https://github.com/martinstyk/android-rro
Sample app and runtime resource overlay for android 31
https://github.com/martinstyk/android-rro
Last synced: about 1 year ago
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Sample app and runtime resource overlay for android 31
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/martinstyk/android-rro
- Owner: MartinStyk
- Created: 2022-03-03T10:03:19.000Z (over 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2022-03-03T14:31:50.000Z (over 4 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-04T20:12:39.879Z (about 1 year ago)
- Language: Kotlin
- Size: 2.97 MB
- Stars: 6
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 5
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# Android-RRO
Sample app and runtime resource overlay for android 31
## Use case
Install standard app (without elevated system permissions) and change it's resources using separate RRO APK (with elevated root permission).
Install and activate RRO in Android OS runtime, without messing with build time static RROs. There is no need to change anything in Android OS, you can do it with standard system image (without Google play) on emulator
## How to
### Prepare emulator
* Create an AVD virtual device with Android 31 target image. Choose a version without Google Play, otherwise you will not be able to grant root permissions
* Run emulator from command line: ``emulator -avd {EMU_NAME} -writable-system``, for example ``emulator -avd Pixel_5_API_31 -writable-system``
### Install Target App
* Build an app from MyTarget directory
* Install it on your device, the same way you always do
### Build overlay
* Open MyOverlay directory
* Let's build an overlay APK
```
aapt2 compile -v --dir res/ -o Overlay.flata
aapt2 link -v --no-resource-removal \
-I ~/AppData/Local/Android/Sdk/platforms/android-31/android.jar \
--manifest AndroidManifest.xml \
-o myoverlays.apk.u Overlay.flata
```
* We have unaligned apk file ``myoverlays.apk.u``, let's align it using
```
zipalign 4 myoverlays.apk.u myoverlays.apk
```
* Finally, we need to sign our APK, I use standard debug certificate
```
printf 'android' | jarsigner -keystore ~/.android/debug.keystore myoverlays.apk androiddebugkey
```
### Install overlay
* Overlays are placed in system directories, and we need root permission to di it
* We will be placing our overlay to `/product/overlay` folder
* Prepare target file system, run
```
adb root
adb remount
adb shell remount
```
* Copy overlay using
```
adb push myoverlays.apk product/overlay
```
> Note: use `buildOverlay.sh` script to automate steps from Build and install overlay section
### Enable overlay
* After overlay install/reinstall you need to reboot your device
```
adb reboot
```
* Verify your overlay is installed, you should see mappings defined by overlay and it's status. Run
```
adb root
adb shell cmd overlay dump com.example.myoverlay
```
* Overlay is not enabled by default, enable it using
```
adb shell cmd overlay enable --user current com.example.myoverlay
```
* You should see changes in your application
> Note: use `setupOverlay.sh` script to automate steps from enable overlay section