Themers' NIGHTMARE!

jrummy16

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If you are theming a rom you shouldn't be adding apks from a different theme imo (not exactly sure that's what your doing). There are some good theme porter scripts out that get the job done really fast and only port images. xmls should be done anew anyway for each release unless you are positive nothing has been changed.

It's not too hard to rename a couple apps and then run a theme port. For me the themers biggest nightmare are .9 images and xml's but those aren't too bad either. Just my 2 cents :p
 

Tanknspank

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If you are theming a rom you shouldn't be adding apks from a different theme imo (not exactly sure that's what your doing). There are some good theme porter scripts out that get the job done really fast and only port images. xmls should be done anew anyway for each release unless you are positive nothing has been changed.

It's not too hard to rename a couple apps and then run a theme port. For me the themers biggest nightmare are .9 images and xml's but those aren't too bad either. Just my 2 cents :p

This.

Why blow something so simple WAY out of the water?
 

cvpcs

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Very strange that the OFFICIAL OTA updates from Google have the "appxxxGoogle" names. Those aren't considered leaks are they? FWIW, EVERY OFFFICAL Froyo update I have ever seen uses the new "Google" naming. period.

Just downloaded this FRG22D patch from Google server... attached pic says it all.

[pic removed to conserve space]

I still need to disagree. First off, the OTAs are downloaded from google, but we need to remember that they themselves are not in fact built by google. They are built by motorola, htc, samsung, etc.

Most likely, the Music.apk, Calendar.apk, etc, were renamed to their appxxGoogle.apk counterparts by the vendors in order for them to keep track of which apps are from AOSP versus which apps are their custom software (i.e. Blur, Sense, etc). That being said, I still believe that AOSP is the official norm, and that these apps originally started as appxx.apk before the vendors got to them.

If you want an example, I also have a screenshot from the most recent 3.21.605.1 "official" ota (also downloaded from google's servers) for the HTC Incredible. You can see that the Calendar.apk patch is not named CalendarGoogle.apk.

vLEOc.png


Long story short, CCRoms is building from AOSP. We will always build from AOSP. I have no intention of ever including Blur or Sense or whathaveyou into any of our ROMs in any way. That being said, I consider AOSP to be more official than anything else as it is source and I consider the source release to take precedence over the binary release. I have no idea why the vendors felt the need to rename these anyway.

I will always use the naming conventions present in AOSP as they are what Google says the names should be. Considering that Motorola and HTC apparently differ on what they've decided to call these applications, I am considering Google's git repositories to be the true "official", and will be using those naming conventions, as I have in the past.

I'm sorry if this is frustrating for the themers but it is frustrating for me as well, I have no idea why some vendors (such as motorola) would feel the need to rename those apks.
 

928Droid

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In AOSP it's named as just Calender.apk and such, but when Google/Moto/HTC/whoever decides to go release their OTA, they change it to have Google in the name, nobody has a real answer as to why they do it. Maybe to show that Google made these and wants their name there if anyones looking at it? I'm sure theres some monetary reason for this change, but other than that, if it's in AOSP as Calender.apk, why should he compile it as CalenderGoogle.apk?

So that the app names match what Google put on the Phone???

Uniformity makes a lot of things much simpler and less trouble free.

Plus, it seems to even confuse the ROM Devs, more often than not I see double apps in the ROMs due to this issue. One recently had 3 Keyboard apps in it, all the same app, just named LatinIME, LatinIme, and LatinImeGoogle.... happens all the time.

Plus I wish had a dollar for everytime I have seen GoogleQuickSearchBox AND QuickSearchBox in the same ROM..

Regardless, as was said it is not that big of a deal , but it would be nice if the Developer community would have a unifrom naming, especially for the same phone. It would make a better, simplier experiance for the actual ROM users when they go to update or change something in their ROM to their liking if the naming is uniform.

Yeah, not a big deal as far as Themers to look at every ROM and see what the naming is (this time, it can change with each new release)...but for the average guy/gal who wants to update to a Multi-Touch keyboard, or new Google Search etc, it can be a nightmare and a lot of hours of frustration...all for nothing but a few name changes on the front end.

Concerning those "automatic Themers tools", sorry not for me, they are not as perfect as I am, HA ,HA..... plus I have a MUCH better way of doing it..... !!!
 

kook

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If you are theming a rom you shouldn't be adding apks from a different theme imo (not exactly sure that's what your doing). There are some good theme porter scripts out that get the job done really fast and only port images. xmls should be done anew anyway for each release unless you are positive nothing has been changed.

It's not too hard to rename a couple apps and then run a theme port. For me the themers biggest nightmare are .9 images and xml's but those aren't too bad either. Just my 2 cents :p
I agree with everything you just said....
 

wingdo

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Regardless, as was said it is not that big of a deal , but it would be nice if the Developer community would have a unifrom naming, especially for the same phone. It would make a better, simplier experiance for the actual ROM users when they go to update or change something in their ROM to their liking if the naming is uniform.

Yeah, not a big deal as far as Themers to look at every ROM and see what the naming is (this time, it can change with each new release)...but for the average guy/gal who wants to update to a Multi-Touch keyboard, or new Google Search etc, it can be a nightmare and a lot of hours of frustration...all for nothing but a few name changes on the front end.

