16 replies to this topic

[jayrod]

This is a little tutorial on how to use VTS for doing just about everything required to do theming , all in one powerful tool.
What is VTS?

Basically, it is an awesome tool for noobs like me who had issues with using the basics like APKTool and the rest of the required tools. But with all this power it can be overwhelming to use.

From the website :

What is VTS?

Virtuous Ten Studio (VTS) is the ultimate solution for the modification of android applications. This program allows you to manage entire Android projects within an easy to use and familiar environment.

The intended group of users covers anyone from a themer over ROM devs up to the smali gods known for their awesome mods of existing apks. The modifcation of smali code is one of the biggest features in VTS. You can easily decompile, edit and recompile any apk or jar file.
However, the application is not limited to smali files. You can edit almost any file found inside an apk or jar.

Virtuous Ten Studio is also the official successor to the highly important M10Tools released last year by the Virtuous Team. You can easily edit any m10 file from Sense apps in order to resize, modify or theme them.

VTS has been designed to run on Windows, has been in development for over a year and has gone through many stages of testing. We now feel that the it is mature enough to be released publicly.

• 
  
  • Fully featured IDE
  • Seamless integration of useful external tools
    
  • ApkTool
  • Smali/Baksmali
  • ADB
  • Zipalign
  • Sign
  • dex2jar
  • Winmerge
  • Remote Theme Injector (RTI)
  • many more
• Work with your apks just like having real java code
• Support for apks and framework jars
• Easily keep track of multiple apks/jars with the Solution Explorer
• Manage big projects with ease

• Edit smali code like never before
  
• Syntax highlighting
• Live syntax error checking
• Jumping to smali references (method calls, fields, classes, gotos)
• Help files on almost every smali command and topic
• Connection between smali code and public.xml to expose hex references
• Have a helpful look at the java source of any smali file if needed
• Paste often used smali snippets right from the editor

• Enhanced XML workflow
  
• Easy navigation in XML documents
• Follow XML resource paths and jump to the source file with a simple click
• Previews of color codes, images and string resources directly in the xml file

• Edit M10 files with great usability
  
• Support for all Sense versions (3.0, 3.5, 3.6, 4.0, 4.1, 4.5)
• Work with m10 files either with the dedicated M10 project or via the combined APK project
• Decompile m10 images of all Sense versions to create HTC Sense themes
• Quickly analyze the contents with the M10-Structure viewer
• Validate your m10 changes with the syntax checker
• Unimportant m10 parts are greyed out or completely hidden

• Communicate with your device with yet to be seen ease
  
• Tight integration of many ADB commands
• Push apks easily to any place on your device
• Remote import files to edit them with VTS
• Debug your device with the integrated Logcat-Viewer

• Enhance your workflow with useful additions
  
• Easily create backups of your projects
• Dedicated compare interface for easy comparision of files, folders or projects

• Hundreds of other awesome features (seriously, you really have to see and try it yourself)

[jayrod]

Here is the link to get VTS as well as the additional items need to get this to work.

*Note: VTS comes with APKtool 1.5.0 jar as well as aapt.exe and apktool_bad_magic_value.jar. 1.5.1 has been released for JB , but I have not read about or tried it.
It also has an XML editor integrated, Draw .9 patch as well as many other things.*

VTS

Android SDK

.Net 4.0

The latest Java runtime JRE



*All links were pulled from the VTS website*

[jayrod]

After you have everything you need, it's time to set VTS up. When you click FILE, one of the options is Settings. This is where you setup the Framework(s) for APKtool. Providing you have ADB setup correctly, you can pull these from your phone just like you could with some of the Multi tools, or you can import them from a location on your HDD or network.




Now to add the frameworks. It is possible to have multiple versions of the individual framework types and you can even tag them however you want as long as you indicate the correct framework you are using. As you can see in this picture I have both the Bionic and RAZR frameworks installed and have tagged the RAZR ones differently.



