Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to programmatically enable GPS in Android Cupcake

I’m currently writing an app in Android that works with the GPS. At the moment I’m able to work out whether the GPS is enabled. My problem is that I want to enable the GPS on app startup if it is disabled. How can I do this programmaticaly?
also, i want to create functions that turn on and off the GPS, i read all the threads on stackoverflow about it however all the functions that i tried i got a “unfortanly your app must stopped” (i didnt forget to add permission)

can someone help me with a working function to enable or disable GPS?

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_MOCK_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CONTROL_LOCATION_UPDATES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS" />

at first, i used these functions:

 private void turnGPSOn(){
        String provider = Settings.Secure.getString(getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_PROVIDERS_ALLOWED);

        if(!provider.contains("gps")){ //if gps is disabled
            final Intent poke = new Intent();
            poke.setClassName("com.android.settings", "com.android.settings.widget.SettingsAppWidgetProvider"); 
            poke.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_ALTERNATIVE);
            poke.setData(Uri.parse("3")); 
            sendBroadcast(poke);
        }
    }

    private void turnGPSOff(){
        String provider = Settings.Secure.getString(getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_PROVIDERS_ALLOWED);

        if(provider.contains("gps")){ //if gps is enabled
            final Intent poke = new Intent();
            poke.setClassName("com.android.settings", "com.android.settings.widget.SettingsAppWidgetProvider");
            poke.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_ALTERNATIVE);
            poke.setData(Uri.parse("3")); 
            sendBroadcast(poke);
        }
    }

then i tried use:

ENABLE GPS:

Intent intent=new Intent("android.location.GPS_ENABLED_CHANGE");
intent.putExtra("enabled", true);
sendBroadcast(intent);
DISABLE GPS:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.location.GPS_ENABLED_CHANGE");
intent.putExtra("enabled", false);
sendBroadcast(intent);

both are not working for me

any one has idea?

Answer 1

you cannot programmatically turn GPS on and off. the best you can do is send the user to the settings screen that allows them to do it themselves.

final LocationManager manager = (LocationManager) getSystemService( Context.LOCATION_SERVICE );
if ( !manager.isProviderEnabled( LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER ) ) {
     new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
     startActivity(intent);
}

there existed hacks to turn GPS on / off programmatically, but they work only in older versions of Android. even if you could, don’t do this. the user may have turned off GPS because they didn’t want to allow apps to track them precisely. it’s extremely bad form to try and force change their decision.

if you require GPS to be enabled, check for it when your app starts and bail if the user won’t enable it.