How to Theme iRealSMS

[chazdrums]

I have tried all the sms programs out there, BiteSMS, MySMS, and my personal favorite iRealSMS. The only problem with iRealSMS is that it does not hook into winterboard. So you cannot use your keyboard, key click sounds, or apply a cool png file behind your speech bubbles. Now I pretty much only type in landscape mode, so it is important for me to be able to use iRealSMS. And if you are anything like me, this is the only app in your entire phone that is not customized in some way.

I am going to show you how to partially theme this app. Please keep in mind that I am not a graphic artist in anyway. That is why this is only partially themed. If you are a graphic artist and would like to tinker with iRealSMS to allow full themes to be applied, please do. I would really like to use my Storm clicks and Chromium Keyboard, not to mention make all the status bars black, or any other color scheme to match my phone. I know from doing the research that A LOT of people want to theme this app, you would be a hero, kind of.

What you need to do is install iRealSMS from Cydia, then go to iFortnerForums.com and sign up. Under written tutorials, you can find a working serial code to activate the app instead of paying for it. If you have done all this then pay no mind. Or if you paid for the app, too bad for you!

SSH the app out of your phone, inside the folder ‘irealsms.app’ there are four files you can swap out to customize the look of your texts. I tried to change other files and they did not seem to work. The files you can change are:

· Balloon_1.png

· Balloon_2.png

· background_conversation.png

· background_SMSfolders.png

The Balloon files are the actual “bubbles” your text will appear in. Make sure that the two bubbles themselves are facing in opposite direction, as they would appear in the actual text message.

The background_conversation file is the picture that will appear behind your “bubbles” in the actual text message.

The background_SMSfolder file is the background behind the in/outbox section of the app.

Now because I am not a graphic artist, I found SMS themes for the native SMS app in Cydia, and used the Balloon files from those themes that matched the rest of the color scheme I have throughout my phone already. The file I used to replace the other two background files was just an abstract background I found online. Keep in mind, the background file will ‘smooch’ when you rotate the phone into landscape mode. I would suggest using some sort of abstract background pic so when it distorts, it still looks cool. J Just gather all the replacement files, replace the stock ones, and that is it. You will have a much better looking iRealSMS experience.

Here are some screenies:

Here is what it could look like if you replace the Balloon and background .png files. (notice how the pic tends to “smoosh” in landscape mode:







Here are the sections in the app I could not theme myself. Again, anyone who can please do so and pass the knowledge on to me. I would greatly appreciate it.

[cpjr]

Yeah I hate that its a pain to theme, I was like you had to change it in the same manner.

Nice write-up bro!

[chazdrums]

Nice write-up bro!

Thanks! I hope this helps people who use irealsms. I could not stand it not being themed at least somewhat anymore.

[cpjr]

Im sure it will....I have seen alot of people ask about it.

[iluvmine]

Will it use my new bb storm keyboard?

[chazdrums]

Will it use my new bb storm keyboard?

No, it wont use the keyboard or custom keyboard sounds from winterboard. I coulnt figure that out.

[Bernie-Mac]

Purple Rain....Purple Rain.

Great write up, thanks

[Ad1tya]

Even I haven't been able to theme the Main Conversation, Search and Settings pages.

Can really figure it out.

[dkaye]

Nice write-up but you need to remove the part about warez as it's not allowed in these forums.

Like everyone else, I'm trying to figure out how to get the app to accept customized keyboards and other enhancements. There are other files within the app that you can also modify, including the icons that appear at the bottom; however, no luck with the top and bottom bars that appear in blue. Using the black interface GUI theme in Winterboard in conjunction with another theme - so at least the iRealSMS popups appear in black instead of the default blue.

[Caleb_Soccer_Star]

Nice write up man.
I have seen So Many people ask about this.
This will help out alot, good find man, i couldnt stand it being so plain either.

[chazdrums]

Thanks guys! I looked at every forum trying to find out how to theme this app and finally I just did a write up on it. I found alot of threads asking questions, and no one answering them, or unable to. Look for more posts from me in the future like this.

Purple Rain....Purple Rain.

LOl, not the bigest prince fan, but I really like (man) purple, lol.

[Ice9812]

Here are the sections in the app I could not theme myself. Again, anyone who can please do so and pass the knowledge on to me. I would greatly appreciate it.

here i skinned it the old way for you by packing the other.artwork file like back in the 1.1.4 days....its pretty easy to do..

massimo23 has updated his iphoneshop1.22.4 that imports the winterboard "file names" into the .artwork files but they have to be the same size as the original ones or they wont import

so if you have never done it befor and plan on doing it...make sure you look to see how many images were imported ....there are 500 in the new other.artwork file so if you only import 498 you know two of them prolly are not the same size as teh originals....

chazdrums here is an other.artwork file for you packed with the images i made for you to use with winterboard...
but make sure you save the original other.artwork incase you need it...

put the other.artwork in:
System/Library/Frameworks/UIKit.framework

enjoy

you can also do the same thing with the keyboard files that you are using

[chazdrums]

here i skinned it the old way for you by packing the other.artwork file like back in the 1.1.4 days....its pretty easy to do..

massimo23 has updated his iphoneshop1.22.4 that imports the winterboard "file names" into the .artwork files but they have to be the same size as the original ones or they wont import

so if you have never done it befor and plan on doing it...make sure you look to see how many images were imported ....there are 500 in the new other.artwork file so if you only import 498 you know two of them prolly are not the same size as teh originals....

chazdrums here is an other.artwork file for you packed with the images i made for you to use with winterboard...
but make sure you save the original other.artwork incase you need it...

put the other.artwork in:
System/Library/Frameworks/UIKit.framework

enjoy

you can also do the same thing with the keyboard files that you are using

Thanks a million man. I replaced the other.artwork and everything is now looking like the rest of my phone! This is great. Thank you Ice, your the man. (My keyboard dosent look like the one in the pics, but its all grey and black now, so that is perfectly fine. The blue was killing me. THANKS!

[Titan3636]

great info, thanks!!!! i like this sms app the best too. now if they could just figure out how to send MMS as well!!! i cant believe these freaking phone will do EVERYTHING BUT picmsg

[ceelo2008]

I have irealsms and i also have the aqwoah keyboard can someone please help explain to me how i can use that keyboard in irealsms like the screen shot above any help would be great thanks in advance you guys rock!

[chazdrums]

I have not really looked into changing the key board because I like the way mine looks as is. It's not my chromium keyboard, but its pretty similar.

However, I am pretty sure you have to unpack the .artwork file and swap out the keyboard artwork. I am still very noob at that, and cant really help. If you search the modmyi wiki there are tutorials on how to unpack .artwork files with iphoneshop.

[armadillo]

The Aqwoah keyboard is available only as a WB theme through the AlohaSoft repo. However, I have also made artwork files. I'm happy to make the artwork files available to donors upon request (email me). I should note that if you have the WB theme, you cannot simply run it through iPhoneShop, since the transparency settings are different (you can see the glitch in the landscape keyboard in the screenshot posted). So I fixed this problem for the artwork files.

[ceelo2008]

Armadillo if i can get the artwork files that would be awesome what ever i need to do.. I love the keyboard and i dont want to use anything else....

[ceelo2008]

Thanks so much armadillo it works perfectly here is irealsms with the Aqwoah Keyboard =)

[agent005]

Good write up, I can't believe no one knew that was how you had to theme individual apps.

Very odd. But, great work nontheless