Can't run on Desktop: cannot find class com.badlogic.gdx.ApplicationListener

[obigu]

Issue details

There appears to be a bug on IntelliJ Idea which prevents the app from launching on Desktop from both IntelliJ and Android Studio on a Mac (still to confirm if it affects Windows as well). A Reddit post was created on /r/libgdx as well as an issue created on Jetbrains issue tracker (see https://www.reddit.com/r/libgdx/comments/612c7d/can_run_on_android_cannot_run_on_desktop/ for details).

Even if it's no a libGDX bug I believe it is helpful to keep track on the progess of this as many users will see this crash when trying to launch on desktop using their IDE, feel free to close it otherwise.

Reproduction steps/code

Try to launch on Desktop a libGDX project using Intelli J version 2017.2.1 or Android Studio 2.3.3 on a Mac.

Version of LibGDX and/or relevant dependencies

1.9.6

Stacktrace

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: cannot find class com.badlogic.gdx.ApplicationListener

Please select the affected platforms

• Android
• iOS (robovm)
• iOS (MOE)
• HTML/GWT
• Windows
• Linux
• MacOS

[Tom-Ski]

How are you importing the project?

[obigu]

Ok, I've been trying different stuff and it may be an issue with my specific IDE and not related to the Reddit post. If I import a new project on Android Studio (File -> New -> Import Project) it runs on Desktop through the IDE Ok for a while and then starts failing (with the described error) and never recovers. On several attempts the trigger to start failing has been different so either I try to find out what caused it or I may create a fresh new environment in case it's gone corrupt. I'll close this issue for the moment.

[obigu]

Found the issue (it's not related to the Reddit post described in Issue Details). Setting Gradle wrapper to version 3.3 fixes it (it took me a bit to find out because Gradle version changes were not being applied immediately). On Gradle 3.5.1 or 4.0.2 the game doesn't launch on Desktop from the IDE neither on Android Studio nor Idea both on Windows and Mac even if it does from gradlew using console.

[AlexeyGorovoy]

I'm facing the same issue right now... Is downgrading really a fix? More like a temporary workaround. Moreover, on the latest Android Studio, you're forced to use the updated version of Gradle plugin and this problem cannot be fixed with this workaround.

I believe the problem should be fixed on a deeper level.

[julienvillegas]

This is something discussed here: #4946
Android Studio 3.0 uses Gradle 4.+
Unfortunately LibGDX is not compatible (for now). it will be some day according to #4698
You can use another IDE or an older version of Android Studio using on of the links provided in the issue above.

and yes, it is a work around for now.

[adam4813]

I got it to work with a minor hack and some user intervention required. Change task run(...) to task runAndroid(...) in the android build.gradle. I believe the issue is that the desktopbuild.gradle also has a task called run. Android studio appears to be blending and/or calling both causing the error.

Also To make sure the "build process" closes properly you will need to add System.exit(0); to the end of DesktopLauncher.main().

[adam4813]

Ok that was much more painful than it needed to be. Turns out you can just tell Android Studio to run a JAR application and execute gradle :desktop:dist before hand.

For this approach set Path to JAR to PROJECT_ROOT\desktop\build\libs\desktop-1.0.jar and Working Directory that same as you would for running an application. Lastly in the Before launch at the bottom I added a gradle task with project YOUR_GAME:desktop and task desktop:dist.

[enki1337]

Just for clarity, you need to add a new run configuration, you can't modify your existing one since it isn't the proper type.

1. Open the Run/Debug Configurations page.
2. Create a new Configuration of type JAR Application.
3. Set the Path to JAR and Working directory as above.
4. Add the Before launch gradle task as above.

[adam4813]

See #4698 my last comment it is now fixed using normal Application configuration.

[burf2000]

Morning all

I have a LibGDX project for iOS (MOE), Android and Desktop. I have just discovered that Desktop is not longer running. IT IS in KOTLIN!

I did try to upgrade to gradle 4.4, build 3.1.1 and latest AS but then non of the projects would compile with weird error like Program type already present: com.badlogic.gdx.sql.Database. I even took out all refs to this

So now I am running
Gradle 4.1
Build tools 2.3.3

All I want to fix is getting the desktop app working (iOS/ Android work If I run the normal Desktop Launcher I get
Error: Could not find or load main class com.burfdevelopment.hack24.desktop.DesktopLauncher

If I do the .jar workaround, I get
no main manifest attribute, in /Users/snrb/Documents/Hack24-Cross/Hack24/desktop/build/libs/desktop-1.0.jar