Develop Bugs

chome could we do this

could we do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IMtkNSjuhQ&feature=related

Definitely would be awesome!
Look here for possible needed files
http://allshadow.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3

This is so cool! : ).
I can't wait to see it on my phone.

Can "we"? Yes, all the shadow glamour is powered by ( and probably funded 6.1) the funky new silverlight tech that powers Chome.
But do we want nice large photoes and album covers on our home screen? Do we want my fave loading with Flash-like slowness? Some yes, some, not so much...
There is a *load of possibilty in this .1 release, beyond what we've seen so far. SmartPhone Cube? Excalibur-exclusive UI functionality exploiting the unique hardware I assume is only days away, if everyone is as rapid-fire as you, Rick.
Replace * with your favorite word

I think, the people must have a choice, what to install and what is important - performance or effects. This is personal choice, and if there are many variants, technologies, etc, the people will be happy.
You see what happen when sliding panel come - everyone like it! .

The interface on the Juno... which is what you're seeing that in video... IS Chome. It's even the same CLSID on the home screen's .xml... the same GUID's... etc I'm thinking the .dll's are different to make it "special" for the TMobile Shadow (the HTC Juno).
I thought it was just a matter of formatting, like changing the .cpr file or something. I don't think it is so though... as I've searched the file system on a TMobile Shadow phone and couldnt find any .cpr files whatsoever...

All CHome interface in bronze.dll (i think so...)

yep.. true.

this cmhomeaddon plugin is only for portrait screen,and only for neo display style(another display style of chome)

Oh, sh....
Neo have weather plugin, and current CHome - no

Any recommendations for what to pick apart and repack bronze.dll with? ResHack isn't giving me anything too friendly.

Profezza said:
Any recommendations for what to pick apart and repack bronze.dll with? ResHack isn't giving me anything too friendly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use this PE Explorer

PE is much friendlier! Thanks for the tip!
When I replace the images, the file is nearly 4x larger. When I replace bronzeres on the phone it kills Chome-based screens. Is there something I have to do to force a file-size match, or sign it, or something?

Profezza said:
PE is much friendlier! Thanks for the tip!
When I replace the images, the file is nearly 4x larger. When I replace bronzeres on the phone it kills Chome-based screens. Is there something I have to do to force a file-size match, or sign it, or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unsign the dll first then once done resign

i think it would be real neat to have a shadow interface on the dash it would make the excaliburs unique and for people in the barbershop with the same phone as me can envy lol

It works, it works! And boy, does this quick test version look like crap--- but it works, so I think I will try again, but with feeling now. Woo hoo hoo...
So, how shall we get this working on the same phone with an existing bronzesres.dll? I notice that thehome.xml calls only 2 plugins, iconbar and "Bronze". Anyone know how to dupe Bronze, and have it call the new dll?
Off to Google I go...

Ok, it's closer, and much stronger than the first experiment. In fact, the black is too strong. Back to the 'shop to tweak it again...
UPDATE: Closer still... (#6 & #7)

Got it
Ok, here it is, a nice, dark, but not too dark Sliding Panel set. At this point, it will REPLACE your regular sliding panel's soft translucent white bubble look.
Although a simple script to unload any current Chome-based homescreen and swap the dll's is probably trivial for someone to write (hint, hint), it is not for me.
Directions:
Be running WM6.1, and have Sliding Panel (Chome) working.
Switch to any homescreen that does not use Sliding Panel.
Backup your existing bronzeres.dll
Overwrite with the BrightNight version.
Load a Sliding Panel style homescreen. For best results, use black text and a bright and light background, or a medium text and a dark background for a low output "night mode". Hence the name.
CAUTION: This .dll is experimental. Use at your own risk. Look both ways when crossing the street. Floss. For those of you who didnt follow directions, the original bronzeres.dll is available earlier in this thread. It is in use and cannot be overwritten while chome is running.
UPDATE: Added some bright wallpapers, since they are hard to find around here. © someone else. If you need directions on what to do with them, just skip this whole topic.

