Menu Modding
Jan 15
In this tutorial we discuss changing the SE Menu Icons and more !!
In the File System (FS) of any SE firmware you will find a MENU.ML file at FS\TPA\PRESET\SYSTEM\MENU\**MENU ML HERE**
The menu.ml xml file controls the complete behavior of the SE phone menu.
You will get lots of ready made Menu packs with which you can change your main menu. Depeha’s blog has some cool menus check them out
To install a pack. Just flash in the Menu ml to its location along with the icons that came with it. You can also download lots of menu ml packs from Topse Russia or From Se-nse.
FS\TPA\PRESET\SYSTEM\MENU\**MENU ML and Icons HERE**
That’s it .. Restart your phone and the new menu will greet you.
Now lets see how these amazing menus are created !! MENU ML hacking !
We will edit the menu ml to have custom icons, custom text labels, own programs at the menu !
You can get your menu ml from your FS by extracting the FS. Please follow the FS extraction of FS tutorial.
All hacks here apply for all menu.ml no matter what phone. It must be Sony Ericsson phone though 
Here i have uploaded an example menu.ml. This is the w610i menu ml. In the menu ml i have inserted lots of comments so that you understand it well.
Original menu.ml . Commented Menu.ml
now go through both Menu ml . I have inserted lots of comments in one of them. Comments in code won’t affect it. Note view commented menu ml in MS Word or Wordpad and not in notepad.
Take the second element Internet Services for our analysis
<element lock=“icons” id=“InternetServices”> <!– Line No 1–>
<label type=“name” textid=“OLP_TITLE_TXT” /> <!– Line No 2–>
<icon pos=“unselected” source=“internal”>DESKTOP_WAP_ICN</icon> <!– Line No 3–>
<icon pos=“selected” source=“internal”>DESKTOP_WAP_SELECTED_ICN</icon> <!– Line No 4–>
<icon pos=“shortcut” source=“internal”>RN_SHORTCUT_LIST_WAP_ICN</icon> <!– Line No 5–>
<link type=“internal” /> <!– Line No 6–>
</element>
now if you want FM Radio in place of Internet Service then just edit this line
<element lock=“icons” id=“InternetServices”>
to
<element lock=“icons” id=“FMRadio”>
You should basically replace the Element ID, If you want Write Message or Email Instead of Internet Service then replace element id as Msg_WriteNew or Messaging_Email respectively ! so here you learnt how to have any element at main menu. You can have Timer, Applications or Anything in phone at main menu. You must just know the element id. You can find out element id from the menu ml easily.
Now we see how to change the text label of any Element in any menu
See the Line No 2
<label type=“name” textid=“OLP_TITLE_TXT” />
change that to
<label type=“name”><text>YOUR LABEL HERE</text></label>
so to have your own label for any element whether its in main menu or a submenu you must replace it this way
Now we see how to change icons in the main menu
see lines no 3 and 4
<icon pos=“unselected” source=“internal”>DESKTOP_WAP_ICN</icon> <!– Line No 3–>
<icon pos=“selected” source=“internal”>DESKTOP_WAP_SELECTED_ICN</icon> <!– Line No 4–>
Change them as follows
<icon pos=“unselected” source=“file”>Your ICON.PNG</icon>
<icon pos=“selected” source=“file”>Your ICON2.PNG</icon>
Now both the Icons will be replace by Your ICON.PNG !!
Changing the Shortcut Icon
<icon pos=“shortcut” source=“internal”>RN_SHORTCUT_LIST_WAP_ICN</icon>
change line 5 this way
<icon pos=“shortcut” source=“file”>Your Shortcut Icon.PNG</icon>
That way you change Icons !!
Now lets say you wanted a Java Application at your main menu. For example Opera mini instead of Internet Service. Then you should change line no 6 this way !!
Change Line no 6 from
<link type=“internal” />
To This
<link type=“java” javasuitename=“Jave Suite Name” javasuitevendor=“Vendor” javasuitepoint=“Suite Point”/>
So to get opera mini do this
<link type=“java” javasuitename=“Opera Mini” javasuitevendor=“Opera Software ASA” javasuitepoint=“Browser”/>
Using the methods given above change it for all menu ml creating a menu pack with icons for each element. and upload all the icons and menu ml using FAR to FS. Then start your phone and enjoy your menu.
