At first install the app crashes, but after reinstall it works

Question

I have never met so strange issue so far. The app compiles fine. But at first run it crashes on the test device, but if the project is cleaned and re-run the app works fine. If I try to install the apk the result is the same: installing the app crashes but after reinstalling it runs fine.

The issue is happening on all of my test devices and under Eclipss and Android Studio. I spent many hours to find a similar case but no avail. The previous version of the app worked fine, but if I revert the files to an earlier version the issue remains.

Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.plexnor.android.good-1.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app-lib/com.plexnor.android.good-1, /vendor/lib, /system/lib]]

My guess something went wrong with project set up but could not find the culprit. Deleting the bin folder, making countless project cleaning and restarts did not lead anywhere ...

The full stack trace:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.plexnor.android.good/com.plexnor.android.good.CaptureActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #17: Error inflating class com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2425)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2483)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:171)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1297)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:157)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5506)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1265)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1081)
at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #17: Error inflating class com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:713)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:761)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:769)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:463)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:398)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:354)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.setContentView(PhoneWindow.java:359)
at android.app.Activity.setContentView(Activity.java:2010)
at com.plexnor.android.good.CaptureActivity.onCreate(SourceFile:317)
at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5426)
at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1105)
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2389)
... 11 more
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.plexnor.android.good-1.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app-lib/com.plexnor.android.good-1, /vendor/lib, /system/lib]]
at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:67)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:497)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:457)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:565)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:702)
... 22 more
android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #17: Error inflating class com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:713)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:761)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:769)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:463)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:398)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:354)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.setContentView(PhoneWindow.java:359)
at android.app.Activity.setContentView(Activity.java:2010)
at com.plexnor.android.good.CaptureActivity.onCreate(SourceFile:317)
at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5426)
at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1105)
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2389)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2483)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:171)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1297)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:157)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5506)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1265)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1081)
at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.plexnor.android.good-1.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app-lib/com.plexnor.android.good-1, /vendor/lib, /system/lib]]
at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:67)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:497)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:457)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:565)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:702)
... 22 more
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/com.plexnor.android.good-1.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app-lib/com.plexnor.android.good-1, /vendor/lib, /system/lib]]
at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:67)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:497)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:457)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:565)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:702)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:761)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:769)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:463)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:398)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:354)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.setContentView(PhoneWindow.java:359)
at android.app.Activity.setContentView(Activity.java:2010)
at com.plexnor.android.good.CaptureActivity.onCreate(SourceFile:317)
at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5426)
at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1105)
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2389)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2483)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:171)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1297)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:157)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5506)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1265)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1081)
at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

EDIT 1: The app crashes earlier even entering the main activity when processing the layout. The beginning of the layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >

    <SurfaceView
        android:id="@+id/preview_view"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" />

    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/relative_layout_main"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:layout_marginBottom="0dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="0dp" >

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/learning_swipe_relative_layout"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
            android:background="@android:color/transparent" >

            <ImageView
                android:id="@+id/learningSwipe"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
                android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
                android:padding="30dp"
                android:src="@drawable/swipe" />
        </RelativeLayout>

        <com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView
            android:id="@+id/viewfinder_view"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/learning_relative_layout"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
            android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
            android:background="@android:color/transparent" >

Answer 1

Whats your logcat throws

Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.plexnor.android.good.ViewfinderView"

ClassNotFoundException in Java is a subclass of java.lang.Exception and Comes when Java Virtual Machine tries to load a particular class and doesn't found the requested class in classpath.

Another important point about this Exception is that, It is a checked Exception and you need to provide explicitly Exception handling while using methods which can possibly throw classnotfoundexception in java either by using try-catch block or by using throws clause.

Solution

Check whether your classpath contains that jar, if your classpath doesn't contain the jar then just add that class in your classpath.

Answer 2

Because I could not solve the issue I suspended that project for some months. Using Eclipse in my another project the same issue emerged after including a third party SDK to the project. Cleaning project, changing things in build path did not help. So, I cloned the project to a new workspace and added the SDK ... and it worked that way. After trying out the old abandoned project it worked out of the box. Thus I think the issue caused by a bug in the development environment.