That's tight! Maybe we can "join efforts" and make the top of the rectangle darker also, like I did in a previous thread around here. Oh... what do I do with those backgrounds ?!

send me the pic. I was toying around with making a whole new image, if I ever get a day off, too.

Tell me About Themes

I am very seriously interested in designing skins or themes or whatever for my blackstone but there really is nowhere to start. There are no definitions for the things people talk about and it makes it super hard to break into this developers world.
But I guess I am looking for a few answers and tips about Themes.
What is the Top Curtain?
What is the Bottom Curtain?
Flip Background? Flip Digit?
Slider?
How to create Icons for the slider and the task bar at the top?
Details like pixels sizes, formats and ect.
Just anything about themes.
Is there a book about this? haha.
I will probably be yelled at for this post and referred to the search function but from what I have seen, there is nothing about this topic. Hmmm, Maybe this is something to add to the Wiki? These are probably the questions developers do not want to answer because this is all probably fudamental and kindegarten but I have to try.
Thanks to anyone who can post some links to guides or some tips and answers.
I feel retarded.

Don't feel retarded.
If someone is retarded it's the Microsoft and HTC programmers who figured that absolutely everyone will just love their default colors / icons / wallpapers, and so they didn't provide any support for making new skins and themes.
To cut the long story short - yes, it can be done, and yes it's kindda frustrating but if you're serious about it and you know how to work with graphics, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it all out.
First of all, you need a Manila editor. There are a few, I recommend CFC GUI and M9EDITOR, the first one being intended only for graphics, and the second one having the same but also additional things too. If you only want to skin the graphics, then you'll be ok just with CFC.
Then go to your device Windows folder and copy over to your PC any file that ends with _manila. There's like a few thousand of them, so it will take a while.
Run CFC GUI and point it to the folder where you copied all those _manila files. It will then show you a list of all the files that contain ANY graphic elements.
Browse it through and you'll soon recognize the familiar graphic items from your device. You will also notice there's a "Save as PNG" option - that will create a transparent PNG in the appropriate resolution, which you can then open up in Photoshop, edit, colorize or whatever you like.
When you're done, you save the PNG, go back to CFC, select "Replace with", load your newly edited PNG, press "CFC Compress" and voila!
The 12345_manila file you just edited has been updated!
Now you take the 12345_manila file, copy it back to Windows folder and restart TF3D.
You will see your new graphic has been integrated into the system.

First of all, Thanks a Ton!
Thousands of them eeeek. Does it take a long time to make a theme?

No problem... I've just started messing around with all of this, so I'm no pro skinner either.
Does it take long... Well, depends on your skills. And also on what kind of extent you want to cover with the skin.
The biggest problem is that most of the graphic files are a complete mess. There's no logical pattern, and they've managed to complicate things beyond reason - for example, some of the most common graphics you see on the screen are actually made out of two or more separate bitmaps, and it's up to you to figure out what is what, etc.
For example, when you click on the flip-clock on your Home screen it glows up in green - well that "green background" is made out of THREE images!
Also, some of the files are coded into Manila format, while others are just plain BMP or PNG or even GIF. Then there's a lot of stuff that's controlled through XML files...
So, when you start with all this, keep your ambitions modest - it's not something you can overcome in one day. But it can also be very rewarding

Took like 50mins to copy over. Wow. I opened it up in CFC and I can not believe anyone who has made a theme. I am trying to figure out a pattern with the file names. Sooo confusing but thanks a ton again for your help. Now I just need to find a graphics editor.

Shival said:
Took like 50mins to copy over. Wow. I opened it up in CFC and I can not believe anyone who has made a theme. I am trying to figure out a pattern with the file names. Sooo confusing but thanks a ton again for your help. Now I just need to find a graphics editor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is why i am full of respect for these peeps...