Also note that by patching you can place the menu folder outside the FS and in your memory card, in that case you just need to replace the new menu and icons just in your phone memory card. This method is recommended so that you change your menu very fast and easily.
Yes lastly you must check out this Menu Editor Program ! You can use to create preview and also make correct links if you want to use java programs.
That’s it guys. happy menu Modding.
Regards. Thanks for Reading.
Have fun.
SE Flashing
Jan 17 at 08:26
nice topic…. very informative…..
can i change menu icons of k510i by this method….??
reply me in my mail…..
Jan 17 at 09:33
well check out the far tutorial and also crossflashing section
reply sent in mail too
Jan 24 at 14:29
Can I change icons in K550i ? Does replacing the above said files is enough ? What software to use and what are the steps ??
Feb 09 at 11:14
yup. u can.
softwares used r xs, far & setool
steps 2 upload r given in d tutorials
Feb 09 at 16:27
Nice tutorial, but what about flash menus?
On my k550i@w610i I love flash menus and this menu.ml thing olny applies to the non-flash menu themes.
Are there flash templates out there that we could edit? And also do we have to use Macromedia Flash for that?
Feb 24 at 16:26
Hi akhshay i need ur help i have k790i i want to download flash menu and flash wallpapers to my phone how can i do that.
Feb 24 at 18:26
no flash menus for k790 !! sorry
Mar 15 at 08:33
hello i want to use flash themes for k810i i have copy the swf file in flash folder in phone memory and also changed xml file of theme but my flash menu does not appear so should i have to flash my phone to get the flash menu
Mar 15 at 11:00
sorry no flash menu for K series !
i mean they won’t work on it
its only for w series !
but some k phones have if you phone came with flash menus since start then it might support !
Mar 18 at 14:40
hi akshay i have seen couple of videos on you tube of k810i phones which have flash menu so i think its possible i have also flash my phone using ur tutorial so there will be some way to get it right
Mar 18 at 15:08
yeah then try out ! first copy swf files to phone and try to open them if they open then they work
Mar 18 at 19:23
hi akshay can i upload new menu to my phone by downloding menu.ml file to it desktop folder
Mar 19 at 06:01
No. Menu.ml is in tpa/preset/system/menu directory.
Mar 20 at 08:19
please video tutorial for moding icon… step by step with xs++
Mar 20 at 08:21
and how change menu icon only with phone
need explain and tutorial
Using FAR or XS++, copy the shortcuts to tpa/preset/system/menu
2. create a folder in usb/other called ‘menu’. Create a folder in usb/other/menu for each of your custom menus. Menu icons must be named in the format icon1_selected.png, icon1_unselected.png etc.
3. The menu set that will be displayed, will be the one at this path: usb/other/menu/live, so before disconnecting far, name one of your custom menu folders to “live”
4. Exit FAR, then start your phone.
5. In future to to change menus, simply rename one of the menu sets in the menu folder to “live”, then restart the phone. To add new menus simply copy them using the usb cable or bluetooth to “phone memory/other/menu”
You only need to do this step if you want to create your own shortcuts for different named menu icons or to make the shortcuts point to another location for example card/others/menu/live (if you want to use your mem card instead of phone memory).
Included is the menu shortcut creation program. To use it, run a command prompt and type se_shortcut /path/file (where path is the path you want the shortcut to point to, and file is the name of the file you want the shortcut to point to.) You will end up with a file called file.@ (or whatever the name of the file you are pointing to example icon1_unselected.png.@)
Mar 20 at 09:37
the shortcut method ?
yes that works ! we do the same in my k550 and !!
i have not put the shortcut method here just to keep things simple ! anyway will fix this then !
Mar 20 at 09:48
please visit this youtube.. and how this modding work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OP6oMvsRds
Mar 20 at 09:54
hii
he has flashed the k800 with w850 firmware
he gets walkman player but loses 3.2 mp camera
i have my k550 flashed to w610 and it has walkman
Mar 22 at 11:22
hi akshay can u explain what crot787 has said above regardin changing menu wit phone only
Mar 22 at 11:53
thanks man u r doing great work
Apr 22 at 11:13
I am a beginner to this.
