Android compilers

Use this page to configure the behavior of the Android dx tool and the ProGuard tool. This tool converts compiled class files to executable .dex files in the Dalvik format for further execution in the Android environment.

On this page:

DEX

In this area, configure the behaviour of the Android dx tool that converts the class files to Dalvik byte code.

Item	Description
Maximum heap size	Use this spin box to control the size of the heap available to the process that launches the compiler. If you are compiling a particularly large or complex project, you may get out-of-memory errors and be required to increase the amount of memory allocated to the compiler.
Additional VM options	In this text box, specify the string to be passed to the Dalvik Virtual Machine for launching the Android application. If necessary, click and type the desired string in the Android DX Compiler VM Options dialog. When specifying JVM options, follow these rules: Use spaces to separate individual options, for example, `-client -ea -Xmx1024m`. If an option includes spaces, enclose the spaces or the argument that contains spaces in double quotes, for example, `some" "arg` or `"some arg"`. If an option includes double quotes (as part of the argument), escape the double quotes using backslashes, for example, `-Dmy.prop=\"quoted_value\"`. You can pass environment variable values to custom Java properties. For example, if you define a variable `MY_ENV_VAR`, you can pass it to the `foo` property as follows: -Dfoo=${MY_ENV_VAR}
Optimize	Select this checkbox to have the .dex file converted into a .odex file (optimized). The optimized .odex version of a .dex file is stored outside the application package .apk. During the booting of the Android operating system, .odexa files make the basis for building a cache for the Dalvik virtual machine. As a result, the operating system in advance knows what applications will be loaded. When this checkbox is cleared, the generated .dex file is not optimized. By default, the checkbox is selected.
Force jumbo mode	Select this checkbox to increase the default number of strings allowed in .dex files. By default, the checkbox is cleared.
Add "--core-library" flag	Select this checkbox to enable containing classes from certain packages as input files. The packages are as follows: `java`, `javax.accessibility`, `javax.crypto`, `javax.imageio`, `javax.management`, `javax.naming`, `javax.net`, `javax.print`, `javax.rmi`, `javax.security`, `javax.sound`, `javax.sql`, `javax.swing`, `javax.transaction`, `javax.xml`.

ProGuard

In this area, configure the behaviour of the ProGuard tool.

Item	Description
VM options	In this text box, specify the additional options for running the ProGuard tool. For example, to increase the default ProGuard heap size, type `-Xmx<required maximum heap size>`.

Last modified: 23 April 2021