Apktool.jar common errors and solutions

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/apktool-jar-common-errors-and-solutions.4185443/

Since many got apktool.jar errors and don't know how to search or solve themself, I decided to explain and provide solutions here with links to Github. I have a friend who sometime can help me with this.
I will do my best to get much info. Feel free to post your thoughts
Know your error:
There’s a wide range of error messages you may encounter when decompiling and compiling your app. Depending on the kind of error you encounter, apktool.jar will always display the error message. Spotting error messages is easy
For example this log:

Code:

I: Using Apktool 2.4.1
I: Smaling smali folder into classes.dex...
I: Smaling smali_classes2 folder into classes2.dex...
I: Building resources...
W: D:\xxx\AndroidManifest.xml:15: Tag <uses-permission> attribute name has invalid character ' '.
brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.common.BrutException: could not exec (exit code = 1): [C:\Users\evildog1\AppData\Local\Temp\brut_util_Jar_2200487015856364895.tmp, p, --forced-package-id, 127, --min-sdk-version, 19, --target-sdk-version, 28, --version-code, 19227, --version-name, 4.1.1, --no-version-vectors, -F, C:\Users\evildog1\AppData\Local\Temp\APKTOOL3877124333918122178.tmp, -e, C:\Users\evildog1\AppData\Local\Temp\APKTOOL2736431752124554942.tmp, -0, arsc, -I, C:\Users\evildog1\AppData\Local\apktool\framework\1.apk, -S, D:\xxx\res, -M, D:\xxx\AndroidManifest.xml]

If you think could not exec is your error, it's actually not, the real error is actually a 'warning'

Code:

W: D:\APK Easy Tool\1-Decompiled APKs\xxx\AndroidManifest.xml:15: Tag <uses-permission> attribute name has invalid character ' '

The good thing it tells you which line it occured AndroidManifest.xml:15:. it's line 15 in AndroidManifest.xml
This was caused by a space in a permission tag. Removing it will fix the compiling error

It's not always a simple fix. This always depending
Check the APK file:
Sometimes APK is obfuscated in many ways.
Open the APK using 7-zip and WinRar and see if the first classes.dex is smaller than 500 KB or way bigger than 10 MB. If so, it a sign it's encrypted. Decompiling and compiling the big dex file will result in a smaller size and it will fail to decrypt due to missing encrypted block
Decompile and check if smali files and codes are obfuscated. This is an example of Netflix app that is obfuscated

Don't ask me how to break protected APK, I'm not a reverser so I can't help you with it.
Troubleshooting:
Sometime those troubleshooting tricks helps fixing errors. Please try one or more of the following below
- If you are using any 3rd party GUI tools, please try the actual apktool.jar with CMD first
- Use latest version of apktool.jar: https://ibotpeaches.github.io/Apktool/ and test
- If you are using latest version, try use older version of apktool.jar. Sometimes it can mitigate the issue
- Clear framework apktool empty-framework-dir --force and decompile the APK again.
- Decompile APK with --only-main-classes (Only disasemble dex classes in root (classes[0-9].dex). Prevents disasemble dex from assets folder) (apktool 2.4.1 and up only)
- Decompile APK with --no-res if you are only editing Java (smali) (--no-res will prevent the decompile of resources. This keeps the resources.arsc intact without any decode.)
- Decompile APK with --no-src if you are only editing the resources (xml) (--no-src will prevent the disassembly of the dex file(s). This keeps the apk dex file(s) and simply moves it during build.)
- Compile with --use-aapt2 (Use the aapt2 binary instead of appt)

Last edited: Nov 18, 2020

Reactions:Raiz, kevintm78 and fosefx

evildog1

Senior Member

Nov 3, 2020

Errors list:
Tip: Press CTRL + F and find the words
If there is no error you are looking for, search it on following Github issue pages
Apktool: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues
Baksmali/smali: https://github.com/JesusFreke/smali/issues
Deompile errors:
* Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException (XML related)
This is an issue with apktool 2.4.1. Downgrade to 2.4.0 or below (2.3.4 is better)
* Exception in thread "main" org.jf.dexlib2.dexbacked.DexBackedDexFile$NotADexFile: Not a valid dex magic value: (xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx)
Rare issue, it usally caused if it tries to decompile encrypted dex from assets folder
Decompile APK with --only-main-classes
* Exception in thread "main" brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.directory.DirectoryException: Error copying file: res
This is a trick to prevent decompiling on Windows. Open the APK file using 7zip or Winrar and delete the unnamed file from res folder

