[How to] Theme Swype beta 326+ DJDarkknight's way :-)

[djdarkknight96]

Hello themers and members who want to learn how to theme swype. I decided to do this since Swype will cry a river for posting swype apk's. So I thought I would post a how to theme them for your personal use.

Tools I use:

7Zip
Link: http://www.7-zip.org/

Apk tool v1.4.3 (to Decompile the apk's)
Link: http://code.google.c...ndroid-apktool/

Apk MultiTool Alpha02 (to extract and or compile the apk's)
Link: http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1310151

HexEdit v1.03 (to edit trace line colors)
Link: http://www.physics.o...rewett/hexedit/

Gimp (you can use whatever edits or creates png files)
Link: http://www.gimp.org/windows/

Creativity :-)
Link: http://www.Your Brain .com :-)

If you have never used any of these tools then this is not for you, so do research on how to use those tools before asking cause this is not a GENERAL how to use them thread!!!!

2 - ways to do this!!!


SIMPLE

1. Simple way to just replace Images only:

- You can extract the apk using apk MultiTool to get a copy of the apk to your computer - or a file manager like astro or root explorer

- Extract the apk

- Make a copy of the original apk in the "place-apk-here-for-signing" folder of apk MultiTool

- open the apk with 7zip and delete the "META-INF" folder inside

- go to the projects folder for apk MultiTool and edit your swype images in the assets/keyboard and the res/drawable.... folders "Exeption" This way you can't edit the .9.png's in this folder so if you want to you have to do the ADVANCED procedure!!!!

ALSO

Be careful with the keyboard images...they cannot be layered and flattened...you must create the images with the same size and copy paste them in the image pallette. If you don't then they will not stretch on the keyboard. You can edit the images as they are with filters and direct changes but no layers!!! "I know weird huh?"

- once done with image editing you can open the copied apk in the "place-apk-here-for-signing" folder and just drag the entire assets and res folders to the opened apk

- close the 7zip window and sign it with apk MultiTool

- install like a normal apk DONE!!!

- you can edit the tracelines but you will have to look at those steps in the advanced section below


ADVANCED

2. Advanced way to edit almost everything:

- You can extract the apk using apk MultiTool to get a copy of the apk to your computer - or a file manager like astro or root explorer

- Decompile using the newest APK Tool

- Edit the Images first and as usual be careful of .9.png's border guide lines

ALSO

Be careful with the keyboard images...they cannot be layered and flattened...you must create the images with the same size and copy paste them in the image pallette. If you don't then they will not stretch on the keyboard. You can edit the images as they are with filters and direct changes but no layers!!! "I know weird huh?"

- to edit the prediction colors you have to edit the xml's in folders res/drawable-hdpi and the res/values

drawable-hdpi folder for the backgrounds, dividers and pressed events:

I placed the codes I used in DarkSwype after each line as a guide!!!

hwcl_dark_divider.xml #ff767a7f
hwcl_dark_pressed.xml #ffffffff
hwcl_dark_tapped.xml #ff4d4e50
hwcl_greenhighlight_background.xml #ff272727
hwcl_greenhighlight_divider.xml #ff484848
hwcl_greenhighlight_pressed.xml #ff000000
hwcl_greenhighlight_tapped.xml #ff373737
hwcl_light_background.xml #fff7f7f7
hwcl_light_divider.xml #ffd3d3d3
hwcl_light_pressed.xml #ff000000
hwcl_light_tapped.xml #ffe1e1e1


Values folder:

Colors.xml

These control the actual prediction font colors!!!

Edit the lines that start with hwcl_ " I think they explain what they do pretty clealy but just to give an example my lines look like this for DarkSwype theme:

<color name="hwcl_dark_plain_text">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="hwcl_dark_default_text">#ff777777</color>
<color name="hwcl_dark_nwp_word">#ff777777</color>
<color name="hwcl_light_plain_text">#ff000000</color>
<color name="hwcl_light_default_text">#ff000000</color>
<color name="hwcl_light_pressed_text">#ffffffff</color>
<color name="hwcl_light_nwp_word">#ff777777</color>
<color name="hwcl_green_highlight_plain_text">#ff787878</color>
<color name="hwcl_green_highlight_default_text">#ffffffff </color>
<color name="hwcl_green_highlight_pressed_text">#ffffffff </color>
<color name="hwcl_green_highlight_nwp_word">#ff777777</color>

There was no real method I used mostly guess work and might do this better in my next releases..I'll admit there might be a better color combination...I was lazy :-)

- Now for the fun!!! The dreadded "Trace line color"

- take the libswypecore.so from the lib/armeabi folder and place in a safe place you can find easily

- run hexedit.exe and locate the .so file and open it

- you will see three columns... the one we are focusing on is the middle

- click on find and select "Hex"

- search for this exactly : 00 a2 ff
That is the orange Hex code in the new swpye beta
This would normally look like this #ffffa200 but it's backwards in sets of two thus 00 a2 ff - the first two ff in #ff...... is transparency so it's not used so more examples to use: blue #ff0000ff would be ff 00 00 and red #ffff0000 would be 00 00 ff just to give examples...use the color of choice and replace the 00 a2 ff with your color choice...I searched for the 00 a2 ff and found two lines with this combo and I edited the second set only to my desired color and It works perfect.

- Now save the .so in the lib/armeabi folder of your project

- ok time to compile...DO NOT USE APKTOOL TO COMPILE
Move the original apk and the decompiled Swype folder to APK MultiTool and use it to compile. "I know this is weird but it works!!! Make sure you place the apk in "place-apk-here-for-modding" and the swype folder in the "projects" folder then compile and sign!!!

- You have now themed swype like I have YAY!!!


TO Make Zips

I will only give the simple steps so if you can't sign update.zips or know how to edit the updater-script file then google it!!!

- Place your Modded/themed apk in the system/app folder of the zip as Swype.apk with NO version number!!!

- place the libswypecore.so and libnmsp_speex.so files from the apk's lib/armeabi folder to the system/lib folder of the zip only...NOT inside another folder like in the apk!!!

Also the libswypecore.so file must NOT have the version number in the file name so rename to libswypecore.so!!!!

That's it!!!!

Or just place those files in the rom you use and flash it with it!!!



Hope this all makes sense so If you have questions on these instructions and not how to use the tools then ask..if not Google it...thanks and have fun!!!

DJ Darkknight

[JSM9872]

Awesome guide. Thank you!!

[djdarkknight96]

Updated with latest trace line info!

DarkICE CM9 Skanked sent this from the app!

[djdarkknight96]

Awesome guide. Thank you!!

Oh you're welcome, I missed this reply...sorry! ;-)

DarkICE CM9 Skanked sent this from the app!