Android Studio-Libgdx-Could not execute build using Gradle distribution 'https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-4.4-all.zip'

Question

So I am trying to make a game using the libgdx framework and i was told to update the gradle to 4.4, however once i run the desktop launcher (after changing the configuration to use the android assets folder) it gives me this error
Could not execute build using Gradle distribution 'https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-4.4-all.zip'.
Error as seen on android studio and here is what i presume to be causing this error

java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.util.Objects.requireNonNull(Objects.java:203)
at com.android.build.gradle.BasePlugin.lambda$configureProject$1(BasePlugin.java:438)
at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor180.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:35)
at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:24)
at org.gradle.internal.event.AbstractBroadcastDispatch.dispatch(AbstractBroadcastDispatch.java:42)
at org.gradle.internal.event.BroadcastDispatch$SingletonDispatch.dispatch(BroadcastDispatch.java:230)
at org.gradle.internal.event.BroadcastDispatch$SingletonDispatch.dispatch(BroadcastDispatch.java:149)
at org.gradle.internal.event.AbstractBroadcastDispatch.dispatch(AbstractBroadcastDispatch.java:58)
at org.gradle.internal.event.BroadcastDispatch$CompositeDispatch.dispatch(BroadcastDispatch.java:324)
at org.gradle.internal.event.BroadcastDispatch$CompositeDispatch.dispatch(BroadcastDispatch.java:234)
at org.gradle.internal.event.ListenerBroadcast.dispatch(ListenerBroadcast.java:140)
at org.gradle.internal.event.ListenerBroadcast.dispatch(ListenerBroadcast.java:37)
at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ProxyDispatchAdapter$DispatchingInvocationHandler.invoke(ProxyDispatchAdapter.java:93)
at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy110.graphPopulated(Unknown Source)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:126)
at org.gradle.execution.SelectedTaskExecutionAction.execute(SelectedTaskExecutionAction.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.access$000(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:23)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter$1.proceed(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:43)
at org.gradle.execution.DryRunBuildExecutionAction.execute(DryRunBuildExecutionAction.java:46)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:30)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$ExecuteTasks.run(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:314)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:199)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:110)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.runTasks(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:204)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.doBuildStages(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:134)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.executeTasks(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:109)
at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController$1.call(GradleBuildController.java:78)
at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController$1.call(GradleBuildController.java:75)
at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultWorkerLeaseService.withLocks(DefaultWorkerLeaseService.java:152)
at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController.doBuild(GradleBuildController.java:100)
at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController.run(GradleBuildController.java:75)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.runner.BuildModelActionRunner.run(BuildModelActionRunner.java:53)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ValidatingBuildActionRunner.run(ValidatingBuildActionRunner.java:32)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner$1.run(RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.java:43)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:199)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:110)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.run(RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.java:40)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SubscribableBuildActionRunner.run(SubscribableBuildActionRunner.java:51)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:47)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:30)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.execute(BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.java:39)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.execute(BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.java:25)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:80)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:53)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.execute(ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.java:57)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.execute(ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.java:32)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.execute(GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.java:36)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.execute(GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.java:25)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.execute(ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.java:43)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.execute(ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.java:29)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.execute(StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.java:69)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.execute(StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.java:30)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.execute(SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.java:59)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.execute(SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.java:44)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SetupLoggingActionExecuter.execute(SetupLoggingActionExecuter.java:45)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SetupLoggingActionExecuter.execute(SetupLoggingActionExecuter.java:30)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ExecuteBuild.doBuild(ExecuteBuild.java:67)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.WatchForDisconnection.execute(WatchForDisconnection.java:37)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ResetDeprecationLogger.execute(ResetDeprecationLogger.java:26)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.execute(RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.java:34)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:74)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
at org.gradle.util.Swapper.swap(Swapper.java:38)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput.execute(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.LogAndCheckHealth.execute(LogAndCheckHealth.java:55)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.LogToClient.doBuild(LogToClient.java:62)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.EstablishBuildEnvironment.doBuild(EstablishBuildEnvironment.java:82)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy$1.run(StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy.java:50)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.DaemonStateCoordinator$1.run(DaemonStateCoordinator.java:295)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)

Here is a picture showing my libgdx check boxes so someone can try to see the problem themselves
libgdx check boxes
I am trying to look for a way to run the desktoplauncher with the updated gradle, as running it with the android emulator seems to work. I don't know if it matters but the android version i am using is 3.1.1 and the libgdx version i am using is 1.9.8. and I am using Windows 10.

Answer 1

I was getting the same problem a few minutes ago after downloading gdx-setup.jar and creating in the android studio, i resolve by going to <user>.gradle\wrapper\dists and deleting <user>.gradle\wrapper\dists\gradle-4.6-all and .gradle\wrapper\dists\gradle-4.6-bin and download it again from services.gradle.org/distributions (of course android studio will download it for you any way)

After that, it started giving this error

Configuration on demand is not supported by the current version of the Android Gradle plugin since you are using Gradle version 4.6 or above. Suggestion: disable configuration on demand by setting org.gradle.configureondemand=false in your gradle.properties file or use a Gradle version less than 4.6. Open File

Which i resolve by going to Settings/Build, Execution, Deployment/Compiler and removing the check that says Configure on demand

Btw, it made no difference if i used the option to update Gradle to 4.4 like the android studio suggested or to change the Android Gradle plugin from 3.1.0 to 3.1.2.

As a side note i don´t know if this will make a difference but after creating a project using gdx-setup.jar you can choose to option of Opening an existing Adndroid Studio project instead of Import project.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, the current answers didn't solve my problem, I did the following:

1. Open the projectFolder/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
2. Set:

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-4.6-bin.zip

to

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-4.10-bin.zip

3. Resync Gradle.

I set to 4.10 because that's the latest so far, so please adjust as needed.