syntax error in encoding about apk-mitm HOT 8 CLOSED

This error seems to be caused by Apktool which apk-mitm is based on. To narrow down the issue you could try manually decoding and re-encoding the APK without making any changes. For that, you can use the jar/apktool.jar file bundled with apk-mitm:

# Decode to "decoded" directory
java -jar ./apktool.jar decode android.apk --output decoded

# Re-encode to "android-reencoded.apk"
java -jar ./apktool.jar build decoded --output android-reencoded.apk

If that fails the issue is probably not something I can fix but rather an issue with Apktool or a mistake/oddity in TikTok's source code.

from apk-mitm.

Thank you very much, there's also an error when reencoding the apk file with just using apktool

from apk-mitm.

I found multiple issues related to the Syntax error: "(" unexpected error you're getting on the Apktool repository. Two of them (#974 and #2092) are related to the ARM CPU architecture used by Raspberry Pi's. AAPT which is used by Apktool doesn't seem to work on ARM, so you can't use Apktool or apk-mitm on your Raspberry Pi.

This makes me wonder: Are you getting the same error or a different one on your Arch installation?

from apk-mitm.

I'll try it running it on arch x64 again. It's weird that apktool is in the repository for raspbian...

from apk-mitm.

It's weird that apktool is in the repository for raspbian...

That is weird. Maybe that package is built using a patched version of AAPT or it used to work and just doesn't anymore.

from apk-mitm.

the raspbian version an older one (i think it was before 2.4) but decompiling works fine

and yeah doesn't work on x64 either

maybe its worth trying build for another sdk version?

 java -jar apktool_2.4.1.jar  build decoded --output reencoded.apk
I: Using Apktool 2.4.1
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali folder into classes.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes4 folder into classes4.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_assets folder into assets.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes6 folder into classes6.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes2 folder into classes2.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes3 folder into classes3.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes7 folder into classes7.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes5 folder into classes5.dex...
I: Checking whether resources has changed...
I: Building resources...
W: /home/marc/androidDecomp/decoded/res/values-v21/styles.xml:269: error: Resource entry j6 already has bag item android:windowContentTransitions.
W: /home/marc/androidDecomp/decoded/res/values-v21/styles.xml:268: Originally defined here.
W: 
brut.androlib.AndrolibException: brut.common.BrutException: could not exec (exit code = 1): [/tmp/brut_util_Jar_10373368146805472863.tmp, p, --forced-package-id, 127, --min-sdk-version, 16, --target-sdk-version, 28, --version-code, 2021407050, --version-name, 14.7.5, --no-version-vectors, -F, /tmp/APKTOOL14351557212148640520.tmp, -e, /tmp/APKTOOL6742344768126141054.tmp, -0, arsc, -I, /home/marc/.local/share/apktool/framework/1.apk, -S, /home/marc/androidDecomp/decoded/res, -M, /home/marc/androidDecomp/decoded/AndroidManifest.xml]

from apk-mitm.

Ok the sdk version thing i suggested makes no sense. I guess the issue can be closed. Thank you very much :)

from apk-mitm.

No problem! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful here, but unfortunately there's not much I can do if Apktool can't decode or encode a certain APK. There's some issues about this Resource entry already has bag item error on the Apktool repository, so I'd recommend taking a look at those and up-voting the ones matching your problem. Maybe someone has even found a way to solve this problem.

from apk-mitm.