| When using ProGuard, you should be aware of a few technical issues, all of |
| which are easily avoided or resolved: |
| |
| - For best results, ProGuard's optimization algorithms assume that the |
| processed code never **intentionally throws NullPointerExceptions** or |
| ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsExceptions, or even OutOfMemoryErrors or |
| StackOverflowErrors, in order to achieve something useful. For instance, it |
| may remove a method call `myObject.myMethod()` if that call wouldn't have |
| any effect. It ignores the possibility that `myObject` might be null, |
| causing a NullPointerException. In some way this is a good thing: optimized |
| code may throw fewer exceptions. Should this entire assumption be false, |
| you'll have to switch off optimization using the `-dontoptimize` option. |
| |
| - ProGuard's optimization algorithms currently also assume that the processed |
| code never creates **busy-waiting loops** without at least testing on a |
| volatile field. Again, it may remove such loops. Should this assumption be |
| false, you'll have to switch off optimization using the `-dontoptimize` |
| option. |
| |
| - When obfuscating, ProGuard writes out class files named "`a.class`", |
| "`b.class`", etc. If a package contains a large number of classes, ProGuard |
| may also write out **"`aux.class`"**. Inconveniently, Windows refuses to |
| create files with this reserved name (among a few other names). It's |
| generally better to write the output to a jar, in order to avoid such |
| problems. Alternatively, you can use the Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) for |
| your Windows paths, which doesn't suffer from the constraint. |
