Root How to Create a ROM

[RunVert]

A few questions for any ROM programmers and designers...
1- what tools or software do you use to create a ROM from scratch?
2- Are there any tutorials online that are worth the read?

...Never done this sorta thing before, but wouldnt mind checking it out just out of curiousity....if nothing else, I might even learn a few things along the way as well!
Which is always a good thing.

 

[An UrgeTo Dance]

If you were really interested in making a ROM I would go ask a developer on XDA if they could help you learn the ropes. I'm sure a couple wouldn't mind giving you a little help.

 

[RunVert]

Good Advice. Right now its more out of curiousity on how a ROM is put together...the steps...etc, than it is sitting down and designing a ROM anytime soon.

 

[evomattnc]

a couple websites for basics and getting started

What is Android? | Android Developers

Initializing a Build Environment | Android Open Source

Of course dsixda kitchen, sdk, git, eclipse IDE the list is sort of large really...plus all the stuff for manipulating files of various types jre, jdk etc. also programs for themeing like png optimizers, graphics editors, hex editors, smali, baksmali etc.

Dont be overwhelmed you can do it but it will take A LOT of reading before hand...

Check over on xda i know there are guides to themeing, not a lot for making roms but once you learn themeing better you will understand more of what goes into the rom. If I were you and starting fresh I would start by themeing or creating an app or two first, just simple ones.

 

[Granite1]

It's demoralizing at first, but the more you read you pick up small pieces. Then BAM! It clicks. I'm just themeing, and it's alot of info. Just don't give up, and ask questions over at xda.

It might take me a year, but this damn Mario theme will get done!

 

[RunVert]

a couple websites for basics and getting started

What is Android? | Android Developers

Initializing a Build Environment | Android Open Source

Of course dsixda kitchen, sdk, git, eclipse IDE the list is sort of large really...plus all the stuff for manipulating files of various types jre, jdk etc. also programs for themeing like png optimizers, graphics editors, hex editors, smali, baksmali etc.

Dont be overwhelmed you can do it but it will take A LOT of reading before hand...

Check over on xda i know there are guides to themeing, not a lot for making roms but once you learn themeing better you will understand more of what goes into the rom. If I were you and starting fresh I would start by themeing or creating an app or two first, just simple ones.

so for example, the people that created cm7 or myn 2.2...etc, are the programmers and designers who created those ROMs a group of individual efforts all coming together to design a specific ROM? Or are these ROM's produced by one individual person from start to finish?
Do they make a living off of their ROM's? (or at least a profit of any kind?)

..thanks for the links!

 

[evomattnc]

Most cant make a living off of this, for instance I think Virus made like 700 bucks this month (last time I checked) from donations and he is quite popular lately...not a bad gig though for doing something in spare time and not putting any money in. I think you would be more likely to make a living off of a popular app in the market as at least you can set a price of like .50 or .99 and sell a hundred thousand or something. Roms are donation based, dont see you making a living there. Most devs I know have another job and quite a few have two

Cyanogen is a person. however it has grown to a large group of devs tackling small parts of the rom piece by piece. Like one would tackle radios, one tackle framework, one optimize, etc etc. Some do dev by themselves but they have bases now to dev from not just source so its less time consuming. Cyanogen (among some others) started with source...

A lot of roms appear to just be themes lately anyhow and you will see that at this stage in the game in the OP of any rom thread there will be 50 thanks to other devs for parts and fixes and such. Basically sometimes except with working from source or a port its a lot of just picking apart stuff you want and combining it in a way you want it. SD tweaks, batt tweaks, animations, themes, 4g fix, odexing, optimizing, etc you will see a list of that in the OP and thanking whoever actually did it...well if they are an ethical dev you will...

 

[RunVert]

Most cant make a living off of this, for instance I think Virus made like 700 bucks this month (last time I checked) from donations and he is quite popular lately...not a bad gig though for doing something in spare time and not putting any money in. I think you would be more likely to make a living off of a popular app in the market as at least you can set a price of like .50 or .99 and sell a hundred thousand or something. Roms are donation based, dont see you making a living there. Most devs I know have another job and quite a few have two

Cyanogen is a person. however it has grown to a large group of devs tackling small parts of the rom piece by piece. Like one would tackle radios, one tackle framework, one optimize, etc etc. Some do dev by themselves but they have bases now to dev from not just source so its less time consuming. Cyanogen (among some others) started with source...