Ive read ur “Customize your phone” part. And i havnt worked it out, coz i thought i will do a thorough study on ur website and then begin!
So, doesnt the flash menu’s change the icons of the menu?
If it doesnt what does th “.swf” file do????
and does my fone - k790i support flash menu???
Apr 22 at 12:52
K790 doesn’t support flash menus. Flash menu (swf file) is a totally different GUI than the original SE menu. They are sort of like active content on websites…
May 02 at 21:17
Hi, can i do this to a branded w580i? Also, is there a way i can get my original icons back on my w580i? Thanks in advance!!
May 03 at 10:35
Yes you can, but I suggest that you should reflash FS to get rid of branded stuff, and get original icons (of SE) back.
May 04 at 11:54
hey Peti…thanks for ur info..
so is there no way by which i can change the look of my menu????
May 04 at 12:14
Watch these…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tySTMLuN_68
this guy is using a k790i..and look at his menu..its indeed very kool…how do u do it without swf file support?
Now look at this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aDt3WsQLOwI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SY_o8sUEXpg
look at this guys menu…its the walkman menu!!!
how do u do this on a k790i??? if id does not support swf files????
May 04 at 13:29
The first two can be done by menu modding and sysgfx patching. The third is a fake.
May 19 at 02:10
Hi! I have done my own menus thru adobe photoshop and haven’t edited the menu.ml (original w610i menu for my k550i@w610i) so that i won’t mess up the lines of codes. everything went fine until i pressed the minimize/maximize button near c button and right menu button. the icons for my shortcuts (bluetooth, infrared, etc.) have the same icons which are arrows that point towards the northeast much like the shortcut icons for windows. how do i change these? the icons still work as their respective shortcuts (infrared opens the infrared menu, bluetooth opens the bluetooth menu, etc. ) though the icons look the same.
May 19 at 12:50
No menu.ml modding? Then you used vkp I guess. You may have deleted pictures that were in use all right. Remove your patch and use menu modding.
May 19 at 21:55
hi Peti. I just edited the icons and uploaded them to FS\TPA\PRESET\SYSTEM\MENU\ maybe i’ll download someone else’s menus with their menu.ml and i’ll see what happens..
May 20 at 14:04
Only use menu for your phone type, others are not appropriate.
May 21 at 02:50
yup. i used the k550@w610 custom menu where camera is named cybershot and media player is named walkman for now. the icons i have uploaded in the directory FS\TPA\PRESET\SYSTEM\MENU\ is now not my icons for the desktop of my k550@w610 but the shortcut icons for the minimize/maximize button has become normal. how do i make my edited menu icons appear again without making the shortcuts icons in my minimize/maximize button appear the same again (looking like the same icon for windows shortcut icon with the arrow)?
May 21 at 13:10
Shortcut icon?? SE has no such thing. Probably you used a theme that had something like that on those menu items.
Also what is this minimize/maximize button???
May 21 at 13:33
minimize/maximize button is the button with the small square and an arrow beside the “c” and right menu keys..don’t you use that button in your k550i?
May 21 at 16:28
I use that button for bookmanager elf… And I would rather call it Shortcuts key or so, because it is not possible to minimize things with it (only java apps and walkman are handled as processes).
But at least now I understand the question!
I think the only way to make it work is sysgfx patching, because those shortcuts are not from the menu.ml file…
May 21 at 22:26
so, does this mean that when i edit my menu, those shortcuts will always look the same - looking like the shortcut icons from windows? maybe i’ll try making sysgfx patches then..
May 22 at 05:16
hey you can change the shorcut icons if you editing menu ml
if you find small icons use them…
that line is for shortcut icons.
change source to file and put file name…
use any methods.. etc.
May 22 at 05:27
hi Akshay!
Yup! That is what I figured out just now. I was comparing the k550i@w610i menu.ml with a custom menu.ml file (from topse.ru - thanks guys! eventhough I don’t speak russian, this site rocks!) and noticed that line. I am now looking forward to doing small icons via adobe photoshop. I’m in the office now (1:00 PM Manila time) and would let you know once I have edited my shortcut icons. thanks, man!