Rozenthal said:
Don't feel retarded.
If someone is retarded it's the Microsoft and HTC programmers who figured that absolutely everyone will just love their default colors / icons / wallpapers, and so they didn't provide any support for making new skins and themes.
To cut the long story short - yes, it can be done, and yes it's kindda frustrating but if you're serious about it and you know how to work with graphics, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it all out.
First of all, you need a Manila editor. There are a few, I recommend CFC GUI and M9EDITOR, the first one being intended only for graphics, and the second one having the same but also additional things too. If you only want to skin the graphics, then you'll be ok just with CFC.
Then go to your device Windows folder and copy over to your PC any file that ends with _manila. There's like a few thousand of them, so it will take a while.
Run CFC GUI and point it to the folder where you copied all those _manila files. It will then show you a list of all the files that contain ANY graphic elements.
Browse it through and you'll soon recognize the familiar graphic items from your device. You will also notice there's a "Save as PNG" option - that will create a transparent PNG in the appropriate resolution, which you can then open up in Photoshop, edit, colorize or whatever you like.
When you're done, you save the PNG, go back to CFC, select "Replace with", load your newly edited PNG, press "CFC Compress" and voila!
The 12345_manila file you just edited has been updated!
Now you take the 12345_manila file, copy it back to Windows folder and restart TF3D.
You will see your new graphic has been integrated into the system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yet more thanks for this post!
Very useful and informative.
(and a refreshing change from the "do a search" unfriendliness that often befalls these forums ).

[Q] How do I make images like this?

I recently saw images in the themes section, that I loved and subsequently now use for my phone. Shown:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=781455
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=783946
Now, how do I resize the images properly? Scale, resize? Differences? What program to use (free, I'd prefer)? How to add that black bar so lovely at the bottom of the images and the text there? I tried figuring it out, but I couldn't figure out how to search how to do that specific thing.
Any help would be great! I want to start making images in that fashion for other applications, as those are very limited.

When I had my Hero, you could download Desktop Visualizer - this will allow you to associate certain pictures to the icons you want. It will also allow you yo resize them....my suggestion is start with a big icon and resize it smaller - smaller to big makes it look grainy...as for the dock bar....I used (use) LauncherPro - under LauncherPro setting you can change the dockbar....hope this helps!!

The black bar at the bottom looks to be a custom dock for LauncherPro. I've seen it in collections of LP Docks before (I'm unfortunately not immediately able to find it, but google it and spend a few minutes, and you ought to find it no prob).
As for the icons, Simi Folder would be one way to do it if what you're linking to is a folder. Not sure for just an icon that links directly to an app -- you can certainly resize icons in LPP, but I'm not sure off the top of my head how to do it and maintain the scale. You could probably compress it using Photoshop such that when it gets stretched, it looks correct? I dunno, someone else may have better ideas...

I believe people are misunderstanding what I'm asking.
I know how to get it all set up on my homescreen and such. I have the setup like that currently, no problem, using DesktopVisualizer and LPP.
I'm more asking about how they placed those bars on the image and the writing. See, they have an image that they got from wherever on the internet, put that minimalistic black transparent bar on the bottom and wrote "Texts" there, so that one would use it as a tile of sorts (as the theme they're going for is an "Android Phone 7" sort of thing"). I want to basically get images from wherever in the internet as well and use them for other applications. Like, create a, say, "Market" one, where the image I found will represent in some form, a market, and then put that black transparent bar in the image and type "Market" in some font in the corner like they did so that I can then use DesktopVisualizer to use the image as the icon in the manner shown in those posts. I'm assuming you can't just go and place a huge image (####x###) as the icon and hope it fits right. They resized theirs down to like 355x115 or something. Every time I try to resize something like that, though, it does not like it in the least. So, I'm wondering how they did that, too.
In a sense, they're like icon sets, if you will, and I want to then expand their offerings, as they only offer "icons" for a few applications or needs.
God, what a text wall. Sorry!

I wouldn't mind knowing myself, I'm all for customizing my Evo, and the more I learn the better I can do so.

