[RedErik]

Ok peeps, since we have a set of new tools to overlay the default launcher and redirect some of the shortcuts on our Android head unitu, I am moving theme related discussion from both Android 9 and Android 10 threads to this one.

If you want to chat with people you can also join the Automotive Android Headunit Discord channel.


Tools and guides

KswRedirect is a suite of apps to redirect default shortcuts. The following tiles can be redirected to any other: browser, dvr, file explorer, phonelink. More info here and all-in-on package can be found here.

KswOverlay for Android 8.1, 9 and 10. This tool lets you compile main launcher overlay themed to your liking, more info here. For details on how to create your own theme and compile overlay apk please check this video guide.

Overlay guide that helps to identify individual images and strings.

Splash image tool allows you to create your own boot image. How to guide can be found here.

Personalised BMW image. This guide will show you how to obtain an image of your own car - please note this method only applies to cars compatible with ConnectedDrive app.

BMW Accessories Configurator. If your car doesn't support ConnectedDrive and was built anytime between 2000-2010, you can use this tool to select your platform, paint job, wheels, details, interior etc and make your own graphics based on that.

Guide to create your own GUI

Video tutorial on how to create a custom boot animation and example files.

Video tutorial part 2 showing how to deal with other resolutions than 1240x480 and how to adjust source files resolution to match Android HU resolution.

Downsizing tutorial for boot animation.

UI problems caused by boot animation being too large.

Scrcpy for those of you how want to tinker with head unit on your desk, this is the app that allows you to display and control any Android device on your PC or Mac. For SD625 units it only works over WiFi but on older units it might work with USB A male to USB A male cable. A guide how to use it can be found here.


TL;DR

Here is what you need to install a theme:

1. A laptop or PC (Windows/Mac/Linux - doesn't matter). Your Android head unit and laptop/PC are on the same local network and can talk to each other.
2. KswOverlay project.
3. Java's JDK and JRE (linked in point 2).
4. A theme - if you decide to create a personalised car tile with your own car here are further requirements:
4a. Picture of your car.
4b. Photo editing tool like Photoshop or Gimp.

Now we have that sorted out, here is simplified procedure how to install:

1. Create your personalised "car tile"... or not.
2. Copy theme files to \KswOverlay-master\resources.
3. Compile your apk.
4. Make sure your laptop or PC are on the same network local as your Android HU.
5. Find out what is the IP address of Android unit.
6. Install overlay (script included).
7. Enable overlay with adb command.
8. You are done.

Once overlay is installed and running, you can always compile new apk with different graphics, copy it to a USB drive in simply install it on your Android unit - no need for laptop/PC again.

When new version of Android OS comes out and you decide to install it, then you have to repeat this procedure to upload and enable overlays (themes) again.

Understanding Android boot up sequence and preparing files for your animation:

Android boot up is split into two parts: first you would be presented with splash image – a static image that is shown before the animation starts. Then there is the animation itself.

Preparing splash.img file:
1. If you want to have smooth transition between splash image and boot animation you would typical use first frame (image) of your boot animation and convert it to splash.img. This is not necessary as you can you any image you want.
2. If you don’t want to use the first image of your boot animation, it is important that your splash image is the same resolution as your screen.
3. Use splash image tool to convert your image to splash.img

Understanding and preparing bootanmiation.zip file:
Here I won't cover how to actually make your own animation (this is explained in a video linked above) but rather explain how to prepare files for installation. Just remember that it doesn't matter if images are jpg or png, what matters is that the size of complete animation doesn't exceed 20MB.

