CAB Installation Time

jcterry · #1 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 09:37 PM

I have just started learning about creating themes for TF3D. I have taken a theme that someone else made and changed about 15 icons. When I install my theme, it takes significantly longer to install (and uninstall) than the theme I borrowed. It takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes to install. Any ideas why?

What I am doing is installing the original theme, copying the manila files, making changes with CFC-GUI, and cabbing (if that is the word) them with QuickCab and reinstalling the theme to my phone.

FYI, I have a Tilt2 with WM6.5 stock ROM.

**santod** · #2 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 09:54 PM

Are you padding the images that you are modifying?

Also, are you simply just adding the manila files to cabwiz in it's file explorer?

Also, was the original theme a .cab or just the manila files?

jcterry · #3 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by santod

Are you padding the images that you are modifying?

Now that you mention it, I don't think that I was padding them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by santod

Also, are you simply just adding the manila files to cabwiz in it's file explorer?

I'm not sure what you mean? QuickCab takes you through a process of selecting the files to put in the cab, directing them where they are to be placed on the phone, and giving the application name, author/creator, and the name of the cab. It does the rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by santod

Also, was the original theme a .cab or just the manila files?

I tried extracting the files directly from the cab, but was unsuccessful. What I did was install the cab on my phone, copy the manila files to my PC, then open them up with the editor.

**santod** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 10:41 PM

So, try padding them before cabbing them up, that should help speed up the install and will make the theme run smoother on the device as well.

Also there is a program for converting the extracted files from the .cab package, so you don't have to install them to your device to get the manila files.

I will attach it here. Just unzip the .cab to a folder, point to that package from this program and tell it where to output the files. You will then have a nice clean folder of the included manila files. Ready to edit!

Hope this helps you on your way, as I've been playing in the same sandbox lately myself!

If there is anything else I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask me, I'll help you with all I am capable of.

jcterry · #5 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 10:45 PM

You might be sorry you offered up that help!!!!!

I do have one more question. Is it possible to install a cab with just the changed files from the original? Or do you need to include all manilia files, whether they are changed or not?

**santod** · #6 (**permalink**) 11-17-2009, 10:49 PM

Yes you can install just the modified files, you don't need to reinstall the entire manila. That would definitely slow down the install.

You can also install the modified manila files to your phone right inside of CFC GUI. No need to make a .cab or anything. It will stop TF3D install manila and restart TF3D. No restart required.

Not sorry, just a glutton for punishment! J/K

Ask away man. Just hit my Thanks if you find my help useful.

jcterry · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 02:20 AM

I did what you said and it worked like a charm!!!!!!!

Holy crap, this opens up so many possibilities.

Although, I like to know what does what, so I installed only the images that I changed, but I didn't pad them. It seems to work okay. So my question is - What does padding do?

**santod** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 03:41 AM

Glad you got it working bud.

Here's a little description of what padding is. It pretty much makes sure you don't lose the edges of your images.

Padding is the space inside the border between the border and the actual image or cell contents. In the image, the padding is the yellow area around the contents. Note that padding goes completely around the contents: there is padding on the top, bottom, right and left sides.

jcterry · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 01:57 PM

FYI, when I pad the images and install the cab, nothing changes and the "on-focus" tray icons are missing. It only works if the images are trimmed and not compressed.

**santod** · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 02:20 PM

They should only be padded if they were originally. Whatever works for ya though. Not sure if the task bar images are padded or not. I am mobile right now and cant check.