Transparent status bar

[mrg666]

I'll have to defer to others on the xml. I have changed BACKside to support transparency in the status bar via java, and I believe BobZhome uses the same changes. Hope I didn't confuse anyone.

Note- the comments in the java code suggest battery life is affected to some degree by transparency in the status bar, which is why it's not natively supported. I still get a full day on my battery regardless of status bar background, ymmv.

Thanks Jerry, the changes in your repo also involve editing multiple xml files besides Java code modifications. I know that those are more than just a simple mod of status bar transparency but still ... Anyway, thanks for the input. I hope Anthony clarifies how he does.

 

[JerryScript]

The xml changes are only for the settings, not for the actual status bar itself, with the exception of my changing the default background images to a transparent version, and I set the default background color to transparent as well. I'm still not sure it's all necessary if you edit the png file itself. The default images are statusbar_background.9.png for the black one, and status_bar_background.9.png for the white one. I added a third one that is transparent.

 

[Raul720]

Just wanted to give Ninja Morph another shout out, you can change any status bar image with it. Here's an example where I changed the alarm clock icon using Ninja Morph, and it's all done right on the phone.
Click to view quoted image

Your clock seems a bit small Jerry.

Sent from my LG-VM670 using Tapatalk

 

[mrg666]

The xml changes are only for the settings, not for the actual status bar itself, with the exception of my changing the default background images to a transparent version, and I set the default background color to transparent as well. I'm still not sure it's all necessary if you edit the png file itself. The default images are statusbar_background.9.png for the black one, and status_bar_background.9.png for the white one. I added a third one that is transparent.

Originally AOSP had those resources in the framework-res.apk and they are moved to SystemUI.apk about two years ago probably by CM devs. In addition to the two files in SystemUI that you have pointed out, there are still six status bar related png files in framework-res.apk
status_bar_background.png2
status_bar_header_background.9.png
status_bar_item_app_background_normal.9.png
status_bar_item_background_focus.9.png
status_bar_item_background_normal.9.png
status_bar_item_background_pressed.9.png

I suspect, there are still many pngs that are not used and needed in the CM repo. All that debris go into the ROMs we build and inflate the ROM size, reduce efficiency. Probably, the white background that you show in SystemUI.apk is not used as well. The files are distributed here and there in such a mess. I was trying to clean up the unnecessary files to save space and increase the ROM performance recently. But searching on the forums for such information is such a pain, that is why I am asking questions to clarify the comments here.

 

[anthonycr]

@mrg I guess you are right, I edit the pngs in systemUI that you posted, but since the editing I do is mostly in backside, I never ran into the problem with transparency not being supported by the XML.

I take back what I said earlier, unless you are on backside.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk

 

[mrg666]

@mrg I guess you are right, I edit the pngs in systemUI that you posted, but since the editing I do is mostly in backside, I never ran into the problem with transparency not being supported by the XML.

I take back what I said earlier, unless you are on backside.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk

Thanks, the stock CM7.2 needs more than just replacement of a png file (statusbar_background.9.png in /res/drawable-mdpi in SystemUI.apk for CM7.2/IHO) for the transparency of statusbar. The additional modding and recompile of the code is readily done in BACKside. The transparency of notification background is relatively easy since it is just a png file replacement for CM7.2/IHO (shade_bg.png in /res/drawable-mdpi in SystemUI.apk).

The location and the name of the png do change if the ROM is not CM7.2.

The transparent statusbar looks good on the home screen. But Gingerbread is not really designed with a transparent statusbar in mind since some other apps such as Maps, K9-Mail look bad with a transparent bar; bar color turns light gray and the indicators become hard to see. I used the transparent statusbar for a while and switched back due to such app problems.

 

[JerryScript]

I agree, I don't use a transparent status bar either, but I did keep the option in BACKside for those who do like it, to each their own.

The only one of those files you mentioned above that is left-over is the one labeled .png2, the others are the backgrounds for various parts of the notification dropdown elements, the headers, the items in various behaviours, etc. They are all themed by UOT and many downloadable themes. It does look like item background is duplicated, but there may be a reason for that.

 

[mrg666]

I agree, I don't use a transparent status bar either, but I did keep the option in BACKside for those who do like it, to each their own.

The only one of those files you mentioned above that is left-over is the one labeled .png2, the others are the backgrounds for various parts of the notification dropdown elements, the headers, the items in various behaviours, etc. They are all themed by UOT and many downloadable themes. It does look like item background is duplicated, but there may be a reason for that.

There are many more questionable files both in SystemUI.apk and framework-res.apk. Have you looked at what UOT returns? It makes even worse, unnecessarily doubles the size of SystemUI due to duplication of the resource files in the two apks.

I am working on cleaning the unnecessary resources in the CM code base. Let's see how much I will be able to save.

 

[joey92]

oh yes... it was the most electrifing man in sports entertainment!... i mean, if you smell...

@joey92-- attached is your theme... its for jerrys 04-01-2012 build... link is on the first page of the cm7 thread... be sure to thank blarf and jerry... hope you like it...

I'm sorry I'm still new to this and cannot find it

Sent from my LG-VM670 using Tapatalk

 

[clodfelterac]

@joey92-- go to the first page of the IHO CM7 thread in this forum.... its usually near the top of the thread list (not the stickies)... you'll see blarfs name as original poster... scroll a ways down through Jerry's post, just past the greenmachine screenshots... dl link is there along with gapps.... I'd post a link but I haven't figured that one out yet....

its also on page 497 of the CM7thread... bottom post...