How to change system icons using ssh? - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

As a previous iPhone user the one thing I can say I miss is the ease of using the ssh feature after jail breaking and having access to the system files If I wanted to change lets say the "camera icon"- I could ssh into the phone and go into the system file folder and find that one file name, remove it and replace it with the new icon jpeg. That's it! End the ssh session and BAM! I have a new icon for my camera.
Or if i wanted to change the dial pad background on my phone or the way the keys light up on my old iPhone I would just ssh and go to the "phone" jpeg file and just change it out. and BAM I have a new phone skin.
I'm sure you get my point....
So now that I'm using Android I love how the options are there to change. However I'm OCD and don't like to download all these files and icon packs which takes up storage on my S3. So I have installed sshDroid and using Filezilla successfully accessed my phone. ( Yes I'm rooted)
Now I downloaded a few icon packs but I don't want to keep the download on my phone. What I want to do is choose a few icons I like, ssh into my phone and replace lets say the "google+" icon with a new one.
The question is where in the world is the file? How do I access the stock system icons?
This is where Android is awesome to customize but hard as crap to find files.
Can someone provide me with instructions, or a link to instructions on how to do this?
I've been on Google and I'm not really finding the answer to my question. I just simply want to change my icons so I can make my own theme.
Please help! Thanks

You have to use an icon pack in a launcher or decompile the app you want to change the icon for and then swap the icon out and then rebuild the apk and install.
Your better off with an icon pack. As there is no easy way. Android was made for developers mainly.
Wayne Tech S-III

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Desktop Shortcuts (coding/management apps)

Hi, new user here, thanks for a great forum.
I just got my HTC Hero and i am loving it. The only thing i am missing very much is a working application for renaming shortcuts. If you add a shortcut to a person "James", default action create message, it shows on the desktop as "Send to J...", which would be great to be able to change.
I have tried both Anycut and Bettercut but none of these work on my phone. I am currently using Modaco 2.5 Core, but i haven't been able to make any of th apps work with the generic european 2.73 rom either - the icons i create do not show up, the Edit button shows no shortcuts to edit, and the apps crash.
Question is then,
1) do anybody have any idea where shortcuts are stored in the filesystem, and how they are represented, data wise? I created a new shortcut and then copied all .db and .xml files to the pc and started looking for it with a sqlite client and file search I but couldn't find anything there. (lol, hey, had to try something
2) do anybody know a combination of a custom rom and a shortcut management application that work together on the HTC Hero?
3) do anybody have any pointers to how to manipulate the shortcuts through java code/api?
Thank you in advance. Hope to be contributing to the forum, im truly fascinated with this thing ! Truly a great gadget.
Best regards

[Q] Possible to change app icon text?

Can't seem to find any info on this that is relevant, just some stuff for much older versions and for WP.
I switched out my stock email app with the XFinity app, as it seems to be more reliable on retrieving email. The only problem I have with it is the icon is too big (touches the top and bottom of the launch bar) and the text is too long/doesn't wrap.
I was able to change the icon to a more standard icon via winrar etc, however I can't find a successful way to fix the text issue. Is this even possible?
Attached a pic, app is in lower right:
Well since you have it in the launcher I think the only way to do this would be to edit an .xml file (no idea which one) inside the .apk. You could always put it on the home screen using Launcher Pro, LP lets you customize the name. Probably not what you want to do, but just throwing it out there
Yeah I'm addicted to GTG though
I found several references to changes to strings.xml to allow wrapping etc and possibly change it entirely (not a lot of info there), but it appears to maybe be for an older version or something as the file isn't located in the apk where everyone says it should be.
Thanks though

