New to Rom Modding, How to pack and unpack img or app files

[electron_theory]

As the title says, I would like to mod the standard S7slim rom... Nothing too drastic, but I would like to remove some of the built in apps and whatnot, otherwise just exploring the files and tinkering around in general. I have managed to download some unpacked images that tri-zet had posted, but I would like to re-pack them and put them on my slim... I'm new to this so don't be too hard on me. Searching has turned up a lot of various information, much of it outdated and/or not pertaining to the slim... :/

 

[tri_zet]

first of all you need linux machine

1. working with UPDATA.APP

you need:
- split_updata.pl to to unpack UPDATA.APP file, it will split to lots of file. take a look at file size, the largest one is system.img, 2 files are around 3.5 MB, they are boot.img and recovery.img. you will know which one is recovery and which one is boot after unpack it.
- split_bootimg.pl to unpack boot and recovery img.
- unyaffs to unpack system.img

download link and how to use it : Power Word, Code

2. working with apk or jar file

- you need apktool to decompile/recompile apk/jar file.
- edit PNG image
- search threads on xda developers how to edit .9 patch PNG image and XML files
- recompile apk/jar files

3. repack system to yaffs img using mkyaffs2image. mkyaffs2image
flash to your tablet using fastboot

 

[electron_theory]

it looks like im out at "linux machine" bummer. Imight have something that i can throw together together and install linux on.