Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Android and Location

Mobile Computing

Unless otherwise stated, images are from android sdk

Latitude and Longitude determine location

• Latitude = north/south of the equator

• Longitude = east/west of Greenwich

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

And where is Aberdeen?

What’s the latitude and longitude of Aberdeen?

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Aberdeen is west of London

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

http://www.earthtools.org/

57.1467°N 2.0901°W

Use Google API for location

• Select Google APIs for new projects using maps and location

• Otherwise your app won’t run

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Also put permissions in manifest

• Need to add permissions for

• INTERNET

• ACCESS_COURSE_LOCATION

• ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Manifest also needs to specify map library

Apps with maps need to specify need as ‘true’ for com.google.android.maps library in manifest

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Map layouts need API key

• Need to get Google MAPs API key to use maps in your apps – referenced in layout

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

http://code.google.com/android/add-ons/google-apis/mapkey.html

This allows map tiles to be downloaded to your application

Direction API for routes included

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Can use direction API within maps API for routes

http://www.anddev.org/google_driving_directions_-_mapview_overlayed-t826.html

LocationListener updates map

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

This is about as simple as it gets for map display

http://www.vogella.de/articles/Android/article.html#locationapi

Use DDMS tool to set location

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Geocoder library to look up location

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Can’t use external Bluetooth GPS devices with Android

• Can’t use external BT device for location determination, as you can with Java ME

• There is a separate app for this you can install and enable this feature: Bluetooth GPS Provider (not tried it yet)

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010

Summary

• Maps need API key to be displayed

• Maps needs permissions set in manifest

• Maps need API enabled

• Lots of work done over network

Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2010