Android Studio "IDE error occured" on create new Activity - android-studio

Question

(See update at the bottom)
Since Android Studio updated itself to v3.0, I can't make a new Activity.. I get this error reporting dialog showing 2 errors. I tried with a different project, tried cleaning the project, resyncing gradle, restarting my computer, uninstalling/reinstalling Android Studio, tried following Google's project Gradle migration video but nothing changes and I can't work anymore... Any ideas?
I didn't click "disable plugin" to disable Android Support as I don't want to break something I don't know about.
Details of first error message:
null
java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.TemplateManager$2.actionPerformed(TemplateManager.java:481)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.ex.ActionUtil$1.run(ActionUtil.java:215)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.ex.ActionUtil.performActionDumbAware(ActionUtil.java:232)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem$ActionTransmitter.lambda$actionPerformed$0(ActionMenuItem.java:309)
at com.intellij.openapi.wm.impl.FocusManagerImpl.runOnOwnContext(FocusManagerImpl.java:929)
at com.intellij.openapi.wm.impl.IdeFocusManagerImpl.runOnOwnContext(IdeFocusManagerImpl.java:136)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem$ActionTransmitter.actionPerformed(ActionMenuItem.java:299)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2022)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem.lambda$fireActionPerformed$0(ActionMenuItem.java:116)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.runSyncTransaction(TransactionGuardImpl.java:86)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.lambda$submitTransaction$1(TransactionGuardImpl.java:109)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.submitTransaction(TransactionGuardImpl.java:118)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuard.submitTransaction(TransactionGuard.java:122)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem.fireActionPerformed(ActionMenuItem.java:116)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI.doClick(BegMenuItemUI.java:513)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI.access$300(BegMenuItemUI.java:45)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI$MyMouseInputHandler.mouseReleased(BegMenuItemUI.java:533)
at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:6541)
at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3324)
at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:6306)
at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:2237)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:4897)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2295)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4889)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:4526)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:4467)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2281)
at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Window.java:2746)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:764)
at java.awt.EventQueue.access$500(EventQueue.java:98)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:715)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:709)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:90)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:737)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:735)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:734)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.defaultDispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:827)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue._dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:651)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:365)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:201)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:116)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:105)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:101)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:93)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:82)
Details of second error message:
Error executing FreeMarker template: The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> manifestDir [in template "root://activities/common/common_globals.xml.ftl" at line 36, column 39]
Tip: If the failing expression is known to be legally null/missing, either specify a default value with myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthessis: (myOptionVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionVar.foo)??
The failing instruction (print stack trace for 1 more):
==> ${manifestDir} [in template "root://activities/common/common_globals.xml.ftl" at line 36, column 37]
FreeMarker template error:
The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> manifestDir [in template "root://activities/common/common_globals.xml.ftl" at line 36, column 39]
Tip: If the failing expression is known to be legally null/missing, either specify a default value with myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthessis: (myOptionVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionVar.foo)??
The failing instruction (FTL stack trace):
----------
==> ${manifestDir} [in template "root://activities/common/common_globals.xml.ftl" at line 36, column 37]
#include "../common/common_globals.xm... [in template "root://activities/EmptyActivity/globals.xml.ftl" at line 8, column 5]
----------
Java stack trace (for programmers):
----------
freemarker.core.InvalidReferenceException: [... Exception message was already printed; see it above ...]
at freemarker.core.InvalidReferenceException.getInstance(InvalidReferenceException.java:98)
at freemarker.core.EvalUtil.coerceModelToString(EvalUtil.java:382)
at freemarker.core.Expression.evalAndCoerceToString(Expression.java:115)
at freemarker.core.DollarVariable.accept(DollarVariable.java:76)
at freemarker.core.Environment.visit(Environment.java:265)
at freemarker.core.MixedContent.accept(MixedContent.java:93)
at freemarker.core.Environment.visit(Environment.java:265)
at freemarker.core.Environment.include(Environment.java:1712)
at freemarker.core.Include.accept(Include.java:172)
at freemarker.core.Environment.visit(Environment.java:265)
at freemarker.core.MixedContent.accept(MixedContent.java:93)
at freemarker.core.Environment.visit(Environment.java:265)
at freemarker.core.Environment.process(Environment.java:243)
at freemarker.template.Template.process(Template.java:277)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.FreemarkerUtils.processFreemarkerTemplate(FreemarkerUtils.java:96)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.processFile(Template.java:471)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.access$100(Template.java:73)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template$3.startElement(Template.java:513)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.startElement(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.AbstractXMLDocumentParser.emptyElement(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanStartElement(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl$FragmentContentDispatcher.dispatch(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanDocument(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XMLParser.parse(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.parse(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.jaxp.SAXParserImpl$JAXPSAXParser.parse(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.xerces.jaxp.SAXParserImpl.parse(Unknown Source)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.processXml(Template.java:484)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.processFile(Template.java:468)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.lambda$doRender$2(Template.java:368)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template$1.run(Template.java:347)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.RunResult.run(RunResult.java:35)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.lambda$null$1(WriteCommandAction.java:171)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.impl.ApplicationImpl.runWriteAction(ApplicationImpl.java:1023)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.lambda$performWriteCommandAction$2(WriteCommandAction.java:170)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.lambda$doExecuteCommand$4(WriteCommandAction.java:210)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.impl.CoreCommandProcessor.executeCommand(CoreCommandProcessor.java:149)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.impl.CoreCommandProcessor.executeCommand(CoreCommandProcessor.java:119)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.doExecuteCommand(WriteCommandAction.java:212)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.performWriteCommandAction(WriteCommandAction.java:168)
