.apk,locationpicker.apk,locatiooninstaller.apk in System/app folder bt it didn't worked)
When you move those files to system app manually, you need to put right permission rw-r--r-- then reboot.
Or the simplest way is, open the Removed_Apks_RC5.x.zip with 7-zip (not extract), delete all apks that you don't need and leave those location files in zip.
Then flash the zip in recovery.
And these files will not work on a CM rom.
ckpv5 said:
When you move those files to system app manually, you need to put right permission rw-r--r-- then reboot.
Or the simplest way is, open the Removed_Apks_RC5.x.zip with 7-zip (not extract), delete all apks that you don't need and leave those location files in zip.
Then flash the zip in recovery.
And these files will not work on a CM rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good:
Thankz
I tried that too, by removing all apks from zip keeping the said three files & flash it in recovery, still it doesn't appeared in apps!
Though i'll try again may b missed something or some file..
I just tried it, it works.
Your filename looks different, attached here the files from the Removed_Apks_RC5.x.zip, I named it to location.zip. Flash in recovery.
It Worked: Thanx