To avoid touching the platforms directory, you could use a cordova hook. I am pretty terrible at node, but here is something that should do the trick. First npm install elementtree then create a sub folder after_prepare in the hooks folder. From there stick this code into a javascript file and change YourTheme.
Honestly, this is some pretty gross code, but should give you the idea.
#!/usr/bin/env node
var fs = require( "fs" );
var et = require('elementtree');
var rootdir = process.argv[2];
console.log(rootdir);
fs.open(rootdir + '/platforms/android/AndroidManifest.xml', 'r+',
function (err, fd) {
if (err) {
exitError(err);
}
fs.stat(rootdir + '/platforms/android/AndroidManifest.xml', getStats);
function getStats(error, stats) {
if (error) {
exitError(error);
}
var buffer = new Buffer(stats.size);
fs.read(fd, buffer, 0, buffer.length, null, fileRead);
}
function fileRead(error, bytes, buf) {
var data = buf.toString("utf8", 0, buf.length);
var androidXML = et.parse(data);
var root = androidXML.getroot();
var activityTag = root.find("application/activity");
activityTag.attrib["android:theme"] = "@style/YourTheme";
var outputBuffer = new Buffer(et.tostring(root), "utf-8");
console.log(outputBuffer.toString());
fs.closeSync(fd);
fs.open(rootdir + '/platforms/android/AndroidManifest.xml', 'w', writeFile);
function writeFile(error, fd) {
if (error) {
exitError(error);
}
fs.write(fd, outputBuffer, 0, outputBuffer.length, 0, function( errw, written, str) {
if (errw) {
exitError(errw);
}
console.log('file written');
fs.close(fd);
});
}
}
});
function exitError(error) {
console.log(error);
process.exit(0);
}
