pxb1988/dex2jar · error · HelpException

ERROR: Unrecognized option

Error message

ERROR: Unrecognized option: ${s}

What it means

parseSetArgs walks the command-line arguments using the @Opt-annotated fields of the tool class; when an argument starting with '-' is not found in the option map it prints this ERROR line and throws HelpException, which makes the tool print usage and exit. It is the standard 'unknown option' rejection.

Solutions

1. Run the tool with -h/--help to see the exact supported options
2. Fix the option spelling to one shown in help (mind short vs long form)
3. Check the dex2jar version - options change between releases; consult the matching documentation
4. If passing a negative-looking value, ensure it is attached to its option (e.g. --key=-1) rather than starting a new token

Example fix

// before
./d2j-dex2jar.sh app.apk --output-file out.jar
// after
./d2j-dex2jar.sh app.apk --output out.jar

// pre-validate option names against help/known options
const KNOWN = ['-f','--force','-o','--output','-h','--help'];
for (const a of args) if (a.startsWith('-') && !KNOWN.includes(a)) throw new Error('Unknown option: '+a);

try {
  tool.doMain(args);
} catch (BaseCmd.HelpException e) {
  // tool already printed 'ERROR: Unrecognized option: X' + usage; fix args and retry
}

When it happens

Trigger: Invoking a dex2jar tool (doMain -> parseSetArgs) with an option name that is not registered, e.g. a typo like --output-file instead of -o/--output, an option from a different tool, or an option removed in a newer dex2jar version.

Common situations: Copy-pasting CLI invocations from tutorials for other tools/versions; short/long option confusion (this parser does not accept single-dash long forms other than registered ones); typos like -force vs --force; a combining prefix such as '-' consumed from a leading '-' value.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Unknown argument", "Invalid value", and "must be one of": invalid CLI argument errors explained — this error's family across 35 libraries.

Related errors

• ERROR: Option need an argument value
• can't convert [ ] to type
• ERROR: Options: is required
• -cv,--class-version out of range, 1-18 is supported.
• version not support yet!

AI-assisted analysis of pxb1988/dex2jar@b5bda4fb49 (2026-09-08). Data as JSON: /api/errors/454ea7086cf6e110. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at d2j-base-cmd/src/main/java/com/googlecode/dex2jar/tools/BaseCmd.java:443

            m.invoke(null, (Object)newArgs);
        }
    }
    
    protected void parseSetArgs(String... args) throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException {
        this.originalArgs = args;
        List<String> remainsOptions = new ArrayList<>();
        Set<Option> requiredOpts = collectRequiredOptions(optMap);
        Option needArgOpt = null;
        for (String s : args) {
            if (needArgOpt != null) {
                needArgOpt.field.set(this, convert(s, needArgOpt.field.getType()));
                needArgOpt = null;
            } else if (s.startsWith("-")) {// it's a short or long option
                Option opt = optMap.get(s);
                requiredOpts.remove(opt);
                if (opt == null) {
                    System.err.println("ERROR: Unrecognized option: " + s);
                    throw new HelpException();
                } else {
                    if (opt.hasArg) {
                        needArgOpt = opt;
                    } else {
                        opt.field.set(this, true);
                    }
                }
            } else {
                remainsOptions.add(s);
            }
        }

        if (needArgOpt != null) {
            System.err.println("ERROR: Option " + needArgOpt.getOptAndLongOpt() + " need an argument value");
            throw new HelpException();
        }
        this.remainingArgs = remainsOptions.toArray(new String[0]);
        if (this.printHelp) {

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