Failed to compile values file

Question

I try to run my program but I have a Build: failed

Failed to compile values file.

but I don't know why? the values file is generated by default ...

and I have this error

Resource compilation failed. Check logs for details.

and the explanation is

Execution failed for task ':app:mergeDebugResources'.
> A failure occurred while executing com.android.build.gradle.internal.res.ResourceCompilerRunnable
   > Resource compilation failed. Check logs for details.

* Try:
Run with --info or --debug option to get more log output. Run with --scan to get full insights.

* Exception is:
org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:mergeDebugResources'.
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.lambda$executeIfValid$1(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:208)
    at org.gradle.internal.Try$Failure.ifSuccessfulOrElse(Try.java:263)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeIfValid(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:206)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:187)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:114)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.execute(FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:57)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:56)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.executeTask(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:77)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:55)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:409)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:399)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:157)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:242)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:150)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:94)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.call(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.LocalTaskNodeExecutor.execute(LocalTaskNodeExecutor.java:41)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:372)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:359)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:352)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:338)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.lambda$run$0(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:127)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.execute(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:191)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.executeNextNode(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:182)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.run(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:124)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:64)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:48)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:56)
Caused by: org.gradle.workers.internal.DefaultWorkerExecutor$WorkExecutionException: A failure occurred while executing com.android.build.gradle.internal.res.ResourceCompilerRunnable
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.DefaultWorkerExecutor$WorkItemExecution.waitForCompletion(DefaultWorkerExecutor.java:336)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.waitForItemsAndGatherFailures(DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.java:142)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.waitForItemsAndGatherFailures(DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.java:94)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.waitForAll(DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.java:80)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.waitForCompletion(DefaultAsyncWorkTracker.java:68)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$3.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:578)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:395)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:387)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:157)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:242)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:150)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:84)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:555)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:538)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.access$300(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:109)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$TaskExecution.executeWithPreviousOutputFiles(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:279)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$TaskExecution.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:268)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.lambda$execute$0(ExecuteStep.java:32)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.execute(ExecuteStep.java:32)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.execute(ExecuteStep.java:26)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CleanupOutputsStep.execute(CleanupOutputsStep.java:67)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CleanupOutputsStep.execute(CleanupOutputsStep.java:36)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveInputChangesStep.execute(ResolveInputChangesStep.java:49)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveInputChangesStep.execute(ResolveInputChangesStep.java:34)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CancelExecutionStep.execute(CancelExecutionStep.java:43)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.TimeoutStep.executeWithoutTimeout(TimeoutStep.java:73)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.TimeoutStep.execute(TimeoutStep.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CatchExceptionStep.execute(CatchExceptionStep.java:34)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CreateOutputsStep.execute(CreateOutputsStep.java:44)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SnapshotOutputsStep.execute(SnapshotOutputsStep.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SnapshotOutputsStep.execute(SnapshotOutputsStep.java:38)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.BroadcastChangingOutputsStep.execute(BroadcastChangingOutputsStep.java:49)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.executeWithoutCache(CacheStep.java:159)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.execute(CacheStep.java:72)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CacheStep.execute(CacheStep.java:43)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.StoreExecutionStateStep.execute(StoreExecutionStateStep.java:44)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.StoreExecutionStateStep.execute(StoreExecutionStateStep.java:33)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.RecordOutputsStep.execute(RecordOutputsStep.java:38)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.RecordOutputsStep.execute(RecordOutputsStep.java:24)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.executeBecause(SkipUpToDateStep.java:92)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.lambda$execute$0(SkipUpToDateStep.java:85)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.execute(SkipUpToDateStep.java:55)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipUpToDateStep.execute(SkipUpToDateStep.java:39)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveChangesStep.execute(ResolveChangesStep.java:76)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveChangesStep.execute(ResolveChangesStep.java:37)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.legacy.MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.execute(MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.java:36)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.legacy.MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.execute(MarkSnapshottingInputsFinishedStep.java:26)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveCachingStateStep.execute(ResolveCachingStateStep.java:94)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ResolveCachingStateStep.execute(ResolveCachingStateStep.java:49)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CaptureStateBeforeExecutionStep.execute(CaptureStateBeforeExecutionStep.java:79)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.CaptureStateBeforeExecutionStep.execute(CaptureStateBeforeExecutionStep.java:53)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ValidateStep.execute(ValidateStep.java:74)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipEmptyWorkStep.lambda$execute$2(SkipEmptyWorkStep.java:78)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipEmptyWorkStep.execute(SkipEmptyWorkStep.java:78)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.SkipEmptyWorkStep.execute(SkipEmptyWorkStep.java:34)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.legacy.MarkSnapshottingInputsStartedStep.execute(MarkSnapshottingInputsStartedStep.java:39)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.LoadExecutionStateStep.execute(LoadExecutionStateStep.java:40)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.LoadExecutionStateStep.execute(LoadExecutionStateStep.java:28)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.impl.DefaultWorkExecutor.execute(DefaultWorkExecutor.java:33)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeIfValid(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:195)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:187)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:114)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.execute(FinalizePropertiesTaskExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskExecutionModeExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:57)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:56)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.executeTask(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:77)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:55)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:409)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:399)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:157)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:242)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:150)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:94)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.call(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:36)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.LocalTaskNodeExecutor.execute(LocalTaskNodeExecutor.java:41)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:372)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$InvokeNodeExecutorsAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:359)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:352)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareExecutionAction.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:338)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.lambda$run$0(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:127)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.execute(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:191)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.executeNextNode(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:182)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.DefaultPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.run(DefaultPlanExecutor.java:124)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:64)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:48)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:56)
Caused by: com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompilationException: Resource compilation failed. Check logs for details.
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.compileResource(ResourceCompiler.kt:121)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.res.ResourceCompilerRunnable$Companion.compileSingleResource(ResourceCompilerRunnable.kt:31)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.res.ResourceCompilerRunnable.run(ResourceCompilerRunnable.kt:15)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.profile.ProfileAwareWorkAction.execute(ProfileAwareWorkAction.kt:74)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.DefaultWorkerServer.execute(DefaultWorkerServer.java:63)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.NoIsolationWorkerFactory$1$1.create(NoIsolationWorkerFactory.java:67)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.NoIsolationWorkerFactory$1$1.create(NoIsolationWorkerFactory.java:63)
    at org.gradle.internal.classloader.ClassLoaderUtils.executeInClassloader(ClassLoaderUtils.java:97)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.NoIsolationWorkerFactory$1.lambda$execute$0(NoIsolationWorkerFactory.java:63)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.AbstractWorker$1.call(AbstractWorker.java:44)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.AbstractWorker$1.call(AbstractWorker.java:41)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:409)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:399)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:157)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:242)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:150)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:94)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.call(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:36)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.AbstractWorker.executeWrappedInBuildOperation(AbstractWorker.java:41)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.NoIsolationWorkerFactory$1.execute(NoIsolationWorkerFactory.java:60)
    at org.gradle.workers.internal.DefaultWorkerExecutor.lambda$submitWork$2(DefaultWorkerExecutor.java:200)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue$ExecutionRunner.runExecution(DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue.java:215)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue$ExecutionRunner.runBatch(DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue.java:164)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue$ExecutionRunner.run(DefaultConditionalExecutionQueue.java:131)
    ... 3 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Failed to compile values file.
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.compileTable(ResourceCompiler.kt:185)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.access$compileTable(ResourceCompiler.kt:1)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler$getCompileMethod$1.invoke(ResourceCompiler.kt:132)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler$getCompileMethod$1.invoke(ResourceCompiler.kt)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.compileResource(ResourceCompiler.kt:118)
    ... 26 more
 

any solution for me, please?

Answer 1

The error "Failed to compile a values file" is due, as the error suggests something related to any values file entry you have.

For instance, when adding a string entry value many times the char ' is present without the proper escape char \

the example below is for an entry on the strings values file:

<string name="slide_1_title">Joe's Pizza</string>

needs to be corrected to:

<string name="slide_1_title">Joe\'s Pizza</string>

Answer 2

This looks like a bug to me in Android Studio 4.2.2 I created a fresh project in Android Studio using Kotlin, and guess what it created the project well and I added little stuff here and there without touching the values at all and when I built the project, same error as the OP occured

Now I was curious as to why this happened

So I went with the programmatic way of building using gradlew build and too my surprise I saw the project didn't enable androidX by default and there were many dependenices based on that so I went to the gradle.properties file and set the following two values after a File> Invalidate Caches

android.useAndroidX=true
android.enableJetifier=true

Answer 3

I have also faced the same issue, My mistake was in strings.xml file i have forgot to escape the apostrophy 's e.g Today's

I have added escape character backslash before apostrophy 's i.e Today's had solved my issue.