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
Related
I know many people have asked this questions previously too. I have gone through almost all the posts available on StackO but all in vain. Trying to make it work since last 24 hours but of no use.
What I have tried till now :
1.) Fresh copy of Eclipse and ADT
2.) Deleting the .android folder and .metadata(lost all workspace properties :( ) folder.
3.) Reinstalling whole SDK and everything
4.) Deleting and adding projects(my own projects and appcompat projects) multiple times.
5.) Changed properties target platform and done everything possible
6.) etc etc
I'm not facing any issues with Google Play services...
Still getting errors in appcompat project folder and new projects. I have attached few screenshots below. Please if someone knows the exact issue and how to resolve it then let me know as I have already wasted 1 day on this troubleshooting.
The Problems tab is showing these messages : Click Me
Screenshot-1 http://tinypic.com/r/2hdocjb/8
Screenshot-2 http://tinypic.com/r/ht7axg/8
Screenshot-3 http://tinypic.com/r/or0512/8
It seems not finding Material theme, Project Build Target of library project appcompat is checked on Android 5?
It seems Android has updated all the styles and have removed the previous styles from AppCompat.
The solution is ( Recommended ) either to Update everything in SDK and update your project styles with new appcompat-21.
Other solution is to get older version of appcompat and use that.
Thanks
For the last 2 days I've been trying to simply get Google play game services Integrated into my game. I've followed the instructions here...
https://github.com/playgameservices/android-basic-samples/blob/master/README.md
...many many times. I have been trying to get it to build with Gradle but for now, I'll just focus on Eclipse building until that works. I've imported BaseGameUtils project into my workspace as an Android library project. My game android project has two Android library dependencies: google-play-services_lib and BaseGameUtils. Everything in Eclipse is showing without any errors. When I build and run on a real device, I see an error that says -
[2014-10-27 20:39:25 - BaseGameUtils] Could not find BaseGameUtils.apk!
I don't know why it's even looking for BaseGameUtils.apk since it should be an Android library. That said, I'm not sure how an Android library is really handled so maybe it should be a .apk. In any case, I couldn't find any information on this bug and the error message doesn't give me much to work with. I've tried adjusting things in the Build Path but no luck. I did have to remove some redundant dependencies in my Build Path earlier since I was getting some kind of duplicate DEX error but I'm not sure that's related in any way to this. I am desperate for help, anyone have any idea?
Can you try this? It has to do with conflicting methods of specifying that a project is a library.
I found the source of the problem!
It turns out that "with the new library feature, you don't specify the
Android projects you depend on in the Java Build Path section of the
Properties. You do it in the Android section of the Properties".
So all I had to do is go the Application Project's Properties, hit the
Projects tab, select my own library project and click the Remove
button. That's it. No more problem.
In Eclipse Java EE select the project Properties, then select Project
References, then check the FacebookSDK (see screen capture)
From: Android Eclipse - Could not find *.apk
If that doesn't help, you may want to double check that you selected "Is Library" in BaseGameUtils.
Also, when you hit "Run" in Eclipse, are you running your application and not BaseGameUtils?
Please would you check that BaseGameUtils has "is library" checked and that your application project DOES NOT have "is library" checked.
If this is correct, then please would you review the following in detail (especially as regards checking and unchecking "is library" ) :
Android Eclipse - Could not find *.apk
I presume that the DEX error related to two or more versions of the same lib. What is the specific GameHelper error ?
As a general point, I find it productive to get a sample project working first to ensure that I have got the environment working correctly before I start integrating game services into my own projects. If you have been changing the build path then it may be quicker to start from scratch and get a sample working. I have followed those instructions in the past and they are accurate.
I am newer to Android and receive the error message: "NotificationCompat cannot be resolved to a type"
MinSDK=9, TargetSDK=18,
As of yet, all sources are very vague on how to resolve this issue and simply note: "update the JAR files".
What JARs do I need and where can I find them, so that this issue is resolved?