May 26 at 12:01
i need these in english language (UK) i mean the menus and others such as message,filemanager etc and plz send it to my mail
May 26 at 12:07
Use the download site, request stuff there. Still, who am I to send things in mail?:O
Jun 10 at 12:16
Menu ml to its location along with the icons that came with it. what mean by it ? i still cant get it how flash in
Jun 10 at 12:30
Use FAR Manager or JDFlasher to get to TPA\PRESET\SYSTEM\MENU\, there upload the menu pack’s menu.ml file and all other graphic files, in the same directory.
Jun 21 at 17:13
hey peti/akshayy
using se menu editor
how do you insert the ‘videoplayer’ into the entertainment section (that has musicdj, picturedj ect) i was modding a menu.ml file someone else had made and couldnt do it.
do you create a container or single item?
thx
Jun 21 at 22:14
its ok now i’ve done it!
Jun 21 at 22:41
Well I always loved menu editing the old-school way, text editor (notepad++).
Jun 26 at 12:37
Ive edited my k610@w660 menu.ml to have a link to MeBoy insted of Play Now and the link works fine but when i acsess the menu a mesage pops up saying “Errors occur in the menu.ml file. This may render the menu unusable.” What have i done wrong? I think ive made the link right. Any ideas?
Jun 27 at 04:43
that’s because of incorrect java linkage.
just put back original menu ml.
you can get it from an w660 FS.
inside w660 FS you will find menu ml.
use this tutorial to get read the contents of w660 FS.
http://www.akshayy.com/sonyericsson/others/extracting-an-fs/
Jun 29 at 11:20
too bad, i can’t mod my k800i menu as of now coz it’s EROM is CID53 and also i cant download from top.ru coz i dont understand the site coz itz russian and you need to register first b4 you download stuffs. btw, i have some question.
1. how should i know if the menu.ml packs that i have been downloading is compatible with my k800i? which one of these resolution is for k800i? 240×320 or 176×220?
2. what kind of menu is shown in this video in youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIkl4jJG_14 and where i can get that kind of menu.
3. are there any sites like topse.ru where you can download cool stuffs for free?
many thanks!!!
Jun 29 at 16:20
hi, i have w700. when i try to load menu the process stops with “activating filesystem”. after this the process is not going……….. plz help me.
Jun 29 at 16:25
can i crossflash my w700 to antother phone? if so what phone? thnks
Jun 29 at 17:24
sorry no crossflashing
for W700 please use XS++ 2.2
it won’t stop there in XS++ 2.2
just google search download XS++ 2.2 for download link
else search in 4shared.com
its available.
Jun 29 at 17:42
Hi, i was successfully able to flash my phone with the R8BE001 firmware and now my display is normal. Thanks sooooo much for your help man ur awesome. BTW, what part on india do u live in. Like what country?
Jun 29 at 20:50
He lives in Bangalore. AFAIK.
But W700 can be crossflashed to W800. As K750,D750,W700,W800 hardwares are mostly identical.
Jun 30 at 00:12
Can the w580i be crossflashed with the W910(new phone that came out)? Also Can i use the w580i accelerometer to play games that use that as a sensor?
Jun 30 at 00:41
W580 can’t be crossflashed to W910, totally different architectures (DB2020 and 3150). I don’t know about that accelerometer…
Jun 30 at 00:42
oh ok, thanks
Jun 30 at 15:45
anybody please answer my previous question? also please recommend some cool menu packs for k800i! thanx!!
Jun 30 at 16:29
hi amigo. Very first thing. K800i has a 240×320 screen. SO the menus that u download should have a 320 by 240 resolution. They might not necessarily be of your K800i. But they would support your phone.
SEcondly your menu on youtube. Look no one can say where that menu exists. U better speak to the owner of that video. Top se is a really good site for se flashers. Look u can register there in english. But if u want to download then u have to login through russian site. In your second window open google translater and translate stuff. Ok bye.
Jul 01 at 08:22
thank you very much Yogesh! i really appreciate your help!! finally i’ve been downloading menu packs from that site. i’ve also seen java games in that site but i don’t know if it’s for free coz i’m not able to download them.
Jul 01 at 11:13
I could download them, strange.
Jul 01 at 12:42
thank you guys!!! using google translator, i was able to understand that russian site & im having no problem in registering. i was able to download those great games for my K800i and i can play them in full screen unlike the games that i’ve been downloading before. hope they also have some great apps for my phone like converter, world clock etc.