So AOSP devs (CCRoms, Cyanogen etc) who dev for multiple phones need to go through and rename applications from the standard naming provided by google to the bastardized names give to them by HTC / Moto / Samsung, for each one of their different builds?

The beef here should be with HTC / Motorola / Samsung for not adhering to the names given to the applications by google in the source code.
 
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carlz28

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Please accept my apologies as I didn't intend this to be bashing Sapphire or its developers or any other ROM developers for that matter.
I understand the frustration you must endure with these cross-vendor inconsistencies.
Whether its Google's problem or Motorola it just adds one more thing to deal with.
I don't challenge that aosp has the correct names of apks.
As jrummy mentioned, I'm not swapping out apks from rom to rom when porting a theme. Its just that when using a theme Porter and you have the same apks, but named differently, the port won't be complete. So then you have to go and add images manually. Its not like its unbearable, just annoying.

With that said, the only real issue is what I mentioned in the OP about market apps looking certain system apps and not finding then. Mainly calendar issues. I can't blame the app developer because the issues arent present on other phones or non rooted phones.

Again I want to apologize for making it appear that the problem lies with sapphire. Uniformity would be the best practice but unfortunately I don't see that happening.
I deal with the issues at hand on a case-by-case basis.

Hopefully no hearts were harmed :)

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 

cvpcs

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Please accept my apologies as I didn't intend this to be bashing Sapphire or its developers or any other ROM developers for that matter.
I understand the frustration you must endure with these cross-vendor inconsistencies.
Whether its Google's problem or Motorola it just adds one more thing to deal with.
I don't challenge that aosp has the correct names of apks.
As jrummy mentioned, I'm not swapping out apks from rom to rom when porting a theme. Its just that when using a theme Porter and you have the same apks, but named differently, the port won't be complete. So then you have to go and add images manually. Its not like its unbearable, just annoying.

With that said, the only real issue is what I mentioned in the OP about market apps looking certain system apps and not finding then. Mainly calendar issues. I can't blame the app developer because the issues arent present on other phones or non rooted phones.

Again I want to apologize for making it appear that the problem lies with sapphire. Uniformity would be the best practice but unfortunately I don't see that happening.
I deal with the issues at hand on a case-by-case basis.

Hopefully no hearts were harmed :)

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

I appreciate your response and agree with you. I understand how annoying it can be (one time i had 3 search bars... the built-in framework one, GoogleQuickSearchBar.apk, and QuickSearchBar.apk... it IS very annoying).

I am going to be doing my best to avoid the market thing in the future simply by removing any apps from /system that can be installed from market. It seems like at this time GoogleQuickSearchBar.apk, VoiceSearch.apk, etc aren't necessary anymore and just cause a lot of headaches.

I appreciate the understanding and let me know if there's any information you need or requests you have to help with theming. At 928Droid's request i will be keeping a "cheat sheet" of what APK/JAR files are changed between releases, and as I mentioned from here on out there will be no GoogleLatinIme.apk as if I am to stick with my original statement the AOSP version is LatinIME.apk.

Anyways, I'm thinking maybe I might put together some sort of wiki where I can list all of this information for themers so that they know EXACTLY what to expect going into theming my ROM.
 

928Droid

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The beef here should be with HTC / Motorola / Samsung for not adhering to the names given to the applications by google in the source code.


Don't be so hard on Motorola and Samsung..... Google and Vodaphone are in on it too...besides, those manufactures are only using what Google sends them, it's not their fault.. :) NOW HTC on the other had REALLY messes them up!!

Google's own Nexus one FRF91 OTA (pic 1), and Passion Vodaphone's FRF91 OTA update (pic 2) file shots...

BTW, Carlz thanks for saying that, I never ever thought this was about cvpcs or any specific DEV, I though it was a generic discussion. If there was ANY intent or perception of malice towards cvpcs, you and they have my sincere aplogies. I just thought this was a friendly discussion on a Discussion Forum...and on a topic I have researched to death because it is my only pet peeve with theming...well other than users not knowing their ROMs features!! :)

I am heading out of this one, but take some time and look at all the OTA Froyo updates from the manufactures (excpet HTC) and you will see what I am talking about...it's all there in black and white.

I gotta go, I have a bunch of file renaming to do and I'm way behind.... HA, HA!!! :)


14645d1283553221-themers-nightmare-froyonexusnaming.png


14646d1283553238-themers-nightmare-froyopasionvodafonenaming.png
 

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928Droid

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At 928Droid's request i will be keeping a "cheat sheet" of what APK/JAR files are changed between releases, .

...and I am gonna owe you one for that ... THANKS!!!!!


and as I mentioned from here on out there will be no GoogleLatinIme.apk as if I am to stick with my original statement the AOSP version is LatinIME.apk.

DANG IT!!!,,,you finally got it right with v1.1 by using LatinImeGoogle.apk.... DON"T take a step backwards, PLEASE!!.....

HA, HA!!! It's your ROM, do what makes you happy!...

I'll just keep making 3-4 different Update.zips with all the different Latimxxxxxx names for people who want to update to the Multi-Touch keyboard on differernt ROMs, and the same for all other app updates :-(

Have great night eveyone, I really do have to jet....
 
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