Develop Bugs

Unzipping and zipping apk files?

I unzipped a apk file to change some of the images in the drawable-hdpi folder, how do I zip it back into an apk file to reinstall it on my phone. Or can I flash the zip file? I dunno how that would work...
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Can you get another copy of the apk?
If you can then the best thing to do is use winRAR or 7zip to open/explore the apk just like with a .zip file. That way you never unzip it and don't run into that issue. Using those allows you to delete and add files. You can also do the same thing on your phone using root explorer or something similar.
As far as correcting what you've done already (assuming you can't get a copy of that apk) I've completely forgotten since I never have to do it. I know if you look on the android sdk's site you can find the answer though.

adamtheindien said:
I unzipped a apk file to change some of the images in the drawable-hdpi folder, how do I zip it back into an apk file to reinstall it on my phone. Or can I flash the zip file? I dunno how that would work...
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An apk is just a zip file with the apk extension, once you zip it up change it from a .zip to a .apk
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

i changed what i wanted and rezipped, changed the extension, tried to install it, says problem parsing the package?

adamtheindien said:
i changed what i wanted and rezipped, changed the extension, tried to install it, says problem parsing the package?
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It can also depend on which APK (system vs non-system) and which images (.9 images can be tricky to replace if you don't know what you are doing). Sometimes, you also need to re-sign the APK, depending on what you modified (there are tools to re-sign in the SDK or you can use something like APK Manager).
You should try the opening the APK directly in WinRAR/7-zip and replacing the images method. In my experience, if you are just replacing simple images, you usually don't have to re-sign when doing this (it leaves the existing signature intact).

ok i mainly just replaced images and and edited a couple. i dont know how to use all that adbsdkwhatever stuff.... -_- i know i should but im too lazy. so i dunno how to re sign it...

all im trying to do is edit the quick search bar images. maybe i dont have to do this if there is somewhere to find themed search bars?

If you can then the best thing to do is use winRAR or 7zip to open/explore the apk just like with a .zip file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your using winRAR click and drag stuff works if its one or two files.
If its a lot of images or a large file like framework-res.apk (I'm thinking your search bar might be in there if I'm not mistaken) then you'll want to make a new ZIP archive with "store" compression (uncompressed pretty much).
(also you shouldn't need to resign the framework-res.apk)
I haven't tested 7zips click and drag but the same principals apply. If its bigger files being recompiled Winrar tends to compress it a bit and sometimes it causes bootloops.
That being said, don't forget to nandroid

82_Z28 said:
If your using winRAR click and drag stuff works if its one or two files.
If its a lot of images or a large file like framework-res.apk (I'm thinking your search bar might be in there if I'm not mistaken) then you'll want to make a new ZIP archive with "store" compression (uncompressed pretty much).
(also you shouldn't need to resign the framework-res.apk)
I haven't tested 7zips click and drag but the same principals apply. If its bigger files being recompiled Winrar tends to compress it a bit and sometimes it causes bootloops.
That being said, don't forget to nandroid
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Click to collapse
Well from my experience, 7zip handles the task like a champ. I've taken every image out and put others back in with no issues. The downside is that some apps set certain dependencies in the .xml files so if you delete the wrong things it won't install and if it does, all you get is a fc all day. In that case it helps to know how to convert the xml binary to something readable (unless you're a king a hex editing).

Adding back into 7zip??

Okay I just opened up a zipped theme and modified some of the png files inside of it. How do I put those files back into the zip?? I think I extracted them out and then edited them. Now when I try to put them back its not as easy as just copy and pasting. Could someone please help me?

Open the original zip file in the 7zip file manager, navigate to the folder you want to copy the new/modified file into, then drag and drop the modified files from the windows explorer window into that folder in the file manager. If there is already a file with the same name, it will overwrite the original file with the new file.

You cannot modify a .9 this way. You would hand to re do the patches in draw9 then run them threw eclipse
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

save as apk?

hi not sure if this is the right place for this or not but i've got a question on apk files
I've made some changes to an apk file but not sure how to compress it back to an apk file.
is it as simple as compressing as a zip then renaming it to apk?
take care

denti said:
hi not sure if this is the right place for this or not but i've got a question on apk files
I've made some changes to an apk file but not sure how to compress it back to an apk file.
is it as simple as compressing as a zip then renaming it to apk?
take care
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use 7zip (7z.exe to be exact)
Copy it to a folder make a subfolder inside,
Put ur apk contents in subfolder
Open notepad, copy and paste these 3 lines
Save as script.bat in folder with 7z.exe
cd subfoldername
..\7z.exe -tzip archivename.apk "*" -mx0
Exit
Change subfoldername to name of subfolder to the name of subfolder u created ofc lmao
And archive name to sign.. mx0 is best for loadin, mx9 is compression, use signapk to sign if its not a system file
If the "..\7z" don't wotk 4 u use full path in quotes, example
"%userprofile%\desktop\foldername"
Is the same as: (vista)
"C:\users\username\desktop\foldername"
And: (xp)
C:\documents and settings\username\desktop\foldername"
Or use apk manager lol I prefermymethod personally, n fyi, googles ur friend
Should get to know it

thank you doug.
i did google it but found bunch of different programs and thought that there might be a simpler way of doing it rather than getting a program just to compress

denti said:
thank you doug.
i did google it but found bunch of different programs and thought that there might be a simpler way of doing it rather than getting a program just to compress
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ye no worries just hope it helped sorry if the post seemed rushed had like 5min left 2 my break when I origionally replyed lmao n this methods rather simple cuz when used correct its more or less drag n drop n run, zip is generated in folder with 7z.exe n 7z performs flawlessly

