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HOWTO: Mod your OWN splash screen (now with 1 stop creation)

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HOWTO: Mod your OWN splash screen (now with 1 stop creation) by ayasin 03:25 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

[edit]
See post 9 for a 1 step solution.
[/edit]
Dedication:

Thanks to all the members that put in the time to make our Treos more useful. This work is an extension of theirs.

Background:

The thread containing mods for the Treo splash screen was getting crazy long with people requesting splash screens so I decided to make a HOWTO so anyone with a windows PC (guys with fruit [er, I mean Macs] already have instructions) could make their own splash screen.

Requirements:

Treo 650 (obviously)
Windows PC
PDB Compiler (available free at this link)
The attached phone_src.zip
Some backup software (BackupBuddy, etc)

Steps:

1. Find 2 pictures you like. They must be jpeg files and MUST BE 320x320. If they aren't you can use Microsoft paint to resize them (well truncate them anyway).

2. MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR DEVICE.

3. If you skipped step 2 stop now.

4. Download and install/unzip the PDB compiler to the location of your choice. From here on out I'll use <compiler dir> to refer to the root location that you installed at. Remember this path you'll need it later.

5. Unzip the phone_src.zip file into the directory of your choice. This will be referred to as <src dir>. Remember this path...you'll need to get there from the command line soon.

6. Copy the 2 image files you selected into <src dir>.

7. Name the image file you want to be the "on screen" to splash_on.jpg.

8. Name the image file you want to be the "off screen" to splash_off.jpg.

9. Now go to the command prompt by going to start->run and type 'cmd' (no quotes)

10. At the prompt type 'cd <src dir>' (without the quotes). The directory should change to the place you have your image files. Remember to replace <src dir> with your <src dir>.

11. At the prompt type '<compiler dir>\bin\pdbc -o PhoneApp_SPCS_Custom.prc phone_src.src' (with out the quotes). Remember replace <compiler dir> with your <compiler dir>/

12. You should now have a PhoneApp_SPCS_Custom.prc file in the <src dir> directory.

13. Install this on your phone.

14. Do a soft reset on your phone

15. Enjoy!!

Tips:

I use filez and an SD card to install the app and then do a soft reset manually.

The src is based on the phone app with ALL the options enabled (Call Duration, ## codes, Totals in the Call Log, etc)

History:

v 0.3 - Ran it through a spell checker...which I should have done with v 0.1 apparently based on it's findings :P
v 0.2 - Added history, minor changes for clarity
v 0.1 - Initial

Attached Files

phone_src.zip (60.5 KB, 1254 views)

jasondeno 05:04 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

Worked for me!

Thanks

ayasin 05:26 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

You can also make a .bat file to make this easier to do if you want to try several out:

1. Create a new file in your <src dir> folder called generate.bat. You can do this by right clicking in the empty space and selecting new->text document. If you don't see a .txt extention after the file name you'll need to go to the tools menu on the folder and select folder options, then on the view tab remove the checkbox from "Hide extensions for known file types". Then make sure that your bat file actually ends in .bat and not .txt. If you do this correctly you will see a message that says "If you change a file name extension the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?". Select yes.

2. Edit the file with notepad (just right click on it and select edit)

3. Type the following line in the notepad window:
<compiler dir>\bin\pdbc -o <src dir>\PhoneApp_SPCS_Custom.prc <src dir>\phone_src.src
Make sure you replace <compiler dir> with your <compiler dir> and <src dir> with your <src dir>

4. Save changes and exit

Now whenever you want to generate a new file, just change the splash_on and splash_off files and double click generate.

leadtrumpetdave 07:12 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

Thank You So Much!!!!!

Druce MacFarlane 07:32 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

I got stuck on step 3.

ayasin 07:41 PM 01/20/2005 -- [Reply]

Originally Posted by Druce MacFarlane:
I got stuck on step 3.

LOL...I don't want anyone blaming me for data loss even if the instructions are pretty clear (hopefully) and if you follow them you should have no probs.

ayasin 11:07 AM 01/22/2005 -- [Reply]

If anyone's intersted I might try to do a one step package (replace pics, double click generate and vola). Let me know.

earthdog 07:23 PM 01/22/2005 -- [Reply]

i would be interested in a one step package. i could not get these directions it to work - got through to step 11 but just kept getting stuck on that - kept getting an error message - can you clarify that more????

ayasin 08:20 PM 01/22/2005 -- [Reply]

Ok here it is...the one stop shop for splash screens. Well, 2 stops if you include copying your images in.

