# [How-To] - Tinker with a Theme you like..



## xkape (Aug 28, 2011)

OK, if you read between the lines you may see some useful things in here to make your own theme but this is generally more for the people that really like a theme but wish there were a few things different but just don't know how to do it.

1. Programs you may need

7-zip (this is a 100% must have free program, why aren't you using it?)
GIMP2, or your preferred image editor/maker

Yes, that's it. I'm not getting into technical stuff here with decompiling, recompiling, editing xml's etc.. this is just a simple way to change some images. Weather you made them or kanged them from somewhere else..

Just make sure its for personal use and you arent out there making it and then posting and claiming as your own.. that's not right.

2. A simple drag and drop.

7zip allows you to do this neat trick which is "open archive". It opens your zip file without actually unzipping it which is very important here.
All images, no matter what app or if you are doing the framework are in the same place..... the "res" folder
you will fins images, depending on the app, in the drawable, drawable-hdpi, drawable-finger-hdpi and the same but with "land" (for landscape mode)..

once you get to those folders, you can drag them to your desktop, or a folder you created. that does unzip and break them BUT... but, as long as its not a 9png its ok. and..as a bonus.. the originals are still in the file you dragged them out of with 7zip.. nothing is harmed.

Please, as a noob, leave any image that ends in .9.png alone... those are going to wreak havoc on you if you try to stick them back in. Once unzipped, they are broken.

What I used to do is go thru the stuff I pulled out and delete every 9png and xml file i dragged out. Now, Im left with only regular .png images and life will be kind to you if you edit them.

So, use GIMP or whatever to edit them to your liking.. personalize it man!..

Once you are done with that, simply drag those new images back into the .apk you were messing with..

For Example..

Let's say I wanted some custom images there in the launcher... I would use 7zip to open the launcher.apk (not unzip it).. then I would drag the drawable folders off to my desktop. I would delete any .9.png and xmls and then I would use GIMP to edit them the way I wanted them. Then, I would drag each image (all at one time thoguh) back into the apk that I have open with 7zip into their correct folders. 
I would say yes to the box thats asks if I am sure and then when done I would close 7zip. And I would say yes to the box (if it pops up) that says I am sure about adding them to the archive.

Now, the entire themed app with the addision of my edits are ready to install. I stick that new app into a flashable theme.zip template in the system/app folder inside it (open it with 7zip of course) by dragging it in exactly the same way i dragged my edited images into the app. I then close the zip file and move it to my phones sd card. I reboot into recovery and "Install zip from sd card" and "choose zip from sd card" and select my zip file and install it. Then reboot and see my work.

Yes, I think I covered the basics of image swapping.. question or comments? hey are only a post away.


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## xkape (Aug 28, 2011)

I NEVER.. claimed to be able to spell.


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## terryrook (Jun 10, 2011)

Awesome, I was just talking about do it yourself in another thread, this is perfect and will help me out alot, I always wondered why SOMETIMES the icons I swapped out didn't take, now I know why, Thanks for this.


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## xxxdroidxxx (Sep 15, 2011)

thanks for the write up. I have always been curious about making my own theme. I'll give this a shot. What image can be changed with this method? Can the notification icons be changed? Noob here.


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## Versatile1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Yes notification icons can be changed. Only images you can not change are draw.9.pngs

Notification icons are mostly located in framework.apk and systemUI.apk


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## terryrook (Jun 10, 2011)

BUMP


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## terryrook (Jun 10, 2011)

I heard and have found 3 frameworks, moto, blur, and regular, im trying to port (in fact replace) icons from an old droid 2 theme i have of just vanilla froyo... Is this gonna work or do i need to mess with the other 2 frameworks (blur and res) too? i used to just be able to mess with the main framework.... What the hell would I put in those other frameworks anyways? I'm confused and could use some info. Thanks brosephs.


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## terryrook (Jun 10, 2011)

YOYOYO MTV RAPS, remember that ish? I knew the cops would find where we stashed this and move it to general, can you please pin this mofo or create they do it yourself sub section, i'll write about metamorph and droidpirate and whatever, it will be awesome and organized i swear....


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## xkape (Aug 28, 2011)

frame-res hold 99 percent of your images.. moto and blur hold a few.. mainly menu icons it seems to me.. you can hack on those the same as any other app .


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## terryrook (Jun 10, 2011)

Thanks!


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