[Z500] HOWTO make Samsung theme for Z500

[cadoudal56]

Theme creation for Samsung SGH-Z500

A theme is a set of pictures ans sounds.
Supported files are : mid, midi, mmf, mp3, gif, jpg, swf

In first time, download the additionnal pack with the work theme that we're going to use in this tutorial.
>> Examples files


I Preparation

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Tips :
- For best work, try to make a folder by theme on your har disk. (Right clic - New - Folder)
- Try to use the same files name, for better administration.
- Back up original files in archive folder, work only on file copy.
- WHen you finish your theme, rename it FINAL_xxxx.

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1°) Unzip the download file on your hard disk.
2°) Enter in the new folder, you can see this :
- bretagne.thm
- open.jpg
- close.jpg
- fond.jpg
- external_bretagne.jpg
- voice_call.mp3
- video_call.mp3
- message.mp3
- preview.psd
- theme.psd
- lisez_moi.txt
- read_me.txt

II Simple Theme Creation

The goal you see, is to replace all jpg and mp3 files by yours.
If you have Photoship, you can use the preview.psd that is exactly sized to 176*220 pixels for fond.jpg, close.jpg and open.jpg
On the psd file, you can see the 2 bars on the screen (menu and hour).


1°) Background files 176*220 pixels

Open the preview.psd in Photoshop.
In other cas, open your picture application and open a new document :
Width : 176 pixels / 6,21 cm
Height : 220 pixels / 7,76 cm
Resolution : 72 pixels per pouce

Only fond.jpg is affected by the 2 bars.
Files close.jpg and open.jpg were displayed in full screen.

File fond.jpg
- The background picture on your screen phone.

File open.jpg
- The background picture when the phone boot.

File close.jpg
- The background picture when the phone shutdown.

2°) MP3 Sound

Create mp3 with your favorite app.

File voice_call.mp3
- Used by the phone on voice call.
duration : Between 25 ort 30 seconds

File video_call.mp3
- Used by the phone on video call.
duration : Between 25 or 30 seconds

File message.mp3
- Used by the phone when booting, Shuting down or receive a message.
duration : Between 10 or 15 seconds

3°) Logo for external screen

NOTA : This file is not include in the theme archive cause external screen isn't a parameter in theme file for z500. But your theme is more complete with than nothing....
The file lust be transfered separately.

Open your favorite picture application and create a new document :
Width : 80 pixels / 2,82 cm
Height : 64 pixels / 2,26 cm
Resolution : 72 pixels per pouce


Tips :
The external logo isn't displayed on all the screen.
The background color of the external screen is Block, so try to make your logo on a black backgroung for a best logo integration.


==> Make your test by transfert the external logo on your phone or memory card.

4°) Making the Thm file

Rename the file Bretagne.thm to Bretagne.zip
Double-click on Bretagne.zip (archive is open but not uncompressed !!).
Delete all files except thm.xml (if you do, archive close and delete himself...)
Back to your theme folder and select this files :
- open.jpg
- close.jpg
- fond.jpg
- message.mp3
- voice_call.mp3
- video_call.mp3

Drag and drop all files in the open archive, (Drag all files and release mouse in the archive window).

Close the archive file, that will have 7 files (3 .jpg, 3 .mp3 et theme.xml)
Raneme bretagne.zip by my_theme_name.thm (my_theme_name is what you want).

==> Make your test by transfert the file theme on your phone or memory card.


5°) Theme distribution

You can distribute your theme now, but remember that you have make an external screen logo, and it's better that users can read your pseudo and copyrights.nseillez d'y mettre votre pseudo ne serait-ce que pour les copyrights.

- Les copyrights :
Edit files read_me.txt (in english) and lisez_moi.txt (in french) with your pseudo, the theme name and archive name.

- Making the download file :
Creat an archive .zip with files read_me.txt, lisez_moi.txt, the file theme and the externam screen logo.

Your theme is ready to be distribute all over the world !!!

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II Advanced Theme Creation

If you read this, it mean that all i write isn't suffisant :P
So study a little bit more :

1°) Wallpapers 176*147 pixels

- Samsung Z500 can display wallpapers.
- File size is 176*147 pixels and will be displayed between the 2 bars (see preview.psd file).

- JPG Pictures

Open your favorite picture application and create a new document :
Width : 176 pixels / 6.21 cm
Height : 147 pixels / 5,19 cm
Resolution : 72 pixels per pouce

- GIF animated

Create your animation in this size
Largeur : 176 pixels / 6.21 cm
Hauteur : 147 pixels / 5,19 cm

- SWF files

You can create small and simple flash animation on your samsung Z500.
You must save your flash file in a Flash Lite 1.0 format. (For more details see troubleshooting)
The flash document must be sized in 176*147 pixels

Graphism compatibility is Flash 5.0
Action script compatibility is flash 4.0

- Insert our wallpaper in the distribution archive.

2°) XML files

You understand it, all is in the theme.xml file
Open theme.xml with your favorite xml editor (or select file, press MAJ, right-clic on file and click on Open width... Select Notepad).

Study the XML file... :
(if you edit, take care to write between the " " !!)

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<theme version="1.0">
<info name="Bretagne" date="" size="0" profile="Shalimar"/>
<background idle="fond.jpg" mainmenu="0x3300cc" appmenu="0x000099"/>
<skin title_color="0x000000" softkey_color="0xffffff"/>
<wallpaper idle=""/>
<ringtone voice_call="voice_call.mp3" video_call="video_call.mp3" message="message.mp3"/>
<power_on image="open.jpg" melody="message.mp3"/>
<power_off image="close.jpg" melody="message.mp3"/>
<font_title color="0xffffff" type="Bold" size="16"/>
<font_softkey color="0xffffff" type="Bold" size="16"/>
<font_menu color="0x000000" type="Bold" size="16"/>
<still image="fond.jpg"/>
</theme>

So what did we have here....

