Android Studio Error parsing XML: not well-formed (invalid token)

Question

Can someone please check my .xml and see if anything is off? I am sure this has been working on my desktop setup, but not on my laptop.

Error parsing XML: not well-formed (invalid token)
Message{kind=ERROR, text=Error parsing XML: not well-formed (invalid token), sources=[/home/adam/6300Summer18Team67/GroupProject/SDPCryptogram/app/src/main/res/layout/solve_cryptogram_activity.xml:12], original message=, tool name=Optional.of(AAPT)}

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Save & Submit"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="121dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="426dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Puzzle #"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="109dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="52dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView2"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="In Progress..."
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="121dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="88dp" />

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editText2"
        android:layout_width="24dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:ems="10"
        android:inputType="number"
        android:text="@string/numAttempts"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="74dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="122dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView3"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="incorrect submissions"
        android:textAlignment="center"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="111dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="134dp" />

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editText3"
        android:layout_width="29dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:ems="10"
        android:inputType="number"
        android:text="@string/cryptogramId"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="163dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="35dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView4"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Cryptogram"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="48dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="217dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView5"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Substitution"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="48dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="274dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView6"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Decryption Preview"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="48dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="339dp" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textView7"
        android:layout_width="212dp"
        android:layout_height="34dp"
        android:text="TextView"
        android:textAlignment="center"
        android:textSize="18sp"
        android:typeface="normal"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="141dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="217dp"
        tools:text="@string/cryptogram" />

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editText5"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:ems="10"
        android:inputType="textPersonName"
        android:singleLine="true"
        android:text="Name"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="141dp"
        tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="265dp" />

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

There is no parent tag.. the XML is not valid. There has to be a parent layout tag that includes all child views. — Gennadii Saprykin, Jul 02 '18 at 15:25
Post the entire xml file and indicate which is line 12 (where the error message is referring to) — Tyler V, Jul 02 '18 at 15:28
Ah, that was formatting issue when I posted my question. It has been fixed. Please take a look at it again! — Adam Lee, Jul 02 '18 at 16:05

Tyler V · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-02T17:24:58.697

2

It's the "&" symbol in the string on line 12. You can delete it to verify this.

The solutions (here) are to use & instead of &,

android:text="Save &amp; Submit"

or to use the unicode \u0026 character

android:text="Save \u0026 Submit"

edited Jul 02 '18 at 17:24

answered Jul 02 '18 at 17:11

Tyler V

9,694
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score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 30 '20 at 06:35

0

symbols sometime would create errors event though it wont make those squiggly red lines under it. try to delete the symbols on yout textview one at a time and see which creates errors.

edited Oct 30 '20 at 06:35

Dharman

30,962
25
85
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answered Oct 30 '20 at 06:29

user880355

21
2

Android Studio Error parsing XML: not well-formed (invalid token)

2 Answers2