1. Boot animation file consist of 2 elements: folder(s) ( part0 part1 … partn ) where images are contained and description file ( desc.txt ) telling Android how to play animation.
2. Each folder contains set of images that are being played out. A typical animation consists of 2 folders part0 and part1. In this case part0 would contain the main animation (set of images) and part1 only 1 images acting as a final step before booting sequence is complete.
3. For all of this to play out you need a description file. There are 2 elements to the description file: declaration of resolution and frame rate at which animation is to be played out, and information how to play each folder. Here is an example:

1920 720 25
c 1 0 part0
p 75 0 part1

1920 720 25 is declaration of screen width x height x fps
Then there is declaration of: type of playback , how many times , delay , path
- c stands for play in full
- p stands for play but once boot sequence is complete, interrupt (finish) playback
- first number stands for how many times this sequence is to be played
- second number is the delay between playback starts
- and finally last part is path of files to be played.

So taking apart this example we have the following:
Animation is 1920x720p at 25fps
Play in full part0 images only once (1) with 0 delay
Then play 75 times (assuming only 1 image is located the folder - 75 frames / 25 fps = 3 sec) part1 but stop it as soon as boot sequence is complete

4. Once all folders and desc.txt files are ready, use 7zip program to put your files in a zipped folder. It is important that you select compression level store, meaning files are contained in the zip file and not compressed at all.
5. Create OEM folder in the root of your USB stick.
6. Move bootanimation.zip and splash.img files to the OEM folder.
7. Plug in USB stick to your HU and wait for confirmation message.
8. Done.

Hope this is clear as mud now

[RedErik]

Themes

IMPORTANT NOTE
Some of us here are able to provide customised themes for you guys. If you decide to approach any of the designers here, please bear in mind that this is all possible thanks to nicholaschum hard work and no one should profit from that. Artist should be compensated for their work but if you are being charged more than 10€ / £10 / 10$ you should be refunded what you've paid extra.

ID7 theme by myself Updated: 24.05.2020






ID7 Media Player theme by myself Updated: 18.05.2020




ID6 GS theme by kri

[RedErik]

Custom APPs

Standalone custom dashboard app. To answer your question, no this will not replace your existing dashboard - this is a standalone app that you have to launch from your app drawer.
daschacka Original coding
Frankly30 Self adb implementation and some tweaks
RedErik Custom graphics

Original post





Custom iDrive launcher CIC/NBT style.





iDrive Keyboard is live

***IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT***
If you are on the KSW software version 2.5.3 - Android 10, due to new and very strict memory manager every application that is not system app or KSW app will be killed after few minutes. That also affects this keyboard. If you are being suddenly switched back to Android stock keyboard it means KSW memory manager killed my keyboard. I am working on solution (if at all possible) but until then please revert back to previous software version that worked for you. Thank you for your understanding.

FlowUX Synesthesia custom launcher by nicholaschum

[RedErik]

Boot animations and splash images

Universal boot animations along with splash images for 1280x480 and 1920x720 units.

How to install on SD625:
1. Create OEM folder in the root directory of your SD card/USB stick
2. Copy both bootanimation.zip and splash.img to the OEM folder
3. Plug in to your Android unit
4. Wait for confirmation of successful installation
5. Reboot and enjoy

How to remove boot animation from SD625 unit:
1. Create OEM folder in the root directory of your SD card/USB stick
2. Create an empty bootanimation_clear.zip file and move it to the OEM folder
3. Plug in to your Android unit and wait


Thanks to VincentZ4 for providing installation instructions for PX6 units and 3bl for providing additional steps in case you encounter any isses.

How to install on PX6:

Splash image / Boot logo
- Create PNG image 1280x480
- Transform this image into bmp
- Rename it to logo.bmp
- Put the logo.bmp in USB OEM folder
- Turn the device off
- Wait 15 sec
- Plug the USB in
- Let the system start
- Stop the system
- Start again

Bootanimation.zip
on PX6, you will need to use adb as root from a computer.
There are 4 steps to follow:

STEP 1: create bootanimation.zip
bootanimation.zip is a set of files as described here: https://android.googlesource.com/pla...tion/FORMAT.md

One thing to know, in the desc.txt, the last txt line is empty :
-- beginning of file --
1280 480 25
p 1 0 part0
p 0 0 part1

