can't build for android ([apply] error: no command specified ... dx)

[Shiri]

Hi,

I'm trying to build zxing for android. After following the
instructions on the "getting started" (http://code.google.com/p/zxing/
wiki/GettingStarted) wiki page, I am getting this error:

[echo] Converting compiled files and external libraries into bin/
classes.d
x...
[apply] error: no command specified
[apply] usage:
[apply] dx --dex [--debug] [--verbose] [--positions=<style>] [--
no-locals
.....

BUILD FAILED
c:\users\shiri\dev\projects\zxing-read-only\android\build.xml:217:
apply returne
d: 1


Someone else reported this problem on the "getting started" wiki.
sro...@gmail.com suggested checking the android-home variable. I have
set the android-home variable correctly. It's pointing to the 1.6 sdk,
which the instructions tell you to download, so I'm stumped.

Thank you for your help!
-SA

[Sean Owen]

I feel like I've seen this before but forget the issue. Run with ant -
v to see what dx command it is generating? That would probably point
out the problem.

There's an old (harmless) issue whereby not setting ${external-libs-
folder} results in a folder with that name being created and passed to
dx, which should do nothing. But maybe somehow it's an issue now.

[Shiri]

I ran "ant -v" but I'm not sure what to make of the output:

dex:

[echo] Converting compiled files and external libraries into bin/

classes.dex...
Property "external-libs-folder" has not been set
[apply] Current OS is Windows Vista
[apply] Executing 'c:\users\shiri\dev\lib\android-sdk-
windows-1.6_r1\platforms\android-1.6\tools\dx.bat' with arguments:
[apply] '-JXmx256M'
[apply] '--dex'
[apply] '--output=c:\users\shiri\dev\projects\zxing-read-only
\android\bin/classes.dex'
[apply] 'c:\users\shiri\dev\projects\zxing-read-only\android\bin
\classes'
[apply]
[apply] The ' characters around the executable and arguments are
[apply] not part of the command.

[apply] error: no command specified
[apply] usage:
[apply] dx --dex [--debug] [--verbose] [--positions=<style>] [--

no-locals]
[apply] [--no-optimize] [--statistics] [--[no-]optimize-
list=<file>] [--no-strict]
[apply] [--keep-classes] [--output=<file>] [--dump-to=<file>] [--
dump-width=<n>]
[apply] [--dump-method=<name>[*]] [--verbose-dump] [--no-files]
[--core-library]
[apply] [<file>.class | <file>.{zip,jar,apk} | <directory>] ...
[apply] Convert a set of classfiles into a dex file,
optionally embedded in a
[apply] jar/zip. Output name must end with one
of: .dex .jar .zip .apk. Positions
[apply] options: none, important, lines.
[apply] dx --annotool --annotation=<class> [--element=<element
types>]
[apply] [--print=<print types>]
[apply] dx --dump [--debug] [--strict] [--bytes] [--basic-blocks
| --rop-blocks]
[apply] [--width=<n>] [<file>.class | <file>.txt] ...
[apply] Dump classfiles in a human-oriented format.
[apply] dx --junit [-wait] <TestClass>
[apply] Run the indicated unit test.
[apply] dx -J<option> ... <arguments, in one of the above forms>
[apply] Pass VM-specific options to the virtual machine that
runs dx.
[apply] dx --version
[apply] Print the version of this tool (1.2).
[apply] dx --help
[apply] Print this message.

It looks like dx.bat is called on with several arguments, but they
aren't used when dx is called? I'm not sure.

Thanks for your help!

[Sean Owen]

My next best guess is:

You're on Windows, and I am not sure the build script is entirely
Windows-proofed, and the only nagging issue is path separator (/ vs.
\) . This line looks problematic:

--output=c:\users\shiri\dev\projects\zxing-read-only \android\bin/
classes.dex

You could try replacing / with \ in the build.xml file(s)?

[Shiri]

I got it to build!

I changed the slashes to backslashes in the build.xml as you suggested
but still got the same error. I then did a quick google search on the
error and found this site:

http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4217

Apparently there is a problem with the android sdk's dx.bat. The link
above has a modified dx.bat file which seems to do the trick. Now it
builds successfully! Now I'll try running it on the phone...

shiri

On Oct 29, 12:24 pm, Sean Owen <sro...@gmail.com> wrote:
> My next best guess is:
>
> You're on Windows, and I am not sure the build script is entirely
> Windows-proofed, and the only nagging issue is path separator (/ vs.
> \) . This line looks problematic:
>
> --output=c:\users\shiri\dev\projects\zxing-read-only \android\bin/
> classes.dex
>
> You could try replacing / with \ in the build.xml file(s)?
>