Apktool: $ invalid character

[edotassi]

Information

1. Apktool Version: 2.3.3
2. Operating System: Mac
3. APK From? Other

I write here but I don't know if it's a problem with apktool.

I am decompiling an apk and in the resources there are the following files:

.//res/drawable-v21/$avd_show_password__2.xml
.//res/drawable-v21/$avd_show_password__1.xml  
.//res/drawable-v21/$avd_show_password__0.xml 
.//res/drawable-v21/$avd_hide_password__2.xml 
.//res/drawable-v21/$avd_hide_password__0.xml 

The problem is that I then use the decompiled resources in another project but this character is invalid '$' and block project's mergeDebugResources (i use this tool: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/tool-dexpatcher-modify-android-dex-apk-t3060854/page22)

Is it normal for apktool to generate these resources?

thanks!

attached you find the source file
Amazfit 2.4.0.DEV.apk.zip

[iBotPeaches]

Is it normal for apktool to generate these resources?

Apktool is only generating what is in the application. If a resource name has a $, apktool will decode it as such.

[edotassi]

@iBotPeaches thanks for reply!
do you have any idea how it is possible that they have inserted a resource with such a name?

[vkadam]

I see this is similar like #1776, I know 1776 issue mention it's sing aapt2 but I am seeing similar issue with aapt as well.
[WIP] With the tool (DexPatcher) which was mentioned by @edotassi, I was not yet able to run gradle with aapt2. I have latest apktool.jar with fix/workaround put by @iBotPeaches in this commit https://github.com/iBotPeaches/platform_frameworks_base/commit/ad643be8174e740124b4bc59e4cc1e70541f6a4e. I will update if I make progress with dexpatcher + aapt2

[edotassi]

@vkadam read this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=76529130&postcount=221

[iBotPeaches]

➜  Bug1796 apktool b Amazfit\ 2.4.0.DEV
I: Using Apktool 2.3.2-ca25a2-SNAPSHOT
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali folder into classes.dex...
I: Checking whether sources has changed...
I: Smaling smali_classes2 folder into classes2.dex...
I: Checking whether resources has changed...
I: Building resources...
I: Copying libs... (/lib)
I: Building apk file...
I: Copying unknown files/dir...
I: Built apk...
➜  Bug1796 

I couldn't replicate this with aapt1. These resources are not normal, but they aren't wrong either. Other applications use whatever characters are possible to generate resources.

[jkryanchou]

@iBotPeaches I have used apktool with --use-aapt it raised as what issuer said. on v2.3.4.

[Lanchon]

please see here: https://github.com/DexPatcher/dexpatcher-gradle/issues/22