No project.properties file and NullPointerException during build of new android application

Question

I'm having a horrible time figuring out a problem that makes it impossible for me to use the new android application wizard in ADT to create a new android project. First a little background. I've been using ADT (the ADT bundle) for about 6 months and haven't had a problem. Because the current issue only manifests when trying to create new projects (there are no issues with building existing projects), and I hadn't created a new project for a while, I don't know what may have precipitated it. Two things I can think of are:

1. I recently updated my OS to Mavericks.
2. I recently installed JDK 7 (I had been using 6)

Similar questions have been asked here and here, but the quality of answers don't seem very good to me. For one thing, I don't really want a workaround unless this is a legitimate bug. It doesn't seem to be a bug to me because I think a lot more people would be having issues. It's a pretty big problem. I think I must be missing something fairly obvious.

I can see that after it attempts to create the project, the directory structure of the project in the workspace appears correct, but almost all the files are missing, including project.properties, which seems to be involved in the problem I'm having based on the error log (below).

I've done the following:

1. First I tried updating both eclipse and the ADT. No luck
2. I tried creating projects in new workspaces
3. I deleted and re-downloaded the ADT bundle
4. I deleted and re-installed JDK 7 (following oracle's uninstall directions)

Upon clicking finish using the new android application wizard I get the following error message:

Errors occurred during the build.
Errors running builder 'Android Resource Manager' on project 'test'.
java.lang.NullPointerException

The error log looks like this (I wanted to include a screenshot, but the site won't let me because I'm a new user. Instead, I'm copying and pasting the messages in the order they appear in my log (from most recent to least recent):

Errors occurred during the build.
    Errors running builder 'Android Resource Manager' on project 'test'.
Failed to load properties file for project 'test'
Failed to load properties file for project 'test'
Problems occurred when invoking code from plug-in: "org.eclipse.core.resources".
Failed to load properties file for project 'test'
[No message for this one, but stack trace is for an InvocationTargetException]
Failed to load properties file for project 'test'
Failed to load properties file for project 'test'

Finally, here are the stack traces for NPE and InvocationTargetException.

java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.build.builders.BaseBuilder.abortOnBadSetup(BaseBuilder.java:327)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.build.builders.ResourceManagerBuilder.build(ResourceManagerBuilder.java:92)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager$2.run(BuildManager.java:733)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager.basicBuild(BuildManager.java:206)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager.basicBuild(BuildManager.java:246)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager$1.run(BuildManager.java:299)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.SafeRunner.run(SafeRunner.java:42)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager.basicBuild(BuildManager.java:302)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager.basicBuildLoop(BuildManager.java:358)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.BuildManager.build(BuildManager.java:381)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.AutoBuildJob.doBuild(AutoBuildJob.java:143)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.events.AutoBuildJob.run(AutoBuildJob.java:241)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.jobs.Worker.run(Worker.java:53)

