Unsupported Gradle DSL method found: 'compile()'! - gradle

Question

I'm going through Google's documentation on "Add Google Play Services to Your Project" in Android Studio:
https://developer.android.com/google/play-services/setup.html
I'm using that documentation to modify the build.gradle file of a freshly created Android project. In Step 2 (Add Google Play Services to Your Project), it states:
Add this line:
apply plugin: 'android'
Under Dependencies, add this:
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:5.0.77'
It also says to update that version after updating Google Play Services, which is now at 18 according to Android SDK Manager.
Here is my entire build.gradle file at the top-level (parent of this file is the root folder).
// Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.
apply plugin: 'android'
buildscript {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.12.+'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:18'
// NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
// in the individual module build.gradle files
}
}
allprojects {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
}
Upon saving, it prompts for a Sync. I Sync it, but get:
Build script error, unsupported Gradle DSL method found: 'compile()'!
Error:(10, 0) Possible causes could be:
- you are using a Gradle version where the method is absent
- you didn't apply Gradle plugin which provides the method
- or there is a mistake in a build script
I'm using Android Studio 0.8.2. I didn't install Gradle, just using the plugin that came with Android Studio.
It's interesting to note that the build.gradle file generated when I made this new project says:
//NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here
But Google's documentation says (which conflicts with the above):
Note: Android Studio projects contain a top-level build.gradle file and a build.gradle
file for each module. Be sure to edit the file for your application module.
What's wrong with my build.gradle file (or environment)?

Answer 1

The Google documentation you quoted is correct, and doesn't conflict. There's more than one build.gradle file. Instead of putting dependencies in the top-level one as you have, put them in the build file that's in your module's directory.
Also, don't put an apply plugin: 'android' statement in that top-level build file; it will cause an error.
You can also add dependencies through the Project Structure UI, which does the right thing.

Answer 2

Do not add dependencies in your project by editing its most 'external' build.gradle (YourProject/build.gradle). Edit the one that is under the 'app' module instead (YourProject/app/build.gradle).
There, by the way, you will find the declaration of one dependency, such as:
dependencies {
compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
}
This block will be just below android { ... } configuration block.
In my case, I am just adding leeloo dependencies, so it became:
dependencies {
compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
compile 'net.smartam.leeloo:oauth2-client:0.1'
compile 'net.smartam.leeloo:oauth2-common:0.1'
}
Then sync your project and dependencies will be downloaded. Hope it helps!

Answer 3

the compile-time dependencies should reside in the dependencies block under allprojects, not under buildscript:
apply plugin: 'android'
buildscript {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.12.+'
}
}
allprojects {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
dependencies {
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:18'
}
}
This should work fine.

Answer 4

Think of “Gradle DSL method” as a Java method. So in Gradle, methods can be distinguished by either {} or “.”. So
dependencies {
compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
}
is the same as
dependencies.compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
where both “dependencies” and “compile” are methods.
So you are including a method somewhere in your build.gradle file that is not supported by your program. For example, make your dependencies this:
dependencies {
nothing 'this.does.nothing.build:gradle:0.7.+'
}
Which is the same as writing:
dependencies.nothing 'this.does.nothing.build:gradle:0.7.+'
And you will see an error saying “unsupported Gradle DSL method found: ‘nothing()’!”
Obviously "nothing" is not a real method. I just made it up.
So one of your "compile" methods inside your build.gradle is wrong.

Answer 5

When I faced this problem I used android developer UI to import dependencies as follows:-
1 Go to View ---> Open Module Settings
Select Dependency tab. Click + to add a dependency and select Library dependency. Choose the downloaded library here.