Android Studio 3.0 Unable to merge dex

Question

Just Updated android studio from 2.3.3 to 3.0 now I am having the error

Error:Execution failed for task ':app:transformDexArchiveWithExternalLibsDexMergerForDebug'. java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.RuntimeException: com.android.builder.dexing.DexArchiveMergerException: Unable to merge dex

Here is my gradle file:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
compileSdkVersion 25
buildToolsVersion '26.0.2'
defaultConfig {
    applicationId "d91.compassacademy"
    minSdkVersion 19
    targetSdkVersion 25
    versionCode 3
    versionName "1.0"

    testInstrumentationRunner 
"android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    vectorDrawables.useSupportLibrary = true
}
buildTypes {
    release {
        minifyEnabled false
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
    }
    debug {
        debuggable true
    }
}
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
    google()
}

dependencies {
compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.2'

compile('com.google.api-client:google-api-client-android:1.22.0') {
    exclude group: 'org.apache.httpcomponents'
}
compile 'pub.devrel:easypermissions:0.2.1'
compile project(path: ':mapviewpager')
androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', 
{
    exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'

})
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:25.4.0'
compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:25.4.0'
compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:25.4.0'
compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-database:11.4.2'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-auth:11.4.2'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-places:11.4.2'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:11.4.2'
compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-storage:11.4.2'
compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-auth:11.4.2'
compile 'com.firebaseui:firebase-ui-database:1.1.1'
compile 'com.squareup.picasso:picasso:2.5.2'
compile 'com.theartofdev.edmodo:android-image-cropper:2.3.1'
compile 'com.roughike:bottom-bar:2.1.1'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:25.4.0'
compile 'com.squareup.retrofit:retrofit:1.9.0'
compile 'com.android.support:support-vector-drawable:25.4.0'
compile 'pub.devrel:easypermissions:0.2.1'
compile 'com.google.code.findbugs:jsr305:2.0.1'
compile 'com.jakewharton:butterknife:8.4.0'
compile 'com.getbase:floatingactionbutton:1.10.1'
compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.2'
compile 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.1.0-beta3'
testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
}


apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'

Answer 1

I looked up:

Error:Execution failed for task ':memDicez:transformDexArchiveWithExternalLibsDexMergerForDebug'.

com.android.builder.dexing.DexArchiveMergerException: Unable to merge dex

yesterday and found nothing usefull,

my issue is now solved,

this method might get you towards a solution (it worked for me, no guarantee it works for you)

I had:

android {
    compileSdkVersion 25
    buildToolsVersion '26.0.2'

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "(my secret applicationId)"
        minSdkVersion 21
        targetSdkVersion 25
        multiDexEnabled true
    }

    ...

}

and

dependencies {
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:25.3.1'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:25.3.1'
    compile 'ch.acra:acra:4.9.2'
    //compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-auth:9.0.0'
    compile 'com.loopj.android:android-async-http:1.4.9'
    compile 'com.koushikdutta.ion:ion:2.+'
    compile group: 'com.googlecode.json-simple', name: 'json-simple', version: '1.1.1'
}

and when I changed:

        minSdkVersion 21

to

        minSdkVersion 16

I got a more descriptive error message which did give solutions via google/stack overflow.

in my case

compile group: 'com.googlecode.json-simple', name: 'json-simple', version: '1.1.1'

should be changed to

compile('com.googlecode.json-simple:json-simple:1.1.1') {
    exclude group: 'org.hamcrest', module: 'hamcrest-core'
}

You can change the minSdkVersion back to a higher value later on but decreasing it seems to give a more descriptive (or more googleable) problem (and solution)

cheers,

S.