Develop Reference

Adding Support Libraries to Android project

Why am I having such a hard time getting into the swing of Android development? I've been developing in various languages over the years and, for some reason, just can't seem to get beyond that "jeez-i-still-feel-a-total-noob" stage with Android.
So I'm trying to add an Action Bar to my Android 2.3.3 project. No problem, right? The Android developers website has a nice and clear article explaining exactly how to do it. Of course it involves adding the appcompat v7 support library. No problem, even this is documented step-by-step on this page. But, as with just about every such exercise in Android, I find that you can do exactly what the page tells you to do, it still won't work without significant amount of Googling to fix the errors that you encounter afterwards.
So I've followed the steps under "Using Eclipse" in the section "Adding libraries with resources" in the above link. The first error I get is Unable to resolve target 'android-16'. No problem, this one I could figure out for myself but I'm curious, is there anything in the documents I've been following that would have suggested to me that I need Android 4.1.2 (API16) installed? Did I just read right over it or should I have known by myself that, to do what I'm trying to do, I would need API16?
Never mind, at least I can fix that but then I get a new problem. As soon as I add the android-support-v7-compat library to my project and click the OK button, the console output lights up with errors, the first one being:
C:...\android-support-v7-appcompat\res\values-v14\styles_base.xml:24:
error: Error retrieving parent for item: No resource found that
matches the given name 'android:Widget.Holo.ActionBar'.
and the other 60 odd errors are similar but for different given names.
I would really appreciate if anyone could help me out here. Obviously I'd like to know how to solve this particular problem but if anyone could give me some tips on how to get past this very frustrating stage of learning this new development environment, I would be ever so thankful. What is it that I should have done differently not to run into these kinds of errors, other than following the instructions on the Android Developers website step by step?

OK, I guess I should post an answer as I've eventually managed to solve my own problem.
It turns out I have to use a build target of Android 4.2.2, regardless of the fact that I'm specifically developing for Android 2.3.3 - I mean, that's why I'm using support libraries after all. I imagine it might be possible that some other lower target (but higher than 2.3.3) would still work I just used the highest one I have installed and it solved the problem.
How I was supposed to know this from following the step-by-step instructions on the Android Developers website is a mystery to me. The reason I decided to try changing the targetSdkVersion was because of the final section in the page referenced in the question. It reads "If you are increasing the backward compatibility of your existing application to an earlier version of the Android API with the Support Library, make sure to update your application's manifest." Now I'm not increasing the backward compatibility of my existing application. I'm changing an existing application that targets 2.3.3 to be able to include an Action Bar (seems more like "forward compatibility"). I tried upgrading the targekSdkVersion though as I was out of ideas and lo and behold, it worked.

Don't know if it helps you at all, but I've been struggling with a similar issue for several hours and finally managed to resolve it. In my case, inside my own project's styles.xml file, I was referencing the AppCompat style in the wrong way in the parent attribute.
I was using:
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.AppCompat">
where I should have used:
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat">
My mistake was in the reference to the theme.

I found that setting the Android target to 2.3.3 for the library project android-support-v7-appcompat solves this issue. You don't need to set your project's target higher, but the library's target lower.

You have pinpointed the all important document and the relevant section "adding libraries with resources":
http://developer.android.com/tools/support-library/setup.html
The error suggests that your project is not able to find these resources. Please double check the following :
You have checked "is library" on the library project
You have exported the jars IN THE LIBRARY PROJECT as described in that section
You have added the library project as a reference to your app project
You have added the android-support-v4.jar to your libs folder in your app project
If this is all definitely correct, check eclipse for any error messages - is it the library project or the app project that lights up like the proverbial Christmas Tree ?

First of all check if you have done all the described steps as explained on the developers site. Then, for the errors :
Unable to resolve target 'android-16'
Make sure that you have installed API16, this errors occurs if you have mentioned your targetsdk to 16 in your Manifest while the sdk for API16 is not installed. You can either install the API or edit the targetApi of your project to the minimum required version, for the support library you are using I think API 11 is the minimum required android version.
android:Widget.Holo.ActionBar
This error should also be fixed once the targetsdk is fixed in your project. Since to use Holo.ActionBar you'l need to target your project to minimum supported api level ie. 11 or higher.