1. Download and unzip the attachment.
2. Copy in your images (replacing spash_on and splash_off)
3. Run create_spash_screen.

Also has a read_me with instructions (pretty much the same as right here in this post).

Enjoy.

Attached Files

create_splash_screen.zip (140.5 KB, 1661 views)

GalenMD 08:25 PM 01/22/2005 -- [Reply]

ayasin,

Thanks for the above stuff. I feel pretty comfortable modifying these splash screens myself, but I'm always for something that makes it easier.

I started another thread on how to modify the sound associated with these screens. Do you have any idea how this can be done?

demoflauchy 12:01 AM 01/23/2005 -- [Reply]

Another vote for curosity about the sound mod for the startup...

Fittske 12:45 PM 01/23/2005 -- [Reply]

ayasin,

How do you create the "phone_src.src" file? I would like to change the splash screens on some of the "custom" dialpad files like this one:

Attached Files

Phone_SPCS_MS650_Red.prc (193.1 KB, 337 views)

Ohmster 05:50 PM 01/23/2005 -- [Reply]

Ayasin,

Followed the procedure to a 'T'. Install Conduit refuses to put the file into the PDA....should I just move it via SD card or do you think there is a valid reason for the conduit to kick it out?

Originally Posted by ayasin:
Ok here it is...the one stop shop for splash screens. Well, 2 stops if you include copying your images in.

1. Download and unzip the attachment.
2. Copy in your images (replacing spash_on and splash_off)
3. Run create_spash_screen.

Also has a read_me with instructions (pretty much the same as right here in this post).

Enjoy.

asawadude 08:33 PM 01/23/2005 -- [Reply]

Originally Posted by Ohmster:
Ayasin,

Followed the procedure to a 'T'. Install Conduit refuses to put the file into the PDA....should I just move it via SD card or do you think there is a valid reason for the conduit to kick it out?

By coincidence, I am using up a lazy Sunday afternoon experimenting with Ayasin's batch file and I came across the same problem. At first, I used 2 jpeg files that were 87 KB and 98 KB large, resulting in a 225 KB Phone_SPCS_Custom.prc file. I received the following Hotsync error: - Invalid handheld file deleted: E:\Program Files\palmOne\USERID\Install\Phone_SPCS_Custom.prc.

I reduced the jpeg file sizes down to 31K and 35K, yielding a 106 KB .prc file. It hotsync'd with no error messages and is working. My guess here is smaller file size?

Regards, asawadude

ayasin 11:13 AM 01/24/2005 -- [Reply]

Originally Posted by GalenMD:
ayasin,

Thanks for the above stuff. I feel pretty comfortable modifying these splash screens myself, but I'm always for something that makes it easier.

I started another thread on how to modify the sound associated with these screens. Do you have any idea how this can be done?

I didn't notice any sound resources in the phone database. It may be linking to somewhere else. I might investigate that when I get some time.

ayasin 11:15 AM 01/24/2005 -- [Reply]

Originally Posted by Fittske:
ayasin,

How do you create the "phone_src.src" file? I would like to change the splash screens on some of the "custom" dialpad files like this one:

I used the PDB disassembler that comes with the PDB compiler. You should have some level of familiarity with Palm databases before you do this (or be willing to do resets on your device

). I can look into moding the other 2 screens that are in the file as well and post the update.

ayasin 11:18 AM 01/24/2005 -- [Reply]

A record in a palm database can not exceed 64k in size. Your image files should be smaller than this or bad things will happen (you get to do a reset). Sorry I forgot to mention this but I'm glad HotSync caught it.

Fittske 01:34 PM 01/24/2005 -- [Reply]

Originally Posted by ayasin:
I used the PDB disassembler that comes with the PDB compiler. You should have some level of familiarity with Palm databases before you do this (or be willing to do resets on your device ). I can look into moding the other 2 screens that are in the file as well and post the update.

Thanks,

That would be great!

meloveu 11:24 AM 01/27/2005 -- [Reply]

Quick question, does this create the same prc that supported ALL the options enabled (Call Duration, ## codes, Totals in the Call Log, etc)?

Thanks for making this so easy. I am currently making a "Bender guzzling beer" splash screen.

kjohn133 01:09 PM 02/02/2005 -- [Reply]

I am having trouble opening the phone_src.zip program, my pc keeps asking which program to use to open it.

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