Or use Mac/Linux until then
See: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/1460
* Invalid debug offset
These are legitimate warnings about inconsistencies in the dex file. The invalid debug offset is otherwise ignored and the classes are successfully disassembled.
Compile errors:
* brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.common.BrutException: could not exec (exit code = -1073741515)
This was an issue with Java 8 32-bit on Apktool 2.4.0. Install 64-bit of Java or switch to other version
See: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2141
* Cant find 9patch chunk in file: (...). Renaming it to *.png.
APK is Obfuscated
See: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=81088145&postcount=619
* Cannot run program "aapt": CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
Not a bug. This means the default application that is copied to tmp and executed, could not be done. Therefore it relied on the aapt binary being accessible in the $PATH variable.
* Class (...) has already been interned
Decompile APK with --only-main-classes (apktool 2.4.1 and up only)
* Exception in thread "main" brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.directory.PathNotExist: apktool.yml
apktool.yml does not exist, because APK did not decompiled completely. Decompile again
* Float types not allowed
Remove the decimal from version number maybe?
Reported issue: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=82840671&postcount=699
* Invalid resource directory name
Currently unknown. Try clear framework if you don't work with system apps
* Invalid file name: must contain only (...). Ignoring...
See: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2282
* JAXP 1.5 Support is required to validate XML
Update apktool.jar to the latest version
* No resource identifier found for attribute 'isSplitRequired' in package 'android'
Split APK is not supported yet. See https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2218
If you are following some tutorials how to merge split apks into one, then remove the attribute android:isSplitRequired="true" from AndroidManifest.xml, save and compile again
* No resource identifier found for attribute (...) in package (...)
There are many reasons why. Please refer to these issues for more infomation: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues?q=No+resource+identifier+found+for+attribute+
Try clear framework if you don't work with system apps
Sometimes, removing the attribute will fix the error and the app would run fine without it. Always test if the app is working fine or not
* No resource found that matches the given name
There are many reasons why. This is not always easy to fix
See issues
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2365
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2362
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2339
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2422
Try clear framework if you don't work with system apps
If you are working with system apps, you may need framework installed.
* Tag (...) missing required attribute name.
Not an easy fix, but you can try --use-aapt2 or don't decode resources (-r, --no-res) if you don't need
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/1880
Tag <uses-permission> attribute name has invalid character ' '
This was caused by a space in an attribute name. Removing it will fix the compiling error
Example, change:

Code:

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.finsky.permission.CHECK_LICENSE "/>

Code:

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.finsky.permission.CHECK_LICENSE"/>

* Unsupported res type name for bags
See: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/1719
* Unsigned short value out of range: 65536
You have too many methods. The method index can't fit into an unsigned 16-bit value each dex
Simply move your codes to smali_classes(X) or create new one. For example if smali_classes2 is the latest, move code to smali_classes3
Full error log:

* warning: found plain 'id' attribute; did you mean the new 'android:id' name?
See: https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/2188
* warning: string (...) has no default translation.
Those are warnings, they are fine.
* WARNING: Could not write to (C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Local\apktool\framework), using C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Local\Temp\ instead...
Use the --frame-path [folder] parameter and describing the folder you want the framework resources to reside.
This warning can be ignored if you don't use framework
Others:
* 'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command
Install/Re-install latest version of Java 8 https://java.com/en/download/ or set the enviorment path manually
* APKTOOL_DUMMY
If you get APKTOOL_DUMMY that's generally because apktool can't decode some of the information in the original APK and creates a 'dummy' value instead. Because there's no things called APKTOOL_DUMMY in public.xml, the APK can't be recompiled. It's likely because you try to compile splitted APK with some missing infomation
* Exception in thread "main" java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space
Increase the java heap size like:
java -Xmx4096m -jar apktool.jar
java -Xmx4g -jar apktool.jar
If your system is Windows and is 64-bit, please uninstall 32-bit version and install 64-bit version (Windows Offline (64-bit)) https://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
* Unsupported major.minor version (...)
Upgrade java to the latest version https://java.com/en/download/