Upload your themed icons to your favorite storage or photo site.

In terminal navigate to the first application that is on your bar. Mine is the browser so we'll start off with that.

 cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.browser/

Then type:

sudo mv icon.png  icon.png.backup

<--if you plan on theming your Pre a lot I would recommend that after the first backup you ignore this step and from then on use this command-->

sudo rm icon.png

This way, your original Palm Pre icons will remain as backup and each time you theme you aren't wasting space by keeping old themed icons.

Next:

sudo wget (url of where your browser icon is located)

Now let's say your next icon on your quick launch bar is the camera.

Type:

sudo cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.camera/

sudo mv icon.png  icon.png.backup

sudo wget (url of where your browser icon is located)

Continue on with the next app by changing directory (cd), making backups (mv), and downloading your icon (wget). The only deviation from the above would be with the calendar. The icons (all 31 of them) can be found here: "/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.calendar/images/launcher".

Launcher icons can be found here: "/usr/lib/luna/system/luna-applauncher".

All icons have to be named icon.png, unless you are changing the calendar icons. They have to be in named as such icon-1.png, icon-2.png.

If you've downloaded an icon that has a different filename type this:

sudo mv faultyfilenamehere.png icon.png

Also, just a quick rundown on what some of these commands mean.

cd =change directory
mv = rename
rm = remove
wget = download

Also wanted to add that if you come back with this error "Read-only file system" type this

sudo mount -o remount,rw /

Here's how it's done. You'll need to have access to the Linux subsystem. You also may need to mount the file system:

sudo mount -o remount,rw /

Type this into your terminal:

cd /usr/palm/frameworks/mojo/submissions/200.18/resources/en_us

Now:

sudo mv alternatechars_table.json alternatechars_table.json.old

Now type:

sudo wget http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1517634/alternatechars_table.json

Reboot your phone.

Whenever you want to type a smiley you'll now have two options.

<sym><k> will give you smiley faces ( :-) )

and

<sym><z> will give you the meanings ( :smile)

I would recommend the first, just because it's not so broken looking, but it does all work...

Add this to the top of your messaging.css located here /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/stylesheets

body.wallpaper,
body.palm-default {

  background: add whatever color you want here;

  color: white; 

}

This will get the avatars (both yours and theirs) in the lower right hand corner.   Also, I'd suggest the gradient in the chat balloons all fading to one side. Looks much better that way ;-)

You will need to have your Pre rooted. Also, don't forget to back up everything you touch.

First step is to type:
cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/stylesheets

then:

sudo vi messaging.css

Starting at line 139 you will see this:

.chatRow img.avatar-location {
    margin-top: -18px;
}

.chatRow img.avatar-overlay {
    margin-top: -21px;
}

.chatRow .avatar-container {
    vertical-align: middle;
    display: inline-block;
}

Change the margins in location and overlay so that they look like this:

}
.chatRow img.avatar-location {                                                            
        margin-top: -39px;
}                                                                                                 

                       .chatRow img.avatar-overlay {                                                                      
        margin-top: -42.5px;
}

Now comment out the container:

/*.chatRow .avatar-container { 
        vertical-align: middle;  
        display: inline-block;                                      
}*/

Next, scroll down to line 662. You'll see something like this:

.my-chat .chat-balloon-wrapper,
.their-chat .chat-balloon-wrapper {
  padding: 1px 0;
  font-size: 18px;
  word-wrap: break-word !important;
}

Add padding-right: 40px; here:

.my-chat .chat-balloon-wrapper,           
.their-chat .chat-balloon-wrapper {                                                                
  padding: 1px 0;                                                   
  font-size: 18px;                                                                           
  word-wrap: break-word !important;                                            
padding-right: 40px;                                                                                  
}

Comment out line 668:

/*.their-chat .chat-balloon-wrapper {                          
        padding-right: 8px ;}*/                                                                         

On line 676 you will see this:

/* Disabling MY avatar because we are not doing this for 1.0  2008-11-05*/
.my-chat .avatar-location,
.my-chat .avatar-overlay,
.my-chat .avatar-container {
    display: none;
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
}

Comment out:

/*.my-chat .avatar-overlay,*/
/*.my-chat .avatar-container*/
/*display: none;*/

Now save: SHIFT zz or ESC :qw

Type:

cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/app/controllers

sudo vi chatview-assistant.js

Scroll down to line 1286 and remove the /'s. Should look like this:

msg.avatar = this.myAvatar || 'images/my-avatar.png';

Save: SHIFT zz or ESC :qw

Now you need to upload an avatar and find the image location

In terminal type:

cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/images/

sudo wget (url)

sudo mv (filename of the avatar you just downloaded) my-avatar.png

Now type:

sudo luna-send -n 1 palm://com.palm.applicationManager/rescan {}

You may need to do a full restart of the phone if after doing the above command does not add the avatar.

The png's for the chat balloons are located here:

/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/images/chatview

Look for chat-balloon-right.png (your chat) and chat-balloon-left.png (friend's chat).

Edit them using your favorite image editor.

Now uploaded them to where ever. Copy the image location.

Go to terminal and type:

cd /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.messaging/images/chatview

sudo wget (url)

Now you just need to change the name.

Type:

sudo mv (filename of url) chat-balloon-right.png

Do the same for the left chat balloon.

Now type:

sudo luna-send -n 1 palm://com.palm.applicationManager/rescan {}

Kudos goes out to DJPeterman for his help with the padding <3