Project wont build. What should the gradle and project setup be with RNCamera?

[timjam]

I just installed all the latest things: Android studio, react-native-cli, react-native-camera, system-images, gradles etc etc, but still I can't get react-native-camera work at all in any project. What is the preferred gradle and project configuration to get this package work?

Steps to reproduce

0. npm install -g react-native-cli
1. react-native init testapp
2. npm install react-native-camera --save
3. yarn (without this react-native link wont work!)
4. react-native link react-native-camera
5. change classpath to 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.0.0' in build.gradle
6. Change Gradle wrapper to 4.1 in gradle.properties (Required by the gradle 3.0.0)
7. Removed buildToolsVersion from app/build.gradle (Supresses one warning)

Now if you try to run react-native run-android you end up getting lots of errors. These I fixed with these solutions found from all over internet:

Added this snippet

subprojects {
  project.configurations.all {
     resolutionStrategy.eachDependency { details ->
        if (details.requested.group == 'com.android.support'
              && !details.requested.name.contains('multidex') ) {
           details.useVersion "27.1.0"
        }
     }
  }
}

to root's build.gradle file to remove this error

"Android dependency 'com.android.support:support-v4' has different version for the compile (23.0.1) and runtime (27.1.0) classpath. You should manually set the same version via DependencyResolution"

Then I added
android.enableAapt2=false
to gradle.properties, because I was getting this error:

Error: java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException: com.android.tools.aapt2.Aapt2Exception: AAPT2 error: check logs for details

At this point I figured out that
a) setting aapt to false doesn't actually fix the problem, but hides the cause and I have no idea what's the actual cause
b) maybe I am doing something completely wrong right from the beginning?

Does it work with Expo Camera?

I've managed to get Expo camera work. This problem is might not actually be a problem with the RNCamera itself, but rather it is not compatible with the latest gradle setups.

Expected behaviour

By following the instructions given on the installation part, one should be able to use the package in their projects

Actual behaviour

Project wont build

Environment

Node 9.8.0
npm 5.6.0
react-native 0.55.4
Android 6, Android 8

react-native-camera

react-native-camera 1.1.4

[Dror-Bar]

THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION - But, this can be solved by using an older version of react-native-camera.

I was having the exact same issues as you did with a new react-native project, never ending compile errors with android studio such as those you mention.

Revert what you upgraded in Android Studio (I'm using classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.2.3' for example), or start a new project.

Use an older version, such as "react-native-camera": "1.0.3" in package.json. Delete the old package and reinstall. This should compile properly for you.

[timjam]

I created a fresh new project and installed react-native-camera@^1.0.3 and yet it still wont build. Apparently it needs something from google repos as I keep getting this error

A problem occurred evaluating root project 'RNCameraTest'.
> Could not find method google() for arguments [] on repository container

If I add google() into the repos, the gradle 2.2.3 still can't find them. That could be bypassed by upgrading to gradle 3.0.0 or higher, but then I'd be in the start again.

[obsidianart]

After a lot of time and getting help from a friend who knows a lot more than me about android:
app/build.gradle

android {
    compileSdkVersion 27

    // org.gradle.caching = true

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.cryptoviewer"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 23
        versionCode 196
        versionName "16.83"
        // ndk {
        //     abiFilters "armeabi-v7a", "x86"
        // }
    }

and dependencies

dependencies {
    implementation project(':react-native-camera')
   //...
    implementation "com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.1.0" // <= YOU CARE ABOUT THIS
    implementation "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"  // From node_modules
}

in build.gradle

allprojects {
   //...
    configurations.all {
        resolutionStrategy.force "com.android.support:support-v4:26.1.0"
    }

in gradle.properties

android.useDeprecatedNdk=true
android.enableAapt2=false
org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx4608M

[acezyf]

I met the same problem.

[Dror-Bar]

@timjam

EDIT: react-native-camera@^1.0.3 ---> change to react-native-camera@1.0.3. The arrow actually installs the latest version instead of 1.0.3. Make sure you delete the previous package.

Original message
Did you find a solution already? obsidianart's solution might work for you. As for my suggestion:
Did you also do react-native link react-native-camera after installing the package?
It should take care of almost everything for you. But make sure that you have the following:

This line inside the dependencies block in android/app/build.gradle:

dependencies {
    compile project(':react-native-camera')
    ...
}

These lines in android/build.gradle:

allprojects {
    repositories {
        ...
        maven { url "https://jitpack.io" }
        maven { url "https://maven.google.com" }
    }
}

[timjam]

@Dror-Bar

I created a yet another testproject to be sure there are no traces of the previous configuration.

react-native init test
npm install react-native-camera@1.0.3
yarn
react-native link react-native-camera
react-native run-android

But still I get the error saying
Could not find method google() for arguments [] on repository container.
Adding those google() repos doesn't help. Only changing gradle to 3.0.0 or higher gets me past this one, but that once again takes me back to the start of this issue. This is really frustrating issue.

I did some testing with the settings mentioned by @obsidianart but they didn't help either. No matter what I did the project building crashes to the same error saying it cannot find the google repos, even though they are clearly set in the build.gradle.

I also noticed that the build process can not get past that even if there's no Android Virtual Device present.

[obsidianart]

That's my buildscript section

buildscript {
    repositories {
        google()
        jcenter()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.1.2'

        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
    }
}

And yes, I'm using the latest gradle

[timjam]

Oh, okay. I need to test that later today.

[obsidianart]

let me know if I can help in any other way. The problem I had was a little different (probably because I target a lowest device) but I hope my configuration can help.

[Dror-Bar]

@timjam
I'm sorry it didn't work for you. Could you perhaps post your android/app/build.gradle?
Also, are you opening the project in Android Studio before running the command react-native run-android?

[jgfidelis]

Hey, what are the issues you are currently facing? About the google() problem:
software-mansion/react-native-svg#584

[timjam]

I haven't been able to test those other solutions yet, but I guess I already know what's the problem. The gradle folder in Windows is on default at C:\Users<user name>.gradle. I have some non-Ascii characters in my username and I can't change the user name from the user folder and gradle doesn't like non-ascii characters at all. So I need to figure out how I can change the gradle config to use some other folder than that default one.

[JakeRawr]

with android.enableAapt2=false in gradle.properties

I'm getting

WARNING: The option 'android.enableAapt2' is deprecated and should not be used anymore.
Use 'android.enableAapt2=true' to remove this warning.
It will be removed at the end of 2018.

[timjam]

@JakeRawr The warning is okay and you should definitely use 'andoid.enableAapt2=true'. Setting it to false will just hide possible "symptoms". Aapt2 is going to be the base builder in the future. The Aapt2 Error comes all the way from gradle. You can probably find more about this here:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/50572845/fix-aapt2-error-in-android-studio-with-non-ascii-characters-in-windows-user-name

[ghost]

In case anyone's facing this issue on Android, please try the gradle upgrade guide. It worked for me.

[sharibtanweer]

No any solution in internet working. why? in android studio 3.2.1

[timjam]

@sharibtanweer What have you tried so far? Upgrading to latest gradle should fix the issue. What's your setup?