Error occurs when writing output apk - Splitting not support for pre Lollipop Android (Api 22).

[huangkr03]

Describe the bug
This error occurs when calling PackManager.v().writeOutput(); after analyzing the apk file that minSdkVersion < 22.

Input file
com.nokoprint.apk，its metadata are as follows:
packageName: com.nokoprint
label: NokoPrint
icon: res/mipmap-mdpi-v4/ic_launcher.png
versionName: 5.2.0
versionCode: 230
minSdkVersion: 19
targetSdkVersion: 32
maxSdkVersion: null

To reproduce
It seems that all of the input apks that minSdkVersion < 22 will raise this error when calling PackManager.v().writeOutput();
I also tried Options.v().set_android_api_version(compileSdkVersion); and Options.v().set_android_api_version(minSdkVersion);. The error keeps occuring.

Expected behavior
Error will occur when calling PackManager.v().writeOutput();

Stacktrace

Exception in thread "Thread-64" java.lang.RuntimeException: Dex file overflow. Splitting not support for pre Lollipop Android (Api 22).
at soot.toDex.MultiDexBuilder.hasOverflowed(MultiDexBuilder.java:96)
at soot.toDex.MultiDexBuilder.internClass(MultiDexBuilder.java:58)
at soot.toDex.DexPrinter.addAsClassDefItem(DexPrinter.java:663)
at soot.toDex.DexPrinter.add(DexPrinter.java:1686)
at soot.PackManager.writeClass(PackManager.java:1072)
at soot.PackManager.lambda$writeOutput$1(PackManager.java:705)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1128)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:628)
at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:829)

Additional context
I tried to use apktool to reset the minSdkVersion of the app, and the error disappeared. But this process is too troublesome.
So I wonder if soot could help modify the minSdkVersion when calling PackManager.v().writeOutput();.

[jpstotz]

Have you read the comment in source code where that exception is thrown?

soot/src/main/java/soot/toDex/MultiDexBuilder.java

Lines 78 to 100 in 4d6fcfa

	protected boolean hasOverflowed() {
	if (!curPool.hasOverflowed()) {
	return false;
	}
	// We only support splitting for api versions since Lollipop (22).
	// Since Api 22, Art runtime is used which needs to extract all dex
	// files anyway. Thus,
	// we can pack classes arbitrarily and do not need to care about which
	// classes need to go together in
	// the same dex file.
	// For Dalvik (pre 22), it is important that at least the main dex file
	// (classes.dex) contains all needed
	// dependencies of the Main activity, which means that one would have to
	// determine necessary dependencies and
	// pack those explicitly in the first dex file.
	// (https://developer.android.com/studio/build/multidex.html,
	// http://www.fasteque.com/deep-dive-into-android-multidex/)
	if (!opcodes.isArt()) {
	throw new RuntimeException("Dex file overflow. Splitting not support for pre Lollipop Android (Api 22).");
	}
	return true;
	}

[huangkr03]

Have you read the comment in source code where that exception is thrown?

soot/src/main/java/soot/toDex/MultiDexBuilder.java

Lines 78 to 100 in 4d6fcfa

	protected boolean hasOverflowed() {
	if (!curPool.hasOverflowed()) {
	return false;
	}
	// We only support splitting for api versions since Lollipop (22).
	// Since Api 22, Art runtime is used which needs to extract all dex
	// files anyway. Thus,
	// we can pack classes arbitrarily and do not need to care about which
	// classes need to go together in
	// the same dex file.
	// For Dalvik (pre 22), it is important that at least the main dex file
	// (classes.dex) contains all needed
	// dependencies of the Main activity, which means that one would have to
	// determine necessary dependencies and
	// pack those explicitly in the first dex file.
	// (https://developer.android.com/studio/build/multidex.html,
	// http://www.fasteque.com/deep-dive-into-android-multidex/)
	if (!opcodes.isArt()) {
	throw new RuntimeException("Dex file overflow. Splitting not support for pre Lollipop Android (Api 22).");
	}
	return true;
	}

Thank you for your response!
I understand the cause of this exception now. But in this case, how can I deal with this problem?

[jpstotz]

I assume Scene.getAndroidAPIVersion() returns a value smaller than 22?

You could try to override it using Options.v().android_api_version(22) before loading the APK.

[huangkr03]

I assume Scene.getAndroidAPIVersion() returns a value smaller than 22?

You could try to override it using Options.v().android_api_version(22) before loading the APK.

I tried to set API 22 as Options.v().set_android_api_version(22); before loading the APK, but the same error occurs as well.
I also tried API 19 and 32, the results are the same.

The source code for the options settings is presented below

Options.v().set_no_bodies_for_excluded(true);
Options.v().set_allow_phantom_refs(true);
Options.v().set_whole_program(true);
Options.v().set_process_multiple_dex(true);
Options.v().set_keep_line_number(false);
Options.v().set_keep_offset(false);
Options.v().set_ignore_resolution_errors(true);

Options.v().set_output_format(Options.output_format_dex);
Options.v().set_src_prec(Options.src_prec_apk_class_jimple);
Options.v().set_process_dir(List.of(apkPath));
Options.v().set_throw_analysis(Options.throw_analysis_dalvik);

Options.v().set_exclude(Arrays.asList(Constant.EXCLUDE_LIST));
Options.v().set_no_bodies_for_excluded(true);

Options.v().set_force_overwrite(true);
Options.v().set_output_dir(Config.INSTRUMENTED_APKS_PATH);

Options.v().set_android_api_version(22);

Scene.v().loadNecessaryClasses();

PackManager.v().runPacks();