Android GPS with LocationManager to get current location – Example

In this article, we will create an Android application which displays latitude and longitude of the current location using GPS and Android’s LocationManager API.

An extension to this application is available in the article titled “Showing current location in Google Maps with GPS and LocationManager in Android“, where current location is displayed in Google Map.

This application is developed in Eclipse ( 4.2.0 ) with ADT plugin ( 20.0.3 ) and Android SDK ( R20.0.3 ) .

1. Create a new Android application project namely “LocationFromGPS”

Figure 1 : Create a new Android application project

2. Design application launcher icon

Figure 2 : Design application launcher icon

3. Create a blank activity to define the class MainActivity

Figure 3 : Create a blank activity

4. Enter MainActivity details

Figure 4 : Enter MainActivity Details

5. Delete Android’s backward compatibility support library from the project, if exists

By default Eclipse ( 4.2.0) adds Android Support Library to  Android application project. For this application, we don’t need to use this support library. So the library file libs/android-support-v4.jar may be removed manually via ProjectExplorer by simply right click on the file and then clicking the menu item “delete”.

6. Update the file res/values/strings.xml

<resources>
    <string name="app_name">LocationFromGPS</string>
    <string name="hello_world">Hello world!</string>
    <string name="menu_settings">Settings</string>
    <string name="title_activity_main">Location From GPS</string>
    <string name="str_tv_location">Current Location</string>
</resources>

7. Update the file res/layout/activity_main.xml

<RelativeLayout 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" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tv_location"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:text="@string/str_tv_location"
        android:textStyle="bold" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tv_longitude"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@id/tv_location"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tv_latitude"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@id/tv_longitude"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>
</RelativeLayout>

8. Update the file res/values/styles.xml

<resources>
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="android:Theme" />
</resources>

9. Update the file res/values-v11/styles.xml

<resources>
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo" />
</resources>

10. Update the file res/values-v14/styles.xml

<resources>
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo" />
</resources>

11. Update the class MainActivity in the file src/in/wptrafficanalyzer/locationfromgps/MainActivitiy.java

package in.wptrafficanalyzer.locationfromgps;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.location.Criteria;
import android.location.Location;
import android.location.LocationListener;
import android.location.LocationManager;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class MainActivity extends Activity implements LocationListener{

    LocationManager locationManager ;
    String provider;

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

        // Getting LocationManager object
        locationManager = (LocationManager)getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);

        // Creating an empty criteria object
        Criteria criteria = new Criteria();

        // Getting the name of the provider that meets the criteria
        provider = locationManager.getBestProvider(criteria, false);

        if(provider!=null && !provider.equals("")){

            // Get the location from the given provider
            Location location = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(provider);

            locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(provider, 20000, 1, this);

            if(location!=null)
                onLocationChanged(location);
            else
                Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "Location can't be retrieved", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

        }else{
            Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "No Provider Found", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
        // Getting reference to TextView tv_longitude
        TextView tvLongitude = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.tv_longitude);

        // Getting reference to TextView tv_latitude
        TextView tvLatitude = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.tv_latitude);

        // Setting Current Longitude
        tvLongitude.setText("Longitude:" + location.getLongitude());

        // Setting Current Latitude
        tvLatitude.setText("Latitude:" + location.getLatitude() );
    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    @Override
    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }
}

12. Update the file AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="in.wptrafficanalyzer.locationfromgps"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="4"
        android:targetSdkVersion="15" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <application
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/title_activity_main" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>

13. Enable GPS in the emulator or device from Settings

Figure 5 : Enabling GPS in Android 1.6 (Emulator)

14. Set Longitude and Latitude of the location in Eclipse -> DDMS ( Perspective ) to run  this application in the emulator

Figure 6 : Setting Longitude and Latitude in Eclipse ->DDMS Perspective

15. Screenshot of the application

Figure 7 : Showing Longitude and Latitude of the current location

16. Download Source Code

Android GPS with LocationManager to get current location - Example 392.80 KB

Download Full Source Code

17. Reference

http://developer.android.com/guide/index.html

How to hire me?

I am George Mathew, working as software architect and Android app developer at wptrafficanalyzer.in

You can hire me on hourly basis or on project basis for Android applications development.

For hiring me, please mail your requirements to info@wptrafficanalyzer.in.

My other blogs
store4js.blogspot.com

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Tags: gps, location, LocationManager, LOCATION_SERVICE, System Service