java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: android.support.v4.view.LayoutInflaterCompat

Question

I am getting following error in Samsung note 2 in 4.4.2 , version. I also have tried with HTC One X+ 4.2.2. I think its pre-lollipop. Cause its working fine on Lollipop. any guess?

This is my gradle file

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 22
    buildToolsVersion '22.0.1'

    packagingOptions {
        exclude 'META-INF/DEPENDENCIES'
        exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE'
        exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE'
    }

    defaultConfig {
        multiDexEnabled true
        applicationId "com.example.app"
        minSdkVersion 14
        targetSdkVersion 22
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
    }
    buildTypes {

        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    compile project(':volley')
    compile project(':linkedin-sdk')
    compile project(':facebook')
    compile files('libs/ormlite-android-4.49-SNAPSHOT.jar')
    compile files('libs/ormlite-core-4.49-SNAPSHOT.jar')
    compile project(':library')
    compile('org.apache.httpcomponents:httpmime:4.3.6') {
        exclude module: 'httpclient'
    }
    compile 'org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient-android:4.3.5'
    compile 'com.crittercism:crittercism-android-agent:5.0.6'
    compile 'com.squareup.picasso:picasso:2.3.2'
    compile files('libs/json_simple-1.1.jar')
    compile 'com.android.support:design:22.2.0'
    compile project(':dropboxChooserSDK')
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:7.5.0'
    compile files('libs/google-api-client-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-api-client-android-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-api-services-drive-v2-rev173-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-http-client-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-http-client-android-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-http-client-gson-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/google-oauth-client-1.20.0.jar')
    compile files('libs/jsr305-1.3.9.jar')
    compile files('libs/gson-2.2.4.jar')
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:22.2.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:22.2.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:22.2.0'
}

Exception I am getting.

 26927-26927/com.example.app E/dalvikvm﹕ Could not find class 'android.support.v7.internal.view.menu.MenuBuilder', referenced from method android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV7.initializePanelMenu
06-09 21:12:24.014  26927-26927/com.example.app E/dalvikvm﹕ Could not find class 'android.support.v7.internal.view.menu.MenuBuilder', referenced from method android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplBase$AppCompatWindowCallbackBase.onCreatePanelMenu
06-09 21:12:24.014  26927-26927/com.example.app E/dalvikvm﹕ Could not find class 'android.support.v7.internal.view.menu.MenuBuilder', referenced from method android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplBase$AppCompatWindowCallbackBase.onPreparePanel
06-09 21:12:24.019  26927-26927/com.example.app E/AndroidRuntime﹕ FATAL EXCEPTION: main
    Process: com.example.app, PID: 26927
    java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: android.support.v4.view.LayoutInflaterCompat
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV7.installViewFactory(AppCompatDelegateImplV7.java:812)
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity.onCreate(AppCompatActivity.java:57)
            at com.example.app.BaseActivity.onCreate(BaseActivity.java:37)
            at com.example.app.SplashScreenActivity.onCreate(SplashScreenActivity.java:29)
            at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5451)
            at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1093)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2377)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2471)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:175)
            at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1308)
            at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
            at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:146)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5602)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1283)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1099)
            at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

Answer 1

I have the same problem (app will crashed in all devices <= Android 4.4, but worked fine when Android >= 5.0) with the following build.gradle setting:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 22
    buildToolsVersion "21.1.2"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.aams.going"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 22
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        multiDexEnabled true
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:22.2.0'
    compile 'com.facebook.android:facebook-android-sdk:4.0.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:7.5.0'
    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.3.1'
    compile 'com.jakewharton:butterknife:6.1.0'
    compile 'com.google.apis:google-api-services-youtube:v3-rev141-1.20.0'
    compile 'com.google.api-client:google-api-client-android:1.20.0'
    compile 'com.google.api-client:google-api-client-gson:1.20.0'
    compile 'com.orhanobut:logger:1.4'
    compile 'com.github.rey5137:material:1.1.1'
    compile 'com.afollestad:material-dialogs:0.7.6.0'
}

Problem

It is caused by multiDexEnabled true with Google Play services API and google-api in gradle.

Solution

I solved this problem by removing multiDexEnabled true and specifying only the specific Google Play services APIs my app uses.

• Removing multiDexEnabled true.
• Use compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-identity:7.5.0' instead of compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:7.5.0'

Here is my final and worked build.gradle:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 22
    buildToolsVersion "21.1.2"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.aams.going"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 22
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:22.2.0'
    compile 'com.facebook.android:facebook-android-sdk:4.0.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-identity:7.5.0'
    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.3.1'
    compile 'com.jakewharton:butterknife:6.1.0'
    compile 'com.google.apis:google-api-services-youtube:v3-rev141-1.20.0'
    compile 'com.google.api-client:google-api-client-android:1.20.0'
    compile 'com.google.api-client:google-api-client-gson:1.20.0'
    compile 'com.orhanobut:logger:1.4'
    compile 'com.github.rey5137:material:1.1.1'
    compile 'com.afollestad:material-dialogs:0.7.6.0'
}

Answer 2

Enable multidex could rusult in a runtime exeption java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: then, Acorde to https://developers.google.com/android/guides/setup : If the number of method references in your app exceeds the 65K limit, your app may fail to compile. You may be able to mitigate this problem when compiling your app by specifying only the specific Google Play services APIs your app uses, instead of all of them.

Example:

compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-identity:8.1.0'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-plus:8.1.0'
compile  'com.google.android.gms:play-services-base:8.1.0'
compile  'com.google.android.gms:play-services-games:8.1.0'

In the link you can find a list of Apis. If you are no using google play services, then apply the same principle to your dependencies.