Xamarin LinkAssemblies build failure - xamarin

Question

I'm trying to do a release build of my Xamarin.Android app in Team Services and have got the following error:
The "LinkAssemblies" task failed unexpectedly.
Java.Interop.Tools.Diagnostics.XamarinAndroidException: error XA2006: Could
not resolve reference to 'System.Void.Android.Support.CustomTabs.CustomTabsIntent::LaunchUrl(Android.App.
Activity,Android.Net.Uri)' (defined in assembly
'Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client, Version=4.0.1.0, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35') with scope
'Xamarin.Android.Support.CustomTabs, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=null'. When the scope is different from the defining
assembly, it usually means that the type is forwarded. --->
Mono.Cecil.ResolutionException: Failed to resolve System.Void.Android.Support.CustomTabs.CustomTabsIntent::LaunchUrl(Android.App.Activity,Android.Net.Uri)
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.MarkMethod(MethodReference reference)
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.MarkInstruction(Instruction instruction)
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.MarkMethodBody(MethodBody body)
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.ProcessMethod(MethodDefinition method)
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.ProcessQueue()
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.Process()
at Mono.Linker.Steps.MarkStep.Process(LinkContext context)
at MonoDroid.Tuner.MonoDroidMarkStep.Process(LinkContext context)
at Mono.Linker.Pipeline.Process(LinkContext context)
at MonoDroid.Tuner.Linker.Process(LinkerOptions options, LinkContext&
context)
at Xamarin.Android.Tasks.LinkAssemblies.Execute(DirectoryAssemblyResolver res)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Java.Interop.Tools.Diagnostics.Diagnostic.Error(Int32 code, Exception innerException, String message, Object[] args)
at Xamarin.Android.Tasks.LinkAssemblies.Execute(DirectoryAssemblyResolver res)
at Xamarin.Android.Tasks.LinkAssemblies.Execute()
at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskExecutionHost.Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.ITaskExecutionHost.Execute()
at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteInstantiatedTask>d__26.MoveNext()
I can see that it's probably related to the package Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client but not sure what I would have to do to resolve it (I'm quite new to Xamarin so not sure what to do with this information).
My minSdkVersion is 21.
Thanks

Answer 1

It looks like the guys of Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client package have problems with Android.Support.CustomTabs library. Please refer to the posted issues on github: Issue 364 and Issue 361. It looks like Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client version 4.0.0 can be built against Android.Support.CustomTabs version 25.3.1, but Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client version 4.0.1 can be built against Android.Support.CustomTabs version 23.3.0.
In my case downgrading nuget package Microsoft.Azure.Mobile.Client from version 4.0.1 to version 4.0.0 helped to build and link my project.