I'm sure it's a relatively simple process, I just simply don't know how and wouldn't even know how to search for it. Like, what, "black bar on image?" Ha!
Hundreds of views, hardly any replies! You'd think this wise community would know!

totalanonymity said:
I believe people are misunderstanding what I'm asking.
I know how to get it all set up on my homescreen and such. I have the setup like that currently, no problem, using DesktopVisualizer and LPP.
I'm more asking about how they placed those bars on the image and the writing. See, they have an image that they got from wherever on the internet, put that minimalistic black transparent bar on the bottom and wrote "Texts" there, so that one would use it as a tile of sorts (as the theme they're going for is an "Android Phone 7" sort of thing"). I want to basically get images from wherever in the internet as well and use them for other applications. Like, create a, say, "Market" one, where the image I found will represent in some form, a market, and then put that black transparent bar in the image and type "Market" in some font in the corner like they did so that I can then use DesktopVisualizer to use the image as the icon in the manner shown in those posts. I'm assuming you can't just go and place a huge image (####x###) as the icon and hope it fits right. They resized theirs down to like 355x115 or something. Every time I try to resize something like that, though, it does not like it in the least. So, I'm wondering how they did that, too.
In a sense, they're like icon sets, if you will, and I want to then expand their offerings, as they only offer "icons" for a few applications or needs.
God, what a text wall. Sorry!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The text is just in the image, it isn't some magical add-on. It is probably just a black rectangle and then transparency adjusted to taste.
There are a handful of win7 style icon packs like that. You could use one of those as a template (for size) and use your own images and text. Minimal PS or GIMP experience needed. Just keep the aspect ratio of the images when you are resizing them and provided they aren't absurdly larger than the ~355x115 or whatever size you are aiming for they should still look fine.

The second link says it comes with photoshop templates. You could always just download the 30 day free trial of photoshop.

looks like a simple photoshop job to me, just add a second layer above the background, rectangle marquee the section you want to be the transparent bar, then paint bucket the area with a black (or any color) at 50% opacity, then add text.

jstalford said:
The second link says it comes with photoshop templates. You could always just download the 30 day free trial of photoshop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, can't believe I missed that. Oops!

Those are pretty cool looking layouts nice find.

[Q] .9.png question about theming

Hey guys, just getting into theming and got a few questions. I've been around the block more than a few times with skining, designing and all. Use to own and run a rather large sized graphics forum and skined god knows how many skins for ipb and vb boards. So I thought to myself that theming my phone should not be any different, just minus the html and css.
Now for my questions
filename.9.png, I take it that these images are ones that are tiled, correct? And is the ".9.png" is something that the system sees and says, "ok this needs to tile this way" or is it an actual file extension? If so how does one handle them in photoshop?
Thanks in advance
Posted by some phone named the Epic.

They're not tiled, they're stretched. As for using them with photoshop, there are two routes. You can add a one pixel transparent border around your image, then add pure black in the needed areas (described momentarily) or you can download the android sdk, go into tools and use the draw9patch program to make your .png into a .9.png. Now, the way it works for stretching is that the bottom and right sides of the image determine how the image stretches (play around wit draw9patch to see this best), while the left and top determine where the center of the image is and where text will be placed, if I'm not mistaken. Modifying any .9.png file will immediately ruin it and the borders will need to be re-added. However, you can simply steal them from other themes (I reccomend IDIOT, check the samsung mesmerize forums).

If you modify it, if must be recompiled not simply placed back in the apk with 7zip.. because the borders aren't seen after they are compiled... so either decompile with apkmanager and edit and recompile... or pull the 9patch with 7zip edit compile it alone with xultimate9 and put it back in with 7 zip
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Thanks for all the info you two. I'll have to look into all that when I get home from work.
Posted by some phone named the Epic.

