How to solve Specified AAPT2 executable does not exist on Android Studio 3.2

Question

I've an issue with Android Studio. I'm trying to use it on Windows but I've trouble during the project's build process.

First, notice Android Studio is installed on my secondary HDD.

When I try to build/run my project I get this error:

Specified AAPT2 executable does not exist:
C:\Users\Rémi\\.gradle\caches\transforms-1\files-1.1\aapt2-3.2.0-4818971-windows.jar\35960bdffa2420a45dff6ec260c07fa9\aapt2-3.2.0-4818971-windows\aapt2.exe

And indeed there is no aapt2.exe here.

But I've found this .exe here:

H:\Logiciels\AndroidStudioSDK\build-tools\28.0.2\aapt2.exe

and a previous version here:

H:\Logiciels\AndroidStudioSDK\build-tools\27.0.3\aapt2.exe

I've tried to fix this issue by changing the build tools version by setting File > Project structure > Modules > App > Build Tools Version. This option was empty and I chose 28.0.2 but that doesn't change anything.

Thanks for reading.

P.S.: This question is not the same. My error is different and I have google() in my Grable file.

Answer 1

I solved it by deleting the directory under which it expected the aapt2 executable, e.g. C:\Users\support\.gradle\caches\transforms-1\files-1.1\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows.jar\4c1f5b7dca1d5d378360be7f3fd9726a\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows and then did a clean in Android Studio Build>Clean Project.

Afterwards it appears to have downloaded this again, with the missing executable, and now works perfectly.

Answer 2

I had the same issue. I resolved it by opening my file browser and navigating to this folder C:\Users\(My User Name)\.gradle\caches\transforms-1\files-1.1\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows.jar

Opening this folder and viewing its contents, I deleted the folder labeled 81c3666e327fa931c773a52e6cb0b3b7 which for you would be 35960bdffa2420a45dff6ec260c07fa9.

After this I went back to Android Studio and clicked the Build menu, and used the Clean Project option, followed by the Rebuild Project option.

I no longer get this error, or all the debug errors that say the Java package "R" did not exist.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Following solved my issue under jar folder there are 3 folders, one of the folder consists of the aapt2.exe in it. I copied that file to other folder where I am getting error.

ex: path of jar: C:\Users\umabhavania\.gradle\caches\transforms-1\files-1.1\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows.jar

error path: C:\Users\umabhavania\.gradle\caches\transforms-1\files-1.1\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows.jar\a57a698502c21bfe8cfc3ed6eb102b39\aapt2-3.2.1-4818971-windows

copied aapt2.exe file from 57f15fb82085ec9389484ff7e041344f folder to a57a698502c21bfe8cfc3ed6eb102b39

Hope this helps..