I met similar problems. Using API 18, ADT.
To solve the "Unable to resolve target 'android-16' problem", I remove the import lib project and repeat what the tutorial says.
Then I found I couldn't really "add" the library to my project. (The instruction "In the Library pane, click Add." there is not that detail.
1. In your project -> properties -> Java build path -> Libraries -> Add Library... -> Android Classpath Container -> Select the lib project
2. In your project -> properties -> Android -> add... -> choose the lib -> apply
cheers

Here is how I avoided the error, " Unable to resolve target 'android-16'", when adding v7.
First, I followed the instructions for adding support libraries with resources in eclipse. Following step 4, I clicked Finish. That's when I saw the error message, android-support-v7-appcompat] Unable to resolve target 'android-16'.
Second, I read this post. I also opened the download manager, but did not need anything updated. In order to make sure that I followed the steps exactly as correctly as I could, I deleted the android-support-v7-appcompat project and started over.
This second time I didn't check any different boxes, after all. But, I also got no errors at step 4. Who can say why?
Thanks, Dewald, you expressed in this question the same frustration I have. Is experience the only way out?

If some of your resource xml files cannot find their respective AppCompat references, make sure you also add the support libraries to your project properties. You do this by:
1.) right clicking on your project in the project
2.) Select properties. (Bottom of the menu)
3.) click Android on the left hand side menu of the new pop up window
4.) In the libraries section, click the "add button"
5.) Select the respective libraries. (If none show up, check to see if they are already displayed in the "libraries" window of the pop up menu. If there is a red x by the desired library, try and resolve that issue first.)
6.) Once there is a green checkmark next to the desired libraries, make sure the "Is Library" option in the libraries section IS NOT selected.
7.) Click apply.
8.) Close the pop up menu.
If this doesn't work, let me know and I can help you out. I spent three hours on the problem so I know pretty much all the possible things that can go wrong with the set up.

Go to Project -> uncheck Build Automatically
Go to Project -> Clean... , clean both the library project and your app project
Export your app as a signed APK while Build Automatically is still disabled

Problems converting to library project including Facebook SDK

I have a working app that I've now converted to being a library project in Eclipse. When I attempt to include the library as a "Project Reference" in an empty app (no other functionality other than what it inherits from the library) it fails to build. I get the message Unable to execute dex: Multiple dex files define Lcom/facebook/android/R$attr;.
To try to work around this I tried to delete the Android Dependencies completely. But then I get a "Class not found exception" for classes in the library.
Is it possible to remove the Facebook dependency without also removing the app library dependency? I tried to delete the facebooksdk.jar file but was unable to do so since all the buttons are grayed out. (see screen capture below)
I also tried simply unchecking "Android Dependencies" in "Order and Export". That had no effect on the problem.
Your suggestions are welcome.
FYI, my project has 3 main components. All 3 are contained in the same Eclipse project folder (see screen capture):
Application "App_A"
Library_L (included as Project Reference in "A") It's worth noting that Library_L executes perfectly when I run it as a non-library project.
Facebook SDK 3.0.2 (included as Project Reference in Library_L (see screen capture)

Project References are used to include a library project (e.g., the Facebook SDK).
The documentation -- and books by balding guys -- show you how to attach an Android library project to your app, and it has nothing to do with "Project References".
Similarly, the documentation for the Facebook SDK shows you how to attach their Android library project to your app (see Step 6). They follow the standard Android library project approach, and that too does not involve "Project References".
Now, it is conceivable that there's something about a newer Eclipse version (I'm running Indigo) that causes "Project References" to show Android library projects as checked -- it does not do so in my version.
Make sure that you have properly set up the Android library projects, and see if that helps with your issue.

Project 'HelloFacebookSample' is missing required Java project 'facebook'

I have been following the instructions for integrating the facebook SDK into my apps. I have succeeded in getting all the given sample apps to compile and run except for "helloFacebookSample". For this I get a compilation error:
Project 'HelloFacebookSample' is missing required Java project 'facebook'
My understanding of projects/libraries/build paths etc is a little hazy, but I can not work out why this should fail where all the others succeeded.
Here's a screen grab of my properties window for HelloFacebookSample:
I can confirm that the directory:
c:\android stuff\facebook\facebook-android-sdk-3.0\facebook\bin
contains a file facebooksdk.jar
Any ideas?
EDIT: Thrashing around some more, I just clicked on the "projects" tab that you see in the screen grab above, and saw that it says "facebook (missing)". I'm a bit confused because I thought that projects may need to rely on libraries rather than other projects... but still I have no idea how to resolve the problem. I don't seem to have a project called simply "facebook"...
Edit: thrashing around some more, I just experimentally deleted the "facebook (missing)" from the java build path and then did an "add" of "FacebookSDK"... I thought this was cluttching at straws, but to my surprise it worked!!! HelloFacebookSample compiled and ran!!! - I have no idea what's going on though and would still like an explanation.

The previous version of the Android Facebook SDK referred to the project as 'facebook'. It looks like this sample was not updated to delete the old reference, and add the new one to 'FacebookSDK'. You took the corrective steps to resolve this yourself already by modifying the Java Build Path of the project.

