dosxph4ntom
Lurker
I need help finding some cool themes for my samsung vibrant does anyone know any good sites or have any links?
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Help with themes
- Thread starter dosxph4ntom
- Start date
ardchoille
Android Expert
Are you looking for ROM themes (your phone needs to be rooted for this)? Dock backgrounds? Skins for specific apps?
For general Android artwork, I have a lot of artwork on my site.
For ROM themes check out the Ultimate Online Theming Kitchen.
For LauncherPro artwork, check out the LauncherPro Forums.
There are also apps called Metamorph and Widget Locker in the android market along with lots of Launchers.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. What exactly are you wanting to theme? To start with I would recommend Beautiful Widgets and ADW EX Launcher, both are in the android market.
ardchoille
Android Expert
Very important!
*** To use the UOT Kitchen you have to have a rooted phone and you must be running a de-odexed ROM ***
A de-odexed ROM is required for theming. Android uses .apk files for theming so the kitchen is asking for certain packages from your phone. What happens is when you set up the theme you upload the required .apk files (usually framework-res.apk and possibly others). then the site unpacks your uploaded files and incorporates the theme you chose. Then the site repacks and signs the theme package and gives you a link to download the newly themed files in the form of a flashable .zip file.
The reason the site does this is the framework-res.apk file needs to be identical to the one you're using on your phone, the framework-res.apk file you're using is different than the one others use. Your phone would have problems if you used the framework I'm using on my phone. This file is even different from ROM to ROM for the same phone.
* For most phones you need to upload the framework-res.apk file
* For Gingerbread you need to upload the framework-res.apk and SystemUI.apk files.
* For CM7 theme there are other files you need to upload.
I have been using the UOT Kitchen for some time and there is nothing wrong with uploading the needed files, it doesn't involve anything security-wise with your phone.
cougar214
Android Expert
sounds good to me. one last question. can I upload the needed files from the theme I have stored on my computer? its the same theme I have installed on my phone.
Or does it need the files straight from my phone? if it needs them from my phone directly, can you point me in the direction of the app I would need to rip the files from my phone.
Or does it need the files straight from my phone? if it needs them from my phone directly, can you point me in the direction of the app I would need to rip the files from my phone.
ardchoille
Android Expert
As long as the ones stored on your computer are identical to the ones running on your phone it's ok. If you have changed anything, and I mean any little thing, in the ones on your computer, then you need to copy them from your phone again and use those. It's imperative that the ones you upload are identical to the ones running on your phone. Where you upload them from doesn't matter, so long as their the same as what's on the phone.
You can use a file manager, such as Root Explorer or ASTRO, to copy the files from the phone system to the SD card so you can then copy them to your computer. framework-res.apk should be in /system/framework. The other files, if they're needed, you'll have to search for because they can be in different places on different phones.