Programmatically Request Access to Contacts

Question

Since updating to iOS 6 I've noticed that my code to add a contact to iPhone's address book no longer works. I believe this is a permission related problem, since Apple now requires user permission before accessing contacts (fixing this issue).

I expected the app to automatically ask permission to access contacts, like in the screenshot below, but it doesn't. Trying to add the contact just fails with ABAddressBookErrorDomain error 1.

Do I need to programmatically launch the access to contacts request dialog? How is that done?

Answer 1

Swift 3. Don't forget to import Contacts

func requestForContactAccess(completionHandler: @escaping (_ accessGranted: Bool) -> Void) {
    let authorizationStatus = CNContactStore.authorizationStatus(for: CNEntityType.contacts)
    switch authorizationStatus {
    case .authorized:
        completionHandler(true)
    case .denied, .notDetermined:
        self.contactStore.requestAccess(for: CNEntityType.contacts, completionHandler: { (access, accessError) -> Void in
            if access {
                completionHandler(access)
            } else {
                if authorizationStatus == CNAuthorizationStatus.denied {
                    DispatchQueue.main.async(execute: { () -> Void in
                        let message = "\(accessError!.localizedDescription)\n\nPlease allow the app to access your contacts through the Settings."
                        self.showMessage(message: message)
                    })
                }
            }
        })
    default:
        completionHandler(false)
    }
}

Answer 2

Had some problems with yunas code on iOS6.1 in Xcode5. With some small adaptions it worked for me.

The problem was that ARC in iOS 6, did not allows dispatch_release(sema); Here's the working code. Note: I use m_addressbook instead of addressbook as ABAddressBookRef!

ViewController.m

#import "ViewController.h"
#import <AddressBook/AddressBook.h>
#import <AddressBook/ABAddressBook.h>
#import <AddressBook/ABPerson.h>

@interface ViewController ()

@property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray* contactList;

@end

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
  [super viewDidLoad];

  ABAddressBookRef m_addressbook =  ABAddressBookCreateWithOptions(NULL, NULL);

  __block BOOL accessGranted = NO;
  if (ABAddressBookRequestAccessWithCompletion != NULL) { // we're on iOS 6
      dispatch_semaphore_t sema = dispatch_semaphore_create(0);
      dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), ^{
          @autoreleasepool {
              // Write your code here...
              // Fetch data from SQLite DB
          }
      });

      ABAddressBookRequestAccessWithCompletion(m_addressbook, ^(bool granted, CFErrorRef error) {
          accessGranted = granted;
          dispatch_semaphore_signal(sema);
      });
      dispatch_semaphore_wait(sema, DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER);
  }
  else { // we're on iOS 5 or older
      accessGranted = YES;
  }

  if (accessGranted) {
  // do your stuff
  }
}

// ...

Answer 3

ABAddressBookRequestAccessWithCompletion(ABAddressBookCreateWithOptions(NULL, nil), ^(bool granted, CFErrorRef error) {
        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
            if (!granted){
                    [[[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Contacts Access Denied"
                                                message:@"This app requires access to your device's Contacts.\n\nPlease enable Contacts access for this app in Settings / Privacy / Contacts"
                                               delegate:nil
                                      cancelButtonTitle:@"Dismiss"
                                      otherButtonTitles:nil] show];
            } else {
                //access authorized
            }
        });
    });

For add description to alert use in InfoPlist.strings.

NSContactsUsageDescription = "TESTING!";

Answer 4

For contacts framework:

- (void)checkPermissionForCNContacts
{
    switch ([CNContactStore authorizationStatusForEntityType:CNEntityTypeContacts])
    {
        case CNAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined:
        {
            [[[CNContactStore alloc] init] requestAccessForEntityType:CNEntityTypeContacts completionHandler:^(BOOL granted, NSError * _Nullable error) {
                if (granted == YES)
                    [self showCNContactPicker];
            }];
        }
            break;
        case CNAuthorizationStatusRestricted:
        case CNAuthorizationStatusDenied:
                // Show custom alert
            break;
        case CNAuthorizationStatusAuthorized:
            [self showCNContactPicker];
            break;
    }
}

