R cannot be resolved, tried everything

Question

I have really tried everything imaginable!

Okay, I know everyone says that they have "tried everything" and I know that there are a million and one "R cannot be resolved" questions and tutorials. However, I have done them all, literally! I have cleaned and built, deleted my project and reimported it, checked for capital letters in my resources, checked my XML in general for errors, checked my package name in the manifest, I have the correct build tools, package tools, and platform tools, I have checked my imports on my classes, I have made sure the build path has the correct boxes checked (Android version #), and I have changed the order of the build so that /src is last and still nothing!

The problem came about after I did an update to the SDK and ADT; however, like I said earlier, I made sure to have the correct packages. I also tried adding a values-es folder to my project after the update, but I had made a backup up of my entire project before the issue, so when it lit up like a Christmas Tree with errors I just reverted back to the original.

tl;dr

I have literally tried every answer and tutorial on SO and elsewhere and still have an issue with R cannot be resolved. I believe it may be linked to the SDK and ADT update but Im not sure.

Edit 1

What I've tried

1 Tech Republic Help (all of the suggestions except the last one)
2 SO 1
3 All of the answers in this SO thread
4 This SO thread and the dozens of other similar ones that don't need listing

Please help, I have worked for hours getting updates put in place only to not be able to publish them. This is an infuriating problem!

Edit 2

Package and import pictures

Answer 1

I found this happening to me with a broken layout. No need to be worry. I am trying my best to giving you the solution

Solution

Make sure that anything the R. links to is not broken. Fix all errors in your XML files. If anything in the ADKs are broken, R will not regenerate.

If you somehow hit something and created import android.R in your activity, remove it. Run Project -> Clean. This will delete and regenerate R and BuildConfig.

Make sure Project -> Build Automatically is ticked. If not, build it manually via Menu -> Project -> Build Project .

Wait a few seconds for the errors to disappear.

If it doesn't work, delete everything inside the /gen/ folder

If it still doesn't work, try right-clicking your project -> Android Tools -> Fix Project Properties.

Check your *.properties files (in the root folder of your app folder) and make sure that the links in there are not broken.

Right-click your project > properties > Android.

Look at the Project Build Target and Library sections on the right side of the page. Your Build Target should match the target in your AndroidManifest.xml. So if it's set to target 17 in AndroidManifest, make sure that the Target Name is Android 4.2. If your Library has an X under the reference, remove and re-add the library until there's a green tick. This might happen if you've moved a few files and folders around.

What to do if R doesn't regenerate

This usually happens when you have a broken xml file.

Check errors inside your XML files, mainly within the /res/ folder

Common places are /layout/ and /values/ especially if you've changed one of them recently

Check AndroidManifest.xml, I find that often I change a string, and forget to change the string name from AndroidManifest.xml.

Check that Android SDK Build-tools is installed. Window->Android SDK Manager->Tools->Android SDK Build-tools

Make sure when you update the Android SDK Tools, you also update the Android SDK Platform-tools and Android ASK Build-tools. Build fails silently if they don't match.

If you can't find the issue, right click /gen/ -> Restore from local history... -> tick R.java -> click Restore. This doesn't solve the problem, but it will clear out the extra errors to make the problem easier to find.

Hope it will help you. :)

Answer 2

There are lots of reasons for this kind of problem, that makes it frustrating.
But since you got this after an update, I suggest you follow this discussion. which suggests to install new Android SDK Build Tools from Android SDK Manager.

Answer 3

As a last resort, you can create a new project and piece it together file by file with your existing code (Running it, of course, at every possible instance[change]) and wait for the error to show itself.

For what it's worth, these are usually xml errors in my experience.

Good Luck