You need the support library. Here are the instructions on how to download them: http://developer.android.com/tools/support-library/setup.html
I needed to add "android-support-v4.jar" to my project to use the ActionBar.
From the support link (which has been updated)
With the release of Android 9.0 (API level 28) there is a new version of the support library called AndroidX
From the menu: Refactor > Migrate to AndroidX...
You will be prompted to back up your project to a zip. After that, a Refactor Preview will be shown in the console area. You should see a button "Do Refactor".
This will remove the error under the noted conditions. You may find some lines of code now report as deprecated after the refactor.
Sometimes Eclipse gets hung up on this class, and no amount of cleaning and rebuilding will make it recognize that you have, in fact, added the support library and imported the correct class. I don't know why it always happens with this particular class. But the solution is to close and restart Eclipse.
I have a project target to API Level 10 and i want to implement the new ActionBar support library.
After follow all the instrutions in the Support Library Setup, when adding the library to my project I came across with dozens of error messages like this:
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.....
OK, i know that they are many answers to this question, but, after trying all the more obvious, i still could not solve the error.
I kept searching and found the cause, which is not so obvious, at least for newbies like me.
My intent is provide a full answer to help all those who are like me and do not master all the secrets of the Android development.
This is what you have to do for use the ActionBar support library correctly.
Follow the instructions in the Support Library Setup - Adding libraries with resources.
One thing that can bring some doubt is add the library to your aplicattion project:
(1) In the Project Explorer, right-click your project and select Properties.
(2) At the left pane select Android.
(3) At th bottom of the right pane click Add
(4) Select the library project android-support-v7-appcompat and click OK.
Click OK to close the properties window.
If you not get any of the errors I mentioned it´s all done.
However if you are like me, you dont´t followed the advice of Android team that suggests you always compile your source using the latest SDK, you get the error.
The error ocurrs because my Project Build Target was Android 2.3.3 and need to be at lest 3.0.
It was not immediately clear to me because of the fact that I'm specifically developing for Android 2.3.3 and I'm using support libraries.
OK, I hope this helps.
You should add that support library to your project. To add:
Right click on project, then go to :
properties > Java Build Path > Libraries
here Add External JARs...
add android-support-v7-appcompat.jar (path/to/sdk/extras\android\support\v7\appcompat\libs)
Additionally you also have to copy that jar to libs folder of your project, if it is not there automatically.
and you should use the #style/Theme.AppCompat theme for your application for support-v7 to be working
also keep one thing in mind you should change min sdk version to 11 if you want to support("android:windowActionBar")property in your project.
I have several Android projects in an Eclipse workspace:
a stand-alone application project with a class my.package.Foo
a library project with a different class my.package.Foo
two application projects that depend on the library project and contain no source code
The problem comes when working with one of the applications built on top of the library project. When it crashes (sadly, a frequent occurrence), I double-click on a line of the stack trace in the logcat to go to the relevant source. The problem is, if the line is for Foo.java, Eclipse always opens the source from the stand-alone project. The only way I can direct Eclipse to the right source is to close the stand-alone project, which is somewhat inconvenient.
Is there any way to get Eclipse to pay attention to which application actually crashed when it looks for the relevant source file? I assume that this is some sort of classpath problem (similar to that described in this post). However, I don't see anything in the Android run configuration properties for modifying the class path. Eclipse always seems to run through the workspace projects in alphabetical order by name and opens the first my/package/Foo.java it finds.
I'm using the latest Android ADT and SDK versions.
Per the link provided in the comment by #blessenm, this is an issue with logcat in Eclipse. We should see a fix in Release 20 of the SDK tools. As can be seen here, the patch that fixes it has been completed and is in line for final approval.
Meanwhile, the best thing to do is to change the logcat preferences (Window -> Preferences -> Android -> LogCat) so that the double-click action is "Go to Problem (method declaration)" instead of the default "Go to Problem (error line)". This isn't foolproof: it will at least open the file but if there are multiple methods with the same name, it will go to the first method, regardless of signature. (When the fix is incorporated, there will be no need for options for double-click action and it should disappear from the preferences.)