Sedan_Clan

Great job for a first attempt. Much better than what I've come up with. Please do post up what you find about .apk creating. I want to learn!

P.S. DV = Desktop Visualizer.

Seddy

Oooooooooh! Silly me!
Yeah, Desktop Visualizer is pretty cut and dry. The hard part is resizing the pictures but I have a trick for that.

For a full horizontal bar (ex: my 'browser' widget) you wanna make it 470 x 132.
For a small vertical bar (ex: my 'alarm' widget) you wanna go with 115 x 266.
For a small horizontal bar (ex: my 'Qik' widget) you'd use 355 x 132.
If you wanna use 2 side by side (ex: Handcent & Phone) make it 235 x 132.
And for my 4 vertical widgets that are side by side (1st screen) I used 120 x 286 for each of them.

It took a while but I found that system worked for me.

Also after saving the pictures to your SD Card, Use the following guide for selecting the right size widget:

4 Vertical Side by Side & Small Vertical - 1 x 2
Small Horizontal - 3 x 1
Full Horizontal - 4 x 1
2 Side by Side - 2 x 1

The best way I found to select the correct widget size is by long pressing on a screen, selecting 'widgets' and then selecting the correct 'desktop visualizer' widget size. Once you select it, you then choose the image and the shortcut. You can add text to the widget if you don't have text in the image.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you get stumped.

And thanks for the comment on my screens BTW.

__________________

Kelmar

There are different dialers available on the market but to do what the user did, you have to be rooted (and using a custom deodexed ROM). After that, it's not TOOoooooo difficult.

There was an app out called "circular battery indicator" that did something similar without rooting though. Check THIS.

Editing the res png's and 9.png's in the apk. It can be time consuming for sure.

Have you checked THIS THREAD for the tips/tricks of get everything to line up?

__________________
Typos or odd wording??? I blame Swype for the Swypo's!

In use: (1) Samsung Galaxy S4, (1) Nexus 4, (1) Nexus 7, (1) Galaxy Tab 10.1
Recently retired: (1)Nexus 4, (2) Droid Razr, (2) Droid Charge, (1) Samsung Epic 4G, (1) HTC Evo, (1) HTC Hero

Sedan_Clan

Great info. How do you edit the size (..i.e..115 x 266)?

Seddy

Well I rooted my Epic with the one click root but how do I know if its a deodexed rom? And I'm about to make my way over to that thread to see about the alignment of my widgets. Thanks Kelmar!

I used windows paint to create my widget pictures and just dragged the points at the bottom and right hand side to the correct length and width. I had to have 2 Paint's open though. One for the original image and another for the size for the widget. It was alot of copying and pasting going on but it worked. Hope it helps!

**edit**
Since the original post I've found out alot...

Sedan, I was using paint because I refuse to pay out the a** for Photoshop, and with me currently being unemployed, I wont be purchasing anything thats not needed right now. On my old laptop I downloaded an app called GIMP. I hadn't downloaded it to my new laptop because I couldn't remember the name of it! And since I completely wiped the Hard Drive on it, I was stuck with Paint. But thanks to Kelmar directing me to that thread (Thanks again Kelmar!!!! ) Someone posted a link to the app and I clicked on it almost immediately. I would strongly suggest this app as a great comparison to Photoshop if you dont have a photo editing program you're already using.

You can it by clicking the link below.
Download GIMP v2.6.11

The thread also educated me on changing the number of rows on my screen (didn't know I could do that) so now theres 5. You can only do that with LauncherPro though (hopefully you have it already) although there may be other launchers out there that do it as well.

The only thing thats gonna cause some thinking is the size of the screen in reference to the size of the widget images. The OP in the Win7 Thread has a set of sizes for each widget size (1x4, 1x2, etc.) but as the thread grows the sizes change for specific devices. I tried searching the thread for 'Epic" but came up with nothing. I'm gonna check this thread as well and hopefully i'll find some reliable sizes but if not i'll play around with it and see what works best. My findings will be posted either way.

Last edited by Seddy; November 25th, 2010 at 10:36 PM. Reason: Added information

Kelmar

Only custom ROMs are deodexed (most custom ones are). So if you are rooted but still stock you aren't deodexed. You can check your /system/framework folder if you are on a custom rom and see if you have a any .odex files, if so, you cant theme it.

AbuNaeemah

I'm think I'm starting to get the hang of this; here's my new home screen:

AbuNaeemah

Here's another home screen:

Sedan_Clan

Great! I have PS, so I'll try to use that to edit my pictures. Oh boy, this is going to be a fun process.

Seddy

I'll have to look into that. Is there a thread around here with steps on creating your own dialer? Thanks Again!!!

If you have PS then you're good to go. In the thread Kelmar linked the OP posted some links to resizing the pictures and adding font. I believe he posted Screenshots as well. Go check it out!

Also, before you start, here are the pixel sizes each widget pic should be. I just finished remaking my screens and they fit perfectly with each other (see below)

2x1 Widget - 230x125
2x2 Widget - 230x260
3x1 Widget - 350x125
4x1 Widget - 470x125
1x2 Widget - 110x260
1x4 Widget - 110x665
4x4 Widget - 470x665

Hope this helps! And now for my updated screens. I must say, I like the way everything came out.

Kelmar

Not that I've seen. BUT, I have a handful of links from XDA that got me started in the right direction when I was "theming" for the Hero. Let me know if/when you are ready to tackle it and I'll see if I can dig them back up.

You will need to be pretty handy in photoshop/gimp IMO though.

Inferno4213

Sedan_Clan

I feel like even with those sizes, my image distorts. Any suggestions?

