ClassNotFound when trying to implement AdMob banner

Question

I am getting a very annoying ClassNotFound exception when trying to implement an admob banner in my android app, using admob sdk 4.3.1. I have used the following implementation:

Manifest:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.xxx"
    android:versionCode="1"

    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10"

        />
....
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>

     <activity android:name="com.google.ads.AdActivity"
    android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenLayout|uiMode|screenSize|smallestScreenSize"/>

main.xml:

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
                xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/lib/com.google.ads"

    android:id="@+id/bigmainlayout"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:background="@color/grey">
 <com.google.ads.AdView android:id="@+id/adView"
                         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                         ads:adUnitId="xxxx"
                         ads:adSize="BANNER"
                         ads:testDevices="TEST_EMULATOR"
                         ads:loadAdOnCreate="true"/>
</LinearLayout>

Project.properties

target=android-14

Error:

03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): FATAL EXCEPTION: main 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.xxxx/com.xxxx.MainActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #125: Error inflating class com.google.ads.AdView 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1647) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1663) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1500(ActivityThread.java:117) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:931) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:3683) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:507) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:839) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:597) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #125: Error inflating class com.google.ads.AdView 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:581) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:623) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:626) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:408) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:320) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:276) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.setContentView(PhoneWindow.java:207) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.Activity.setContentView(Activity.java:1657) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at com.xxxx.MainActivity.onCreate(FreeMedsActivity.java:55) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1047) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:1611) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): ... 11 more 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.google.ads.AdView in loader dalvik.system.PathClassLoader[/data/app/com.xxxx-2.apk] 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at dalvik.system.PathClassLoader.findClass(PathClassLoader.java:240) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:551) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:511) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:471) 03-21 22:00:25.993: E/AndroidRuntime(333): at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:570

)

I get a similar classnotfound exception when creating the adview in code and adding it to the layout. I get this error on OS 2.2, 2.3.3, 2.3.7, and 4.0. I have added the admobsdk.jar to the build path. I have tried switching the minSSdkVersion to 14. I am using eclipse indigo.

I am wondering if this has to do with how I am adding the .jar. I have it copied into a /lib folder in the project, and then either do add to build path or preferences-->build path-->add JAR. I am wondering if somehow the app doesn't know where to find the .jar still...

Answer 1

Turns out r17 of Android Tools requires the /lib folder to be /libs, and the SDK has to be placed in there and referenced internally in order for it to be included in the apk.

Check out this link for more information.