at com.intellij.openapi.command.WriteCommandAction.execute(WriteCommandAction.java:151)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.runWriteCommandAction(Template.java:349)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.doRender(Template.java:367)
at com.android.tools.idea.templates.Template.render(Template.java:232)
at com.android.tools.idea.npw.template.RenderTemplateModel$FreeMarkerTemplateRenderer.renderTemplate(RenderTemplateModel.java:267)
at com.android.tools.idea.npw.template.RenderTemplateModel$FreeMarkerTemplateRenderer.doDryRun(RenderTemplateModel.java:196)
at com.android.tools.idea.npw.template.MultiTemplateRenderer.countDown(MultiTemplateRenderer.java:58)
at com.android.tools.idea.npw.template.MultiTemplateRenderer.requestRender(MultiTemplateRenderer.java:77)
at com.android.tools.idea.npw.template.RenderTemplateModel.handleFinished(RenderTemplateModel.java:176)
at com.android.tools.idea.wizard.model.ModelWizard.handleFinished(ModelWizard.java:393)
at com.android.tools.idea.wizard.model.ModelWizard.goForward(ModelWizard.java:324)
at com.android.tools.idea.wizard.model.ModelWizardDialog$FinishAction.doAction(ModelWizardDialog.java:307)
at com.intellij.openapi.ui.DialogWrapper$DialogWrapperAction.actionPerformed(DialogWrapper.java:1838)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2022)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2348)
at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(DefaultButtonModel.java:402)
at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(DefaultButtonModel.java:259)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(BasicButtonListener.java:252)
at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:6541)
at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3324)
at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:6306)
at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:2237)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:4897)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2295)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4889)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:4526)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:4467)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2281)
at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Window.java:2746)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:764)
at java.awt.EventQueue.access$500(EventQueue.java:98)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:715)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:709)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:90)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:737)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:735)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:734)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.defaultDispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:827)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue._dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:651)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:365)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:201)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:116)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:109)
at java.awt.WaitDispatchSupport$2.run(WaitDispatchSupport.java:190)
at java.awt.WaitDispatchSupport$4.run(WaitDispatchSupport.java:235)
at java.awt.WaitDispatchSupport$4.run(WaitDispatchSupport.java:233)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.awt.WaitDispatchSupport.enter(WaitDispatchSupport.java:233)
at java.awt.Dialog.show(Dialog.java:1084)
at com.intellij.openapi.ui.impl.DialogWrapperPeerImpl$MyDialog.show(DialogWrapperPeerImpl.java:736)
at com.intellij.openapi.ui.impl.DialogWrapperPeerImpl.show(DialogWrapperPeerImpl.java:458)
at com.intellij.openapi.ui.DialogWrapper.invokeShow(DialogWrapper.java:1696)
at com.intellij.openapi.ui.DialogWrapper.show(DialogWrapper.java:1645)
at com.android.tools.idea.actions.NewAndroidComponentAction.actionPerformed(NewAndroidComponentAction.java:140)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.ex.ActionUtil$1.run(ActionUtil.java:215)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.ex.ActionUtil.performActionDumbAware(ActionUtil.java:232)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem$ActionTransmitter.lambda$actionPerformed$0(ActionMenuItem.java:309)
at com.intellij.openapi.wm.impl.FocusManagerImpl.runOnOwnContext(FocusManagerImpl.java:929)
at com.intellij.openapi.wm.impl.IdeFocusManagerImpl.runOnOwnContext(IdeFocusManagerImpl.java:136)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem$ActionTransmitter.actionPerformed(ActionMenuItem.java:299)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2022)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem.lambda$fireActionPerformed$0(ActionMenuItem.java:116)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.runSyncTransaction(TransactionGuardImpl.java:86)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.lambda$submitTransaction$1(TransactionGuardImpl.java:109)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuardImpl.submitTransaction(TransactionGuardImpl.java:118)
at com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuard.submitTransaction(TransactionGuard.java:122)
at com.intellij.openapi.actionSystem.impl.ActionMenuItem.fireActionPerformed(ActionMenuItem.java:116)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI.doClick(BegMenuItemUI.java:513)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI.access$300(BegMenuItemUI.java:45)
at com.intellij.ui.plaf.beg.BegMenuItemUI$MyMouseInputHandler.mouseReleased(BegMenuItemUI.java:533)
at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:6541)
at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3324)
at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:6306)
at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:2237)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:4897)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2295)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4889)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:4526)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:4467)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2281)
at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Window.java:2746)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4719)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:764)
at java.awt.EventQueue.access$500(EventQueue.java:98)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:715)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:709)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:90)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:737)
at java.awt.EventQueue$4.run(EventQueue.java:735)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:734)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.defaultDispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:827)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue._dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:651)
at com.intellij.ide.IdeEventQueue.dispatchEvent(IdeEventQueue.java:365)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:201)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:116)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:105)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:101)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:93)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:82)
UPDATE:
When playing around, I noticed that the problem doesn't occur if I create a new project. It only happens on existing projects.