{Team Rejectz} THEME/DESIGN CHEAT SHEET{moved to theme sec sorry} {Still Working On}

This first post is about using Adobe Illustrator
I figured I would share a little knowlege of my designing and how when i came to android it helped out in making theming my rom so much quicker
ATTACHED AT THE BOTTOM IS A STARTER LAYOUT TO HELP MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR YOU!!!!!! :fingers-crossed:
THEME/DESIGN CHEAT SHEET
INDEX​1. Tools..........................................................................
2. Begin.........................................................
3. The Setup...........................................
4. The Artboards.........................................................
5. Adding And Modifying Multiple Artboards.....................
6. Saving your Icons.................................
7. Layers, Colors, And Strokes................................................
8. SELECTING MULTIPLE LAYERS AND ICONS TO CHANGE COLOR AT ONCE.
9. TRACING TOOL...................................................
10. Keyboard shortcuts coming soon
1.TOOLS​
First remove Adobe Photoshop and Fireworks from your playlist. To me these tools are crap or for short cuts. lol but short cuts coming soon
"Adobe Illustrator" and some quick learning or know how.
I'm not going to go over every single tool because if anyone knows illustrator lol its just way to many. Im just going to get to the main ones in this case in point.
2. BEGIN​
Adobe Illustrator is one of the best graphic design tool I've ever used Ever. Your images would no longer start of as just a pic anymore. Now its time to learn vector.
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon(s), which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics. "Vector", in this context, implies more than a straight line.
Vector graphics is based on images made up of vectors (also called paths, or strokes) which lead through locations called control points. Each of these points has a definite position on the x and y axes of the work plan. Each point, as well, is a variety of database, including the location of the point in the work space and the direction of the vector (which is what defines the direction of the track). Each track can be assigned a color, a shape, a thickness and also a fill. This does not affect the size of the files in a substantial way because all information resides in the structure; it describes how to draw the vector.
WIKI^^^^^ thanks
In short this means that all the res you would lose resizing images in Photoshop or Fireworks wouldn't be lost in Adobe illustrator because it use the vector format
When designing in vector you have so many capabilities that any format doesn't, like proper shading, 3D effects and the easiest way to change the color of multiple vec's at once on the same artboard.
The art board is the space and area in which your design would be held on. It's the only part that would be use to create the png, jpeg, etc. Anything on the edge or off of the artboard wouldn't come up at all in the image. This is convenient to me because I like to have almost the entire framework or system res themed perfectly. Meaning all color and tints and shade all match to the T. You also can line up anything to the artboard or to an object perfectly, so no more miss shaped png's lol.
There's also some tools there that you also seen in Photoshop and Fireworks.
My favorite part of adobe illustrator is the Effects section. This is how to avoid messing up when trying to make your own shading, shadows, 3D effects, glows and more. Trust me, when you get a taste of the effects your going to be trying anything!!!!!!
3. THE SETUP​
Now it's time to prepare.
First you need to start a new project. Go to file and select new. Give your project a name. i prefer the name of the rom.
New documents profile - Don't change this because it going to change to custom by itself.
Number Of Art Boards - Keep this at 1 (im going to tell you how to add more)
Size - don't touch anything after size, just make sure Units Say Pixels
Advanced(drop down the menu) - There are 2 color mode RGB - and CMYK. Rgb modes give your stage for the artboards a white background as if it was on paper. Cmyk leave it empty or transparent like in a PNG. It's your choice on which you want.
Raster Effects - Make sure it's at High 300 PPI
4. THE ARTBOARDS​
THERE IS A STARTER KIT FOR ARTBOARDS ATTACHED
The Artboard is pretty much a stage. This is where all the magic happens.
Now when your designing any icon you should make sure you know the sizes. Knowing all the sizes can be a hassle right, but this is where it gets really easy. Say you have 30 icons that are 72x72 if you have a project set up with multiple art boards you would be fine. because once you have made all the icons the save size is just a drag and click away.
5. ADDING AND MODIFYING MULTIPLE ART BOARDS​
If you noticed which I'm sure everyone has, that some images match the size of other. This is where it gets very easy to make save and do it in a quick fashion.
