Question

Is there a quick and efficient way to get altitude (elevation) by longitude and latitude on the Android platform?

Answer 1

My approach is to use USGS Elevation Query Web Service:

private double getAltitude(Double longitude, Double latitude) {
    double result = Double.NaN;
    HttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
    HttpContext localContext = new BasicHttpContext();
    String url = "http://gisdata.usgs.gov/"
            + "xmlwebservices2/elevation_service.asmx/"
            + "getElevation?X_Value=" + String.valueOf(longitude)
            + "&Y_Value=" + String.valueOf(latitude)
            + "&Elevation_Units=METERS&Source_Layer=-1&Elevation_Only=true";
    HttpGet httpGet = new HttpGet(url);
    try {
        HttpResponse response = httpClient.execute(httpGet, localContext);
        HttpEntity entity = response.getEntity();
        if (entity != null) {
            InputStream instream = entity.getContent();
            int r = -1;
            StringBuffer respStr = new StringBuffer();
            while ((r = instream.read()) != -1)
                respStr.append((char) r);
            String tagOpen = "<double>";
            String tagClose = "</double>";
            if (respStr.indexOf(tagOpen) != -1) {
                int start = respStr.indexOf(tagOpen) + tagOpen.length();
                int end = respStr.indexOf(tagClose);
                String value = respStr.substring(start, end);
                result = Double.parseDouble(value);
            }
            instream.close();
        }
    } catch (ClientProtocolException e) {} 
    catch (IOException e) {}
    return result;
}

And example of use (right in HelloMapView class):

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        linearLayout = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.zoomview);
        mapView = (MapView) findViewById(R.id.mapview);
        mZoom = (ZoomControls) mapView.getZoomControls();
        linearLayout.addView(mZoom);
        mapView.setOnTouchListener(new OnTouchListener() {
            public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
                if (event.getAction() == 1) {
                    final GeoPoint p = mapView.getProjection().fromPixels(
                            (int) event.getX(), (int) event.getY());
                    final StringBuilder msg = new StringBuilder();
                    new Thread(new Runnable() {
                        public void run() {
                            final double lon = p.getLongitudeE6() / 1E6;
                            final double lat = p.getLatitudeE6() / 1E6;
                            final double alt = getAltitude(lon, lat);
                            msg.append("Lon: ");
                            msg.append(lon);
                            msg.append(" Lat: ");
                            msg.append(lat);
                            msg.append(" Alt: ");
                            msg.append(alt);
                        }
                    }).run();
                    Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), msg, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
                            .show();
                }
                return false;
            }
        });
    }