Can't get Root View from Data Binding after enabling safe-args plugin

Question

I'm working on an Android app using dataBinding and am currently trying to add the safe-args plugin, but after enabling the plugin, I can no longer get the root view via binding.root - Android Studio gives the error:

Unresolved Reference
None of the following candidates is applicable because of a receiver type mismatch:
* internal val File.root: File defined in kotlin.io

How can I get databinding and safe-args to play nice together?

Note that while the code snippet is in Kotlin I will happily take Java answers. Not as comfortable in Java but I can easily read it and translate it.

I haven't been able to find anyone else with the same problem by Googling the error message and "safe args". I tried first with the classpath listed in the Android docs here: https://developer.android.com/guide/navigation/navigation-pass-data

classpath "androidx.navigation:navigation-safe-args-gradle-plugin:2.1.0"

And then also found a tutorial suggesting I use:

classpath "android.arch.navigation:navigation-safe-args-gradle-plugin:1.0.0-alpha07"

Both had the same issue: binding.root gave an error with the plugin activated

Here is my onCreateView() for my fragment. That return line works properly when safe-args isn't enabled and doesn't work when it is enabled

   override fun onCreateView(
    inflater: LayoutInflater, container: ViewGroup?,
    savedInstanceState: Bundle?
): View? {
    binding = DataBindingUtil.inflate(inflater, R.layout.fragment_encoder, container, false)

    return binding.root
}

Any help solving or understanding this problem is most appreciated!

Message

Answer 1

I have the same issue, it's so wired for me, but just rename the layout will work again, try to it :D

Keeleykeelhaul

That did do the trick, strangely enough, thanks. For others coming here with the same problem, all I had to do was refactor>rename the layout xml file associated with the class that wasn't recognizing binding.root. You'll also have to rename the auto-generated class type for the binding accordingly. Once I did that, everything worked correctly and I was even able to re-rename back to the original name. Not sure how this did anything rebuilding the project didn't.. – Message

Also if you're here due to issues with safe-args, might wanna look into using a shared ViewModel and LiveData instead. That's what I'm using now cause I had to keep going when I got stuck on safe-args and I'm much happier – Message

invalid caches command didn't work but renaming the layout which was not recognised did the trick. – Braswell

Looks like if an ID inside the layout matches one of the names it gets thrown off, renaming the layout to match the view fixed it - weird! – Astilbe

Answer 2

I have the same issue and at last I tried

File -> Invalid Caches/Restart

It works for me.

Ferryman

Just Invalidate works, no need to restart Android Studio. – Guiscard

Didn't work for me. Only renaming the layout file worked! – Arsenical

@RahulRastogi wow, nothing worked except your solution, which is to rename the file, how did you come up with that solution? :) – Coffle

Answer 3

I have the similar issue but only in included layout, perform these operations work for me

Build -> Clean Project
Build -> Rebuild Project

Nucleotidase

Answer 4

I've already tried 「Invalidate Caches」、「Clean & Build」、「Rebuild」、Restart PC. However,They all did not work.

Until I did these：

1. Clean
2. remove 「.gradle」 & 「.buildCacheDir」
3. build

then it worked. Oh My God! try it!

Orthoclase

Answer 5

After I spend hours and tried everything, I remove .gradle/.tmp and .gradle/caches files completely and the problem disappeared

Yost