Go to "File", scroll down to Document Setup and click on it. A window will appear don' worry about anything it the window unless you want to change things yourself. Just go to Edit artboard. You will notice that the screen has turned grey and now you artboard is the only thing thats white. If you hover over the grey you will see that your drag symbol has turned into a square. Us this to add more artboards. Click and hold on to the grey area and drag your mouse. You will see that you just added another artboard. To resize the artboard the Width which is labeled W and the Height which is labeled H will be in the upper right hand corner. Click on the artboard you want and start to reshape it according to the size you need. You can also drag the artboards to which ever place you want it to sit. Once done just click on the mouse pointer icon on the right and everything will be back to normal.
6. SAVING YOUR ICONS​
When saving your icons make sure that where ever your project is you have it as the target location when saving. On your first save you should locate the folder and where the original file is and replace and save it. No need to type in the name. If you know where it is alphabetically, then just scroll to it, click on it and the name should appear in the File name box. If it tell you the file already exist, Do you want to replace? click Yes, but make sure you have a backup copy of the folder just in case. Also make sure you are on the right art board when saving. All it takes is a click on the artboard and you would be just fine.
7. ANCHORS, LAYERS, COLORS, AND STROKES​
You ever find it a very long task to make all your icons the same or correct color. Or in short make them match. Well in vector format you can change all of the icons color at once. It has to be selected though. I know you wondered what the white arrow was for, well wonder no more. The white arrow it to select a layer, stroke, or any anchor on the vector image.
ANCHOR - this is single or multiple dots on a vector image that controls the path, line and/or stroke.
Layer is a section of the image thats either below, side by side, or on top of another image. You can change positions by right clicking on the image and use arrange to move its position.
Colors well you know what these are, But Illustrator has three different kind Grey Scale, RGB and CMYK (will be explained later)
Strokes are pretty much a line. It can be around the image, by itself or combined to create an image.( Will Be explained on how to manipulate a stroke in a image.)
To make it short grab the white pointer and have at it lol.
8. SELECTING MULTIPLE LAYERS AND ICONS TO CHANGE COLOR AT ONCE.​
We all know images have layers but say you have several vector images that are 2 colored icons or more colors just stick with 2 for a sec. If you go to the image with the white pointer, You can click on the one color on the image and change it without making a mistake and turning the whole icon one color. Now to select more than one of the icons, say all of them where blue and green. Click on the green part of the icon. Now go to the top and click on "Select" scroll down to same. When the menu pop out, you will see that there are many ways to select multiple types of images. For right now click the one that says "Fill Color". All of the icons will be selected that has that same shade or ton of green. (note you must have them already colored in to match in order to select same). Now when you change the color they all will adjust together to make them Perfect.
9. TRACING TOOL​.
This tool i would recommend that you stay away from and just design your stuff from scratch. Now I'm about to contradict myself lol but this tool is so f'ing handy if used right.
When tracing and image your pretty much turning it into a vector image with paths, strokes, and anchors. Its pretty much a conversion tool but difficult to use. If you have a colorful image that's when it gets hard. But if you have like a solid color shape its kinda easy.
Say like you have a picture of a solid black triangle in .png and .jpeg because you didn't feel like drawing one. Drag it to the artboard. You will see a button up top that wasn't there b4 called "Live Trace". Click on it and you will see your triangle go from a rough .png/.jpeg image to a smooth vector format triangle.
Now it gets hard.
If you have a multiple color image there are ways to trace it to a vector but not all get it the way you want. Just play around with it a little and you will see what i mean. The traces I'm talking about are in the drop down menu right next to the "Live Trace" button. You will see a slim button with a down pointing arrow.
10. Keyboard short Cuts(coming Soon)
​To Be Continued - meaning im Sleepy lol​

Photoshop Short Cuts
Photoshop Short Cuts

Adobe Fireworks Shortcuts
Adobe Fireworks Shortcuts

Using Adobe Flash To Make Bootanimations, Banners, and Sigs
Using Adobe Flash To Make Bootanimations, Banners, and Sigs

lorjay589 said:
Using Adobe Flash To Make Bootanimations, Banners, and Sigs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is damn near the best post for theming I've ever seen! Simply awesome!. Please put this in the theming section for other young devs and themers alike. This should be a sticky!