Skip to main content

How to use the Excluded built-in libraries screen

· 3 min read
JavkhlanK
JavkhlanK
Main Modder

Learn exactly what the new excluded built-in libraries screen is for and how to use it!

1. What is a 'built-in library'?​

It's a library in Sketchware Pro's .apk file which it can add to projects. For example, Glide, or androidx.activity, or OkHttp. Usually, when you use specific built-in Blocks (e.g. the set image from url Block) or Components/Views (e.g. FAB, Drawer require AppCompat to be on, adding lots of androidx built-in libraries), necessary ones are added to your project. Internally, they're named for example activity-1.3.0.

2. When to use the Excluded built-in libraries screen?​

Those built-in libraries that Sketchware Pro contains have a specific version. In the activity-1.3.0 example, it's more specifically the Gradle dependency androidx.activity:activity:1.3.0. Over time, the versions shipped in Sketchware Pro will be out-of-date. Therefore, you might want to upgrade the version of those libraries.

Users can add new "custom" libraries with Local library Manager. Those are Local libraries.
Before the Excluded built-in libraries screen was created, they couldn't be used to update a built-in library version. Now it's possible though!

Why it doesn't work without the Excluded built-in libraries screen

When not using the Excluded built-in libraries screen, the .apk file of the project contains two definitions of a library in the .dex files. Android only uses the first definition of a class, and built-in libraries' .dex files are preferred over Local libraries' when Sketchware Pro creates a project .apk file. This is similar to the Java boot classpath and not being able to overwrite core Java classes.

3. How to use the Excluded built-in libraries screen?​

Example steps for upgrading the androidx.activity built-in library:

  1. Add the new library version as Local library, e.g. androidx.activity:activity:1.9.2. You can use Local library Manager's downloader for that.
  2. Open the Excluded built-in libraries screen of your project and enable the feature. To open it: Open project > press on 3-dot menu / open drawer > Library (at the top of the right drawer) > Excluded built-in libraries
  3. Select the built-in library version of androidx.activity, so activity-1.3.0, then press save.

Now Sketchware Pro will add its usual built-in libraries to the project, except for androidx.activity of version 1.3.0. It will add the Local library version of androidx.activity and version 1.9.2 instead. This is the only way to "update libraries" unless you modify Sketchware Pro itself.

Make sure that Local library dependencies are met, and that you repeat the same exclusion steps above for them! For example, if you wanted to use the Material Design Components library with Gradle dependency com.google.android.material:material:1.12.0, you'd first have to download and save it as Local library, including sub-dependencies. Then, for every single new Local library (a dependency of the Material library), exclude the corresponding built-in library (if it exists, some libraries are just new). This is a lot of work, but it's all necessary to avoid crashes and misconfiguration.

This is for example how to properly update the Material Design Components built-in library:

Screenshot_20240913_131303_Sketchware Pro