Build a Branded/Skinned Version of Spark

What version are you using? 2.5.8 is the current version, right?

yes, is the current version

thanks

So, to what number are you trying to change the version, and why?

To ā€œWGU-Messenger 1.0ā€

Um, why do you want to call it ā€œWGU-Messengerā€? Thatā€™s the name of my custom build.

I put that name for example only, i want to call it ā€œWhatever-Messenger 1.0ā€

And something extrange, i build a test, changed the name and install and work with out problems, but i cant uninstall it.

When I ant release the with the unedited source the program builds and runs just fine. However when I replace all the Spark with :%s/Spark/PGE Messenger/g (using vi) and change version from 1.0 to 2.5.8-, and I also set SHORT_NAME to PGE-Messenger

Now when I try to compile it fails in the build process

BUILD FAILED
/Users/blata/spark_2_5_8/build/build.xml:207: Compile failed; see the compiler error output for details.

I figured it out. The
Installer file I had to use all PGE-Messenger or PGEMEssenger (key entrys)

That did it.

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I went through this step by stepā€¦found a few tiny discrepencies (because Eclipse and SVN stuff have swapped around) but after much work and frustration I feel happy with part of what I haveā€¦I have run into the following issues though:

  1. How do I use my custom pictures I made? I went into the folder, removed the existing pictures and put in my own, I even renamed them the exact same (spark.png, spark_100.jpg, etc.) and when I compileā€¦I donā€™t get any of my graphics, but I do get all of the text items I changed in the build file.

  2. How do you edit an icns file? Is it a MAC thing and for windows I donā€™t have to worry about it or?

Any help is appreciated.

For small internal deployments, you may be able to avoid making the installer completely. If you download Spark from the website and install it on one machine, you can open the ā€˜spark.jarā€™ file in your installation directory using any decent extractor (hell, even WinRAR will do it) and edit the appropriate files there. Then simply zip up the installation directory (or even build an installer using something like Nullsoft) and deploy to your other three machines that way.

This is all off the top of my head, I may be wrong, but Iā€™m under the understanding this is possible, and certianly more than you need for a small internal deployment.

This isnā€™t saying however that I wouldnā€™t like to see a decent free (or cheap) alternative to building Spark installers/launchers! If someone can find an alternative to install4j, Iā€™d be very happy (and so would mmaya!)

TC

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Just got done following this howto. My pointers for those who follow:

Use the eclipse method outlined here: http://www.igniterealtime.org/community/docs/DOC-1040

Itā€™s outdated, some pointers:

When you have to install SVN, use this guide instead: http://www.polarion.com/products/svn/subversive/download.php?src=eclipse

Some of the locations and whatnot have changed, but itā€™s still generally the same as the OP in this doc

Follow his words to the T. Find and replace all Spark instances only causes issues. I had to pick and choose my battles when editing. Generally application names, registry entries and the translation and .properties files where it says the app name are good places to start.

when you try to run startup.bat, do it from a command prompt with -debug after it. The staright batch file died on me and complained about java for some reason.

install4j is expensive, but the alternative isnā€™t so bad. Just a prompt on install, may consider the 400 bucks eventually.

Good luck!

oh p.s. when he says ā€œ$ā€ I just put the app name in where I thought it was needed. The $ alone does nothing for some fields.

Last thing, considering jsmooth for the executable creation. Havenā€™t tried it yet, so it may just be a PIA.

http://jsmooth.sourceforge.net

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Iā€™ve already created the installer thru install4jā€¦

How do I change the default destination directory ā€œC:\Program Files\Sparkā€ to my customed application name? ex: ā€œC:\Program Files\MyIMā€

Also upon continuing the installation of my pre buildā€¦

An error occured:

Java.lang.AbstractMethodError

Error log:

Exception:

java.lang.AbstractMethodError
at com.install4j.runtime.installer.controller.Controller.executeActions(Unknown Source)
at com.install4j.runtime.installer.controller.Controller.handleCommand(Unknown Source)
at com.install4j.runtime.installer.controller.Controller.start(Unknown Source)
at com.install4j.runtime.installer.Installer.main(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.exe4j.runtime.LauncherEngine.launch(Unknown Source)
at com.exe4j.runtime.WinLauncher.main(Unknown Source)

How do I fixed this?

Hi I have the following problem when compiling.

Preparing configuration


** Creating media file ā€˜Windows NON-JREā€™:
**

** Collecting files:
**

** [WARNING] The path ā€œā€¦\target\buildā€ does not exist.
**

** Compiling launchers:
**

** Compiling launcher ā€˜Sparkā€™:
**

** Compiling launcher ā€˜starterā€™:
**

** Creating media file:
**

** Preparing custom code & resources JAR file: **


** Build failed. **


** Cause: java.io.FileNotFoundException
**

** C:\SparkCodeSource\trunk\target\build\lib\startup.jar (Le chemin dā€™accĆØs spĆ©cifiĆ© est introuvable) **


** To search for file names in the project, please generate a project report **


** You can select the ā€œEnable extra verbose outputā€ option to get more information, including a stack trace.**

May help. Thank

I download the source code of spark but I can not find the target\build\bin directory nowhere. Could someone tell me or find it?

Thank

Hey Alexander,

Thanks for your tip.

I look into Spark.jar and find some images to replace to customize my application.

I changed some images, keeping all sizes and extensions (like Spark.png), but when i run Spark, it keep the original image.

What i have to do to see my customized images? I tried to unistall, reistall and use the Spark.jar with my images, and nothing changed in Spark. IĀ“m looking now for more information about to customize the msi package, and i appreciate any help in this case.

Thanks for all !!

Hey bro, I already build mine with these proceduresā€¦ But still looking for advance installer with .msi

Hi Misterey,

Thank you very much for your help. I have custom Spark. Now I want to customize Sparkweb but I donā€™t know how. Can you help me on this one? or give me a link that explains how? Thank you in advance.

I haveā€™nt seen a complete procedure of customizing SparkWebā€¦ but what I did for the mean time is to edit the file called ā€œsparkweb.swfā€ā€¦ there youā€™ll find some images from that flash.

Try openning it with Dreamweaver or an equivalent softwareā€¦

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HI,

Thank you for the detailed artical i could build easily.Great work thumbs up :d

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Hi everyone!

Have you guys tried building with the latest version of spark 2.6.0??.. does same procedure works?

Sir Rob Alexander,

Is there a way of changing Help>ā€œSpark Forumā€ link which redirects us to http://community.igniterealtime.org/index.jspaā€¦ can we customize this one into different url?..

Thanks so much in advance and more power!!