APKs are basically a zip file with an MD5 signature embedded in them. There are apk generators on market if you copy directory to sdcard is prolly easiest to start with specially with the processing power of this phone.
In Windows compressed folders work fine if you just enable viewing file extensions and change between zip and apk
or hold left shift key as you right click apk file in windows.
Now click open with...
and choose browse for application
Choose your favorite zip app or windows compressed folders
Next to last check always use box so checkmark is visible
Finally click OK
Now no need to modify extensions
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Xparent Green Tapatalk

How to extract icons from .mtz file?

I really like the icons here: http://vanessaem.deviantart.com/art/White-Line-Round-MIUI-Icons-v-2-Updated-2-21-285726204
But I just want a few icons to choose, not everything. A thread said I could rename to .zip but there were no individual icons inside.

try renaming the mtz file to zip -
then extract folder, you should see a file named icons
rename icon file to icons.rar and extract icons.rar
you should see the individual icon list

Change.mtz->.zip and extract maybe
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

zeelog said:
try renaming the mtz file to zip -
then extract folder, you should see a file named icons
rename icon file to icons.rar and extract icons.rar
you should see the individual icon list
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Click to collapse
EscuTCheoN said:
Change.mtz->.zip and extract maybe
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
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Click to collapse
He said he did that and it didn't work in this case.
"Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light."

Originally Posted by zeelog
try renaming the mtz file to zip -
then extract folder, you should see a file named icons
rename icon file to icons.rar and extract icons.rar
you should see the individual icon list
Originally Posted by EscuTCheoN
Change.mtz->.zip and extract maybe
Originally Posted by joshnichols189
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
He said he did that and it didn't work in this case.
- Not exactly, he said he renamed the mtz file to zip, that's the first step, if you read carefully my post then you see that there are other steps that must be followed, infact I tested and got the individual icons - file attached

I'm coming to this very late but in case anyone ever googles for this, I didn't rename to RAR. I renamed the icons file (which had no extension) to .zip, and was able to open it and see all the icons to extract them.

Thanks for this info. I was able to extract the icon folder from a theme, but now how do I use them. Can I repack them somehow so I can use them on a different ROM like LineageOS?

Rom toolbox pro

I'm trying to compile a flashable zip file with the file manager inside this app. It does not do it correctly it creates a zip folder with the flashable folder inside which does not work I need a direct folder that opens to become flashable... Am I doing something wrong can anyone knows try to create a flashable zip file with this utility. I have root explorer and that works great but I would really like to use this app instead

justin860 said:
I'm trying to compile a flashable zip file with the file manager inside this app. It does not do it correctly it creates a zip folder with the flashable folder inside which does not work I need a direct folder that opens to become flashable... Am I doing something wrong can anyone knows try to create a flashable zip file with this utility. I have root explorer and that works great but I would really like to use this app instead
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Click to collapse
I've zipped and flashed whole roms with this app? What is it doing wrong? What type of zip are you using? 7zip?

I zipped JusTunBean and it did this
JusTunBean/JusTunBean/flashable stuff root explorer does JusTunBean/flashable stuff make sense? It's making a folder inside a folder

justin860 said:
I zipped JusTunBean and it did this
JusTunBean/JusTunBean/flashable stuff root explorer does JusTunBean/flashable stuff make sense? It's making a folder inside a folder
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Click to collapse
Gimme a little time to unzip then rezip something and see what it does for me! I'm at work so it won't be right now but soon I just unzipped and zipped a kernel file perfect. Are you trying to rezip a file you unzipped. If so go to the screen that has the Meta info and multiselect all of those then zip. If you want I'll show you screenshots, just let me know

truth77 said:
Gimme a little time to unzip then rezip something and see what it does for me! I'm at work so it won't be right now but soon I just unzipped and zipped a kernel file perfect. Are you trying to rezip a file you unzipped. If so go to the screen that has the Meta info and multiselect all of those then zip. If you want I'll show you screenshots, just let me know
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Click to collapse
Thanks I got it the difference is with route explorer you just hold down the folder you want to zip and it doesn't for you but with Rom toolbox you have to multi-select the different ones then zip

justin860 said:
Thanks I got it the difference is with route explorer you just hold down the folder you want to zip and it doesn't for you but with Rom toolbox you have to multi-select the different ones then zip
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Click to collapse
Glad I helped if I did, I owe you that lol!