Custom settings rgu oem/cab?

[sethlo]

I would like to make a custom settings OEM and/or cab like the ones described here:

Originally Posted by gguruusa

In most cases, you can put the mods you'd make in a custom settings OEM - just make sure it has a late GUID (like FFFFFFF.....).

Originally Posted by luv2chill

. . . an RGU file in your own customize OEM package. Everyone should make one of these once they are comfortable enough with how the kitchen works. Make sure your customize OEM has a UUID that starts with several "f"s (at least three, up to the first eight digits if you want). This ensures that your entries will be the "last in" and won't be overwritten.

I am looking for a bit more detail in the "how to" department than provided in the quotes above (I have never made my own OEM or CAB, I just have used ones provided). I searched awhile and found a similarly "light on details" thread here:

http://www.ppcgeeks.com/cab-or-provx...ustom+oem.html

I also know about JBabey's guide on customizing a ROM but I don't think he explains this particular process.

Can someone help me out by providing more step by step details? Maybe even a sample?

Thanks.

[luv2chill]

Well to be honest this is sort of an advanced task. If you're new to OEMs (and the registry & file system on these devices) it might be over your head.

Basically you create an OEM package using the instructions provided, except instead of disassembling a cab to go in it you just include the files and reg entries that you want to end up on the device. For me this includes ringtone files, themes, shortcuts, and most importantly an rgu file containing hundreds of registry tweaks that set up the device exactly how I want it (today plugins in the correct order, time zone and alignment settings, ringtone preference, etc.).

Basically one day I just started compiling a list of registry changes I usually made. A lot of them are out there on the net. Others I had to obtain from my device by exporting the entire registry (i.e. a snapshot), making the change manually, and then exporting the entire registry again. Then I used a program called Windiff to reveal what changed between the two files--and voila--there's the registry setting to put into the custom rgu file. After a while you get good at knowing where to look for changes, so a diff isn't always necessary--but it's a tried and true method.

I have spent countless hours working on my own custom OEM--mainly because I flash so much but also it gets to be kind of addicting. Anything you have to set up manually comes to be even more annoying because you know there must be some way of automating it. Quite honestly I think I've put more time into it then I'll get out of it.

But you don't have to get that detailed. If you're really new to everything just start small. Make the OEM first, and once you have the rgu file just start by adding a few things to it. Keep in mind there is a syntax to those rgu files and buildos will barf if it sees anything it doesn't like. It takes a ton of trial and error, so hopefully you are up to that.

Once you get it working for those few things and get familiar with the process then you can start doing registry dumps/diffs to nab your own personal changes. Just be prepared to put a lot of time in. No one can do this for you.

And have fun with it. You can't permanently screw up your device doing this, so go for it.

[sethlo]

thanks for the advice luv2chill.