Theming Tip

[Ipheuria]

I was struggling with this for about a minute yesterday. So I thought I would save others the trouble. If you're trying to change the background you have to follow this :

Note: Starting with 4.2.1 firmware these graphics have been renamed.
FolderIconBG.png becomes FolderIconBG~iphone.png
FolderIconBG@2x.png becomes FolderIconBG@2x~iphone.png
FolderSwitcherBG.png becomes FolderSwitcherBG~iphone.png
FolderSwitcherBG@2x.png becomes FolderSwitcherBG@2x~iphone.png
In order to enable these graphics with 4.2.1. firmware and later, you need to either rename or delete the following files on your iPhone found at: /var/mobile/Library/caches
com.apple.SpringBoard.folderSwitcherLinen.0
com.apple.SpringBoard.folderSwitcherLinen.1
com.apple.SpringBoard.folderSwitcherLinen.2
com.apple.SpringBoard.folderSwitcherLinen.3
I don't believe in deleting files on a live file system. I renamed my files to 4, 5, 6, and 7.

My tip is that after you've resprung and you try to change the background it doesn't work. This is because the OS recreates the files you just renamed so it locks the new image. So you have to rename the files each time.

 

[Ipheuria]

Feel free to add your own tips

 

[Ipheuria]

A few people have said they like my clear folders

So here is how I did it:
Transparent Folders
Instead of copying the info I'll link to the info about changing the folder and folder background here.

You'll need the original folder icon or you can use the one from whatever theme you have, if it has one. Then open it in an image editor I use Photoshop but I've heard GIMP is a free alternative. The folder icon is called FolderIconBG~iphone.png, then you can select everything within the silver ring, in photoshop you can use the magic wand it's very easy. Then use the Background eraser and clear just one spot, once you do that hitting delete will clear everything within the selection leaving it transparent. If you don't use the background eraser it will just erase to white leaving a white background. Once you've got it the way you want save it and apply your theme.

Another member said there are Cydia tweaks which do the same thing so you might not have to go through all this. However for me I prefer to skin my folder icon the way I want and it's one less thing to apply within Winterboard since it's directly in my theme.

Tip
When saving don't flatten the layers it will turn the transparent areas to background color. Just save as a png file.

 

[Ipheuria]

I know it might seem like an obvious thing but I recently had a theme with this problem so I thought I'd save others the trouble. Even though saving a file with the PNG as opposed to png extension shouldn't matter on the iPhone it does. So if you find that your graphic is not being used for some reason rename the file as long as it is really a png file to lower case. Perhaps the OS is written to only look for lower case png and it ignores the uppercase IDK.

 

[Ipheuria]

If you customize or apply a theme and notice a shadow behind icons that are not the regular boxed shape like a cellphone or mailbox. Then here are the files you need to rename.

Originally Posted by TJone
I also tried renaming the file SBDockMask@2x~iphone.png but still had no luck.

The ones you have to rename are called WallpaperIconShadow@2x~iphone.png and wallpapericondock~iphone@2x or something along those lines

They are in the springboard.app folder(system/Library/Core Services)

 

[Ipheuria]

Since I started this thread I figure I'll put my questions in here too. I'm having a few issues with some theming elements on my iPad and iPhone. I need to know how to find out where the original icons are located for apps? someone I think BLiNK said there was a way to use SBSettings or iFile so if anyone knows how do I do this?

If anyone has a theme that replaces the iPod(iPad), Twitter(iPhone) and Osfoora HD(iPad) icons can you tell me what the folders are called? This is what I'm trying to do right now and not having any luck with it.

 

[Fausty82]

Since I started this thread I figure I'll put my questions in here too. I'm having a few issues with some theming elements on my iPad and iPhone. I need to know how to find out where the original icons are located for apps? someone I think BLiNK said there was a way to use SBSettings or iFile so if anyone knows how do I do this?

If anyone has a theme that replaces the iPod(iPad), Twitter(iPhone) and Osfoora HD(iPad) icons can you tell me what the folders are called? This is what I'm trying to do right now and not having any luck with it.

In SBSettings, click on MORE and scroll down to APP FOLDERS... open that, find the app you want to change/update... and tap it... a popup will tell you where the folder/icon stuff is located...

 

[Ipheuria]

Thank you my friend

New question anyone with a custom theme that changes the following icons please tell me what the containing folder is called:

Twitter (iPhone)
Osfoora HD(iPad)
iPod(iPad)

My twitter folder is com.twitter but no dice

 

[Fausty82]

Thank you my friend

New question anyone with a custom theme that changes the following icons please tell me what the containing folder is called:

Twitter (iPhone)
Osfoora HD(iPad)
iPod(iPad)

My twitter folder is com.twitter but no dice

I took a shot at Osfoora on the iPhone but had some "issues"... it acted exactly like the "Phone" was for me earlier... refused to update no matter what... so I gave up and went to work on the lock screen...

 

[Ipheuria]

LOL yeah the folders have some really funny naming conventions. I had problems with my camera and photos folder and found out in the end I had a com.apple.mobileshow but I also needed the com.apple.camera folder with the same icons in it. So if you don't know what the folder name should be it's a pain to set it up. I don't know how the devs figure it out I guess I could just replace the icon in the actual app directory but I don't really wanna do that unless I know it works.

 

[Ipheuria]

I'm about to ask a Dev how they know what to know the folders for theming. If anyone knows can you post up and let me know?

 

[Ipheuria]

I asked the Dev who did the Carbon X theme and I got a quick fast answer

I find the app folder, open the info.plist file found there and looks for CFBundleIdentifier string.
This is the unique name.
Then you have to look in the folder for the names of the used icons and use these names too!

so there you go if you're wondering.