Answer 5

With iOS 6 you have to ask permission like this

requestAccessToEntityType:EKEntityTypeEvent completion:

Answer 6

ABAddressBookRef addressBook = ABAddressBookCreate();

__block BOOL accessGranted = NO;
if (ABAddressBookRequestAccessWithCompletion != NULL) { // we're on iOS 6
    dispatch_semaphore_t sema = dispatch_semaphore_create(0);
    ABAddressBookRequestAccessWithCompletion(addressBook, ^(bool granted, CFErrorRef error) {
        accessGranted = granted;
        dispatch_semaphore_signal(sema);
    });
    dispatch_semaphore_wait(sema, DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER);
    dispatch_release(sema);
}
else { // we're on iOS 5 or older
    accessGranted = YES;
}

if (accessGranted) {
    if(self.isContactsChanged)
    {
        {
            self.isContactsChanged=NO;
            CFArrayRef allPeople = ABAddressBookCopyArrayOfAllPeople(addressBook);
             ABAddressBookRegisterExternalChangeCallback(addressBook, addressBookChanged, self);

            int allPeopleCount = CFArrayGetCount(allPeople);

            NSMutableArray *contactArrTemp = [[NSMutableArray alloc]init];

            __block int noNumberCount=1;
            managedObjectContext = [(AppDelegate *)[[UIApplication sharedApplication] delegate] managedObjectContext];
            newMoc = [[NSManagedObjectContext alloc] init];
            [newMoc setPersistentStoreCoordinator:[[AppDelegate getAppDelegate] persistentStoreCoordinator]];
            [self DeleteAllPhoneContact];
            NSNotificationCenter *notify = [NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter];
            [notify addObserver:self
                       selector:@selector(mergeChanges:)
                           name:NSManagedObjectContextDidSaveNotification
                         object:newMoc];
            self.backgroundQueue = dispatch_queue_create("com.storephonecontacts.bgqueue", NULL);
            __block NSMutableDictionary *dic;
            __block NSString *strTime,*strName,*strMobile,*strEmail,*strNotes;
            __block NSDate *nsDate;
            dispatch_async(self.backgroundQueue, ^{

                NSMutableDictionary *dict =nil;
                for (int i = 0; i < allPeopleCount; i++)
                {

                    dic = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc]init];
                    ABRecordRef record = CFArrayGetValueAtIndex(allPeople,i);
                    NSDate *date = (NSDate*)ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonCreationDateProperty);
                    nsDate = [date retain];

                    NSDateFormatter *formatterTime = [[NSDateFormatter alloc] init];
                    [formatterTime setDateFormat:@"hh.mm"];
                    NSString    *dateStrPhone = [formatterTime stringFromDate:date];
                    strTime = [dateStrPhone retain];
                    [formatterTime release];

                    NSString *name = (NSString*)ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonFirstNameProperty);
                    if([name length]>0)
                        name = [name stringByAppendingString:@" "];
                    NSString *name1 = (NSString*)ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonLastNameProperty);
                    if([name1 length]>0)
                    {
                        if([name length]>0)
                            name = [name stringByAppendingString:name1];
                        else
                            name = (NSString*)ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonLastNameProperty);
                    }
                    if([name length]>0)
                        strName = [name retain];
                    else
                        strName = [@"noName" retain];

                    //to save notes
                    NSString *notes = (NSString*)ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonNoteProperty);
                    if(notes == NULL){
                        strNotes = @"noNotes";
                    }
                    else{
                        strNotes = [notes retain];
                    }
                    //for image
                    if (!ABPersonHasImageData(record)){

                    }
                    else{
                        CFDataRef imageData = ABPersonCopyImageData(record);
                        UIImage *image = [UIImage imageWithData:(NSData *) imageData];
                        [dic setObject:image forKey:@"image"];
                        CFRelease(imageData);
                    }
                    //To set Mobile
                    NSMutableArray* mobileArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
                    ABMutableMultiValueRef multi = ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonPhoneProperty);
                    if (ABMultiValueGetCount(multi) > 0) {
                        // collect all emails in array
                        for (CFIndex i = 0; i < ABMultiValueGetCount(multi); i++) {

