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==== How To: Prepare the "Object Sharing" Setup for Export and Distribution ====
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==== Introduction to the "Clean Slate" Setup ====

Creating an "Object Sharing" setup requires more than simply clearing the visible screen. Similar to deleting a desktop shortcut while leaving the source file intact, merely removing icons leaves metadata, defined styles, and unused resources in the application's storage. To ensure a lightweight, conflict-free distribution file (best effort "clean slate"), a thorough "Clean Room Protocol" is required to purge these background remnants.
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**Disclaimer & Usage Warning**\\ 
This procedure guides the actual creation of the "Clean Slate Default" shell, providing a background understanding of the architecture. **Note:** Device configurations may vary; review the process carefully before proceeding.

**Skip the work:** The finished product and the procedure for //using// the shell is found at:\\ 
[[:howto:howto-share_object|How To: Share an Object With Other TL Users]]
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=== Pre-start: Create a Safety Backup ===

Before initiating the purge, create a backup of the current configuration to prevent accidental data loss.

  - Enter **Edit mode** (long-press empty area or use pinch-in gesture).
  - Go to **Main menu** > **Backup center**.
    - Select the Add icon {{:ui:ui-icon_add_gray.webp?25&direct}} to initiate a new backup.
    - Select ''New backup''.
    - The Title dialog defaults to ''backup_yyyymmdd''. Change this to ''Safety_Pre_Wipe_yyyymmdd''.
    - Select **OK** to save.
      - **Verification:** Confirm the new file appears at the top of the backup list before proceeding.
  - //Optional but recommended://
    - **Export the safety backup**:
      - Tap the 3-dot menu to the right of the ''Safety_Pre_Wipe...'' backup.
      - Select ''Export backup''.
      - Navigate to a secure storage location (SD Card or Cloud) and save.
      - **Reasoning:** This ensures that even if you accidentally delete files in the following steps, your original setup is safe outside the app.

=== Prepare the Clean Slate Shell ===

To achieve a true zero-state, the cleaning process must address both visible elements and internal definitions.

== Phase 1: The Visual Purge (The Easy Part) ==

This phase focuses on removing active elements from the workspace and resetting core resource pointers to their lightest defaults.

  - **Clear Screen Objects:**
    - Navigate to the "Home" page.
    - Long-press any object (icon, widget, or graphic) to select it.
    - In the Object Design menu (top), tap the ''Delete'' icon {{:ui:ui-icon_delete.webp?15&direct}}.
    - Repeat this process until the page is completely empty.
      - Hidden Objects Check: Check for invisible elements (like transparent spacers) by tapping empty areas in Edit mode.
      - Batch Delete: To verify the page is empty and clear everything at once:
        - Tap the Select icon {{:ui:ui-icon_selection.webp?20&direct}} in the top-left corner.
        - Drag a selection box from the upper-right to the lower-left corner.
        - If any objects are caught, tap the Delete icon.
  - **Purge Resource Containers (Pages):**
    - Open the Page Manager using the pinch-in gesture to ++view the setup's pages|{{:ui:ui-edit_mode-page.webp?200}}++.
    - Tap the ''Edit'' icon {{:ui:ui-icon_edit_mode-edit_off.webp?20&direct}}.
    - Horizontally scroll through the pages.
      - Delete **all** pages, except the one designated as "Home". 
      - Tap the ''Delete'' icon {{:ui:ui-icon_delete.webp?15&direct}} and confirm.
      - A single-page setup is now shown.
    - Tap the Option icon {{:ui:ui-icon_option.webp?15&direct}} on the remaining page.
      - Set Label to ''Home''. Tap OK.

== Phase 2: The "Warehouse" Purge (The Invisible Data) ==

This is where actual personal data hides. Total Launcher keeps a library of every image or icon ever imported, even if it was deleted from the screen.

