Android: IllegalStateException is thrown while calling AppCompatActivity

Question

As stated in the title, my application quits showing an IllegalStateException. I'm learning the Android programming, so your kind help will be very much helpful.

According to the LogCat, the exception is caught at the onCreate method at MainActivity.java as follows.

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    private SQLiteHandler db;
    private SessionManager session;
    private boolean backPressedOnce = false;
    private FragmentManager manager;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        manager = getFragmentManager();
        FragmentTransaction transaction = manager.beginTransaction();
        MainActivityFragment fragment = new MainActivityFragment();
        transaction.replace(R.id.fragment, fragment);
        transaction.addToBackStack(null);
        transaction.commit();

        db = new SQLiteHandler(getApplicationContext());
        session = new SessionManager(getApplicationContext());
        if(!session.isLoggedIn()) {
            logout();
        }
    }

the setContentView method seems to have a problem, so let me further post the other parts of the code.

I think this problem is based on the theme, so I would like to ask your opinions with Androidmanifest.xml file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.marshall.politicalcompass" >

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />

    <application
        android:name="com.marshall.politicalcompass.app.AppController"
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar" >
        <activity
            android:name=".SplashActivity"
            android:noHistory="true" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

        <activity android:name=".InitialActivity" />
        <activity android:name=".LoginActivity" android:noHistory="true"/>
        <activity android:name=".RegisterActivity" />
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity" android:launchMode="singleTop"/>
        <activity android:name=".TestActivity"
            android:label="@string/title_test"
            android:parentActivityName=".MainActivity"
            android:uiOptions="splitActionBarWhenNarrow" >
        <meta-data android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value=".MainActivity" />
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

And finally here's the error log.

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.marshall.politicalcompass/com.marshall.politicalcompass.MainActivity}: java.lang.IllegalStateException: You need to use a Theme.AppCompat theme (or descendant) with this activity.
            at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2413)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2471)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:175)
            at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1308)
            at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
            at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:146)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5602)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1283)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1099)
            at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
     Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: You need to use a Theme.AppCompat theme (or descendant) with this activity.
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV7.createSubDecor(AppCompatDelegateImplV7.java:309)
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV7.ensureSubDecor(AppCompatDelegateImplV7.java:278)
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV7.setContentView(AppCompatDelegateImplV7.java:252)
            at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity.setContentView(AppCompatActivity.java:109)
            at com.marshall.politicalcompass.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:25)
            at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5451)
            at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1093)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2377)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2471)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:175)
            at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1308)
            at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
            at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:146)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5602)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1283)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1099)
            at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

If you need further information, please let me know.

Answer 1

In order to use AppCompatActivity, you need to use an AppCompat theme.

In your AndroidManifest change android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar"
to android:theme="@style/Theme.AppCompat"