Cordova katzer plugin background mode not working

Question

in my ionic/angularjs application I use https://github.com/katzer/cordova-plugin-background-mode/ for backgrounding my application.

It's working quiet well on iOS-8 but with the new iOS-9 its not working any more. I did a few tests and it looks like the app is really working in the background but the user gets no information about it. On iOS-8 I get a message like "YourApp is using your location" or something like that on top of the display. On iOS-9 this message is missing.

Did someone the same experience with this plugin?

Answer 1

Thank you for updating the geolocation plugin so that it allows an app to run in the background with iOS 9.

It took me quite a while to get it all working in my Phonegap Build app. It may be helpful to others to see what I needed to include in my config.xml file:

<plugin spec="https://github.com/ionberry/cordova-plugin-geolocation-ios9-fix.git" source="git" />


<gap:config-file platform="ios" parent="UIBackgroundModes" overwrite="true">
    <array>
        <string>location</string>
    </array>
    </gap:config-file>

Answer 2

I found out that there are some changes in core location functions on iOS9: allowsBackgroundLocationUpdates in CLLocationManager in iOS9

Like suggested in the post I add a default property allowsBackgroundLocationUpdates with the value YES to the org.apache.cordova.geolocation plugin.

With this fix on CDVLocation.m which is located in /plugins/org.apache.cordova-geolocation/src/ios/ it now works.

To bring it to work I removed platform ios with cordova platform remove ios and added it again with cordova platform add ios back so it builds the plugins new.

Now I'm getting the blue bar on the display again :-)

This fix will break the geolocation support on iOS < 9.0. To bring it to work with older versions than 9.0 use this CDVLocation.m file:

The code I changed is marked with: //Edited by kingalione

/*
 Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
 or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
 distributed with this work for additional information
 regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
 to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
 "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
 with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at

 http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

 Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
 software distributed under the License is distributed on an
 "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
 KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
 specific language governing permissions and limitations
 under the License.
 */

#import "CDVLocation.h"
#import <Cordova/NSArray+Comparisons.h>

#pragma mark Constants

#define kPGLocationErrorDomain @"kPGLocationErrorDomain"
#define kPGLocationDesiredAccuracyKey @"desiredAccuracy"
#define kPGLocationForcePromptKey @"forcePrompt"
#define kPGLocationDistanceFilterKey @"distanceFilter"
#define kPGLocationFrequencyKey @"frequency"

//Edited by kingalione: START
#define SYSTEM_VERSION_EQUAL_TO(v)                  ([[[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion] compare:v options:NSNumericSearch] == NSOrderedSame)
#define SYSTEM_VERSION_GREATER_THAN(v)              ([[[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion] compare:v options:NSNumericSearch] == NSOrderedDescending)
#define SYSTEM_VERSION_GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO(v)  ([[[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion] compare:v options:NSNumericSearch] != NSOrderedAscending)
#define SYSTEM_VERSION_LESS_THAN(v)                 ([[[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion] compare:v options:NSNumericSearch] == NSOrderedAscending)
#define SYSTEM_VERSION_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO(v)     ([[[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion] compare:v options:NSNumericSearch] != NSOrderedDescending)
//Edited by kingalione: END

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark Categories

@implementation CDVLocationData

@synthesize locationStatus, locationInfo, locationCallbacks, watchCallbacks;
- (CDVLocationData*)init
{
    self = (CDVLocationData*)[super init];
    if (self) {
        self.locationInfo = nil;
        self.locationCallbacks = nil;
        self.watchCallbacks = nil;
    }
    return self;
}

@end

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark CDVLocation

@implementation CDVLocation

@synthesize locationManager, locationData;

    - (CDVPlugin*)initWithWebView:(UIWebView*)theWebView
    {
        self = (CDVLocation*)[super initWithWebView:(UIWebView*)theWebView];
        if (self) {
            self.locationManager = [[CLLocationManager alloc] init];