[Q] how to change system app icons

okay i have searched endlessly both thru here and Google have managed to find a program to do it for you apk edit works great for market apps not so great for system apps tried the way described in the icon thread and that also failed get errors like icon disappears or just doesn't perform its function i.e not making phone calls,opening settings etc... if any one is willing to shed some light on how i can accomplish this please help me
djnarcotics said:
okay i have searched endlessly both thru here and Google have managed to find a program to do it for you apk edit works great for market apps not so great for system apps tried the way described in the icon thread and that also failed get errors like icon disappears or just doesn't perform its function i.e not making phone calls,opening settings etc... if any one is willing to shed some light on how i can accomplish this please help me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the only reason you're wanting to change the Icon is for how it appears on your homescreen, then I'd say the easiest way is to use Desktop Visualizer, available in the Market. You can alter/edit/change how the icons are on your homescreen, but the icon will still be the original from within your app drawer, if you use that method. But yea, if it's just for homescreen appearance, that's the easiest way. If that's not what you're after, and you want to change the icon completely, then I beleive you could use 7zip to open up the .apk, find the png for the icon, and replace/alter/edit. I did it that way once, but it was just for a couple of icons, and I was more or less just messing around with things. But it worked fine. Then I learned of Desktop Visualizer and said forget about it.
Also, if you're using a rom that supports easy theming - CM7 with the theme chooser, or MIUI with the theme manager - you could build a quick theme with all of the icons you want to change. I did this with the Aelous HD theme for MIUI by adding the icons that weren't already themed. You put the icons in the "icons" folder with the format packagename.png - it usually looks something like com.something.something.png. I'm sure there's a similar way with CM7 themes.
Easy Way
I use ADW EX. It lets you easily change any app icon. It's a paid app but is really worth it for all the extras. Be aware though, that if you're using a sense rom, ADW will also replace your rosie. Another cool thing about ADW is that there are a ton of icon packs available or you can just dowload pngs from the web and use those.
I'm not 100% sure but I think Launcher Pro also lets you change icons in a similar way.
Well I use go launcher which does basically everything the other launchers do but I want to change the app drawer icons themselves o tried the 7zip method but no avail either the app icon completely disappears or it won't open at all. I.e. browser and system.changing the phone.apk makes the my phone go into FC mania.any other way or is there something I'm missing or just not doing right
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
djnarcotics said:
Well I use go launcher which does basically everything the other launchers do but I want to change the app drawer icons themselves o tried the 7zip method but no avail either the app icon completely disappears or it won't open at all. I.e. browser and system.changing the phone.apk makes the my phone go into FC mania.any other way or is there something I'm missing or just not doing right
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way I do it may seem like the hard way but this is what I do!
I use a program called App Manager 4.9 (google it or search for it on here)
I extract the apk I want to MOD from my EVO using root explorer or if you're on windows and you got ADB working properly, I use the program called DroidExplorer
Anyways, assuming that you got App Manager 4.9 up and running....I place the .apk into the modding folder...bring up App Manager 4.9 and hit 22...select my project, hit 9 for decompile....once that's done, I go into the project folder and find the folder drawable-hdpi....sometimes is called drawable-hdpi-v4 depending on what rom you're using.....I then find the icon I want to change...change it!....and then run up app manager again, press 22...select my project....then hit 11 for compile...once that's done....I either use droidexplorer once again and place it in the correct folder it came from or connect the device to the computer, open up usb storage and place it in a folder...use root explorer to then move it to the correct folder....reboot the device once everything is said and done, and BOOM!...is done!!
Like I said, this is too much work for some people BUT I rather do it this way because I know is done right and I don't have to settle for temporary half ass apps trying do it!
Changing Icon
k2buckley said:
If the only reason you're wanting to change the Icon is for how it appears on your homescreen, then I'd say the easiest way is to use Desktop Visualizer, available in the Market. You can alter/edit/change how the icons are on your homescreen, but the icon will still be the original from within your app drawer, if you use that method. But yea, if it's just for homescreen appearance, that's the easiest way. If that's not what you're after, and you want to change the icon completely, then I beleive you could use 7zip to open up the .apk, find the png for the icon, and replace/alter/edit. I did it that way once, but it was just for a couple of icons, and I was more or less just messing around with things. But it worked fine. Then I learned of Desktop Visualizer and said forget about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
I have a Samsung Galaxy Young GT-S6312 Dual sim, rooted, deodexed, working cwm.
I used root explorer and extracted secsettings.apk and opened the folder which I extracted. In that I went to res/drawable-hdpi and replaced ic_system_settings.png wit my own icon. I archived the folder and renamed it to .apk and pushed it to system/app and replaced the original apk. I rebooted my phone and got a boot loop. Next time I extracted systemui.apk and went to folder, opened res/drawable-mdpi and replaced the settings icon whith my own icon. After the phone rebooted there was no change in the icon. I actually wanted to change the settings icon fully like on the home screen, app drawer and once I open settings also. Please suggest a method for doing it thanks in advance.
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My Device:- Samsung Galaxy Young GT-S6312
Rom:- Holo Inspire v1.1

