Develop Reference

How to use .arr sdk in my react-native library project

I wanted to create react-native wrapper around android sdk of zoom.us (they provide video conference feature through that), I have created a git repo using their sdk https://github.com/manjeets12/ZoomApiWrapper, but problem is that they only provide .aar sdk and it is giving me error project with path ":sdkName" could not be found in project ':react-native-zoom-api-wrapper'
I tried to use many solutions liking putting .aar files within libs folder and compiling from there or using flatDir options, as they don't provide any maven repo alternative, I am not sure how should I proceed in using this

So I've found a solution:
My aar-name is: 'my_name.aar'. You need to add this file to the libs folder in the root of your android folder (same level as your build.gradle).
Your build.gradle file has to contain this:
dependencies {
compile(name:'my_name', ext:'aar')
}
repositories {
flatDir {
dirs 'libs'
}
}
Your android project should compile then. Next step is to integrate the library to react-native.
npm install --save your_project
react-native link your_project
And finally add this to your android/app/build.gradle
repositories {
flatDir {
dirs "../../node_modules/your_project/android/libs"
}
}
For a working project see this git: https://github.com/transistorsoft/react-native-background-geolocation/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-ANDROID-RNPM.md

Reuse modules in Android Studio

Whenever I add a android library-project as module to my Android Studio project, the sources get copied to the Android Studio project folder.
Is there a way to solve it like in eclipse, where there is only one copy of library project, any many projects can reference it?

You have different ways to achieve it:
using a local module referring the right path
adding an aar file
using a maven repo
CASE 1:
Using gradle and a local library, inside a project you can refer an external module.
Just use:
Project
|__build.gradle
|__settings.gradle
|__app (application module)
|__build.gradle
In settings.gradle:
include ':app'
include ':myLib'
project(':myLib').projectDir=new File('pathLibrary')
In app/build.gradle:
dependencies {
compile project(':myLib')
}
Pay attention to myLib.
You have to use the path of the library inside the other project, not the root of the project.
CASE 2:
Compile the library module, get the aar file, and then add to the main project:
Add the folder where you put the aar file as repository:
repositories {
jcenter()
flatDir {
dirs 'libs'
}
}
Then add the dependency:
dependencies {
compile(name:'nameOfAarFile', ext:'aar')
}
CASE 3:
Another way is to to publish your module into a maven repository.
In this way, just use:
dependencies {
compile ('mypackage:mymodule:X.Y.Z')
}

I would compile your shared code as library project. So you will get an aar file which you can reference.
To create that Android Archive you need to build the project as a release build with this command:
gradlew aR
After that you have a file called <modulename>-release.aar this file is located in <projectroot>/<modulename>/build/outputs/aar. I rename those files to <modulename>.aar then you can put it into your lib directory of your module.
When done you can reference it from the module where you need it like this:
compile(name:'<modulename>', ext:'aar')
This also speeds up the build time since you don't need to compile the project anymore.

How to compile forked library in Gradle?

I want to compile the following library in my project in build.gradle:
https://github.com/theDazzler/Android-Bootstrap
It is forked from https://github.com/Bearded-Hen/Android-Bootstrap, but no documentation in the repository explains how to include in in project.
I tried something like this:
compile 'com.theDazzler:androidbootstrap:+'
but gradle failed and shows error that library not found.
Edit: Can anyone fork it and/or publish it?

This fork isn't published in the maven central repo.
Then you can't use an import like compile com.theDazzler:androidbootstrap:+
You have to:
- clone this library locally as a module in your project
Clone the
https://github.com/theDazzler/Android-Bootstrap/tree/master/AndroidBootstrap folder in your root/module1 folder.
root:
module1
build.gradle
app
build.gradle
settings.gradle
Change your settings.gradle file in
include ':module1'
include ':app'
In your app/build.gradle file you have to add:
dependencies {
// Module Library
compile project(':module1')
}
Finally in your module1/build.gradle you have to check the level used for gradle plugin.
EDIT 31/10/2015:
You can use another way to add a dependency with a github project,using the github repo and the jitpack plugin
In this case you have to add this repo tp your build.gradle
repositories {
// ...
maven { url "https://jitpack.io" }
}
and the dependency:
dependencies {
compile 'com.github.User:Repo:Tag'
}