            //Edited by kingalione: START
            if (SYSTEM_VERSION_GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO(@"9.0")) {
                self.locationManager.allowsBackgroundLocationUpdates = YES;
            }
            //Edited by kingalione: END

            self.locationManager.delegate = self; // Tells the location manager to send updates to this object
            __locationStarted = NO;
            __highAccuracyEnabled = NO;
            self.locationData = nil;
        }
        return self;
    }

- (BOOL)isAuthorized
{
    BOOL authorizationStatusClassPropertyAvailable = [CLLocationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(authorizationStatus)]; // iOS 4.2+

    if (authorizationStatusClassPropertyAvailable) {
        NSUInteger authStatus = [CLLocationManager authorizationStatus];
#ifdef __IPHONE_8_0
        if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestWhenInUseAuthorization)]) {  //iOS 8.0+
            return (authStatus == kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorizedWhenInUse) || (authStatus == kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorizedAlways) || (authStatus == kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined);
        }
#endif
        return (authStatus == kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorized) || (authStatus == kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined);
    }

    // by default, assume YES (for iOS < 4.2)
    return YES;
}

- (BOOL)isLocationServicesEnabled
{
    BOOL locationServicesEnabledInstancePropertyAvailable = [self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(locationServicesEnabled)]; // iOS 3.x
    BOOL locationServicesEnabledClassPropertyAvailable = [CLLocationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(locationServicesEnabled)]; // iOS 4.x

    if (locationServicesEnabledClassPropertyAvailable) { // iOS 4.x
        return [CLLocationManager locationServicesEnabled];
    } else if (locationServicesEnabledInstancePropertyAvailable) { // iOS 2.x, iOS 3.x
        return [(id)self.locationManager locationServicesEnabled];
    } else {
        return NO;
    }
}

- (void)startLocation:(BOOL)enableHighAccuracy
{
    if (![self isLocationServicesEnabled]) {
        [self returnLocationError:PERMISSIONDENIED withMessage:@"Location services are not enabled."];
        return;
    }
    if (![self isAuthorized]) {
        NSString* message = nil;
        BOOL authStatusAvailable = [CLLocationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(authorizationStatus)]; // iOS 4.2+
        if (authStatusAvailable) {
            NSUInteger code = [CLLocationManager authorizationStatus];
            if (code == kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined) {
                // could return POSITION_UNAVAILABLE but need to coordinate with other platforms
                message = @"User undecided on application's use of location services.";
            } else if (code == kCLAuthorizationStatusRestricted) {
                message = @"Application's use of location services is restricted.";
            }
        }
        // PERMISSIONDENIED is only PositionError that makes sense when authorization denied
        [self returnLocationError:PERMISSIONDENIED withMessage:message];

        return;
    }

#ifdef __IPHONE_8_0
    NSUInteger code = [CLLocationManager authorizationStatus];
    if (code == kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined && ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestAlwaysAuthorization)] || [self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestWhenInUseAuthorization)])) { //iOS8+
        __highAccuracyEnabled = enableHighAccuracy;
        if([[NSBundle mainBundle] objectForInfoDictionaryKey:@"NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription"]){
            [self.locationManager requestAlwaysAuthorization];
        } else if([[NSBundle mainBundle] objectForInfoDictionaryKey:@"NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription"]) {
            [self.locationManager  requestWhenInUseAuthorization];
        } else {
            NSLog(@"[Warning] No NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription or NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key is defined in the Info.plist file.");
        }
        return;
    }
#endif

    // Tell the location manager to start notifying us of location updates. We
    // first stop, and then start the updating to ensure we get at least one
    // update, even if our location did not change.
    [self.locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];
    [self.locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
    __locationStarted = YES;
    if (enableHighAccuracy) {
        __highAccuracyEnabled = YES;
        // Set distance filter to 5 for a high accuracy. Setting it to "kCLDistanceFilterNone" could provide a
        // higher accuracy, but it's also just spamming the callback with useless reports which drain the battery.
        self.locationManager.distanceFilter = 5;
        // Set desired accuracy to Best.
        self.locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest;
    } else {
        __highAccuracyEnabled = NO;
        // TODO: Set distance filter to 10 meters? and desired accuracy to nearest ten meters? arbitrary.
        self.locationManager.distanceFilter = 10;
        self.locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyNearestTenMeters;
    }
}

