How to get the coarse location using Wifi or GSM or GPS, whichever is available?

Question

My app only needs a coarse location service when started up.

In detail, I need the app's rough location so as to provide the users with the shop info nearby.

The location does NOT need to be updated constantly. In addition, coarse localization will be sufficient in this case.

I wish the app to choose GSM, or wifi, or GPS automatically, whichever is available.

The location service should also be one-time to save phone energy.

How may I do that?

I have tried using GPS separately.

My problem is I don't know how to stop the constantly-refreshing-location feature of GPS. I don't know how to make the phone select one out of the three methods, either.

Some sample codes or ideas are greatly appreciated.

locationManager.requestLocationUpdates() method takes the min distance and min time before it will try to request location again. Use values that you require. When you are done using it, unregister the receiver to stop update. — Srikant Sahay, Jul 16 '13 at 06:01

score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 16 '13 at 05:58

Here's a certain point of view:

private void _getLocation() {
    // Get the location manager
    LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager) 
            getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);
    Criteria criteria = new Criteria();
    String bestProvider = locationManager.getBestProvider(criteria, false);
    Location location = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(bestProvider);
    try {
        lat = location.getLatitude();
        lon = location.getLongitude();
    } catch (NullPointerException e) {
        lat = -1.0;
        lon = -1.0;
    }
}

This might however request a FINE_LOCATION access. So:

Another way is to use this which uses the LocationManager.

The quickest possible way is to use the Last Known location with this, I used it and it's quite fast:

private double[] getGPS() {
 LocationManager lm = (LocationManager) getSystemService(
  Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
 List<String> providers = lm.getProviders(true);

 Location l = null;

 for (int i=providers.size()-1; i>=0; i--) {
  l = lm.getLastKnownLocation(providers.get(i));
  if (l != null) break;
 }

 double[] gps = new double[2];
 if (l != null) {
  gps[0] = l.getLatitude();
  gps[1] = l.getLongitude();
 }

 return gps;
}

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 17 '13 at 10:16

you can use LocationClient it provides a unified/simplified (Fused) location API, check out this Video for introductory material and background or this developer guide

the main drawback is that you make you app dependent on the existence of Google Play Services on the device.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 16 '13 at 05:54

In order to get info from specific provider you should use: LocationManager.getLastKnownLocation(String provider), if you want your app to choose automatically between providers then you can add choosing of the provider with getBestProvider method. As for stopping refreshing of GPS location, I didn't quite catch. Do you need to get the location info only once or do you need to monitor location changes periodically?

EDIT: Oh by the way, if you want your location info to be up-to-date you should use requestSingleUpdate method of location manager, with specified Criteria. In this case provider should also be chosen automatically

only once. i.e. the app estimates the location only when it is first started. Later the user may manually choose to refresh teh location — Sibbs Gambling, Jul 16 '13 at 05:58

How to get the coarse location using Wifi or GSM or GPS, whichever is available?

3 Answers3

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