I want implement a geo location notification in iOS, but just in a specific date and time.
The notification will only be launched if the user is in a certain location and at a certain date and time.
Ex.: The user is in Rio de Janeiro and is 12 o'clock.
Does anyone know how to merge these two conditions to launch a notification?
There is nothing built in that I know of -- you will have to code the logic yourself. So you will simply get geo updates from CoreLocation, and you can create a timer to give you time updates, then write some logic that execs periodically and, if the time/place matches your business rules, fire the notification. Note that the app will have to be running to accomplish this. You could send a push notification from an external server, but that server must know where the phone is, and your app must tell it.
Does this help?
It seems that this can be done elegantly as long as location updates are given precedent.
Use this CoreLocation startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges
To get updates about location, and these updates will be able to start your app in the background (as explained in the docs). Then, in the "application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions" method of your AppDelegate, include your logic for checking if it is the right time to send a notification (by checking with stuff in CoreData or otherwise).
There shouldn't be a need to create a timer with periodic checks. Just let CoreLocation handle the event's entry point since it'll launch your app in the background at the right location.
This is simple. I assume that you are familiar using the CLLocationManager and the MKReverseGeocoder classes. For your purpose monitoring for only significant location changes would probably be fine (even if that sometimes only happens for moving kilometers). It will help you save battery power on the device.
So, for CLLocationManager's delegate there is a method called locationManager:didUpdateToLocation:fromLocation what you can use. All you need to do is to use reverse geocoding here to determine the actual city's name depending the actual location using the MKReverseGeocoder class. Also, you have to check the local time on the device, match the two, and act accordingly (set up a local notification to wake the app from the background for example).
Related
I am developing an iOS app in Swift that monitors for beacon events. This is my first real beacon endeavor.
I am using Estimote beacons, but am not using the Estimote SDK. I am using core location and a CLLocationManager with didExit and didEnter events.
I am only listening for beacons that are registered with the current user that is signed in to my app. For example, John Doe could be registered with beacons A and B, while Mary Sue is only registered to beacon C. I am experiencing a lot of false leaves, and wonder if it is because of where I am implementing my code.
I understand that there is a default 30 second latency when validating a leave event, but I am experiencing periods of longer than 30 seconds without a bluetooth signal from point blank range. Perhaps implement a 30 minute window rather than 30 seconds for a leave validation?
Since a user has to sign-in in order to know what beacons to monitor, the location manager resides within the user's default profile view controller. I successfully get beacon interaction even when the phone is locked, but it is not consistent. I am concerned because I know that the view controller itself is suspended/activated at the iPhone's discretion and may be revealing flaws in my logic.
Should all location oriented code be placed within the app delegate file? If I implement a protocol from my profile view to the app delegate, I can instantiate it there within the app delegate first and then retrieve the beacon data later, once the user is signed in.
I have struggled to find an "iOS beacon convention" in my research, just examples that provide some results. Not too sure whats actually considered proper practice.
Thanks!
It is common to use a software filter to ignore spurious region exit events if an entry event happens soon afterward.
To make this independent of any one ViewController, it is important to have the logic triggered by the AppDelegate. Two choices here:
Put region monitoring callbacks and filter logic directly in the AppDelegate. This is appropriate for small and simple apps.
Put callbacks and filter logic in a custom class, and initialize it from the AppDelegate's didFinishLaunching method. This is the best approach for larger and more complex apps to keep the AppDelegate simple and clean.
Either way, it is critical to trigger starting of monitoring from the didFinishLaunching method. This ensures proper background CoreLocation setup should your app be auto launched by region transitions.
The latest iOS Google Map application(currently of version 4.9.0) has a very nice feature, but so far I can not figure out how this is possible.
The feature is: whenever I am entering my car, try to drive somewhere, Google map will send me a notification to my phone, guess where I am going, giving me an estimate of the traffic, even when the phone is in locked state, and the Google map app hasn't been used for days. A screenshot is provied as following:
This is quite amazing to me as an iOS developer. How can it live in the background and detect I am entering a car with such accuracy?
One of my guess is, Google map is using significant location change API. By using this way, the app can be waken in background mode, but, there is still no guarantee it is waken when I am entering my car. And I have already written a test app using this mechanism, although it can be waken in the background, but the timing is not correct, failed to detect I am entering a car or not.
CLLocationManager Class Reference
If you start this service and your app is subsequently terminated, the system automatically relaunches the app into the background if a new event arrives. In such a case, the options dictionary passed to the application:willFinishLaunchingWithOptions: and application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: methods of your app delegate contains the key UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey to indicate that your app was launched because of a location event. Upon relaunch, you must still configure a location manager object and call this method to continue receiving location events. When you restart location services, the current event is delivered to your delegate immediately. In addition, the location property of your location manager object is populated with the most recent location object even before you start location services.
Any suggestion and help appreciated.
One comment from #alexkent points out my mistake. This is Apple's Maps.app, not Google Maps. All credits belongs to #alexkent.
That notification is from Apple's Maps.app not Google Maps. A new
feature in iOS9 (which you must be running) is the ability to detect
when you are in your car. I imagine this is done by detecting the
Bluetooth signal from the car radio (I have not checked this). I do
not believe there is developer API available for this feature.
