This is a very similar, but very different concept from what I've been doing so far with my Blackhole Custom ROM Series. One thing I've seen people have numerous complaints about is the slow download speeds to install Blackhole through ROM Manager on their devices. This is something that has been difficult to get around because until now Rom Manager has been the only way I know of to allow an easy install with complete customization, the ability to pick and choose your options for what apps you want. That changes here and now for AndroidDoes VIPs.
What I've done, with lots of help from JT1134 and Vegittoss15, is to create a script, which is called by the installer, that will move any .apk files stored in the "app" folder on your sdcard in the phone, to /system/app/.
In simple terms, whichever apps you download from this topic (or anywhere) and put into your sdcard in the "app" directory will be installed along with the Rom. This allows you to download the basic rom file and any addons you want onto your computer, copy them to your sdcard, then install your custom build without having to even install Rom Manager.
Here is the basic rundown:
1. Click on the Build-Your-Own ROM topic for your phone.
2. Download the ROM Installer (ex. Blackhole_Fascinate_3.1.zip)
3. Download whichever option you want (if any) from each of the categories listed in the topic (ex. contacts.apk)
4. Connect your phone to the computer and put it in Mass Storage Mode
5. Copy the ROM Installer into the root of your SD Card (or whichever folder you want)
6. Copy the downloaded .apk files into the "app" folder on your SD Card (Create a new folder named "app" if you don't have one. IT MUST BE LOWER CASE!)
6a. Copy any additional .apk files you want installed to /system into the "app" folder on your SD Card.
7. Reboot into recovery
8. Choose "Install zip from sdcard"
9. Choose the ROM Installer
10. The installer will wipe your system partition (where your old ROM is stored), install the new rom, then install all the apps from your "app" directory into the /system partition.
And you're done. Here's a few extra things to be aware of:
1. Apps installed in the system partition cannot be uninstalled using the market or task manager, they must be removed using a file manager (like root explorer) or using titanium backup, or ADB from a computer.
2. If you install an app in /system and there is an update to it, you will be prompted to update, but the update will be stored in the /data partition. you will be able to uninstall the update, but not the original. If you do a phone wipe you will revert to the original version, and be prompted to update again.
3. Apps stored in /system are not deleted when the phone is wiped, but the data they contain may be. (contacts, messages, email etc.)
