Android Studio: A failure occurred while executing com.android.build.gradle.internal.res.ResourceCompilerRunnable

Question

I know there are number of questions for variations for this error already, but none of them have helped me so far. I'm new to Android development and am lost in the numerous files scattered throughout the project.

I was following the first (book) project at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSHAkpwXAQ, which worked successfully. I then created a new project and followed the same steps (while watching the video again) but for an activity in my own app. When I try to build it, I get 2 errors that don't mean much to me. I don't know if one causes the other or which to focus on first. Neither tell me where to look for the problem.

1. :app:mergeDebugResources

Task :app:mergeDebugResources FAILED 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.

2. ParseError at [row,col]:[1:1]

ParseError at [row,col]:[1,1] Message: Content is not allowed in prolog.

The second is apparently due to an invisible character before an xml file, but how do I know which one?

The first suggests I run a stacktrace, which I've included below. I don't recognise anything in the first section. The second again says I have Content in prolog, but references java.xml at sun.com, which look like external files.

I'd appreciate any advice in how to use the debugger in general, and specifically in finding and fixing this issue. Let me know if there's any specific code I should include to help.

    * Exception is:
org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:mergeDebugResources'.
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.lambda$executeIfValid$1(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:200)
    at org.gradle.internal.Try$Failure.ifSuccessfulOrElse(Try.java:263)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeIfValid(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:198)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:179)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:109)
    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$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:200)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:195)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:75)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:153)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.call(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:62)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.lambda$call$2(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.callWithUnmanagedSupport(UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.LocalTaskNodeExecutor.execute(LocalTaskNodeExecutor.java:41)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$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:563)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:29)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$1.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:26)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:75)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:153)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.run(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:56)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.lambda$run$1(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:71)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.runWithUnmanagedSupport(UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.java:45)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:71)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:540)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:523)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.access$300(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:108)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$TaskExecution.executeWithPreviousOutputFiles(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:271)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$TaskExecution.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:260)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.lambda$execute$0(ExecuteStep.java:33)
    at org.gradle.internal.execution.steps.ExecuteStep.execute(ExecuteStep.java:33)
    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.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:42)
    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:187)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:179)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:109)
    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$1.call(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:200)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:195)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:75)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:153)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.call(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:62)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.lambda$call$2(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.callWithUnmanagedSupport(UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.execution.plan.LocalTaskNodeExecutor.execute(LocalTaskNodeExecutor.java:41)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$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$1.call(AbstractWorker.java:41)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:200)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$CallableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:195)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:75)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner$3.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:153)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.execute(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationRunner.call(DefaultBuildOperationRunner.java:62)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.lambda$call$2(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.callWithUnmanagedSupport(UnmanagedBuildOperationWrapper.java:54)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.call(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:76)
    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: javax.xml.stream.XMLStreamException: ParseError at [row,col]:[1,1]
Message: Content is not allowed in prolog.
    at java.xml/com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLStreamReaderImpl.next(XMLStreamReaderImpl.java:652)
    at java.xml/com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLEventReaderImpl.nextEvent(XMLEventReaderImpl.java:83)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.XmlProcessor.process(XmlProcessor.kt:116)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.compileXml(ResourceCompiler.kt:267)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.access$compileXml(ResourceCompiler.kt:1)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler$getCompileMethod$2.invoke(ResourceCompiler.kt:143)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler$getCompileMethod$2.invoke(ResourceCompiler.kt)
    at com.android.aaptcompiler.ResourceCompiler.compileResource(ResourceCompiler.kt:118)
    ... 29 more

Answer 1

I had this same exact problem right now except mine were line [8,10].

I painfully checked each and every xml file in my android project for the past hour and finally caught a mistake in my activity_main2.xml file.

For some reason I accidentally input <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> in line 8 as well as line 1. I removed it from line 8 and I stopped having that error.

Obviously your problem will most likely be in a different xml file. Just make sure to check all of them on the lines it tells you. Its quite frustrating that Android Studio does not show us where the direct error is when it comes to this. Best of luck

Answer 2

i'm using DataBinding ,when i check my all xmls and remove layout_width/layout_height in <layout> tag.