A lot of roms appear to just be themes lately anyhow and you will see that at this stage in the game in the OP of any rom thread there will be 50 thanks to other devs for parts and fixes and such. Basically sometimes except with working from source or a port its a lot of just picking apart stuff you want and combining it in a way you want it. SD tweaks, batt tweaks, animations, themes, 4g fix, odexing, optimizing, etc you will see a list of that in the OP and thanking whoever actually did it...well if they are an ethical dev you will...

Awesome! thanks for that info. I've always wondered about that part of it.

 

[lcallen80]

It's demoralizing at first, but the more you read you pick up small pieces. Then BAM! It clicks. I'm just themeing, and it's alot of info. Just don't give up, and ask questions over at xda.

It might take me a year, but this damn Mario theme will get done!

LOL, just make sure that your theme can be used with Myn's RLS5. I'll for sure flash that. CLASSIC!

 

[evomattnc]

LOL, just make sure that your theme can be used with Myn's RLS5. I'll for sure flash that. CLASSIC!

Hey it's pretty sweet already, granite what rom is that for or is it lpp?

 

[Granite1]

Hey it's pretty sweet already, granite what rom is that for or is it lpp?

What I have now is just LP and Folder Organizer. I've been playing around with the framework for Kings Unleashed R5. Haven't made anything substantial, let alone anything worth distributing.
It's a work in progress.

The construction season has officially begun in Pittsburgh, so I'm working alot out in the field. Not much time for the family let alone creating a custom theme. It'll get done in due time. I'll probably get it done, then have to start over on a Gingerbread build!

 

[evomattnc]

What I have now is just LP and Folder Organizer. I've been playing around with the framework for Kings Unleashed R5. Haven't made anything substantial, let alone anything worth distributing.
It's a work in progress.

The construction season has officially begun in Pittsburgh, so I'm working alot out in the field. Not much time for the family let alone creating a custom theme. It'll get done in due time. I'll probably get it done, then have to start over on a Gingerbread build!

Man remind me to dump you all my icons and stuff one day

 

[Granite1]

Man remind me to dump you all my icons and stuff one day

I need you to go ahead and dump those icons for me......yeah. That be great....yeah. I need you to go ahead and come in in sunday too, thanks Peter.

Any addition to my line up would be greatly appreciated!

 

[evomattnc]

I need you to go ahead and dump those icons for me......yeah. That be great....yeah. I need you to go ahead and come in in sunday too, thanks Peter.

Any addition to my line up would be greatly appreciated!

Yeah ill try and do that tonight. Im super busy with work. Thanks for the same day reminder lol. I meant pm me

 

[evomattnc]

There is a thread on xda in the evo q and a section regarding porting roms with a couple tips from a few devs like leo and myn. You may want to check it out.

 

[Granite1]

Yeah ill try and do that tonight. Im super busy with work. Thanks for the same day reminder lol. I meant pm me

I'm just bustin your stones a little. I'll pm you later this week. Thanks homie!

 

[Mr. Ed]

I have some links with great info, kitchens for cooking the rom and the how to port mentioned above...I will try and post them tonight


I am going to be trying to port honeycomb as soon as I have time... if they can port it to the nook surely it can be done for the evo

 

[evomattnc]

I have some links with great info, kitchens for cooking the rom and the how to port mentioned above...I will try and post them tonight


I am going to be trying to port honeycomb as soon as I have time... if they can port it to the nook surely it can be done for the evo

Someone ported this a couple months ago sort of, it was super buggy but I checked it out for 10 minutes. Looked neat, that was honeycomb 3.0. It was a popular dev he has his own site but its escaping me at the moment.... Preludedrew maybe, whoever made omgb I think...?

 

[iown]

ok so im getting into rom dev. and theres a step where it says run Android SDK and how do i run it.. when i get into the folder there is no exe or anything