- (void)_stopLocation
{
    if (__locationStarted) {
        if (![self isLocationServicesEnabled]) {
            return;
        }

        [self.locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];
        __locationStarted = NO;
        __highAccuracyEnabled = NO;
    }
}

- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager*)manager
    didUpdateToLocation:(CLLocation*)newLocation
           fromLocation:(CLLocation*)oldLocation
{
    CDVLocationData* cData = self.locationData;

    cData.locationInfo = newLocation;
    if (self.locationData.locationCallbacks.count > 0) {
        for (NSString* callbackId in self.locationData.locationCallbacks) {
            [self returnLocationInfo:callbackId andKeepCallback:NO];
        }

        [self.locationData.locationCallbacks removeAllObjects];
    }
    if (self.locationData.watchCallbacks.count > 0) {
        for (NSString* timerId in self.locationData.watchCallbacks) {
            [self returnLocationInfo:[self.locationData.watchCallbacks objectForKey:timerId] andKeepCallback:YES];
        }
    } else {
        // No callbacks waiting on us anymore, turn off listening.
        [self _stopLocation];
    }
}

- (void)getLocation:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
{
    NSString* callbackId = command.callbackId;
    BOOL enableHighAccuracy = [[command argumentAtIndex:0] boolValue];

    if ([self isLocationServicesEnabled] == NO) {
        NSMutableDictionary* posError = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:2];
        [posError setObject:[NSNumber numberWithInt:PERMISSIONDENIED] forKey:@"code"];
        [posError setObject:@"Location services are disabled." forKey:@"message"];
        CDVPluginResult* result = [CDVPluginResult resultWithStatus:CDVCommandStatus_ERROR messageAsDictionary:posError];
        [self.commandDelegate sendPluginResult:result callbackId:callbackId];
    } else {
        if (!self.locationData) {
            self.locationData = [[CDVLocationData alloc] init];
        }
        CDVLocationData* lData = self.locationData;
        if (!lData.locationCallbacks) {
            lData.locationCallbacks = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:1];
        }

        if (!__locationStarted || (__highAccuracyEnabled != enableHighAccuracy)) {
            // add the callbackId into the array so we can call back when get data
            if (callbackId != nil) {
                [lData.locationCallbacks addObject:callbackId];
            }
            // Tell the location manager to start notifying us of heading updates
            [self startLocation:enableHighAccuracy];
        } else {
            [self returnLocationInfo:callbackId andKeepCallback:NO];
        }
    }
}

- (void)addWatch:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
{
    NSString* callbackId = command.callbackId;
    NSString* timerId = [command argumentAtIndex:0];
    BOOL enableHighAccuracy = [[command argumentAtIndex:1] boolValue];

    if (!self.locationData) {
        self.locationData = [[CDVLocationData alloc] init];
    }
    CDVLocationData* lData = self.locationData;

    if (!lData.watchCallbacks) {
        lData.watchCallbacks = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:1];
    }

    // add the callbackId into the dictionary so we can call back whenever get data
    [lData.watchCallbacks setObject:callbackId forKey:timerId];

    if ([self isLocationServicesEnabled] == NO) {
        NSMutableDictionary* posError = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:2];
        [posError setObject:[NSNumber numberWithInt:PERMISSIONDENIED] forKey:@"code"];
        [posError setObject:@"Location services are disabled." forKey:@"message"];
        CDVPluginResult* result = [CDVPluginResult resultWithStatus:CDVCommandStatus_ERROR messageAsDictionary:posError];
        [self.commandDelegate sendPluginResult:result callbackId:callbackId];
    } else {
        if (!__locationStarted || (__highAccuracyEnabled != enableHighAccuracy)) {
            // Tell the location manager to start notifying us of location updates
            [self startLocation:enableHighAccuracy];
        }
    }
}