#alexkent is right. It works using bluetooth and there is no public API for that. If you close your bluetooth this stops happening.
Geofencing and in general Geolocation accuracy is not that granular.
I am developing a client/server app for a client where the clients are iOS devices.
One client module is for traveling salespeople.
My client wants the salesperson's app to automatically download it's local database when the salesperson leaves the office, and when the salesperson returns to the office.
I am setting up a geofence using the location manager's startMonitoringForRegion method, and will look for the UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey on launch, as well as looking for calls to the location manager locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion methods from the background.
My question is, how do I ask the system to allow me time to make a network connection and download new data in response to either an app launch with a UIApplicationLaunchOptionsLocationKey, or background calls to locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion?
None of the background mode keys (UIBackgroundModes) look like the right fit.
I don't need the location key, since I don't need live location information, just geofence enter/exit messages. The fetch key isn't what I need either, since that causes the system to wake my app up in the background at times it chooses.
Do I have to have one of the background mode keys set in order to make a beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler call?
I guess what I should do is submit my network request in my beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler in my locationManager:didEnterRegion/locationManager:didExitRegion methods. Will the system allow me to do that without having a UIBackgroundModes key set?
And can I make a call to beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler if I'm already running from the background? (In the case where the app is running but not frontmost and a locationManager:didEnterRegion or locationManager:didExitRegion call comes in.) My goal is to ask for enough background time to process my network download and save the data to my local database.
Any guidance from somebody who's done something like this would be a big help. The docs are pretty vague, and figuring out how to use the background APIs by trial and error is likely to be pretty time-consuming.
P.S. I'm developing this app in Swift, although I'm a longtime Objective-C developer. I'm comfortable translating Objective-C to Swift or mixing Objective-C and Swift as needed, so examples in either language would be useful.
It is OK to call beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler from background. As of iOS8 this call will extend your run time to 180 seconds from 10s.
Keep in mind that you need to request Always authorization for location services, that's what is required to run region monitoring.
I suggest you do use the background location key. I forgot to set it in one of my apps, and it still was receiving the region enter/exit events. However,
-- the behavior might change with minor iOS upgrade, and also
-- the app might be rejected by Apple
I need to get exact location (as much accurate as possible) in background while making a call to a phone number (The call will be made from app). As far as I understand from documentation, I can listen to significant changes of location in background. I am wondering how accurate is a significant update and when will it trigger.
I need the location where the call is made because it will be an emergency call. And it's not a good idea to listen to location in foreground and then make a call because it will be an emergency situation - call will be made immediately.
Is there a solution to get accurate location of user in background? What do you recommend?
Edit: Location will be sent to server immediately.
As for the accuracy, you can get accurate location in the background, under those conditions:
Getting Location Events in the Background
If your application needs location updates delivered whether the application is in the foreground or background, there are multiple options for doing so. The preferred option is to use the significant location change service to wake your application at appropriate times to handle new events. However, if your application needs to use the standard location service, you can declare your application as needing background location services.
An application should request background location services only if the absence of those services would impair its ability to operate. In addition, any application that requests background location services should use those services to provide a tangible benefit to the user. For example, a turn-by-turn navigation application would be a likely candidate for background location services because of its need to track the user’s position and report when it is time to make the next turn.
As for getting location during phone call, I didn't use it myself, but navigation apps like 'waze' do inform turns and navigation events during a phone call so I guess what you ask is possible.
If I understand your needs, you have 2 options:
If you think that the user will be static then simply get the user location right before the call is made. Or better when your app is lunched to make the emergency call.
If the user is moving then you can 'ask' to get background location events. Even then you should consider using 'significant-change location service' as you don't need more then the user location. The standard 'location services' are used for navigation 'Turn by turn' services.
*LAST COMMENT *
If your app is an emergency app you shold read the "Tips for Conserving Battery Power" in the previous link. you don't want your user battery to empty while tracking his location.
Can't you like add that flag in your app plist file to request Location Service to be running in the background mode.
Then in your app, when the user presses the "call" button, you can do your normal CLLocationManager didUpdateToLocation, right before you perform the call.
In your didUpdateToLocation method, you can record the user's location either in a TXT file written to the application sandbox Library/Cache folder or you can use NSUserDefaults.
Note: I've written an app that records the user's GPS location as they drive even when the user presses the lock screen, so I am confident your app can write the GPS coordinate to a TXT file even when the app is minimized, as long as you start your location manager.
I have an app which is tracking the coordinates of the user. I want the user to receive a push notification at a specific longitude and latitude. That means that my device has to track coordinates and make requests even if it's closed.
Is there any way to accomplish this?
Push Notifications can't do this.
CLLocationManager actually has a method, startMonitoringForRegion:desiredAccuracy: to monitor for when a users enters a region and wake your app if needed. See more here. I'm pretty sure this is the system they use for their Reminders app, where you can get a reminder at a specific location. It uses a lot less energy than having your app monitor the location all the time, since the OS can use information like which cell towers or wifi hotspots you are nearby, to figure out if it's even necessary to use the GPS.
Take a look at the document and this
Your app will keep running in the background and receive location updates.Then send local notification to the user. But if the user killed your app manually.The work will not been done.