Edit or make your own themes Tutorial (2.x/3.x)

[iMuggle]

I've been getting quite a few PMs or DMs on twitter about how to edit themes, tweak them, or do things outside of Cydia as far as installing themes. I had a sticky guide over at HoFo so I'm copying and pasting it here, and I'm going to ask a mod to maybe sticky it here as well.

This is the guide I wrote, and the site linked is a guy over on HoFo's site. He's got some REALLY good tutorials on SSH'ing and what-not.

So, here it is,

In order to do this, you have to know how to SSH into your phone. Learning how to do this allows you to do pretty much whatever you want from changing SMS bubbles to badges, to backgrounds, to making your own icons.

For this, you need to download a few things from Cydia on your phone and then a few things to your computer. This guy has excellent tutorials:

(these are 3.x tutorials by the way, but most are backwards compatible with 2.x firmwares as the processes are the same)

How to SSH your phone:

This guy uses Fugu as an SSH client on his Mac, if you are a windows user, follow similar steps, just use something like WinSCP or any similar windows based SSH client. I don't believe fugu is available for windows, but I could be wrong.


Hack that Phone - Installing OpenSSH, using Fugu, shutting off service, and changing the root and mobile passwords


How to create your own themes using Winterboard (he only does a basic tutorial, but once you get the hang of this, you pretty much will know how to edit anything you want.) He starts with an intro to winterboard, if you're more advanced, you can skip a section or two, but this is good for beginners...it starts slow and then gets in depth...

Hack that Phone - Make and use themes with WinterBoard



As far as anything else goes, if you get stuck or have questions, how about we ask all questions in this thread?

Also, if you want to know a few places to get icon packs or wallpaper packs, or want to share cool ones, put that here too.

I personally find a wealth of wallpapers and icon packs on deviantart.com

I also found quite a few different sets of SMS bubbles from modmyi.com (you can also achieve the same goal from googling "different color iPhone SMS bubbles" and it brings up several places to download cool SMS bubbles from). I know Cydia has a limited selection right now.

You can also MAKE your own icons. Me and my brother use Photoshop for this, but any similar program will do. I believe the typical dimensions for iPhone icons are 59 x 60. Most people use around that range when creating them.


*Note: Keyboard themes do NOT currently work with 3.x firmwares, there are certain ways to get them working, but SSH'ing and modding some files on your phone is necessary.

[ba04560]

Do you download those straight to your phone or to your desktop then SSH them to the phone?

[iMuggle]

Originally Posted by ba04560

Do you download those straight to your phone or to your desktop then SSH them to the phone?

Well it depends on what you want to do.

There are several themes pre-made and available through Cydia and icy that will download straight to your phone and you just activate them through winterboard. This is more if you want to edit a theme, use icon packs that you have to download. Modmyi.com has a lot of themes and icon packs, but in order to use some of them that aren't on Cydia, you have to SSH into the phone and put them in the system files.

As a beginner, I'd say, once you get the basics of Winterboard and Cydia down, then try something like this when you feel comfortable with it. SSH'ing in your phone is a very powerful tool/action, and you have the ability to create/delete files that are vital to your phone functioning, so until you feel comfortable doing so...I wouldn't recommend it.

[ba04560]

I'm starting to pick this up pretty fast now. I tried the SSH thing you were referring to and was able to use the illumine icons and style but combined it with the killer carbon wallpaper and it looks great. Started with baby steps now I'm ready for something bigger. Is there somewhere that explains in detail on changing these up to your own liking, ie... the correct file name and which folder is the correct one to move it to? If you take the icons from another place do you need to delete the original icon file in order for it to work? Basically I guess I'm looking for a tutorial. Thanks for all your help you've given me already, it's like having a whole new phone. I can't believe I waited this long to switch from Blackberry and to jailbreak my 3gs.

[iMuggle]

Originally Posted by ba04560

I'm starting to pick this up pretty fast now. I tried the SSH thing you were referring to and was able to use the illumine icons and style but combined it with the killer carbon wallpaper and it looks great. Started with baby steps now I'm ready for something bigger. Is there somewhere that explains in detail on changing these up to your own liking, ie... the correct file name and which folder is the correct one to move it to? If you take the icons from another place do you need to delete the original icon file in order for it to work? Basically I guess I'm looking for a tutorial. Thanks for all your help you've given me already, it's like having a whole new phone. I can't believe I waited this long to switch from Blackberry and to jailbreak my 3gs.

Yep you will need to remove the .png files and replace them with the ones you want. The website linked in my first post has several step by step tutorials if you browse the site. It tells you what folders to create and whatnot. Seems like you're moving along pretty quick.

[ba04560]

That's awesome, thanks again! I like to jump in with both feet.

[ba04560]

Another problem. I downloaded the program for the ssh connection to my phone but it's not letting me connect anymore, it keeps giving errors then tries to reconnect. I've double checked address but still no luck. What am I doing wrong or missing?

[ba04560]

Never mind, I figured it out. Had another one of my episodes but it past.

[NateDawg67]

Originally Posted by ba04560

Never mind, I figured it out. Had another one of my episodes but it past.

Was your problem that your iphone had gone to sleep? I had the same problem. Any trick to keeping it to stay on without having to slide my finger over it every 30 seconds?

That was one of the things that I really liked about the Air Sharing app from the app store, it had a setting that kept the phone on for a certain length of time so it would stay connected to your comp. Had mine set at 5 minutes. I guess I could try opening Air Sharing while I try to SSH in....

Great thread, btw!

[iMuggle]

Originally Posted by NateDawg67

Was your problem that your iphone had gone to sleep? I had the same problem. Any trick to keeping it to stay on without having to slide my finger over it every 30 seconds?

That was one of the things that I really liked about the Air Sharing app from the app store, it had a setting that kept the phone on for a certain length of time so it would stay connected to your comp. Had mine set at 5 minutes. I guess I could try opening Air Sharing while I try to SSH in....

Great thread, btw!

Yep, before you SSH, go to settings --> General ---> Auto-Lock --> Never

Just remember to change it after you're done.