The problem will easily be removed by simply going to the properties of your project and right clicking it, then go to project tab, select the project which prompts missing and remove it.
Now click on project->build project->clean
Now run your project and it will surely do fine

ERROR: "._android-support-v4.jar" in project FacebookSDK

Help needed!!!! Stuck for 2 weeks on this and help needed.
I've recently imported the facebook sdk for android and its projects into my workspace. It shows up errors and the problems:
Archive for required library: '/home/Documents/facebook-android-sdk-3.0.2.b/facebook/libs/._android-support-v4.jar' in project 'FacebookSDK' cannot be read or is not a valid ZIP file
And the samples get errors along the line of:
The container 'Android Dependencies' references non existing library '/home/Documents/facebook-android-sdk-3.0.2.b/facebook/bin/facebooksdk.jar'
The things I have done following the other discussions without any success are
cleaned project
set the Facebook SDK as library
looked at the build path section and added external jar consisting of facebook/libs
imported fb sdk like 20 times and into different folders.
made sure my java compiler was 1.6
HELP would be very greatly appreciated!!!!

Take the lastest version of android-support-v4.jar (in your sdk environement : sdk/extras/android/support/v4/android-support-v4.jar) and replace in your project and library project do not create conflict.

The steps to importing a library are:
Download the library
Place the library in the libs folder of the project.
Build the project
Do Not attempt to import the library using some import wizard.
I suspect either your download was corrupted, and you need to do it again, or you put the file into the wrong directly.

I think your problem is that the android.support.v4 versions are different, take the one from your project and replace the one in the Facebook sdk lib folder, it should dismiss the clash.

As per your question, I think you are not able to compile once you add the SDK to your project. Do you get an error saying unable to run as library?
If so that means you have included this as library and create your project as a library to be used further. It is a common mistake that I have seen many people do when they try to import a library to use and tick mark the checkbox is Library. This actually means you want this project to be treated as a library for future use. Just try to add the SDK and do not tick mark the checkbox and this project will run fine.
Many forums will just tell you to tick that checkbox and you will be stuck on this error for long time.
For any .jar file related issues you have to make the .jars files compatible as there hashing a problem and the two jars are not compatible with each other (a version issue).

Conversion to Dalvik format failed with error 1 with javax/net/SocketFactory.class

Encounter this problem when trying to Build Project getting such output in console:
[2010-07-19 23:29:23 - myProject]
trouble processing "javax/net/SocketFactory.class":
[2010-07-19 23:29:23 - myProject]
Attempt to include a core VM class in something other than a core library.
It is likely that you have attempted to include the core library from a desktop
virtual machine into an application, which will most assuredly not work. If
you really intend to build a core library -- which is only appropriate as
part of creating a full virtual machine binary, as opposed to compiling an
application -- then use the "--core-library" option to suppress this error
message. If you go ahead and use "--core-library" but are in fact building
an application, then please be aware that your build will still fail at some
point; you will simply be denied the pleasure of reading this helpful error
message.
[2010-07-19 23:29:23 - myProject] 1 error; aborting
[2010-07-19 23:29:23 - myProject] Conversion to Dalvik format failed with error 1
I was looking for my project to use the package javax, not found, clean all also does not help. what I am doing wrong?
Update
Sorry guys, but I could not find good fix for that, I want to emphasize the fact, that i dont use SocketFactory class in my project at all! source code was not changed before this problem, and that's why i think that problem in eclipse or adt or something else, BUT if i use ant(generated by sdk) to build this project there is no problem!!!
I solve this problem by removing Eclipse, Android SDK, Eclipse workspace, and just reinstall them, after this all works fine for now.
Hope this will help someone.

I had the same problem..
This worked for me
project-->properties->java build path->libraries-> remove all including android jars
now go the project browser, right click on the project you are working on,
then android tools---> fix project properties...
do a clean and then build...

I solved the problem (at least for me).
Here's what I did:
Go to Project » Properties » Java Build Path » Libraries
Remove all except the "Android X.Y" click OK.
Go to Project » Clean » Clean projects selected below » select your project and click OK.
That did the trick for me.
Hope it works for you as well
Update: well actually I might have to retract my opinion.. the actions removed the error messages but now I am missing certain classes and methods... arggghhhh

I just restarted Eclipse, and the error didn't appear anymore!

I had the same problem,and solved it as follows:
First clean all jars; (This problem must because your some jars)
Delete the project;
Reimport project;
Make sure your sdk is right, and project select one sdk version;
(This is my issue to solve the problem) Right click your project, and select "build-path", next select "add Librarys", and add your private jars;
clean-build, the problem has fixed;

I just had the same problem and I tried all of the solutions listed here with no success (I was starting to get annoyed). Then I removed the project from the workspace and then imported it again, and there were no problems!

