How to run copy task with android studio into assets folder

Question

So far I have added the following to the end of my "build.gradle"

task copyFiles(type: Copy)

copyFiles {
    description = 'Copies html5 files from the common library...'
    from '../../www'
    into 'assets/www'
    include('**/*')
}

Now I just need some help on how o make this task get executed everytime (before) compiling the android source. I can run the copy task manually from command line, but Id like to have it run when I click "run" in android studio.

With the help of suggestion below, I have added

clean.dependsOn copyFiles
clean.mustRunAfter copyFiles

And with this addition I can get my copy task to run by doing rebuild -> run. It's better than nothing but it would be nice to skip the rebuild step.

Here is the whole build.gradle that im using with android studio.

buildscript {
    repositories {
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.5.+'
    }
}


apply plugin: 'android'

dependencies {
    compile files('/libs/acra-4.3.0.jar')
}

android {
    compileSdkVersion 17
    buildToolsVersion "17"

    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 8
        targetSdkVersion 17
    }
    sourceSets {
        main {
            manifest.srcFile 'AndroidManifest.xml'
            java.srcDirs = ['src','libs']
            resources.srcDirs = ['src']
            aidl.srcDirs = ['src']
            renderscript.srcDirs = ['src']
            res.srcDirs = ['res']
            assets.srcDirs = ['assets']
        }

        instrumentTest.setRoot('tests')
    }
}


task copyFiles(type: Copy)

copyFiles {
    description = 'Copies html5 files from the common library...'
    from '../../www'
    into 'assets/www'
    include('**/*')
}

clean.dependsOn copyFiles
clean.mustRunAfter copyFiles

Answer 1

This way I do custom copying of file assets in my android-gradle build system

preBuild.dependsOn copyFiles

Answer 2

Here is the module's build.gradle that I am using which successfully copies the files that I wanted as a pre-build task. The "into" is modelled after the File class in Java, so it should be familiar on how to use it. The two lines at the end is optional - it will run the copyFiles task when invoking gradle clean:

android {
.....
}

task copyFiles(type: Copy) {
    description = 'copying some file(s)....'
    from 'src/main'
    into project(':Path:To:ModuleFrom:Settings.gradle').file('./res')
    include 'file1.suffix'
    include '**/*.html'
}

project.afterEvaluate {
    preBuild.dependsOn copyFiles
}

clean.dependsOn copyFiles
clean.mustRunAfter copyFiles

Answer 3

I had a very similar problem to yours and I was able to solve it as follows:

android.buildTypes.all{ buildType ->    
    task "${buildType.name}CopyFiles" (type: Copy)
    "${buildType.name}CopyFiles" {
        description = 'Copies html5 files from the common library...'
        from '../../www'
        into 'assets/www'
        include('**/*')
    }

    tasks.getByPath(":${project.name}:assemble${buildType.name.capitalize()}").dependsOn "${buildType.name}CopyFiles"
}

The problem is, that Android Studio seems to call a specific assemble task like assembleDebug when you click on run, that's why you have to make sure to make all assemble tasks depend on your copy task.

Answer 4

task myCopyToAssets(type: Copy) {
    def toDir = rootProject.file('app/assets')
    from (rootProject.file('app/usb')) {
        include 'libhotplug.so'
    }
    into toDir
}



tasks.whenTaskAdded { task ->
    //println task.getName()
    if (task.name == 'assembleDebug' || task.name == 'assembleRelease') {
        println 'myCopy'
        myCopyToLibs.execute()
        myCopyToAssets.execute()
    }
}

Answer 5

Try this below your build.gradle:

tasks.whenTaskAdded { task ->
    if (task.name == 'assemble') {
        task.dependsOn copyFiles
    }
}

In my case I manipulate some 'token' values inside res/values/strings.xml, and then copy it into ${project_root}/build/filtered-resources due to project cleaning issue.

To work correctly with this manipulated resource, android.sourceSets.res should be redefined to copied folder.

For your case copy assets folder with your www resource into ${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/your/desired/location, and asign android.sourceSets.assets point to it.

Answer 6

I use the following copy task in my project to copy strings into another directory:

task copyStringsUniversal(type: Copy) {
    from 'src/main/res/values'
    include 'strings.xml'
    include 'array.xml'
    into 'src/universal/res/values'
}
build.dependsOn copyStringsUniversal

Answer 7

Add this line to your build.gradle file:

assemble.dependsOn copyFiles
assemble.mustRunAfter copyFiles

where assemble can be any task.

Edit: I added the mustRunAfter bit to make sure the copyFiles task is run before any of the other assemble dependencies.