Cordova build fails, can't find ${appt}

Question

The command cordova build android fails with the following output

BUILD FAILED
F:\Programs\SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:597: The following error occurred while executing this line:
F:\Programs\SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:649: The following error occurred while executing this line:
F:\Programs\SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:694: Execute failed: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program
"F:\code\asistenciaBT\platforms\android\CordovaLib\${aapt}" 
(in directory   "F:\code\asistenciaBT\platforms\android\CordovaLib"): CreateProcess error=2, 
El sistema no puede encontrar el archivo especificado

Meaning, as far as I can tell, that ant can't find the aapt file. Ant is installed:

ant -version
Apache Ant(TM) version 1.9.4 compiled on April 29 2014

ANDROID_HOME and PATH are correctly set as well. I have made cordova work on this system before, now it just refuses to.

Should cordova be looking for appt in the project directory? Shouldn't it be looking on ANDROID_HOME/build_tools ?

Some further detail, in case is needed:

npm -v
2.7.4

node -v
v0.12.2

cordova -v
5.1.1

os: windows 8.1 pro 64 bits

Project was cloned from github so it might have some inherited incompatibility somewhere.

EDIT:

Just tested 'cordova build' on a new project and it fails with the same error.

Answer 1

It looks like ant commands are broken in Android SDK 24.3, which cordova build is using. I downgraded to previous release (24.2.0) and ant works fine now.

You can download previous SDK from: http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/tools_r24.2-windows.zip

EDIT: There is better solution, See kartikeya's answer below: https://stackoverflow.com/a/31603358/1453578

Also, if you're not using cordova but relying on ant to build your android project, just move to gradle already.

Answer 2

no need to downgrade or upgrade your SDK. Follow this step. Go to .../sdk/tools/ant/build.xml and find there:

    <!-- find location of build tools -->
    <getbuildtools name="android.build.tools.dir" verbose="${verbose}" />

add below the lines:

    <property name="aidl" location="${android.build.tools.dir}/aidl${exe}" />
    <property name="aapt" location="${android.build.tools.dir}/aapt${exe}" />
    <property name="dx" location="${android.build.tools.dir}/dx${bat}" />
    <property name="zipalign" location="${android.build.tools.dir}/zipalign${exe}" />

Answer 3

SDK is broken ... downgrade to previous version ! i.e , ant version 1.9.4 TO Ant 1.9.5 or downgrade android skd tools