How do I find out if the GPS of an Android device

Question

On an Android Cupcake (1.5) enabled device, how do I check and activate the GPS?

Answer 1

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Create services running in background.

Step 2: You require following permission in Manifest file too:

android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

Step 3: Write code:

 final LocationManager manager = (LocationManager)context.getSystemService    (Context.LOCATION_SERVICE );

if ( !manager.isProviderEnabled( LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER ) )
  Toast.makeText(context, "GPS is disabled!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show(); 
else
  Toast.makeText(context, "GPS is enabled!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

Step 4: Or simply you can check using:

LocationManager manager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE );
boolean statusOfGPS = manager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

Step 5: Run your services continuously to monitor connection.

Answer 2

This piece of code checks GPS status

final LocationManager manager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE );
if ( !manager.isProviderEnabled( LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER ) ) {
    buildAlertMessageNoGps();
}

`

Answer 3

In android, we can easily check whether GPS is enabled in device or not using LocationManager.

Here is a simple program to Check.

GPS Enabled or Not :- Add the below user permission line in AndroidManifest.xml to Access Location

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

Your java class file should be

public class ExampleApp extends Activity {
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);

        if (locationManager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER)){
            Toast.makeText(this, "GPS is Enabled in your devide", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }else{
            showGPSDisabledAlertToUser();
        }
    }

    private void showGPSDisabledAlertToUser(){
        AlertDialog.Builder alertDialogBuilder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
        alertDialogBuilder.setMessage("GPS is disabled in your device. Would you like to enable it?")
        .setCancelable(false)
        .setPositiveButton("Goto Settings Page To Enable GPS",
                new DialogInterface.OnClickListener(){
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id){
                Intent callGPSSettingIntent = new Intent(
                        android.provider.Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
                startActivity(callGPSSettingIntent);
            }
        });
        alertDialogBuilder.setNegativeButton("Cancel",
                new DialogInterface.OnClickListener(){
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id){
                dialog.cancel();
            }
        });
        AlertDialog alert = alertDialogBuilder.create();
        alert.show();
    }
}

The output will looks like

Answer 4

Yes you can check below is the code:

public boolean isGPSEnabled (Context mContext){
    LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager)
                mContext.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
    return locationManager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);
}

Answer 5

yes GPS settings cannot be changed programatically any more as they are privacy settings and we have to check if they are switched on or not from the program and handle it if they are not switched on. you can notify the user that GPS is turned off and use something like this to show the settings screen to the user if you want.

Check if location providers are available

    String provider = Settings.Secure.getString(getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_PROVIDERS_ALLOWED);
    if(provider != null){
        Log.v(TAG, " Location providers: "+provider);
        //Start searching for location and update the location text when update available
        startFetchingLocation();
    }else{
        // Notify users and show settings if they want to enable GPS
    }

If the user want to enable GPS you may show the settings screen in this way.

Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE);

And in your onActivityResult you can see if the user has enabled it or not

    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data){
        if(requestCode == REQUEST_CODE && resultCode == 0){
            String provider = Settings.Secure.getString(getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_PROVIDERS_ALLOWED);
            if(provider != null){
                Log.v(TAG, " Location providers: "+provider);
                //Start searching for location and update the location text when update available. 
// Do whatever you want
                startFetchingLocation();
            }else{
                //Users did not switch on the GPS
            }
        }
    }

Thats one way to do it and i hope it helps. Let me know if I am doing anything wrong.

Answer 6

In your LocationListener, implement onProviderEnabled and onProviderDisabled event handlers. When you call requestLocationUpdates(...), if GPS is disabled on the phone, onProviderDisabled will be called; if user enables GPS, onProviderEnabled will be called.