java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at org.eclipse.jface.operation.ModalContext.run(ModalContext.java:421)
at org.eclipse.jface.wizard.WizardDialog.run(WizardDialog.java:1028)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateWizard.performFinish(TemplateWizard.java:197)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.NewProjectWizard.performFinish(NewProjectWizard.java:1)
at org.eclipse.jface.wizard.WizardDialog.finishPressed(WizardDialog.java:827)
at org.eclipse.jface.wizard.WizardDialog.buttonPressed(WizardDialog.java:432)
at org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.Dialog$2.widgetSelected(Dialog.java:628)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.TypedListener.handleEvent(TypedListener.java:248)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:84)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:4166)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1466)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1489)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1474)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.notifyListeners(Widget.java:1279)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:4012)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:3651)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.runEventLoop(Window.java:826)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.open(Window.java:802)
at org.eclipse.ui.internal.actions.NewWizardShortcutAction.run(NewWizardShortcutAction.java:135)
at org.eclipse.jface.action.Action.runWithEvent(Action.java:499)
at org.eclipse.jface.action.ActionContributionItem.handleWidgetSelection(ActionContributionItem.java:584)
at org.eclipse.jface.action.ActionContributionItem.access$2(ActionContributionItem.java:501)
at org.eclipse.jface.action.ActionContributionItem$5.handleEvent(ActionContributionItem.java:411)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:84)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.sendEvent(Display.java:4166)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1466)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1489)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:1474)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.notifyListeners(Widget.java:1279)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:4012)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:3651)
at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine$9.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:1113)
at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332)
at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.swt.PartRenderingEngine.run(PartRenderingEngine.java:997)
at org.eclipse.e4.ui.internal.workbench.E4Workbench.createAndRunUI(E4Workbench.java:138)
at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench$5.run(Workbench.java:610)
at org.eclipse.core.databinding.observable.Realm.runWithDefault(Realm.java:332)
at org.eclipse.ui.internal.Workbench.createAndRunWorkbench(Workbench.java:567)
at org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI.createAndRunWorkbench(PlatformUI.java:150)
at org.eclipse.ui.internal.ide.application.IDEApplication.start(IDEApplication.java:124)
at org.eclipse.equinox.internal.app.EclipseAppHandle.run(EclipseAppHandle.java:196)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:110)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:79)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:354)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:181)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:636)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:591)
at org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:1450)
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Could not initialize class com.android.xml.AndroidXPathFactory
at com.android.manifmerger.ManifestMerger.process(ManifestMerger.java:332)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.mergeManifest(TemplateHandler.java:909)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.merge(TemplateHandler.java:745)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.access$7(TemplateHandler.java:690)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler$2.startElement(TemplateHandler.java:614)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.startElement(AbstractSAXParser.java:509)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractXMLDocumentParser.emptyElement(AbstractXMLDocumentParser.java:182)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanStartElement(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:1342)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl$FragmentContentDriver.next(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:2770)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentScannerImpl.next(XMLDocumentScannerImpl.java:606)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanDocument(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:510)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:848)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:777)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XMLParser.parse(XMLParser.java:141)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.parse(AbstractSAXParser.java:1213)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl$JAXPSAXParser.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:648)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:332)
at javax.xml.parsers.SAXParser.parse(SAXParser.java:195)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.execute(TemplateHandler.java:580)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.access$1(TemplateHandler.java:563)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler$1.startElement(TemplateHandler.java:489)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.startElement(AbstractSAXParser.java:509)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractXMLDocumentParser.emptyElement(AbstractXMLDocumentParser.java:182)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanStartElement(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:1342)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl$FragmentContentDriver.next(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:2770)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentScannerImpl.next(XMLDocumentScannerImpl.java:606)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanDocument(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:510)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:848)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:777)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XMLParser.parse(XMLParser.java:141)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.parse(AbstractSAXParser.java:1213)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl$JAXPSAXParser.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:648)
at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:332)
at javax.xml.parsers.SAXParser.parse(SAXParser.java:195)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.processVariables(TemplateHandler.java:456)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateHandler.render(TemplateHandler.java:310)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.NewProjectWizard.generateActivity(NewProjectWizard.java:418)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.NewProjectWizard.access$5(NewProjectWizard.java:401)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.NewProjectWizard$2.populate(NewProjectWizard.java:354)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.newproject.NewProjectCreator.createEclipseProject(NewProjectCreator.java:759)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.newproject.NewProjectCreator.access$1(NewProjectCreator.java:712)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.newproject.NewProjectCreator$5.run(NewProjectCreator.java:914)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.resources.Workspace.run(Workspace.java:2345)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.resources.Workspace.run(Workspace.java:2327)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.newproject.NewProjectCreator.create(NewProjectCreator.java:933)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.NewProjectWizard.performFinish(NewProjectWizard.java:359)
at com.android.ide.eclipse.adt.internal.wizards.templates.TemplateWizard$1.run(TemplateWizard.java:201)
at org.eclipse.jface.operation.ModalContext$ModalContextThread.run(ModalContext.java:121)

This is my first question on stackoverflow. Please let me know how I can improve it. I'm using eclipse version 22.6.2-1085508 and

 java version 1.7.0_60

Answer 1

Okay, so because I could not resolve this issue I had switched over to Android Studio and wasn't having any problems there, but when I got a new computer recently I figured I could just go back to the ADT bundle with no problem. Wrong. I had the exact same issue.

I don't understand why, but uninstalling jdk1.7.0_60.jdk "solved" this problem. I got the idea to try this from some other answers to questions (unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding them again to link). In any case, I haven't found an explanation for why this worked or any suggestion as to how to achieve it without uninstalling my JDK (which I need). Any answers or hints that would lead me in the right direction in figuring the cause out would be much appreciated. Otherwise, I guess I'll be making a new question.

Update

I've reinstalled the jdk and do not appear to be having problems.