Unable to merge dex

Question

I have Android Studio Beta. I created a new project with compile my old modules but when I tried launching the app it did not launch with the message:

Error:Execution failed for task ':app:transformDexArchiveWithExternalLibsDexMergerForDebug'.

com.android.builder.dexing.DexArchiveMergerException: Unable to merge dex

But I don't know how to solve this error. I googled this for hours but with no success.

My project gradle:

    // Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.

buildscript {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        google()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.0.0-beta6'
        classpath "io.realm:realm-gradle-plugin:3.7.1"
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:3.1.0'
        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
    }
}

allprojects {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        google()
    }
}

task clean(type: Delete) {
    delete rootProject.buildDir
}

My app gradle:

    apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    buildToolsVersion "26.0.1"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "parad0x.sk.onlyforyou"
        minSdkVersion 21
        targetSdkVersion 26
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
        multiDexEnabled true
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
        debug {
        }
    }
    compileOptions {
        targetCompatibility 1.7
        sourceCompatibility 1.7
    }
    packagingOptions {
        exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE'
        exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE'
    }
    lintOptions {
        checkReleaseBuilds false
    }
    productFlavors {
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', {
        exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'
    })
    //noinspection GradleCompatible
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.0.0-alpha1'
    compile project(path: ':loginregisterview')


}

And my module gradle:

    apply plugin: 'com.android.library'
apply plugin: 'realm-android'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    buildToolsVersion "26.0.1"

    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 19
        targetSdkVersion 26
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"

        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"

    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', {
        exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'
    })
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.0.2'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:26.1.0'
    compile 'com.github.bumptech.glide:glide:4.0.0'
    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    compile project(path: ':parser')

}

My second module:

     apply plugin: 'com.android.library'
apply plugin: 'realm-android'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    buildToolsVersion "26.0.1"
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 14
        targetSdkVersion 23
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"

    }

    realm {
        syncEnabled = true
    }
    useLibrary 'org.apache.http.legacy'

    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    productFlavors {
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    androidTestCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    //  compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:23.1.0'

    //   compile 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core:2.9.0'
 //   compile 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-annotations:2.9.0'
 //   compile 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:2.9.0'
    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.6.2'
}

____________finding_________

When I did not import the second module (parser) the app did not crash on dex but when the module was not imported app did not work. :D :D

Answer 1

I agree with Chris-Jr. If you are using Firebase to embed your AdMob ads (or even if you are not) the play-services-analytics includes the play-services-ads even though you don't add that as a dependency. Google have obviously made a mistake in their 11.4.0 roll-out as the analytics is including version 10.0.1 of ads, not 11.4.0 (the mouse over hint in the gradle shows this).

I manually added compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:11.4.0' at the top which worked, but only after I disabled Instant Run: http://stackoverflow.com/a/35169716/530047

So its either regress to 10.0.1 or add the ads and disable Instant Run. That's what I found if it helps any.

Answer 2

One of possible root causes: duplicate transient dependencies that weren't properly handled by Android Studio import of multi-module projects. Check your list and remove them. For me, the fix was literally this:

--- a/project/module/build.gradle
+++ b/project/module/build.gradle
@@ -21,5 +21,4 @@ android {
 dependencies {
     implementation project(':upstream-dependency-project')
     implementation 'com.android.support:support-v4:18.0.0'
-    implementation files('libs/slf4j-android-1.6.1-RC1.jar')
 }

Answer 3

I had the same problem when I update from com.google.android.gms:play-services:11.2.2 to com.google.android.gms:play-services:11.4.0. This solved it for me:

1. clean
2. rebuild

Answer 4

In my case, Unfortunately, neither Michel's nor Suragch's solutions worked for me.

So I solved this issue by doing the following:

In gradle:3.0 the compile configuration is now deprecated and should be replaced by implementation or api. For more information you can read here You can read the official docs at Gradle Build Tool

The compile configuration still exists but should not be used as it will not offer the guarantees that the api and implementation configurations provide.

it's better to use implementation or api rather compile

just replace compile with implementation, debugCompile with debugImplementation, testCompile with testImplementation and androidtestcompile with androidTestImplementation

For example: Instead of this

compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.0.2'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:26.1.0'
compile 'com.github.bumptech.glide:glide:4.0.0'

use like this

implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.0.2'
implementation 'com.android.support:support-v4:26.1.0'
implementation 'com.github.bumptech.glide:glide:4.0.0'

After that

• Delete the .gradle folder inside your project ( Note that, in order to see .gradle, you need to switch to the "Project" view in the navigator on the top left )
• Delete all the build folders and the gradle cache.
• From the Build menu, press the Clean Project button.
• After task completed, press the Rebuild Project button from the Build menu.

Hope it will helps !

Answer 5

Deleting .gradle as suggested by Suragch wasn't enough for me. Additionally, I had to perform a Build > Clean Project.

Note that, in order to see .gradle, you need to switch to the "Project" view in the navigator on the top left:

Answer 6

In my case a library makes this problem, library was successfully added to project but when i run my app it shows me this error. So if this happens to you too, you can go to github and check issues or raise new issue. If you do not find any solution regarding the library i suggest you to replace it.