<?xml version="1.0"?>

1st line, Declaration for .xml files => DONT EDIT

<theme version="1.0">

2nd line, could be the theme langage version => DONT EDIT

<info name="Bretagne" date="" size="0" profile="Shalimar"/>

3rd line, Tag info on theme

name="Bretagne" ==> Theme name, EDITABLE
date="" ==> Creation date theme, EDITABLE
size="0" ==> unknown, DONT EDIT
profile="Shalimar" ==> Shalimar is the name code for z500, DONT EDIT

<background idle="fond.jpg" mainmenu="" appmenu=""/>

4th line, Tag info on theme

idle="fond.jpg" ==> name of the background screen, EDITABLE
mainmenu="" ==> Main menu, EDITABLE
appmenu="" ==> App menu, EDITABLE

<skin title_color="0x000000" softkey_color="0xffffff"/>

5th line, Theme bar

title_color="0x000000" ==> Title bar color (on up), EDITABLE
softkey_color="0xffffff" ==> Softkey bar color (on down), EDITABLE

[font size=8]Nota :

Colors are defined with a prefix 0x follow by the hexadecimal color code :
0x000000 : Black
0xFFFFFF : White
0x0000FF : Blue
0xFF0000 : Red

[/font]

<wallpaper idle=""/>

6th ligne, Tag wallpaper
idle="" ==> Walpaper file name, EDITABLE

[font size=8]Nota :
Write here the wallpaper file name, by remember to include it in the archive .thm file
This wallpaper will be the default wallpaper but it can be change, so create more wallpapers is very interresting.
[/font]

<ringtone voice_call="voice_call.mp3" video_call="video_call.mp3" message="message.mp3"/>

7th line, Sound tag

voice_call="voice_call.mp3" ==> melody name for voice call, EDITABLE
voice_call="voice_call.mp3" ==> melody name for video call, EDITABLE
voice_call="message.mp3" ==> melody name for message, EDITABLE

<power_on image="open.jpg" melody="message.mp3"/>

8th line, Boot declaration

image="open.jpg" ==> picture name used on boot mobile, EDITABLE
melody="message.mp3" ==> picture melody used on boot mobile, EDITABLE

<power_off image="close.jpg" melody="message.mp3"/>

9th line, Shut down declaration

image="close.jpg" ==> picture name used on shut down mobile, EDITABLE
melody="message.mp3" ==> picture melody used on shut down mobile, EDITABLE

<font_title color="0xffffff" type="Bold" size="16"/>

10th line, Title bar (up)

color="0xffffff" ==> Font color, EDITABLE
type="Bold" ==> Font Type (bold, bolder, lighter, normal), EDITABLE
size="16" ==> Font size, EDITABLE

<font_softkey color="0xffffff" type="Bold" size="16"/>

11th line, Softkey bar

color="0xffffff" ==> Font color, EDITABLE
type="Bold" ==> Font type (bold, bolder, lighter, normal), EDITABLE
size="16" ==> Font size, EDITABLE

<font_menu color="0x000000" type="Bold" size="16"/>

12th line, Menu font

color="0xffffff" ==> Font color for menu, EDITABLE
type="Bold" ==> Font type for menu, EDITABLE
size="16" ==> Font size for size, EDITABLE

<still image="fond.jpg"/>

13th ligne, Preview picture

image="fond.jpg" ==> File name(put the background file name),EDITABLE

</theme>

13ème ligne, Close theme file, DONT EDIT

[cadoudal56]

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That's all, now you can create your own theme for your samsung Z500.
Remember that's it's not important if your theme isn't complete. You can only make a grahic theme without sounds. You just must include all files writed in the .Xml file in the .thm archive file and delete all reference in the .xml files for files who aren't in the .thm archive file.


4°) Troubleshooting

- Theme not work or bug my mobile phone

Shut down the phone (extract the battery if necessary), boot your phone and change theme for an official one.
Delete the theme in the phone memory. Debug your .xml file...

- Some parts is ok, and some No

You could have an error in the theme.xml, see if you use the good file names and they we're include in the .thm archive file

- I've made a .zip and rename it too .thm and it's not work...

.thm files use unknowed parameters (unknowed by me...). If you zip and rename, your phone couldn't understand the archive parameters.
So, do like me, use the icluded file, it's work.

- My sounds have problems...

Sorry i'm not a specialist, make mp3 with 128 K/ps and 44800 Mhz

- My Flash animation not work or have problem

The flash used by your phone is a little bit special.
It's Flash Lite 1.0
It's a mix of Flash 5 for graphism and Flash 4 for actionscript.
Animation must be light for good display. It's a mobile not a PC...
For save in Flash_lite 1.0, in flash :
File -> Export -> Export animation
In select box, choose Flash Lite 1.0
Click box : Neutralise audio parameters
Click on OK




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End of the tutorial, I edit it later.
Thank's for your read and come here for propose your theme files here :P

@+
PS : Post pics with your links !!

[peeman]

This only works with the vodafone firmware right!

[Jocke]

can yanyone confirm this?

[alchemyst]

Originally Posted by Jocke

can yanyone confirm this?

Yep, I've had 3 firmwares thus far, (Vodafone, 02 and TMN or something), and only the Vodafone allows you to implement themes. It really is something that I wish all firmwares had, but hopefully the unbranded retail firmware from samsung will have it.

[Jocke]

Yes, I have tested with a vodafone sw now. Works fine. I agree.. all sw should have this feature......

[aef100]

On www.handy-stuff-planet.de you find a tool, names ThemeConstructor.
You can make Themes for Samsung Z-Series.


Regards