Android Studio Two Flavors with Different Manifest Files

Android Studio two flavors with different manifest files

Tech background:

on this link it explains the techniques and parameters that can be use for manifest merging: https://developer.android.com/studio/build/manage-manifests#merge_rule_markers

One in specific is the tools:node that points out how certain XML nodes on the manifest should behave whilst merging.

Solution:

to achieve some permisions in one and different in other manifest, add ALL permissions you need to the main and in the flavours manifest remove the ones you don't need, like the example below:

free remove the check license

<uses-permission
   android:name="com.android.vending.CHECK_LICENSE" 
   tools:node="remove"/>

Is it possible to use multiple manifest files for different gradle builds/flavors?

Lets say I have a white label app that Im converting to be built in android studio from eclipse.

I have a white label app that Im converting to be built in android studio from eclipse.

Oh, no, wait — you didn't mean that literally...

:-)

Can I use flavors or buildtypes to handle the switching of multiple manifest files?

Absolutely. You can have manifests in the flavor and/or build type sourcesets (e.g., src/debug/AndroidManifest.xml). Their contents will be merged in with the manifest in main, the manifests in any attached AARs/Android library projects, and the various settings in build.config to create The One True Manifest for any given build. There is a page that describes the merger process and how various attributes can help control it, though it's a trifle confusing.

Android Product Flavors Manifests

That's correct, however, I would recommend you put all common Manifest information in the main, as CommonsWare mentioned.

Also, as a tip, if you do need to replace a value in the main Manifest for any reason (debugging for example), I would use the tools:replace tag like so:

Free flavor:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
      xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
      package="com.example">

    <application
        android:name=".FreeApp"
        android:allowBackup="false"
        tools:replace="allowBackup,name"/>

</manifest>

This would replace the tags name and allowBackup from main with what you have in this manifest.

I recommend you check out the following link for more information about flavoring and variants, in case you haven't already:

https://developer.android.com/studio/build/build-variants.html

Android, Gradle, product flavors and the manifest

I'll be keeping in mind what @CommonsWare said in their answer, but for now, I've resolved this as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    package="com.myapp.myapp"
    tools:replace="android:versionName,android:versionCode"
    android:versionCode="1010001"
    android:versionName="V1.1.0.1" >

Note the two tools snippets.

I knew about this originally, but I was put off trying it, because the full Gradle error referred to three problems:

• versionCode
• versionName
• the Maps API key

all of which are auto-inserted. However it only proferred tools:replace as a suggestion for the last of those, so I got the impression that it wouldn't work on manifest attributes. In fact it does.

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