Android mock location on device?

Question

How can I mock my location on a physical device (Nexus One)? I know you can do this with the emulator in the Emulator Control panel, but this doesn't work for a physical device.

Answer 1

Use this permission in manifest file

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_MOCK_LOCATION">

android studio will recommend that "Mock location should only be requested in a test or debug-specific manifest file (typically src/debug/AndroidManifest.xml)" just disable the inspection

Now make sure you have checked the "Allow mock locations" in developer setting of your phone

Use LocationManager

locationManager.addTestProvider(mocLocationProvider, false, false,
                false, false, true, true, true, 0, 5);
locationManager.setTestProviderEnabled(mocLocationProvider, true);

Now set the location wherever you want

Location mockLocation = new Location(mocLocationProvider); 
mockLocation.setLatitude(lat); 
mockLocation.setLongitude(lng); 
mockLocation.setAltitude(alt); 
mockLocation.setTime(System.currentTimeMillis()); 
locationManager.setTestProviderLocation( mocLocationProvider, mockLocation); 

Answer 2

I've had success with the following code. Albeit it got me a single lock for some reason (even if I've tried different LatLng pairs), it worked for me. mLocationManager is a LocationManager which is hooked up to a LocationListener:

private void getMockLocation()
{
    mLocationManager.removeTestProvider(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);
    mLocationManager.addTestProvider
    (
      LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,
      "requiresNetwork" == "",
      "requiresSatellite" == "",
      "requiresCell" == "",
      "hasMonetaryCost" == "",
      "supportsAltitude" == "",
      "supportsSpeed" == "",
      "supportsBearing" == "",

      android.location.Criteria.POWER_LOW,
      android.location.Criteria.ACCURACY_FINE
    );      

    Location newLocation = new Location(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

    newLocation.setLatitude (/* TODO: Set Some Lat */);
    newLocation.setLongitude(/* TODO: Set Some Lng */);

    newLocation.setAccuracy(500);

    mLocationManager.setTestProviderEnabled
    (
      LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER, 
      true
    );

    mLocationManager.setTestProviderStatus
    (
       LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,
       LocationProvider.AVAILABLE,
       null,
       System.currentTimeMillis()
    );      

    mLocationManager.setTestProviderLocation
    (
      LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER, 
      newLocation
    );      
}

Answer 3

What Dr1Ku posted works. Used the code today but needed to add more locs. So here are some improvements:

Optional: Instead of using the LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER String, you might want to define your own constat PROVIDER_NAME and use it. When registering for location updates, pick a provider via criteria instead of directly specifying it in as a string.

First: Instead of calling removeTestProvider, first check if there is a provider to be removed (to avoid IllegalArgumentException):

if (mLocationManager.getProvider(PROVIDER_NAME) != null) {
  mLocationManager.removeTestProvider(PROVIDER_NAME);
}

Second: To publish more than one location, you have to set the time for the location:

newLocation.setTime(System.currentTimeMillis());
...
mLocationManager.setTestProviderLocation(PROVIDER_NAME, newLocation);

There also seems to be a google Test that uses MockLocationProviders: http://grepcode.com/file/repository.grepcode.com/java/ext/com.google.android/android/1.5_r4/android/location/LocationManagerProximityTest.java

Another good working example can be found at: http://pedroassuncao.com/blog/2009/11/12/android-location-provider-mock/

Another good article is: http://ballardhack.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/location-gps-and-automated-testing-on-android/#comment-1358 You'll also find some code that actually works for me on the emulator.

Answer 4

I wonder if you need the elaborate Mock Location setup. In my case once I got a fix location I was calling a function to do something with that new location. In a timer create a mock location. And call the function with that location instead. Knowing all along that in a short while GPS would come up with a real current location. Which is OK. If you have the update time set sufficiently long.

Answer 5

Install Fake GPS app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.incorporateapps.fakegps.fre&hl=en

Developer options -> Select mock location app(It's mean, Fake location app selected).

Fake GPS app:

Double tab on the map to add -> click the play button -> Show the toast "Fake location stopped"

finally check with google map apps.

Answer 6

I wrote an App that runs a WebServer (REST-Like) on your Android Phone, so you can set the GPS position remotely. The website provides an Map on which you can click to set a new position, or use the "wasd" keys to move in any direction. The app was a quick solution so there is nearly no UI nor Documentation, but the implementation is straight forward and you can look everything up in the (only four) classes.

Project repository: https://github.com/juliusmh/RemoteGeoFix