How can I figure out what nuget package is throwing an error about Xamarin.Android.Support.v4 no longer supported?

Tony Pitman 41

I have an old Xamarin.Forms app for iOS and Android that I am trying to upgrade to work on the latest Android OS.

When I build I get these errors:

    /Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/External/xbuild/Xamarin/Android/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets(438,3): error XA0121: Assembly 'Xamarin.Android.Support.v4' is using '[assembly: Java.Interop.JavaLibraryReferenceAttribute]', which is no longer supported. Use a newer version of this NuGet package or notify the library author.
    /Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/External/xbuild/Xamarin/Android/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets(438,3): error XA0121: Assembly 'Xamarin.Android.Support.v4' is using '[assembly: Java.Interop.JavaLibraryReferenceAttribute]', which is no longer supported. Use a newer version of this NuGet package or notify the library author.
    /Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/External/xbuild/Xamarin/Android/Xamarin.Android.Common.targets(438,3): error XA0121: Assembly 'Xamarin.Android.Support.v4' is using '[assembly: Android.IncludeAndroidResourcesFromAttribute]', which is no longer supported. Use a newer version of this NuGet package or notify the library author.

The problem is I can't figure out which nuget package needs to be upgraded.

I read a MSDN article about how to turn on Verbose logging during build and have that turned on, so I see lots of details.

I can't seem to figure out which nuget or library is trying to bring that v4 library in.

Can someone point me to how to figure that out?

Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-28T03:20:16.8+00:00

"Xamarin.Android.Support.v4" libraries have been deprecated for a while now, please migrate to "AndroidX" . Also checkout migration-tooling.

I can't seem to figure out which nuget or library is trying to bring that v4 library in.

Please right click your projectname.Android project, then choose Manage nugget package selection, check all of installed nugget packages' dependences like this document:packagereference condition, if you find dependences that include the Xamarin.Android.Support.v4, please upload your nugget package to the latest.
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-03-28T13:14:18.6766667+00:00

I did that and didn't find any that have that that dependancy. What do I do now?
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-29T06:45:31.4766667+00:00

Did you migrate to the AndroidX? And you can copy this project and update all of your nugget package to the latest. After that, please close your VS, open your project folder, delete bin and obj folders, rebuild your project in VS, is that working?
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-03-29T13:20:04.99+00:00

First a note. I created a brand new Android project as part of trying to get this to work. I would assume that would create an AndroidX project already.

Either way I just opened the project in VS. Then right clicked the Android project and chose Migrate to AndroidX. It gave some dialogs about closing files and I said to proceed.

It did something for less than a minute and then said it was done.

I followed the rest of your steps by closing VS, deleting the bin and obj folders.

I then waited for the restoring of packages and updating resources.

I then right click rebuild.

I still get the same errors as listed above in my original post.

I am wondering if you can answer the original question of how to know exactly which package or library is causing such errors? That is my question that I would like answered.

I have the diagnostic mode turned on for build output.
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-30T08:50:13.5+00:00

Can you share installed nugget package? I can check them one by one.
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-03-30T13:23:58.9666667+00:00

I was not sure the best way to get this to you, so I did a diagnostic output build and then copied the sections that are the "Input Files" that seem to be where the nuget package files are listed. They seem to have the versions in the path, so I hope that gives the right version.

This project consists of several projects with their own sets of nuget packages, so there are duplicates.

ProjectNugetPackages.txt
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-03-31T09:22:11.09+00:00

I was not sure the best way to get this to you

You can right click your projectname.Android project in the VS, then choose manage the nugget packages selection，select the installed tag.

If all nugget packages do not reference Xamarin.Android.Support.v4 . For your scenario, it is recommended to open a support ticket for this. Please contact our paid phone support at MS Support. You will get 1:1 support on that.
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-03-31T12:54:59.7366667+00:00

Were you not able to use that list I sent you to figure it out?
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-03-31T16:57:54.2533333+00:00

I also just found some additional information about this.

SOMETIMES... If I do a clean build of the solution (not just the project), before I try to build and run it, I don't get any errors in the build or deploy and it runs.

It will always seem to build, but gives the above errors when I try to deploy.

Does that help at all?

I went through all of the packages and none of them say they have a dependency on Xamarin.Android.Support.v4
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-04-03T06:06:35.0966667+00:00

Were you not able to use that list I sent you to figure it out?

I checked this list, I found this line /Users/[username]/Projects/Mindfire/IntegratedBuildingManagement/Mobile/Command7.Mobile.Forms/FodyWeavers.xml, did you add reference to another project?

If so, please check this project.
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-04-03T13:05:48.7633333+00:00

That is really weird. That is a whole different project and I can't figure out how that might have gotten in there. I will remove, but it doesn't change things.
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-04-04T08:41:05.3333333+00:00

After removing this project, please delete bin and obj folders in your project, and rebuild it.

If it is still existed issue, please create a new Xamarin project, then install same nugget packages. If it have same issue?
Tony Pitman 41 Reputation points

2023-04-04T13:13:01.52+00:00

It looks like the offending packages are older nuget packages that start with Xam.Plugin. I am starting a new solution and importing everything one thing at a time.
Leon Lu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 68,261 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-05-11T02:24:40.2733333+00:00

Thanks for your update.