                            CFStringRef mobileRef = ABMultiValueCopyValueAtIndex(multi, i);
                            CFStringRef locLabel = ABMultiValueCopyLabelAtIndex(multi, i);
                            NSString *phoneLabel =(NSString*) ABAddressBookCopyLocalizedLabel(locLabel);

                            if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"mobile"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            else if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"iPhone"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            else if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"home"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            else if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"work"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            else if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"main"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            else if([phoneLabel isEqualToString:@"other"])
                                [mobileArray addObject:(NSString *)mobileRef];
                            CFRelease(mobileRef);
                            CFRelease(locLabel);
                        }
                    }
                    CFRelease(multi);
                    if([mobileArray count]>0)
                        strMobile = [[mobileArray objectAtIndex:0]retain];
                    else{
                        NSString *str=[NSString stringWithFormat:@"noNumber%i",noNumberCount];
                        strMobile = [str retain];
                        noNumberCount++;
                    }
                    [mobileArray release];

                    //To set E-mail
                    NSMutableArray* emailArray = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
                    multi = ABRecordCopyValue(record, kABPersonEmailProperty);
                    if (ABMultiValueGetCount(multi) > 0) {
                        // collect all emails in array
                        for (CFIndex i = 0; i < ABMultiValueGetCount(multi); i++) {
                            CFStringRef emailRef = ABMultiValueCopyValueAtIndex(multi, i);
                            [emailArray addObject:(NSString *)emailRef];
                            CFRelease(emailRef);
                        }
                    }

                    CFRelease(multi);
                    if([emailArray count]>0)
                        strEmail = [[emailArray objectAtIndex:0]retain];
                    else
                        strEmail = [@"noemail" retain];
                    [emailArray release];

                    bool addBool = NO;

                    if([strName isEqualToString:@"noName"]){
                        if([strEmail isEqualToString:@"noemail"]){

                        }
                        else{
                            [dic setObject:strEmail forKey:@"name"];
                            addBool = YES;
                        }

                        if(addBool == NO){
                            if([strMobile isEqualToString:@"noNumber"]){

                            }
                            else{
                                [dic setObject:strMobile forKey:@"name"];
                                addBool = YES;
                            }
                        }
                    }
                    else{
                        [dic setObject:strName forKey:@"name"];
                        addBool = YES;
                    }
                    [dic setObject:strEmail forKey:@"email"];
                    [dic setObject:strMobile forKey:@"mobile"];
                    [dic setObject:nsDate forKey:@"date"];
                    [dic setObject:strTime forKey:@"time"];
                    [dic setObject:strNotes forKey:@"notes"];

                    if(addBool == YES)
                        [contactArrTemp addObject:dic];

                    if([strMobile hasPrefix:@"0"]){
                        NSString *contactNumber=[strMobile stringByReplacingCharactersInRange:NSMakeRange(0, 1) withString:@""];
                        if(contactNumber.length>7)
                            [dic setObject:@"iPhone" forKey:@"ContactType"];

                    }
                    else {
                        if(strMobile.length>9)
                            [dic setObject:@"iPhone" forKey:@"ContactType"];

                    }
                    if(![[dic objectForKey:@"ContactType"] isKindOfClass:[NSNull class]] && [dic objectForKey:@"ContactType"])
                    {
                        [self InsertContactWithContactInfoDictionary:dic];
                    }
                    [strName release];
                    [nsDate release];
                    [strEmail release];
                    [strMobile release];
                    [strTime release];
                    [strNotes release];
                    [dic release];
                }
                dispatch_async(self.backgroundQueue, ^(void){ [self gcdDidFinishaddfebriteParsing:dict]; });
                dispatch_release(self.backgroundQueue);
                self.backgroundQueue=nil;
            });

        }
    }
    else
    {
        [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@"PhoneContactsSaved" object:nil userInfo:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:YES] forKey:@"Successful"]];
        [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@"updateContacts" object:nil userInfo:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:@"success" forKey:@"update"]];
    }
}