It can be simply done by using Jitpack.
Step 1. Add the JitPack repository to your build file
allprojects {
repositories {
maven { url 'https://jitpack.io' }
}
}
Step 2. Add the dependency
dependencies {
compile 'com.github.User:Repo:Tag'
}
for eg: compile 'com.github.sachinvarma:JcPlayer:0.0.1'

The issue is: has that theDazzler/Android-Bootstrap been published anywhere? In any gradle/maven repo?
The usual build.gradle file has a section repositories which should reference that maven repo.
So it is possible any project using theDazzler/Android-Bootstrap should reference the repo where it is published, And with a project like gradle-git-repo-plugin, you could publish that fork on its own release section to publish it.
That task gets wrapped into a publishToGithub task that handles committing and pushing the change. Then you can run
gradle -Porg=layerhq -Prepo=gradle-releases publishToGithub
You can also run
gradle -Porg=layerhq -Prepo=gradle-releases publish
to stage a release in the local github repo and commit it manually.

Hi i had the same issue but with a different project :)
So first you should have the library code on your dev machine.
Next steps are: add a new file called settings.gradle to the root of your project if its not already there.
inside add this:
include 'AndroidBootStrap'
project('AndroidBootStrap').path = "path/to/AndroidBootstrap/AndroidBootStrapLibrary"
also add include for your root project if its not there.
Inside your build.gradle file add
compile project(':AndroidBootStrap')
to add the dependency.
How your folder Structure should look:
root
YourProject
settings.gradle
YourProjectModule
build.gradle
AndroidBootStrap
AndroidBootStrapLibrary
build.gradle
In the end the files look like this:
settings.gradle:
include 'AndroidBootStrap'
project('AndroidBootStrap').path = "../AndroidBootstrap/AndroidBootStrapLibrary"
include 'YourProjectModule'
build.gradle (YourModule):
...
dependencies {
...
compile project(':AndroidBootStrap')
}
Maybe its necessary to modify some point but i hope you get the idea!
Cheers
Neri

Use android-maps-utils in Android Studio

I am trying to use this library [1] in an Android project either with Android Studio or with ADT. But it doesn't work at all. In ADT I don't know how to handle gradle stuff and in Android Studio, when I try to "Import Project", I get the error "Could not find com.google.android.gms:play-services:3.1.36.
(don't have enough reputation to post picture, it's on imgur with xswZ3.jpg)
I am not familiar with gradle and I only have a vague idea of what it does but all I want is to use something like BubbleIconFactory f = new BubbleIconFactory(this) in my own project.
Any help is appreciated!
[1] https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils

Perhaps your problem is needing the repositories outside of the buildscript block.
The repositories internal to the buildscript is for managing the gradle dependency itself, I believe. Here's how I resolved my problem with google-maps-utils as a library dependency. Hopefully this helps. I included my maps and support-v4 libs too.
buildscript {
repositories {
mavenCentral()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.10+'
}
}
apply plugin: 'android'
repositories {
mavenCentral()
}
dependencies {
compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: '*.jar')
// Support Libraries
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:4.1.32'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:19.0.1'
compile 'com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:0.3+'
}

com.google.android.gms:play-services:3.1.36 can be downloaded by going to your SDK Manager and installing the Extras->Google Repository package (you may want to install the Extras->Android Support Repository as well while you are there). These allow Gradle to automatically use these resources without the need for library projects or jars manually added to your project.

Add the following dependency to your Gradle build file:
dependencies {
compile 'com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:0.2+'
}
You'll need to install the "Google Repository" from the Android SDK manager.
See demo/build.gradle for an example.
You can, of course, copy the library directory and use it like any other Android library project.
Let me know if this helps!
Chris

Steps:
First File>Project Structure>Click Plus Button >Import Graddle Project>Select the file(library folder) from the location where downloaded>CLick Ok.
Add this code to dependencies to that app module build.gradle file(remember there are two build.gradle files) :
dependencies {
compile 'com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:0.4+'
}
Copy gradle.properties file contents of that Android-maps-util Library project app(found inside that project library folder) TO
gradle.properties file of your project(Simple copy and paste of content to the editor).
Click Sync Project with gradle files button. And you must be fine!

How to copy or use native libs with Android Studio Gradle build?

