Error: No resource identifier found for attribute `requestLegacyExternalStorage` and `preserveLegacyExternalStorage` in package `android`

Question

I have decompiled APK using apktool d demoapp.apk then compiling apk using apktool b demoapp.apk but at compile time it throws the error

brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.common.BrutException: could not exec (exit code = 1):

Here No resource identifier found for attribute preserveLegacyExternalStorage in package android

The same error appears for requestLegacyExternalStorage as well

Answer 1

If you just want to modify its source before recompile it (resource will not be modified), use -r flag when decompile the apk. I have the same problem, and always get unknown resource problem when recompile it. It solve when I use -r flag when decompile the apk.

# apktool -r d demo.apk

Answer 2

You should compile against SDK 29 and maybe use the most recent build tools for aapt to know this attribute.

Answer 3

If nothing helps, the following undocumented command may help (see https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool/issues/1842#issuecomment-522616705):

apktool empty-framework-dir

Run it then try to re-build apk again

apktool b example.apk.dir example.apk

Other things to try:

1. Upgrade apktool: https://ibotpeaches.github.io/Apktool/install/
2. Ignore resources with -r flag if you don't need them (e.g. you only need to modify the source code):

apktool -r d example.apk