Error inflating class and android.support.v7.widget.CardView

I want to use CardView in my project, but when I run my application, I get the following error. I'm using Eclipse.

Error: Error inflating class and android.support.v7.widget.CardView

The graphical view of my xml file says 'The following classes could not be instantiated:
- android.support.v7.widget.CardView (Open Class, Show Error Log)
See the Error Log (Window > Show View) for more details.'

Please help.

This is the layout for my fragment where I have used CardView

<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="com.example.log.MyContactsFragment" >

<!-- TODO: Update blank fragment layout -->

<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
    xmlns:card_view="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/cvContactDetails"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="200dp"
    android:layout_gravity="center"
    android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"
    android:clickable="false"
    android:elevation="20dp" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tvContacts"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Contact Info" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/bDelete"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Delete" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/bExport"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Export to phone contacts" />
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

This is the layout for my activity.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/drawerLayout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

    <FrameLayout
        android:id="@+id/flMainContent"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent" >
    </FrameLayout>

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/lvLeftDrawer"
        android:layout_width="200dp"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="left"
        android:alpha="255"
        android:background="#0B2161"
        android:divider="@null"
        android:choiceMode="singleChoice" >
    </ListView>

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/lvRightDrawer"
        android:layout_width="200dp"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="right"
        android:alpha="255"
        android:background="#0B2161"
        android:divider="@null"
        android:choiceMode="singleChoice" >
    </ListView>

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

This is my logcat

FATAL EXCEPTION: main
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.example.log/com.example.log.HomeScreenActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9: Error inflating class android.support.v7.widget.CardView
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2059)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2084)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$600(ActivityThread.java:130)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1195)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4745)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:786)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:553)
at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9: Error inflating class android.support.v7.widget.CardView
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:613)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:687)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:746)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:489)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:396)
at com.example.log.MyContactsFragment.onCreateView(MyContactsFragment.java:60)
at android.support.v4.app.Fragment.performCreateView(Fragment.java:1504)
at android.support.v4.app.FragmentManagerImpl.moveToState(FragmentManager.java:942)
at android.support.v4.app.FragmentManagerImpl.moveToState(FragmentManager.java:1121)
at android.support.v4.app.BackStackRecord.run(BackStackRecord.java:682)
at android.support.v4.app.FragmentManagerImpl.execPendingActions(FragmentManager.java:1484)
at android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity.onStart(FragmentActivity.java:571)
at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnStart(Instrumentation.java:1163)
at android.app.Activity.performStart(Activity.java:5018)
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2032)
... 11 more
Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.constructNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:417)
at android.view.LayoutInflater.createView(LayoutInflater.java:587)
25 more
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: android.support.v7.cardview.R$styleable
at android.support.v7.widget.CardView.initialize(CardView.java:203)
at android.support.v7.widget.CardView.<init>(CardView.java:101)
... 28 more

Someone who has encountered the same problem or solved it, please comment.

Solution 1:

I guess I can answer my own question.

Go to File -> Import -> Existing Android code into workspace --> Browse (Go to sdk/extras/android/support/v7/cardview) --> Click ok --> Click Finish

Your project explorer will now show cardview as a project.

Right click on cardview project --> Properties --> Android(Left Pane) --> Enable isLibrary (tick the checkbox) --> Apply --> ok

Now Right click on your project --> Properties --> Android(Left pane) --> Add (under library) --> cardview --> apply --> ok

Now right click on your project again --> build path --> configure build path --> Under projects tab, add cardview

You are done.

Solution 2:

I guess your problem is not within your xml layout, but your build.gradle settings.

When you want to use support library for Recyclerview or CardView in lower API devices, you not only needs to import the v7 library, but also needs to import Recycler View and Card View support independently.

Like this:

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:21.0.+'
    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:21.0.+'
    compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:21.0.+'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:21.0.0'
} 

This is noted by Google's documents here: https://developer.android.com/training/material/compatibility.html

See dependencies section.

Also, you can download google's sample of RecyclerView to digging out.

Hope this will help!

Solution 3:

In my case i have to do both the things add android.support.v7.widget.CardView as a library project and also add + check it's jar file in java build path

1. Go to File -> Import -> Existing Android code into workspace --> Browse (Go to sdk/extras/android/support/v7/cardview) --> Click ok --> Click Finish

2. Right click on cardview project --> Properties --> Android(Left Pane) --> Enable isLibrary (tick the checkbox) --> Apply --> ok

3. Right click on your project --> Properties --> Android(Left pane) --> Add (under library) --> cardview --> apply --> ok

4. right click on your project again --> build path --> configure build path -->under libraries-->add jar-->expand cardview-->expand libs-->select android.support.v7.widget.CardView.jar

5. under order and export-->check android.support.v7.widget.CardView.jar-->click ok

Solution 4:

I wasted hours on this, for me the final piece of the puzzle was going to the "cardview" project that had been imported into Eclipse as an Android project, then right clicking > properties > android > and changing it from Android 2.1 to Lollipop!