This happened to me this way,
I have a quite an old project which I had to start working again today. I use 'Universal Image Downloader' library for basically every project where I have to deal with lots of images. So in this old project I had the source files of 'Universal Image Downloader' included to it's 'src' path. Back then I was a newbie and slowly I started developing my own library which could handle every day simple Android development tasks very easily. Obviously I included the 'Universal Image Downloader' to this.
After dusting off the old project today the first thing I did was to reference my library to speed up the development process but as I was trying to debug I ran into the "Conversion to Dalvik format failed with error 1" over and over again. First I thought it was the support library but even after clearing all libraries and adding only mine and doing a quick 'Fix project properties' I still got it. After trying various solutions I noticed this in the console "java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: already added: Lcom/nostra13/universalimageloader/cache/disc/BaseDiscCache;"
It was as simple as that... I'm trying to compile a class which has already been compiled.
Solution : I just simply removed all the class files I got from 'Universal Image Downloader' library from the 'src' directory. Since my library references "Universal Image Downloader" library the old project started working just fine.

Hit same problem shown on your log when trying to run an example project which was imported into eclipse.
Additional Info: in eclipse's Problems View I see the following error:
"The project cannot be built until build path errors are resolved"
In my case the imported project find the libraries just right(by just right I mean I can see the external path to each of the android libs in this case 2 libs, android.jar and maps.jar). So no shuffling of libs in my case, but might be your problem.
I followed Spock's suggestion of cleaning the project which I had to clean multiple times until it somehow resolve its issues. After, issue was solved I had to specify an AVD for the project to run and soon after was up and running on the emulator. Also, note that my eclipse is set up to Build Automatically.
In my case I'm not missing any class files or anything after the clean as the build is properly generating them.
Regards!

I was getting the same error. My problem was that i had an android device hooked up to debug with. As soon as I unplugged it I was able to export.

The answer I found was checking the source and library build path in the project's properties. Most likely there will be a duplicate as in something being referenced in both the source and library tabs. So delete the extra in the source tab and then clean the project and you should be good to go.

Either:
javax.net.SocketLibrary is in your source code, or
javax.net.SocketLibrary is included in a JAR file in your project

Under certain conditions it gets its knickers in a twist and the best fix I've found is to remove referenced jars, clean, add them back in and then compile again.
I believe the error can be caused by including the same classes twice.
This error will also occur (and you won't be able to get rid of it by cleaning) when using classes that are not part of the Android environment.

To summarise the information in the link bimbim.in provided (well my understanding when I glanced over it)
The Android Davik VM tries to compile the jars but finds some stuff that it can't compile to .dex files
so
Just create a "lib" directory in the root of the project (where the src, bin res directories are) and add them to the build path. Project Properties... Java Build Path... Libraries.. Add JARs..

I could resolve this issue by creating a new project, looks like the some project settings were creating this issue and could not really find the root cause for that. But, dumping the existing source code onto the new project resovled this issue. If anyone has found the root cause for this problem pls do let me know.

I had the same problem and solved it as follows:
- Go to Project/Properties/Java Build Path/Libraries and remove all JARs except Android
- Do a project clean
- Add the JARs again as External JARs (first time I added them internally, so that might be the problem)
After that the error was gone.

I solved the problem by updating available packages in the Android SDK et AVD manager. No need to remove Eclipse.

Whenever the Project is having the ambitious data. This problem is caused. May be android can't able to find which one choose.

From what I understand, this same cryptic error could be caused from a wide variety of reasons. I've got "Conversion to Dalvik format failed with error 1" error too. In my case the problem was that for some reason Project -> Properties -> Java Compiler was not set to "Enable project specific settings" with proper Java 1.5 settings, but was left to defaults instead (1.6 in my case). Debug, build and test on devices/emulators worked fine, but export always failed with the above error message.
If unsure about the proper settings, create the same project on some alternative location and just copy all needed files from the old project into the new one. This fixed the issue for me.
The next problem with the same error message came from using proguard. Updating to the latest version by replacing the one that came with android sdk, fixed that.
Hope this helps

My problem was having a jar file in my src folder. Removing jars from the build path works, but only if you don't need the jar in question. For people who need the jar in question, make sure that your jar file is not in the project folder (maybe just src subtree, but I would keep it separate to test). Put it on your desktop or something and try the "Add external jar.." option. Be sure to remove the jar from the project filesystem before adding another external. Having both is what causes the problem.

I have done it as the instruction of the first answer and it works.(Linux)
I think the problem may caused by SDK or ADT updates.
I do have to clear all the lib in Java Building path and then use android tools to fix the project. After cleaning and rebuild, it works as before.