  - Tap the ''Main Menu'' icon {{:ui:ui-icon_edit_mode-menu.webp?25&direct}}.
  - Select "Resources".
    - For each of the resource areas shown (•Shape, •Image, •Dynamic image, •Shadow, •Typeface, •Sound, •Window, •Sequence):
      - Tap the category to review the list.
      - Tap and hold a single object to enter selection mode.
      - Tap the "Select All" icon (✔✔) in the top-right corner.
      - Tap the **Delete** icon {{:ui:ui-icon_delete.webp?20&direct}} in the bottom-right.
        - This can be later verified by using a file manager (such as miXplorer) to inspect the system folders as follows:
          - Backup: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups
          - Dynamic Images: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/dynamicimages
          - Fonts: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/fonts
          - Images: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/images
          - Sequences: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/sequences
          - Shadows: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/shadows
          - Shapes: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/shapes
          - Sounds: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/ sounds
          - Windows: /Internal_storage/Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/.NameOfBackupFile/wnds
        - Total Launcher will strictly prevent the deletion of system defaults (built-in assets) or resources currently in use by the active Home page. If it refuses to delete an item, it is likely a required dependency—leave it.
      - Repeat for all remaining categories.
  - **Reset Launcher Options:** //(Resetting to neutral defaults)//
    - Navigate to ''Main menu'' > ''Launcher options'':
      - Select "Behavior":
        - General: Uncheck all boxes.
        - App Drawer:
          - Sort order: Set to ''Name''.
          - Reset icon and label: Tap and confirm (removes custom renaming).
          - Badge Count: Turn all switches OFF.
        - Advanced:
          - Lock level: Set to ''Weak''.
          - Password: Clear any text (Ensure it is empty).
          - Menu lock: Unchecked.
          - GPS interval: Set to ''0'' (or default).
      - UI & Animation:
        - Wallpaper: Select ''No wallpaper''.
        - Animation: Set to ''System default''.
        - Status bar & Navigation bar: Uncheck (Hide) for a clean look, or Check for default.
        - Sliding Drawer: Uncheck all directions **except** "On the bottom" (this ensures the user can swipe up to see their apps).
      - Icon style:
        - Label: Set to ''Show''.
        - Text color: Set to White (''#FFFFFFFF'').
      - Key & Gestures:
        - Home key: Set to ''Select action'' (or Do Nothing).
        - Back key: Set to ''System default''.
      - Backup Center:
        - Do **NOT** delete your backups here. The export process only captures the *current* layout, not the list of backups stored on your device. Deleting these puts your own data at risk with no benefit to the shared file.
  - **Clear App Drawer Metadata:**
    - Open the App Drawer using a swipe up (or use the assigned gesture).
    - Enter ''Edit Mode'' with a long-press an empty area or toggle the Edit switch.
    - Select the drawer by tap/hold on the edge boundary of the drawer where the apps are listed. A selection box will appear around the grid of icons.
    - Tap the Options icon {{:ui:ui-icon_option.webp?direct&20}} on the top toolbar. 
    - Look for "App group".
        - Scenario A: If "App group" is visible, set it to "All apps".
        - Scenario B: If "App group" is **MISSING** (as is common in some setups), look for the checkbox **Group items**. Ensure it is **Unchecked**. This confirms the widget is displaying a flat list of apps, which is the correct default behavior.
  - **Clean Up Custom Items (Crucial Step):**
    - Close the options menu and look at the App Drawer grid.
    - If any custom folders like "Social", "Games", or "Banking" are visible
       - Select these custom folders and tap **Delete**.
    - The App Drawer should only display the raw list of apps installed on the device. It should not contain any organized folders, as those are personal preferences that would be saved in the backup.

== Phase 3: The "Autopsy" and Export ==

This step ensures the file is valid and contains no personal data.

  - Method A: Standard Export (Try this first)
    - Go to ''Backup center'' > ''Add'' > ''New backup''.
    - Name it ''Clean_Slate_yyyymmdd''.
    - Tap the 3-dot menu > ''Export backup''.
    - Check the file size: If the resulting file is **0 bytes**, the export failed (common with empty shells). Proceed to Method B.
  - Method B: Manual Export (The Reliable Method for Empty Shells)
    - Open the file manager (e.g., miXplorer).
    - Navigate to: `Android/data/com.ss.launcher2/files/backups/`
    - Tap to open the folder `.Clean_Slate_...` (do not select the folder itself).
    - Select all contents manually by tapping.
    - Archive the Contents:
      - Tap ''Menu'' (3 dots) > ''Archive''.
      - Configure the Archive Dialog:
        - Enter the name: `Clean_Slate_Shell.zip`.
        - Format: Ensure ''Zip'' is selected.
        - Compression: Leave as ''Deflate''.
        - Password/Key: Leave ''Blank''.
        - Delete source: Ensure this is ''Unchecked''.
    - Tap OK.
    - There is now a valid `Clean_Slate_Shell.zip` located inside the backup folder. Move this file to the **Downloads** folder for easy sharing.

  - **Inspection (The Autopsy):**
    - Tap on your new ZIP file to view its contents.
    - Open the `images` subfolder.
      - This folder should be empty. If files here, they are personal images overlooked previously. Go back to Phase 2.

== Phase 4: Re-Pack (Optional) ==

If Method B in Phase 3 was used, the file is already packed and ready. Move it to a public folder (like Downloads) for easy sharing.

== Phase 5: Test the "Clean Slate" Shell ==

Before distributing, verify the shell functions as a neutral base on a device.

  - **Import the Shell:**
    - In Total Launcher, go to ''Backup center'' > ''Import backup''.
    - Select your `Clean_Slate_Shell.zip`.
    - Tap ''Restore''.
  - **Evaluate:**
    - Check that the screen is empty.
    - Open the App Drawer to ensure it loads the current device's installed apps (verifying the "All apps" group is active).
    - **Note**:  When navigating to ''Add'' > ''Graphic'' and viewing the "Saved" tab, the presence of personal icons, photos or objects may appear. **Do not worry.** This tab is simply a file viewer looking at a specific folder on //the current device//. It is a local library, not part of the setup.
  - **Restore Your Daily Setup:**
    - Go to Backup center.
    - Locate your ''Safety_Pre_Wipe...'' backup.
    - Tap ''Restore''

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