maven-android-sdk-deployer - do I need it?

[Frode Nilsen]

So this is my case: I have an old project which I'm bringing out from the attic after 1 year. It's maven-based, but I only depended on the support-v4 library then. Now I need to introduce support-v7 and play-services-maps-support. My first move was to alter .m2/config.xml and introduce local repositoris in the following two folders

1. D:\coding\android-sdk\extras\google\m2repository
   
2. D:\coding\android-sdk\extras\android\m2repository
   

Now as you know, these are the two maven repositories deployed with the Android SDK. So now both support-v7 and the play-services-maps dependency can be resolved by maven.

Why would I need maven-android-sdk-deployer? If not now, when? I see that the README.md of the project states the following:

ATTENTION! Currently some android.jar artifacts are available in Maven central and unless you use maps or usb related dependencies, android 3.0+, the compatibility library jar files or insist on using the original jar files from the local SDK install, you might not need this tool anymore.

I am using IntelliJ IEDA 14.1.2 and always building through the IDE. I am not dependent on command line build support or a build server.

Frode

[William Ferguson]

You need maven-android-sdk-deployer to package/install the platform jar for each Android version so that you can include it as a dependency as sadly Google is not yet providing them in Android SDK Maven repos.

William