Answer 1

I ended up downgrading to 2.3.3 by getting the old version there:
https://developer.android.com/studio/archive.html
UPDATE:
After testing with the solution posted here, the problem ended up being only that line in the project Gradle file:
buildDir = "C:/tmp/${rootProject.name}/${project.name}"
If you remove that line then everything will work. The other solution contains additional changes but they are not needed to fix the problem.

Answer 2

No need to downgrade. Just ensure you:
(a) apply gradle plugin 3.0.0, (b) add the repo references to "google()", and (c) remove the buildDir code from your project gradle file.
allprojects {
//String osName = System.getProperty("os.name").toLowerCase();
//if (osName.contains("windows")) {
// buildDir = "C:/tmp/${rootProject.name}/${project.name}"
//}
repositories {
google()
jcenter()
}
}
I could add a new activity to an existing project after these steps.

Answer 3

I fixed mine by changing the JDK for my project.
WINDOWS 10:
Upon installing Android Studio(AS), the default JDK will be embedded JDK which comes along with the AS package. You just need to change the JDK to the one that is installed in your system.
Steps:
right click "app" folder
Select "Open Module Settings"
"SDK Location"
Uncheck "Use embedded JDK"
Select the installation folder of the JDK in your system EX: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_144
Before
Embedded JDK
After
Installed JDK
I hope it helps :)

Answer 4

Try doing this
File > Invalidate Caches/Restart > Invalidate & Restart.

Answer 5

I was having the same issue because i opened a cloned project from the welcome screen rather than opening it from "Open an existing project".
So just close your project and then from the menu select "Open an existing project" and then open your project and your problem will be solved.

Answer 6

If you are using Kotlin, make sure that the ext.kotlin_version inside your build.gradle matches the version of your plugIn. For me it also gave a warning in the gradle output that those were different, so keep an I on that!

Answer 7

Find SDK from C:\Users\Fateh Hayat\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
Find folder platform-tools
Rename this folder to platform-tools old
Download file from Here
After this download first link file for windows that contains 7.16mb
After this file copy and paste in SDK folder
Then go to Android Studio, select Tools>sdk manager>sdk tools>android sdk platform-tools
Click Apply
Restart Android Studio...

Answer 8

For me Solved the problem by going to: File >> Invalidate Caches/Restart... and select Invalidate and Restart

Answer 9

For me it just worked by re-running the Gradle build. Just press Ctrl+F9 or click on the make project button and wait some time till the Gradle build is finished. And boom, the error is fixed! It worked for me and I hope it works for the people who are still facing problem.