[Q] How can I choose Android-dev-icons in text font family?

Hey, I am a new user in this app [its awesome btw ] I was trying to access the Android_dev_icons 1 & 2 in the Text font family option while editing a test.
I downloaded a theme where the creator used it to make designed buttons and I want to make new.
Unfortunately I cannot find it and I have no idea how to access it, I tried to copy the preferences but it has been lost while changing a widget.
How can I access the dev_icons ?
thanks
EladC said:
Hey, I am a new user in this app [its awesome btw ] I was trying to access the Android_dev_icons 1 & 2 in the Text font family option while editing a test.
I downloaded a theme where the creator used it to make designed buttons and I want to make new.
Unfortunately I cannot find it and I have no idea how to access it, I tried to copy the preferences but it has been lost while changing a widget.
How can I access the dev_icons ?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android DEV icon in fonts folder.(unziped)
Pick textfont in zooper, and then each letter A,b,c etc is a icon,

[Q, Nova] Improving the Restore process

So, my old phone's screen died. As it happens, I still have access to it via a HDMI out, but I just wanted to migrate all the Nova stuff straight across to my new phone.
But I've customised Everything.
The backup-restore process tried to bring across as much as possible, but I'm beginning to think that, for my level of customisation, maybe I should see if I can edit the backup file by hand before I restore it (hear me out).
My problems with restore:
1. Nova Prime. The first app link the restore should launch is to prompt the user to reinstall Prime. Took me a while to realise why a bunch of things weren't working the way I used to enjoy.
2. Wallpaper. You could argue this is not a launcher setting, but even if it was an option to dump the image into the backup file (is it an archive?), it would make migration smoother. Not a biggie though, and the o/s should let you sort it yourself, providing you can locate the original image of course.
2. Apps not present. So you just restored the Nova backup to a new phone and a bunch of icons don't work. But wait: the ghost-icon launches straight to an app store search for them - excellent! Love this. Except for those 5% of apps that you hunted down APKs and side-loaded. Okay, this issue is a bit niche and probably belongs in a backup app that saves APKs rather than Nova. Fair enough. If new-Nova could talk to old-Nova, it'd be a cool migration feature though.
3. Icon pack stuff. I've replaced all my icons using an icon pack + no labels. Searching icon packs and selecting the perfect icon takes time, so I appreciate that the restored ghost icons "just work" once the matching app is installed. A bunch of icons didn't appear though: I think these were widget-like shortcuts, maybe? E.g. my new device's 'phone' app wasn't recognised as the same one as my old one, so all those contact shortcuts had to be remade (cue icon pack searching again). Using Nate Wren's "The Grid" (presuming I shouldn't just dump the Play URL here; search for it if you're interested), there are so many icons but no reliable way to find an exact icon (is there a hidden icon title name I can search for somehow?). Reinstating icons would be easier if custom icons could be more identifiable somehow. Could I read the backup file and/or tune it by hand, perhaps?
Might write a few more items later. Cheers for any ideas or explanations that might help.

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