-- end of file --

Step 2: enable adb WiFi
- connect the HU and computer in the same WiFi network
- go in developers options: -> enable USBdebug.
- install Terminal Emulator in your HU
- run HU Terminal Emulator and enter following commands:

setprop persist.adb.tcp.port 5555
setprop sys.rkadb.root 1
reboot

When the HU is rebooted:
- launch Terminal Emulator in your HU

ifconfig wlan0

to know your HU address in WiFi, remember this LAN address !!! like for example 192.168.0.3

Then in your computer:

adb connect 192.168.x.x:5555 (fill in the remembered address)
adb root
adb disable-verity
adb reboot

STEP 3: To have root access to your HU from your computer
in terminal command in your computer:

adb devices (you should see your HU IP address listed, remember it)
adb connect 192.168.x.xxx:5555 (fill in the remembered address)
adb root
adb remount

Now, you have a temporary root access to your HU.
Be careful, big power comes with big responsibility.

STEP 4: install bootanimation.zip
Put the bootanimation.zip you want to install in the root of your USB.

Computer terminal command:

adb shell cp /storage/usb_storage/bootanimation.zip /system/media
adb shell cp /storage/usb_storage/bootanimation.zip /data/local
adb shell chmod 644 /system/media/bootanimation.zip
adb shell chmod 644 /data/local/bootanimation.zip
adb shell chmod 755 /system/media
adb reboot

If you get "Read-only" message when you try to copy, that means that something was not done correctly in previous steps.
You may need to reconnect after each "adb root" command. In order to be sure, you can check after each step if device is still connected (in steps 2 and 3).

You should see the animation now !


NBT boot animation - demo video




NBT EVO boot animation - demo video




NBT M boot animation - demo video




Universal 1 boot animation - demo video
Splash image thanks to mbonus




Universal 2 boot animation - demo video

[RedErik]

Tasker projects

Thanks to VincentZ4 for detailed documentation of KSW API, commands and events for Tasker.

For my tasker project, I needed to find out Events & Commands.
The Android system is communicating with the car through MCU using the serial port. I needed to decode messages sent/received by/from my Android 9.0 HU to be able to control it. Everything is described in EventCenter APK but it is a bit hard to read raw java code.

I have put everything in a kind of API "dictionary" in which I have tried to summarize my thoughts & research.
So, I have tried to describe every Command in a more understandable way than just raw java code. I have also described logcat Events I have found interesting for my usage in Tasker.

This doc content is working with my BMW car, but there are still some unknown functions.
Cartype in Android 9.0 settings: 6 F1X(2011-2012) CIC 8.8/10.25inch.
For other cars, the main difference is mainly in the checkSum formula, described in EventService.java, format used to communicate with MCU.

Enjoy !

Thanks to Gentleside for providing his Tasker projects:

I want to present you 2 Tasker projects. These projects are very beta and could be unstable, so sorry for that. They have the version-numbers 0.x.
X=the day I decide to release it to you, in this case: 200521
Should I reach my first milestone, Versions 1.x, I would decide to release a documentation for them. Till then, I hope you give me some feedback what I could implement or what I could do better. At this point I have to thank kri for his Maps-project and his knowledge what inspired and helped me much. My projects are harmonising with his maps-project very well.
But now... the projects and what are the system requirements.
You need:
-root on your Android Headunit
-Tasker App from Google Playstore (paid)
-Touchtask plugin from Google Playstore
-Auto input from Google Playstore (paid)

Autostart v0.200521
-Autostarts the Blitzer.de App; fix the Soundbug (low Volume) by starting BT Interface and get back to Main Menu; Starts the last used Media Player and autoplay the last Music. (Spotify, Poweramp, Audials, Audible, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, Android Auto Native, Headunit Reloaded etc).