I have a native lib in the
/libs/armeabi folder called libparser.so
and an associated jar file.
I changed the gradle build file to include the jar file, which seemsm to be easy (MYNEWJAR):
dependencies {
compile files('libs/android-support-v4.jar', 'libs/MYNEWJAR.jar')
}
But when I run the app, I think it cannot find the native lib:
E/AndroidRuntime(22569): Caused by: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: Couldn't load parser from loader dalvik.system.PathClassLoader[dexPath=/data/app/com.hybris.mobile.history-1.apk,libraryPath=/data/app-lib/com.hybris.mobile.history-1]: findLibrary returned null
E/AndroidRuntime(22569): at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary(Runtime.java:365)
E/AndroidRuntime(22569): at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(System.java:535)
E/AndroidRuntime(22569): at com.senstation.android.pincast.Pincast.<clinit>(Pincast.java:1299)
E/AndroidRuntime(22569): ... 17 more
Can you help me get the build file straight so it will include the native lib? This seems to be happening automatically on Eclipse, but i really want to use android studio.
Thx!
Sven

I found this answer from user Assaf Gamliel very useful.
And just made some changes to make it even more cleaner.
You don't need to rename the .zip file to .jar, just add it with a normal compile file dependency on build.gradle script. So, you would make a foo.zip file with a structure similar to this:
foo.zip ->
|--/lib
|--|--/armeabi
|--|--|--*.so
|--|--/x86
|--|--|--*.so
put it in your libs folder and then add it to gradle using compile files('libs/foo.zip'):
buildscript {
repositories {
mavenCentral()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.5.+' //gradle plugin update for Andoid Studio 0.2.+
}
}
apply plugin: 'android'
dependencies {
compile files('libs/android-support-v4.jar')
compile files('libs/foo.zip') //zip file should be in Module's /libs folder (not the Project's /lib)
}
android {
compileSdkVersion 17
buildToolsVersion "17.0.0"
defaultConfig {
minSdkVersion 7
targetSdkVersion 16
}
}
while gradle does the build it just unzip the file you added preserving its structure.

To use an external jar library
Put the jar into the libs folder/drag the file onto libs from a file explorer
Right click it and select Add as library
Ensure that compile files('libs/your_jar.jar') is in your build.gradle file
To do this, modify build.gradle which is under [projectname]Project -> [projectname] in the project pane on the left.
For me, it was necessary to change
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.+'
}
to
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.+'
compile files('libs/universal-image-loader-1.8.5.jar')
}
Click Rebuild Project under the Build menu.
I did this today to get the Universal Image Loader library integrated with my project.

Create a directory called 'jniLibs' into 'app/src/main/' and put inside all the .so
app/src/main/jniLibs/
|---- armeabi-v7a/your.so
|---- armeabi/your.so
|---- x86/your.so

Hmm...I was HOPING that someone will provide a clear example, of
how to make a 3rd-party JAR file accessible to Android-Studio, by
showing the exact SYNTAX of what the resulting 'build.gradle' file's
dependency-clause would look like, after they've added their 'foobar.jar'
entry.
You know, something like:
=========
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.+'
compile 'org.somedevs.foobar:Foobar.jar'
}
=========
[Otherwise, I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of
guessing what the answers posted so far really mean. My
INTITAL clause contained the single 'compile' line...so my
GUESS would that one should add another such line!?!?]
EDIT: Yes, many THANKS, rebelious! I now, too, have it working.
[Instead of the 'drag/drop' onto the 'libs' in Studio, I have more
reliable results by just right-clicking on 'libs' in Studio and choose
"add as library...", after copying the JAR into that location, using cmd-line.]
The correct form for the dependencies clause is the form shown below:
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.+'
compile files ('libs/Foobar.jar')
}

Due to security reason, it's not possible to reference a local jar/aar file in an application project with the gradle android plugin.
For the support library, with the Android SDK Manager, you have to install the extra named Android Support Repository which will expose the support library inside a maven repository. Then you can add the support library in your project via :
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.0'
}
For external libraries, you have 2 possibilities :
Build an aar file and deploy it to your local maven repository, then reference it in your project like you did with the android support library.
Put the library sources beside your application project and create a settings.gradle at root which will define the modules. (see the docs for more info).
On my side I would prefer build aar files because it's more modular.