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• Launchpad Entry: mobilethemesdk

• Packages affected:

Summary

In order to ease the effort of third-parties to develop graphical themes we need to create a themeing SDK which will be part of the larger SDK.

Project will define/document the following:

• what a graphical theme encompasses (all images and icons associated with the desktop and "UME standard apps" except boot splash)
• how icons differ from other themed images
• how directories are used for themeable images
• how to write/port a themeable application
• how the list of themeable images will be maintained (work flow rules? automation/registration of themed images?)
• the expected tool set and designer work-flow with respect to different types of themeable images
• clarification of the relationship with gtk and matchbox images (they are themeable, overlay approach?)
• relationship of theme approach and SDK to user-settable themes (can user themes be installable packages?)

Current images usage should be cleaned up:

• /usr/share/pixmaps should not be used since it is not themeable
• unused images (not gtk defaults) should be removed

Release Note

Using the documentation and tools available through this work third parties will find it much easier to create a custom theme for their mobile device.

Rationale

Currently many tools and tricks are needed to create a complete theme package for a mobile device. Third parties without experience will spend unnecessary time learning the details when such time would be better spent creating an actual theme.

Use Cases

A company is interested in using the ubuntu mobile platform on their new internet tablet. Naturally, they wish to brand and theme their product according to their own wishes/needs.

Assumptions

While creating this SDK we will streamline the process and tools as well

Design

Although the SDK contains mainly information on using existing tools we will also need to tweak these tools during the course of creating the SDK.

Implementation

Although the SDK contains mainly documentation on creating a theme some other parts will/might be created over time

UI Changes

Because there are so many different pieces the testing thereof becomes quite complicated. Ideally there would be a GUI app used to create a final theme package which is easily installable and/or testable/previewable. (Note that this is a long term goal)

Code Changes

The existing tools might need to be tweaked to ease use and/or expand functionality

Test/Demo Plan

In the first stages documentation will be produced to describe the current processes and note any changes needed.

CategorySpec