Question

I am trying to search for best provider with this case below:

// GPS
    case R.id.main_menu_gps:

        // Set up location services
        mLocationManager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);
        mBestProvider = mLocationManager.getBestProvider(new Criteria(), true);
        Log.d(DEB_TAG, "@@@@Value of mBestProvider is " + mBestProvider);

        if(mBestProvider != null){
            showGpsSearchingDialog();
            mLocationManager.requestLocationUpdates(mBestProvider, 150000, 1, this);
        } else {
            Log.d(DEB_TAG, "Provider is null");
            showGpsAlertDialog();
        }

    break;

My device is returning “GPS” as the best provider but is not able to find a location and my progress dialogue is displayed forever searching. If I go into the phone settings of “Location/Security” and check the “Use wireless networks” the best provider is Network and it works to return a location.

Am I doing something wrong when the best provider is GPS and no data is returned?

Answer 1

If GPS is enabled it will always return GPS as the best provider since you specified an empty criteria. It can take a decently delay for a GPS fix and if you are in a building you may never get a fix at all. So if the network location will be acceptable then you should just do network. Or have a timeout so that at some point you stop waiting on gps and then switch to network instead. If you are using a MapView, you may want to use the MyLocationOverlay because it’s internal logic will handle that for you.

Your code looks fine btw.