Getting started on theming for CM12 Theme Engine!!! [GUIDE][THEME][BASICS]

STEP 1: Download and install Virtuous Ten Studio
Virtuous Ten Studio: http://virtuous-ten-studio.com/downloads/


STEP 2: Download and install Notepad++
If you don't have it already, install Notepad++ for external editing: http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v6.7.4.html


STEP 3: Setting up Virtuous Ten Studio's APKTool Binary
1. Once you have VTS downloaded and installed, you have to navigate to the program's APK directory, in my case: C:\Program Files (x86)\Virtuous Ten Studio\External\ApkTool
2. You may see many APKTool.jar's depending on when you installed VTS. I have 4 as I installed it months ago.
3. As you may notice, the latest does not appear there, so you will have to download the latest apktool from ibotpeaches: https://bitbucket.org/iBotPeaches/apktool/downloads
4. Download and place "apktool_2.0.0rc3.jar into C:\Program Files (x86)\Virtuous Ten Studio\External\ApkTool
5. To get VTS to recognize that 2.0.0rc3 is the latest, you will have to CREATE a new text file on your desktop named "apktool_2.0.0rc3.txt" and inside the txt file, type in a decimal binary anywhere (e.g. type 2.0.0.3 inside)
6. Save the text file, then rename the text file from "apktool_2.0.0rc3.txt" to "apktool_2.0.0rc3.version", overwriting the original extension.
7. From the desktop, drag the .version file into C:\Program Files (x86)\Virtuous Ten Studio\External\ApkTool
8. You can now open Virtuous Ten Studio


STEP 4: Setting up your framework-res binary for use in VTS (NOTE: IF THIS FAILS, MOVE ON TO STEP 5 FIRST, AFTER YOU GET THE DECOMPILE ERROR, COME BACK TO THIS STEP)
1. Extract your framework-res.apk from /system/framework/framework-res.apk on your phone, then place it on your desktop.
2. In VTS, click File (The blue button at the top left) and click "Open Settings"
3. Under External Tools, click ApkTool
4. Click on "Add Single Framework" and when a popup comes up, type in a tag, this can be anything, but in my case, I'll use "CM12"
5. After finishing your framework tag, another popup will appear to pick the location of your framework-res.apk.
6. Click Import, then close out of the window.
7. Restart VTS.


STEP 5: Import my APK file into VTS
1. Click on New Project
2. A popup will appear to pick an APK file, navigate to where you downloaded my apk file, then press Import
3. Another bigger popup will appear and it will come with my APK's name under Project name, change that into a theme name that you want, I'll name it "Dark Theme"
   
1. 
2. Solution name should be empty, but it has to be filled as a solution is like a portfolio, so in this case, I would type "CM12 Theme Engine Theme Template"
3. After typing in a Solution name, press Next, then a new popup will appear for Configurations. Pick "Basic Theming" then press Next.
   
4. 
5. The last window will appear to configure your settings. Type in your framework tag you did above, in my case, "CM12" into FrameworkTag's empty box.
   
6. 
7. Under ApkToolType choose UseCustom, then under CustomApkToolVersion pick "2.0.0.3"
8. For ease of use, under "Transfer file via USB", pick Install under TransferMethod, and PushPath being "/data/app".
9. Click Finish


STEP 6: Start Theming!
This step will be self explanatory, but the structure goes like this (I will only list out the files that people would be interested in changing):

res -> drawable-xhdpi: 96x96 icon for your installer
res -> drawable-xxhdpi: 144x144 icon for your installer
res -> drawable-xxxhdpi: 192x192 icon for your installer

res -> values -> colors.xml: global variables, good for keeping/storing
res -> values -> public.xml: global public variables
res -> values -> strings.xml: CM12 Theme Engine variables, pick your theme_name and theme_author
res -> values -> styles.xml: defines how this gets laid out in Theme Engine.

assets -> overlay: folder containing changes to the UI for a specific app
assets -> overlay -> android: framework-res.
assets -> overlay -> com.android.appname: changes to a system app, for example com.android.systemui.
assets -> bootanimations -> a bootanimation.zip with STORE compression and no junk files like Thumbs.db (check after compressing)
assets -> ringtones
assets -> lockscreen
assets -> wallpapers
assets -> notifications

STEP 7: Compiling your project!
1. Once you're done with your project, click Build All on top, and press Push All.
   
6. 
7. This will connect to your phone via ADB, so if you haven't used adb before, move to the Post 5..
8. Notice that this automatically install it on your phone, and if there would be an error shown in the notification bar, go check out the Post 6.
9. You're done!