Seddy

Did you go into the launcher pro settings and change the number of rows to 5? If so then you've lost me. Post a screenshot of how it came out and i'll be able to let you know what needs to be done to clear the issue.

Sedan_Clan

Ahh, that may cure my issues. I'll try that and post back.

cruiser771

here's my latest desktop setup, using LauncherPro+, HTC Sense Dock and Fancy Widget for the clock. Folder Organizer for the homescreen folders, 5 rows and hidden status bar, no labels

Messaging & Calender Widget (LP+)


Pandora, PowerAMP, and YT Widgets


Fancy Widget (not in market)



SwitchPro and Friends (LP+)

Last edited by cruiser771; November 29th, 2010 at 05:30 AM.

sixty4

Here is an old one I was using...

Oshi74

jayh214

MissJennell

The last few I have had.

jayh214

paulmz

Sedan_Clan:

Without screenshots, I can only take guesses:

1. If you're resizing images, make sure that you have something like "Constrain Proportions" checked. Otherwise, entering different dimensions that are not proportionate to the original image will definitely distort it. The best way of resizing am image for these icons is to use the crop method: Image Resizing Using Photoshop.

2. Make sure you have the Image Quality set correct for Desktop Visualizer: Desktop Visualizer Update v. 1.1.1 Image Quality Setting.

3. Make sure that you have the "Auto-Fit Items" option selected in LauncherPro: Enable LauncherPro Auto-Fit Option for Android 7 Theme.

4. Finally, make sure that you are using the correct image sizes. I originally had the 4-high dimension incorrect on my list and has since been updated:

1x1: 110px x 125px
1x2: 110px x 260px
1x3: 110px x 395px
1x4: 110px x 530px
2x1: 230px x 125px
2x1: 230px x 260px
3x1: 350px x 125px
3x3: 350px x 395px
4x1: 470px x 125px
4x4: 470px x 530px

Dimensions are for a 480x800 resolution device using LauncherPro set to 4-columns by 5-rows with notification bar on.

If you have the notification bar hidden, dimensions for that are in this post: DROID Incredible Desktop Visualizer Image Dimensions With Notification Bar Hiding.

Hope this helps! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

__________________
I see life... in pixels, points, and dots.

Don't forget to hit the Thanks button when someone enters a helpful post!

Sedan_Clan

Paul, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try that and see if it helps. Until then, my screens are minimalistic at best. Here are my shots:

MissJennell

For now

dhinez

Mines may not be as fancy as the ones I've seen on here but what the heck.

__________________
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shaolinmastr

Hidden Notification Bar

Loydster

Here is mine. pretty basic but works well for me



Zeam launcher, beautiful weather, power control plus and multicon

katanaram

Curious to know where you got the HTC sense dock from? I searched in the marketplace and could not find it. I use Launcher Pro Plus as well. Would love to install HTC sense theme on my EPIC

MetaX

Here is mine..pretty basic.

paulmz

Okay, I think I have finally reached the end of tweaking my "Android7 Theme":




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Device: Unrooted HTC Droid Incredible.
Launcher: LauncherPro (Plus).
Image widgets: Desktop Visualizer.
Lockscreen: WidgetLocker.
Lockscreen clock: Beautiful Widgets.

The first image in the second row is my main homescreen. The blue widgets are a combination of free widgets I downloaded and reskinned using APK Manager. They aren't exactly the "Living Tiles" of the Windows Phone 7- but they all work- including the notification badges on the Phone, Message, and Gmail widgets.

Details on this theme are in this thread: Android Phone 7 Theme.

cousinlump

Wow! Seriously impressive work. Bravo!

Sedan_Clan

Great work Paul.

jayh214

dangerdat

Seddy

How did you get that black on-screen keyboard?

CMNDR

Using Launcher Pro
Icons, and background from here.
BattStatt battery widget
And Fancy Widget Clock/weather

jerbeck24

Here are a few of my current screens. I am rooted and running midNIGHT v2.4 with EXT4 and the Gingerbread theme (1.6.5).

Peezy

why would anyone want to change it to that? i did it by mistake and it looked terrible

CMNDR

Well you can do that and tell your phone not to use the TouchWiz UI so you can then run the stock android 2.1 UI or install another launcher program (launcherpro or AWDLauncher) instead.

Its just a way to customize the UI without rooting.

Hizorse

Heres mine, nothing fancy.

dhinez

I tend to go by the K.I.S.S. rule. For those that don't kno what that means, it stands for "keep it simple stupid". I like the look of stock Froyo so here are some pics of stock Froyo (DK28).

Sebnotic

__________________
‎"A flatbed truck full of bikini models? Shoot, just another Wednesday for me."

allhailcale

Newest setup:

MBM7881

i want to change my themes...how do i do that without rooting. i'm on the stock 2.1 for the epic.

paulmz

Looks good. I like your widget images.

If you're using LauncherPro, don't forget to enable the Auto-Fit Items option.

allhailcale

Thanks, it definitely spaces the widgets out a bit more. Not sure if I like it better or not. I'm still not satisfied that the height of my 1x2 icons are not exactly the total height of two 3x1 icons. I tried increasing the pixel size to greater than 266, but DV just sized it down and the whole thing looked worse. Oh well...

paulmz

I assume that you are using pixel dimensions of 110x260 for the 1x2 and 350x125 for the 3x1 images?

Other than that, I can't figure why they wouldn't line up. If it still bugs you, post or PM me a full-sized screenshot and I'll take a look at it.

allhailcale

I've been following a post from an outside website that gave the dimensions 115x266 and 355x132 for the respective sizes.

paulmz

Well, that's not right. Try this instead: Android Phone 7 Theme

Dazednc0nfused

Samsung Epic 4g. What I have now....