Idrive Mediaknob v0.200521
-Because I only have an old 2-Button Idrive in my E61, I'm lack of buttons and have to automate and customise the Knob for some situation/apps.
With this project you can use the knob in some media players as follows:
↑ =play/pause
← =backskip
→ =skip

benifit for Headunit Reloaded users:
↓ =switch interface between Maps view and actual (Android Auto supported) Mediaplayer view.
In Maps View you can benifit from kri 's Maps projects rotate right and left for zooming in and out, in case you have his project active in Tasker.

Now feel free to test out the projects, give some feedback, or use the projects to enhance them with your ideas and knowledge. But give us a chance to get a piece from your cake

Updates

Autostart Update: - > v1.200606 / I rebuilt it completely, so version is 1.x / paid Plugin "Auto input" is not longer needed! / Root is perhaps not longer needed, but I need someone to test who have a non-rooted device.

iDrive Mediaknob Update: - > v1.200606 / Made some changes to fit it to the new Autostart Update, so the version number is the same.

NEW: even works very good in iDrive Launcher and partly in ksw-launcher (id6).
This project needs the Autostarter to run properly!(edited)

New project: ok Google Voiceactivation v0.200606 / As mentioned a few days ago, with this small project you can activate ok Google via Voicekey on your steering wheel. For me it's working, because I had to unplug my BT MULF because it has malfunctions.

Thanks to Pondaire for providing his Tasker projects.

Just as a reminder of the tasks...
Maps:
For the times I don't feel like using my hotspot, I make it so Waze closes it if it was already open and the Maps.ME is launched with the press of the navigation button in the steering wheel. If the button is pressed again, it closes Maps.ME and opens up Waze and so on and so forth.

Next, Previous Song:
What the name indicates. It uses the steering wheel radio button. This way I don't have to start the Music app to get these features.

Device Boot:
I use hotspot from my phone and whenever I get in the car it automatically activates (with tasker). For some reason, the android head unit WIFI does not refresh/scan that often, so this task forces a rescan every 2-5 seconds until it connects to the hotspot.
Again, for some strange reason, the internet entirely dies every now and then even though the hotspot is working and my phone has 4G/LTE. So the way I fix this is by pinging Google's servers every few seconds to make sure the connection hasn't died. If the ping does not work (all 5 packages lost), I turn off and on the WIFI. Once the connection comes back up, it works again.

Pause Song:
If the steering wheel radio button is pressed once, it pauses/plays the song. If it is pressed again within 2 seconds, it also turns off the display completely.

[floc]

since we're talking about themes, here is my M splashboot image



Just rename attached .pdf to .img

[Kri]

Hello guy`s,

I created a All-In-One Package for KSWRedirect to do the setup more easily.

The Download can be found on Github-KswAIO , just click on "clone or download" and extract the package.

You Just need to enter your devices IP Adress (without 5555) and select the number of the app you want to replace
When replacing ES-Explorer it will also install DocumentsUI to not end without any filebrowser on the Headunit.

For now this only will work with Snapdragon Headunits.




Kri

[Kri]

I also created a Installer for KSW-Overlay.

The Installer is within the Github-KSW-Overlay repository and called kswoverlay-installer_windows.bat.

As doing adb commands on very fast machines or when wireless network connection may cause troubles alot of waiting times have been added.
Also there is no need to manually resume the script anymore, it will do the reboots for you and waits until is online again.

You also need to only enter the IP-Adress without 5555.

This will work for Snapdragon and PX6 Headunits.




Kri

[kenza750]

First of all: nice topic and thnx for the good work!!
I found this topic from following the Android 10 HU topic.

I want to change the car picture on my ID7-theme. I managed to get a picture of my car from the Car Configurator tool, but now I am facing difficulties in putting this picture in. Within ID7, the car and background are 1 picture (without layer).

Can someone help to put the picture of my car onto the ID7 standard background (black with some red ++). Tried a lot of hours in GIMP/Photoshop but I can not get a nice picture with transparent background out of the E61-image

Attached:
1. picture of my car from the Configurator (E61; saphire black; M-pack; M135 Wheels).
2. edited picture by myself (removed the licence plate)
3. picture of the current ID7-car (took from KSW drawable-mdpi-v4 folder)

I have a CCC SD625 unit by the way.