- (void)clearWatch:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
{
    NSString* timerId = [command argumentAtIndex:0];

    if (self.locationData && self.locationData.watchCallbacks && [self.locationData.watchCallbacks objectForKey:timerId]) {
        [self.locationData.watchCallbacks removeObjectForKey:timerId];
        if([self.locationData.watchCallbacks count] == 0) {
            [self _stopLocation];
        }
    }
}

- (void)stopLocation:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
{
    [self _stopLocation];
}

- (void)returnLocationInfo:(NSString*)callbackId andKeepCallback:(BOOL)keepCallback
{
    CDVPluginResult* result = nil;
    CDVLocationData* lData = self.locationData;

    if (lData && !lData.locationInfo) {
        // return error
        result = [CDVPluginResult resultWithStatus:CDVCommandStatus_ERROR messageToErrorObject:POSITIONUNAVAILABLE];
    } else if (lData && lData.locationInfo) {
        CLLocation* lInfo = lData.locationInfo;
        NSMutableDictionary* returnInfo = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:8];
        NSNumber* timestamp = [NSNumber numberWithDouble:([lInfo.timestamp timeIntervalSince1970] * 1000)];
        [returnInfo setObject:timestamp forKey:@"timestamp"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.speed] forKey:@"velocity"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.verticalAccuracy] forKey:@"altitudeAccuracy"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.horizontalAccuracy] forKey:@"accuracy"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.course] forKey:@"heading"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.altitude] forKey:@"altitude"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.coordinate.latitude] forKey:@"latitude"];
        [returnInfo setObject:[NSNumber numberWithDouble:lInfo.coordinate.longitude] forKey:@"longitude"];

        result = [CDVPluginResult resultWithStatus:CDVCommandStatus_OK messageAsDictionary:returnInfo];
        [result setKeepCallbackAsBool:keepCallback];
    }
    if (result) {
        [self.commandDelegate sendPluginResult:result callbackId:callbackId];
    }
}

- (void)returnLocationError:(NSUInteger)errorCode withMessage:(NSString*)message
{
    NSMutableDictionary* posError = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:2];

    [posError setObject:[NSNumber numberWithUnsignedInteger:errorCode] forKey:@"code"];
    [posError setObject:message ? message:@"" forKey:@"message"];
    CDVPluginResult* result = [CDVPluginResult resultWithStatus:CDVCommandStatus_ERROR messageAsDictionary:posError];

    for (NSString* callbackId in self.locationData.locationCallbacks) {
        [self.commandDelegate sendPluginResult:result callbackId:callbackId];
    }

    [self.locationData.locationCallbacks removeAllObjects];

    for (NSString* callbackId in self.locationData.watchCallbacks) {
        [self.commandDelegate sendPluginResult:result callbackId:callbackId];
    }
}

- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager*)manager didFailWithError:(NSError*)error
{
    NSLog(@"locationManager::didFailWithError %@", [error localizedFailureReason]);

    CDVLocationData* lData = self.locationData;
    if (lData && __locationStarted) {
        // TODO: probably have to once over the various error codes and return one of:
        // PositionError.PERMISSION_DENIED = 1;
        // PositionError.POSITION_UNAVAILABLE = 2;
        // PositionError.TIMEOUT = 3;
        NSUInteger positionError = POSITIONUNAVAILABLE;
        if (error.code == kCLErrorDenied) {
            positionError = PERMISSIONDENIED;
        }
        [self returnLocationError:positionError withMessage:[error localizedDescription]];
    }

    if (error.code != kCLErrorLocationUnknown) {
      [self.locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];
      __locationStarted = NO;
    }
}

//iOS8+
-(void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didChangeAuthorizationStatus:(CLAuthorizationStatus)status
{
    if(!__locationStarted){
        [self startLocation:__highAccuracyEnabled];
    }
}

- (void)dealloc
{
    self.locationManager.delegate = nil;
}

- (void)onReset
{
    [self _stopLocation];
    [self.locationManager stopUpdatingHeading];
}

@end