So you want to edit xml's or more... an ADB. APK Manager How-To (Basics)

[mikeyinid]

I have a question for ya x, or anyone who will help. I recently got a new computer and jatx was nice enough to help me get my sdk and all that working. I can decompile apk's with apk manager and adb works. But, when I decompile an apk, it(meaning apk manager) gives me the message adb is not found,. It doesnt affect the outcome, its just annoying as hell. Any ideas how to fix??

 

[xkape]

droidx.. you have some 9png guide issues. id start with trying to fix the 1st one one the list and go from there.

mikey.. your environment variable path is wrong. Chances are that new computer is running win 7 64 bit and Java installed into program files (x86). Install it into Program Files and update your Env Var's. No idea why it matters.. all i know is mine refused to work until I did that.

 

[Mbk]

Lol they asked for the log.

And that log tells some stories brah......

What's happened is that all of the first set of errors is caused when decompiling since those specified .9.pngs do not have their guides (or data chunks as stated in the log)...

and what ends up happening is that APKTool changes those images to a plain .png, and makes the .9.png name a reference file only... that's why you see two instances of the images while in the projects folder, one a .png and one a .9.png (the reference file only).....

So when you go to recompile all of those reference files are erroring out, thus your second set of errors...

the third set of errors are caused by those .9.png not being seen correctly in the public.xml....

What you would need to do is to take the decompiled .png of those images that were .9.png, then drag them into draw9patch and set new guides (Here's a good tutorial to learn the concept of what .9.pngs are and how to use draw9patch), and then save them back into that folder but now as the .9.png, while deleting the .9.png reference file and then also the regular .png that you onverted back to .9.png...

Do the above with all of your images and it should recompile....

 

[droidx8791]

error

Thanks but that's why I'm here I have no clue how cause im new at this apkmanager and theming. I am learning and can do certain things but this is leaving me clueless.

 

[Mbk]

Thanks but that's why I'm here I have no clue how cause im new at this apkmanager and theming. I am learning and can do certain things but this is leaving me clueless.

You must fix all of those .9.pngs or it will error still yet...
another member mentioned a simple way to bypass needing to work with draw9patch, by swapping out all of your images from a recompilable ROM (like BB or Sapphire), then decompile, make your xml edits, then recompile, and lastly swap back in your current ROMs images into that drawable-hdpi-finger folder....

but you might as well learn to use draw9patch and fix those .9.pngs...no?

 

[mikeyinid]

droidx.. you have some 9png guide issues. id start with trying to fix the 1st one one the list and go from there.

mikey.. your environment variable path is wrong. Chances are that new computer is running win 7 64 bit and Java installed into program files (x86). Install it into Program Files and update your Env Var's. No idea why it matters.. all i know is mine refused to work until I did that.

X, thanks a ton. LOL, I already had everything set up right thanks to jatx. I just dont listen very good and had spaces in my path

 

[xkape]

no problem!

also.. droidx... perhaps i need to keep that in mond when replying in this thread. Just saying.. go edit a 9png doesnt help much. Luckilly... Mbk is here!

 

[droidx8791]

Thanks

Sorry I had posted that before you responded. I appreciate every ones help. Ill see what I can do lol it would be very nice if someone would make a nice gui program to do it all. Boy I'm asking for too much I know lol. I give all themers and developers mad props cause some of this stuff I don't understand how you all learned this.

 

[pistol_pete]

Learned is the wrong word. It's learning.

 

[xkape]

We learned it the same way you are now. Trial and error and asking questions..

Keep at it, that light bulb will go off in your head one day. At least, it did for me. then everything just sort of made sense.

 

[stetsonaw]

We learned it the same way you are now. Trial and error and asking questions..

Keep at it, that light bulb will go off in your head one day. At least, it did for me. then everything just sort of made sense.

and now X can do this fully loaded! It's fun working on an app with him over GTalk when he's drinking, and the light bulb clicks on with some pretty great ideas once you get a few beers in him, lol!

 

[xkape]

well i am currently on the 9th..lol

thanks stetson.. for the compliment and for confirming im an alcoholic. lol

 

[stetsonaw]

anytime dude. and you're only an alcoholic if you go to meetings, so have another int: :biggrin:

 

[powder]

.9.png's become easy after a while. You'll do a dozen and start trying shortcuts to see what works and what doesn't. I just did 122 of them in a row the other day.

Also another little trick is do the dot guides before you run your black line on the bottom and right, then if you click "show patches" it will show you how far you have to take your black lines since they don't have to go all the way up the right and across the bottom, they just have to touch your guide from the other side. Oh and save yourself some time on getting compile errors, make sure your black lines on bottom and right are a single line and there's no white parts between the start and finish.

 

[YankInDaSouth]

I've been keeping track of this .9 discussion and I have realized I have a completely unorthidox way of doing them I think lol ... As the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat ...
Does (or has) anyone used eclipse to edit their .9's? When I first started editing them, I found very little info (that I could understand) about editing .9's; then I came across a tutorial where eclipse came into the mix. I've been using it ever since.
I've not noticed any ill effect from doing it this way, but before I eloborate I'd like the smarter folks here to chime in first I don't want to tell people something that may cause them grief down the road.