How to fix Error "JNI ERROR (app bug): global reference table overflow (max=65535)"

Question

My app crashes (very rarely) and reports this error:

 "JNI ERROR (app bug): global reference table overflow (max=65535)"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109] JNI ERROR (app bug): global reference table overflow (max=65535)
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109] global reference table dump:
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]   Last 10 entries (of 65533):
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65532: 0x134039c0 java.lang.String "cocalac"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65531: 0x76dd9200 android.graphics.Typeface
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65530: 0x13403940 java.lang.String " "
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65529: 0x13403860 java.lang.String "sans-serif-light"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65528: 0x1328c940 android.graphics.Paint
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65527: 0x13403840 java.lang.String "sans-serif-light"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65526: 0x134038a0 java.lang.String "sans-serif-light"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65525: 0x134038c0 java.lang.String "#todo"
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65524: 0x13403940 java.lang.String " "
03-04 14:22:05.974: A/art(15796): sart/runtime/indirect_reference_table.cc:109]     65523: 0x134038e0 java.lang.String "... more[+]"

What causes this error and how to fix it?

Answer 1

You need to release the global references as and when you are done with it. Jni has kept some limitation on the memory pool in order to detect the memory leaks. Refer to this answer which has clear explanation. Why do we need to delete global references