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by kenza750

Can someone help to put the picture of my car onto the ID7 standard background (black with some red ++). Tried a lot of hours in GIMP/Photoshop but I can not get a nice picture with transparent background out of the E61-image

In my theme I have provided a blank template for dropping in your car. I takes some patience and attention to detail to clear up a car picture.

This is as far as I can help you with that. If you want a different background you have to make it yourself.

[kenza750]

Wauw, RedErik, excellent. How did you manage that??

I managed to get the original backgound (with the red ++) by copying the top part downwards so I will try to use that one to match the rest of the backgrounds of standard ID7.

Many thanks again!!

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by kenza750

Wauw, RedErik, excellent. How did you manage that??

Magic Smoke and mirrors

[Kri]

Originally Posted by kenza750

Wauw, RedErik, excellent. How did you manage that??

I managed to get the original backgound (with the red ++) by copying the top part downwards so I will try to use that one to match the rest of the backgrounds of standard ID7.

Many thanks again!!

The car image at the unit is without background, you should NOT try to create your car image with background.

Use the original car file of kswplauncher (not a screenshot of it) and modify this.

EDIT: was wrong, backround is with car image at ID7.

Kri

[kenza750]

Originally Posted by Kri

The car image at the unit is without background, you should NOT try to create your car image with background.

Use the original car file (not a screenshot of it) and modify this.

Kri

The original file of the car is with background as far as I can see. (see screenshot of the files)

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by Kri

The car image at the unit is without background

Kri

What do you mean Kri? Both id7_btn_car.png and id7_btn_car2.png images are with background. Or am I missing something?

[Kri]

Originally Posted by RedErik

What do you mean Kri? Both id7_btn_car.png and id7_btn_car2.png images are with background. Or am I missing something?

Sorry, i mixed it up it`s at a differen GUI, i thought it is also on ID7, my fault ^^

Kri

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by Kri

Sorry, i mixed it up it`s at a differen GUI, i thought it is also on ID7, my fault ^^

Kri

All is forgiven

[Mjam]

Are there images for DAB in these themes?

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by Mirjam

Are there images for DAB in these themes?

I didn't touch DAB at all in my ID7 theme.

Edit: Is that even part of the launcher or a separate app? It's a separate app isn't it?

[Mjam]

Originally Posted by RedErik

Edit: Is that even part of the launcher or a separate app? It's a separate app isn't it?

It's a separate app, but I have a vague memory of a DAB Tile in earlier launcher versions. Many of us have for a long time used the DVD Tile to launch DAB. Now with theme capabilities we can also update the image, and with DAB being so common, I was hoping a DAB image could be included with the themes.

[RedErik]

Originally Posted by Mirjam

It's a separate app, but I have a vague memory of a DAB Tile in earlier launcher versions. Many of us have for a long time used the DVD Tile to launch DAB. Now with theme capabilities we can also update the image, and with DAB being so common, I was hoping a DAB image could be included with the themes.

I'm afraid it's not included, sorry. This is not even part of ID7 theme, rather it would be within ID6 which I didn't do at all. I might do ID6 theme in the future that would have DAB tile, but I have no immediate plans... first I need to finish 3D models, sorry

[Kri]

Originally Posted by Mirjam

It's a separate app, but I have a vague memory of a DAB Tile in earlier launcher versions. Many of us have for a long time used the DVD Tile to launch DAB. Now with theme capabilities we can also update the image, and with DAB being so common, I was hoping a DAB image could be included with the themes.

ID7 does not support changing apps of the large tile, the older systems (ID5/ID6) hat alot more tiles where lot`s of apps can be changed.
At ID7 you can only change the function of the small "Music" icon.

If you want to have an DAB+ Tile working you need to use other GUI`s like ID5, ID6, Common_UI_GS or Common_UI_GS_UG

To have a better overview you can find images of the default GUI`s here.
Kri