A fresh install of Android and VS Code fails

[mattleibow]

Android application type

.NET Android (net7.0-android, etc.)

Affected platform version

All

Description

I just did a fresh install of VS Code and tried to build an Android app. I followed the instructions to set up Java and the Android SDK. VSCode can build the app, but dotnet build does not.

It fails because it can't find the sdk because I have not set AndroidSdkDirectory. I never set that for builds when using full VS.

I tried setting the correct ANDROID_SDK_ROOT and ANDROID_HOME envvars, but nothing changes.

The output of dotnet build -t:InstallAndroidDependencies -f:net8.0-android also does not say anything. It would be nice if the SDK could be automatically picked up using the default/accepted envvars and not require a .NET-specific setting.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Clean VS/Sandbox
2. Install MAUI Dev Kit
3. Install Java and Android SDK following the directions
4. Run dotnet build
5. Observe the error
6. Run using F5
7. Observe no error

Did you find any workaround?

Setting an envvar AndroidSdkDirectory to my SDK. This is not really expected and no mention in the docs. I just know to set it because I know MSBuild also checks envvars.

Relevant log output

No response

[mattleibow]

This is also an issue because this breaks VS Code intellisense. The design time builds are failing since android is the first TFM. As a result, a fresh VS Code does not work.

[dellis1972]

We should probably move this issue to the andorid-sdk-installer repo as that is where the task in question lives.
That said we should also update the documentation in this repo for this target to say that the AndroidSdkDirectory is required. Currently it doesn't mention it at all.

[mattleibow]

What was the issue for also checking the ANDROID_SDK_ROOT or ANDROID_HOME paths as that is a "standard" envvar?

[dellis1972]

@mattleibow it was never implemented as both VS and VSForMac always provided a valid to the msbuild property.

[mattleibow]

But, if I install VS proper and then dotnet build it works, why? I tested now in a plain pwsh prompt after installing VS, no AndroidSdkDirectory envvar needed.

[dellis1972]

But, if I install VS proper and then dotnet build it works, why? I tested now in a plain pwsh prompt after installing VS, no AndroidSdkDirectory envvar needed.

Because the IDE extension for .net android passes that value for 'AndroidSdkDirectory' to the target when it calls it.
Its funny I thought this was done by the VSCode Maui extension , I seem to remember someone talking about this issue.

[dellis1972]

or maybe the VS installer is setting up a system level envvar.

[akoeplinger]

I think on Windows there's this lookup logic that also checks a reg key set by VS: https://github.com/xamarin/xamarin-android-tools/blob/8d382816bdd3b62107704dbab47dabd43d4a997c/src/Xamarin.Android.Tools.AndroidSdk/Sdks/AndroidSdkWindows.cs#L82-L107