This is how my apktool framework folder looks





These next few pictures will show how to start a project. Click File and select new project. You will see this screen pop up





I always have kept old signature and everything has worked for me.I'm not sure what the correct thing to do is as I have read conflicting things.






I know I'm jumping from Browser.apk to System-ui...shoot me!

As you can see, it is possible to have multiple projects open at the same time for things like file comparison between changes I made between my phonebooth theme compared to what is untouched. One awesome aspect is the fact that it has it's own XML/smali editor and you have the ability to see what color is being referenced by code as well as color




And image previews both as drawables and the _dpi folders! Once an actual _dpi folder is opened you can view in main screen,have it open in an explorer window as well as having a new menu selection for images , which includes an automated opening of Draw.9 patch.





You have the ability to batch build or as individual builds



And all of your projects are just a click away



And just like Apktool, the work ends up in it's own folder. Binary is the compiled .apk and Data is the un compiled goodies

[jayrod]

This is by no means a complete "How to guide" and doesn't touch on what else it can do but it should help to get you started. I want to thank EVERYONE involved in making such an excellent tool, WIDOWMAKER for being the one who introduced me to VTS as well as getting me straight on getting things set-up. I also need to give a thank you to T3T3 droid for spending around 2 hours trying to help me set up Apktool correctly which in turn got VTS working , only to have me use VTS instead! I also want to thank him ,JP1044 and dubsx for helping me with getting started with tinkering with stuff...I would still be clueless without their help... Googling only gets you so far sometimes!

[jp1044]

Nice write up man! I might even have to reference this

-Team LiteSpeed- Sent from my Icarus HD device

[usmcamgrimm]

Thanks for this write-up. I'm going to try this out.

[bweaver11b]

Dude thanks so much for the write up...can't wait to dig into this later today!!

[ZKK007]

Man, this looks awesome! Great write up and I will definitely be looking into this. A one stop shop for all your apk editing needs. A huge thanks to the team who created this!

[T3T3droid]

Freakin AMAZING man!!!! Great job!!

[tucstwo]

Wow this is awesome. Would you mind if it were over into the development forum?

[jayrod]

Thanks everyone...I suck at explaining so I just let pictures do the talking

Wow this is awesome. Would you mind if it were over into the development forum?

Put it wherever as many people can use it.Just trying to give a lil back of what helpful members this forum have shared with me

[Memnoch73]

Thanks for this. I just may have to finally unlock this dna so I can start playing around.

Sent from Droid DNA

[bweaver11b]

Ok i followed the OP instructions and was able to successfully edit my first apk. The results weren't pretty but now that i know i can do it, i am digging deeper into the xmls. Anyway, after i build my project (in this case messaging.apk) i try to push to my device, which fails and have tried with each usb setting. I then have to manually put the apk on the sdcard and then install. Any suggestions?? I know i am probably missing a step as i am very new to the whole process.

[tucstwo]

Thanks everyone...I suck at explaining so I just let pictures do the talking



Put it wherever as many people can use it.Just trying to give a lil back of what helpful members this forum have shared with me

Done

[WIDOWMAKER]

Ok i followed the OP instructions and was able to successfully edit my first apk. The results weren't pretty but now that i know i can do it, i am digging deeper into the xmls. Anyway, after i build my project (in this case messaging.apk) i try to push to my device, which fails and have tried with each usb setting. I then have to manually put the apk on the sdcard and then install. Any suggestions?? I know i am probably missing a step as i am very new to the whole process.

When changing something that is already there you always want to flash it to be safe and anything that is a system app always has to be flashed. This is what I have found to be true anyways.


And Jayrod this is a great write up!!

[bweaver11b]

Thanks WidowMaker, i was looking at your transparent theme for inspiration. Would love to be able to make my own transparent theme. You did awesome work

[jayrod]

WIDOWMAKER.. You made a transparency theme?

Sent from my Icarus HD Edition Bionic