Using Google Maps v2 etc. in Android apps
Location based services 1

• Google maps
– Showing and annotating maps
• Geo-coding
– Address -> location
• Reverse geo-coding
– Location -> address(es)
• Getting live location information
– Through GPS, mobile phone cell tower triangulation, or Wi-Fi positioning
Location based services 2

• Google maps are NOT part of the Android API
– It’s an add-on
– This means that you will have to do a number of things to make it work …
Location based services 3

• Google Maps Android API
– MapActivity, Overlay, etc.
– Deprecated
• Google Maps Android API v2
– MapFragment, etc.
– https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/and roid/
• Google Maps for JavaScript v2
– Deprecated
• Google Maps for JavaScript v3
– https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/java script/
Location based services 4

• Example: maps2013
• GoogleMap
– This is the main class
– setOnMapClickListener(…)
• Hitting the map you can add markers, etc.
• MyLocation
– Will send you to your current location
– Requires permissions: ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION and ACCESS_FINEL_LOCATION
• UISettings
– To change the default settings of the map
• MapFragment
– To show the map as part of an activity
– Not used in the layout.xml (only “fragment”)
– Used in the Activity (Java code)
– Android ≥ 3 (API 11) only
– SuppportMapFragment for older devices
• MapView
– Another way to show a map
Location based services 5

• Marker
– An annotation on a map
– Map. setOnMarkerClickListener(…)
• Event when you hit a marker
• MarkerOptions
– The “constructor” parameters for Marker objects
• Position, title, icon, etc.
• Circle, and other annotation
– You can add circles (and many other annotation) to a map
Location based services 6

• Google Maps API v2 is part of Google Play services SDK
– Use the Android SDK Manager to obtain the
”Google Play Services” API
• It’s in “Extra” at the bottom of the screen
– http://www.vogella.com/articles/AndroidGoogleM aps/article.html#installmaps
• Android Studio can create a special Map activity
– This is quite helpful
Location based services 7

• Google Maps API key
– SHA1 + applications package name gives you a key
• http://www.vogella.com/articles/AndroidGoogleMaps/article.html#m aps_key
– The key must be placed in AndroidManifest.xml
• Permissions to use Internet, etc.
– Stated in AndroidManifest.xml
• Google Maps requires Open GL
– Stated in AndroidManifest.xml
• Genymotion: Has no access to GooglePlay
– It should be possible to upgrade GenyMotion, but I can’t make it work
– It run the app on my Android phone
Location based services 8

• Some applications needs to know the current position of the user’s device.
• Three ways to obtain the position
– GPS satellite
• Most accurate
– Mobile phone cell tower triangulation
• Works indoors
– Wi-Fi
• The address of the connected Wi-Fi should be known
• Least accurate
• AndroidManifest.xml
– <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
– <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
Location based services 9

• locationManager.requestLocationUpdates( … )
• http://developer.android.com/reference/android/locati on/LocationManager.html
• Example: Maps3
Location based services 10

• GPS_PROVIDER
– Accurate
– Works only outdoors
• Device must have satellite connection
– Consumes battery
• Satellite connection consumes battery
– Slow
• NETWORK_PROVIDER
– Less accurate
– Works indoors (Wi-Fi + cell-tower) and outdoors (cell-tower)
– Consumes less battery
– Faster
• Source
– http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/location/obtaining-userlocation.html
Location based services 11

• Getting real addresses from a position
• GeoCoder
– List<Address> getFromLocationName(name, howMany)
• Geocoding
• Address includes ordinary address + (lat, long)
– List<Address> getFromLocation(lat, long, howMany)
• Reverse geocoding
– Example: Maps3
Location based services 12

• Google Maps Android API v2
– https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android/
• Lars Vogel: Google Maps Android API v2 – Tutorial
– http://www.vogella.com/articles/AndroidGoogleMaps/article.ht
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• George Mathew: Remove a single marker from Google
Maps Android API V2 …
– http://www.vogella.com/articles/AndroidGoogleMaps/article.ht
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• Making your app location-aware
– http://developer.android.com/training/location/index.html
Location based services 13