MAUI app cannot resolve androidx.compose.ui.platform.ComposeView from Android Binding Library

[TheFoxan12]

Android framework version

net9.0-android

Affected platform version

VS Enterprise 2022 17.12.4, .NET 9.0.102,

Description

I have kotlin code that needs androidx.compose.ui to work.
I build an android library from this kotlin code, then import it in an Android Binding Library in VS, and I add the dependencies in the .csproj,
with notably

<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />

among a lot of other packages

I then import this library in a MAUI application, and when launching a ComponentActivity, there is a runtime error

Java.Lang.NoClassDefFoundError: 'Failed resolution of: Landroidx/compose/ui/platform/ComposeView;'

see also https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79421004/maui-java-class-resolution-fails-even-with-dependencie-added

Steps to Reproduce

1. create a new android studio project
2. add an android library module
3. create a custom class extending ComponentActivity()
4. in setContentView, add a ComposeView
5. add a composable in the content

open class ExampleActivity : ComponentActivity() {

    @Composable
    fun Greeting(name: String) {
        Text(text = "Hello $name!")
    }

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

        setContentView(
            ComposeView(this).apply {
                setContent {
                    MaterialTheme {
                        Greeting(name = "compose")
                    }
                }
            }
        )
    }
}

6. build the library
7. create a new Android Binding Library in VS
8. add the .AAR
9. add all xamarin.androix dependencies

<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity.Compose" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity.Ktx" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation" Version="1.9.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation.Experimental" Version="1.4.1.8" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation.Jvm" Version="1.9.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.AppCompat" Version="1.7.0.5" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Collection.Jvm" Version="1.4.5.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Foundation" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Material3" Version="1.3.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Material3Android" Version="1.3.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.LiveData" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.RxJava2" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.RxJava3" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Saveable" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Saveable.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Geometry" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Geometry.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Graphics" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Graphics.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Text" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Text.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Unit" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Unit.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Util" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Util.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Lifecycle.Runtime.Compose" Version="2.8.7.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Lifecycle.Runtime.Compose.Android" Version="2.8.7.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Jetbrains.Annotations" Version="26.0.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Common" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Jdk7" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Jdk8" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Android" Version="1.9.0.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Core" Version="1.9.0.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Core.Jvm" Version="1.9.0.2" /> 
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI" Version="1.7.6.1" />

10. build the library
11. create a new MAUI application
12. add a reference to the Binding Library
13. launch the custom activity, with for example a button

 public static void StartComposeActivity(Context context, string param)
 {
     var intent = new Intent(
         context,
         typeof(Com.Example.Composebind.ExampleActivity));
     //intent.PutExtra("param", param);
     context.StartActivity(intent);
 }

and

        private void OpenCompose_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
#if ANDROID
            if (Platform.CurrentActivity is MainActivity mainActivity)
            {
                MainActivity.StartComposeActivity(mainActivity, "test");
            }
#endif
        }

and

            <Button
                Text="Open Compose"
                Clicked="OpenCompose_Clicked"/>

14. admire the crash

Did you find any workaround?

no :(

Relevant log output

[moljac]

@TheFoxan12
Thanks for the feedback

AndroidX.Compose is not officialy supported in .NET Android. Thus not supported in MAUI too.

please see

#984 (comment)

[moljac]

OK. I am sorry - did not read everything and carefully.

So you have

1. Kotlin library using Compose
2. C# bindings library that binds Update the templates in .github #1
3. MAUI app using Camera X Bindings #2

Is that right?

I need to check bindings, but did you check proguard?

Checked:

yup. Back then (in 2021) I didn't have time to tackle huge amount of errors so I removed managed code

https://github.com/dotnet/android-libraries/blob/main/source/androidx.compose.ui/ui-android/Transforms/Metadata.xml

[TheFoxan12]

Hey, thank you for answering.

---

I didn't really understand your answer with the links even if you seem to have understood, I will summarize it again clearly:

I have

1. Kotlin library using Compose
2. Android Binding Library, in C#, binding the kotlin library, and referencing the package Xamarin.Androidx.Compose.UI
3. MAUI app using the Android Binding Library

---

I'm pretty beginner in Kotlin and Android libs, so what do you mean by checking proguard ? Assuming you're talking about proguard rules in my android library, what should I look for ?

---

Regarding your last check, what does it mean ? xd Will I be able to use Compose ? Or will it really be impossible ?
Is there maybe a workaround I could use ?

[moljac]

I didn't really understand your answer with the links even if you seem to have understood, I will summarize it again clearly:

I have

1. Kotlin library using Compose
2. Android Binding Library, in C#, binding the kotlin library, and referencing the package Xamarin.Androidx.Compose.UI
3. MAUI app using the Android Binding Library

OK. I got it right.

I'm pretty beginner in Kotlin and Android libs, so what do you mean by checking proguard ? Assuming you're talking about proguard rules in my android library, what should I look for ?

Today it is R8. proguard is predecessor of R8. It is optimizer.

https://developer.android.com/build/shrink-code

Regarding your last check, what does it mean ? xd

I will have to redo the bindings.

Will I be able to use Compose ?

I hope so.

Or will it really be impossible ?

Nothing is impossible, just limited right now.

Is there maybe a workaround I could use ?

Not that I know of right now.

[TheFoxan12]

Thanks,
So, do you think it will be available soon ? Like a few weeks ? Or maybe a few month ?

[moljac]

Thanks, So, do you think it will be available soon ? Like a few weeks ? Or maybe a few month ?

Hard to tell. I need to check 1st. I would say - weeks.

[moljac]

@TheFoxan12

WIP

#1094

There are few subborn artifacts with lot of errors, but I think it will be few weeks (this is not our highest pirority)

In the meantime would you be so kind and create minimal repro sample, so I can test against something, please?

[TheFoxan12]

Thanks for working on it,

I'll create a sample project as soon as I can.

I am also happy to inform you that I found and alternative temporary solution, which is adding every dependencie file in .aar/.jar downloaded directly from the maven repository of androidx, in the android binding library
But having nuget packages would be really better for maintenability