# Modules.Geofence
Provides a battery-efficient way to monitor a device's movement into or out of a geographic region.
# Overview
This feature requires a Pro or Enterprise subscription!
You use the Geofence module to define and monitor geofences in your application. A geofence is a circular region defined by a point (a latitude/longitude pair) and a radius, and represented by the Modules.Geofence.Region object. When a device moves into or out of a geofence being monitored, the module notifies your application of the event.
Enterprise customers can also define geofences on the server using the Appcelerator Cloud Services API. An application can query the server for any defined geofences and begin monitoring them. See the RegionMonitoring example in the module ZIP download.
# Getting Started
Once you have installed the module, use require()
to access it from JavaScript:
var Geofence = require('ti.geofence');
# Location Permissions
Please ensure to request proper location permissions before attempting to use geofencing feautures. See Titanium.Geolocation.hasLocationPermissions and Titanium.Geolocation.requestLocationPermissions for details. Example:
if (!Ti.Geolocation.hasLocationPermissions(Ti.Geolocation.AUTHORIZATION_ALWAYS)) {
Ti.Geolocation.requestLocationPermissions(Ti.Geolocation.AUTHORIZATION_ALWAYS, function (e) {
if (!e.success) {
alert('Location permissions declined!');
return;
}
alert('Location permissions ready');
// Initialize monitoring here
});
}
# Creating and monitoring geofence regions
You use the Modules.Geofence.createRegion method to define a Modules.Geofence.Region object. A geofence is a circular area defined by a point (latitude and longitude) and a radius (in meters).
var newRegion = Geofence.createRegion({
center: {
latitude: 37.389601,
longitude: -122.050169
},
radius: 500,
identifier: 'Appcelerator'
});
To start monitoring a region, call the Modules.Geofence.startMonitoringForRegions method, passing it the region or regions you want to monitor.
Geofence.startMonitoringForRegions([region1, region2]);
To be notified when the device moves into or out of a geofence region, create an event listener for the Modules.Geofence.enterregions or Modules.Geofence.exitregions events, respectively. For example:
Geofence.addEventListener('enterregions', function (e) {
e.regions.forEach(function (region) {
// Display local notification
showNotification({
title: 'ENTER',
body: 'enter - ' + region.identifier
});
});
});
The event object passed to the event handler contains a regions
property that identifies the region(s)
that were entered or exited. On iOS this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects;
on Android, it contains an array of generic objects that each contain a property called
identifier
. The value of this property corresponds to the one assigned to the Modules.Geofence.Region
when it was created.
# Testing Geofence monitoring
You have a few options for testing geofence monitoring in your application. One approach is field testing: travel (drive, walk, etc.) between monitored regions while the application is running. You can also pass mock location data to the application running on a device or Simulator.
Note: The timing and frequency of location events may vary from one environment to another (device, OS version, network availability).
# Mock locations from the iOS Simulator
Once the application is running in the simulator, select Debug > Location in the Simulator and select a predefined location or route that you would like to be sent to the Simulator. You can also enter a custom location (latitude, longitude).
# Mock locations using Xcode
This method will work on both the iOS Simulator and on device.
- Launch your application once, then go to the build folder of your project and open the Xcode project found in build/iphone/.
- Run your project using Xcode.
- Once app is running, in Xcode debug area, click the Simulate Location icon to display a list of mock locations that can be sent to your application.
- Select one of these locations to send it to your app. Alternately, click on Add GPX File to Project... and select a GPX file with mock locations. A GPX file is provided in the example/MockLocationData folder in module download. The route starts at North De Anza Blvd and I-280 in Cupertino, CA and travels north on I-280.
- After adding a GPX file, go back and click on the mock locations arrow. The GPX file should now be in the list. Select the mock location to start using it.
# Mock locations on Android
Add the following to your tiapp.xml
.
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_MOCK_LOCATION" />
For more information, see Provide Mock Location Data (opens new window)
# Sample applications
The module ZIP file contains two Geofence sample applications (examples/Basic and examples/RegionMonitoring) and a GPX file (examples/MockLocationData) for mocking location data in Xcode.
# Properties
# apiName READONLY
The name of the API that this proxy corresponds to.
The value of this property is the fully qualified name of the API. For example, Titanium.UI.Button
returns Ti.UI.Button
.
# bubbleParent
Indicates if the proxy will bubble an event to its parent.
Some proxies (most commonly views) have a relationship to other proxies, often established by the add() method. For example, for a button added to a window, a click event on the button would bubble up to the window. Other common parents are table sections to their rows, table views to their sections, and scrollable views to their views. Set this property to false to disable the bubbling to the proxy's parent.
Default: true
# lifecycleContainer
The Window or TabGroup whose Activity lifecycle should be triggered on the proxy.
If this property is set to a Window or TabGroup, then the corresponding Activity lifecycle event callbacks will also be called on the proxy. Proxies that require the activity lifecycle will need this property set to the appropriate containing Window or TabGroup.
# monitoredRegions READONLY
An array of the regions currently being monitored for the current application.
Example:
var regions = Geofence.monitoredRegions;
# Methods
# addEventListener
Adds the specified callback as an event listener for the named event.
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
name | String | Name of the event. |
callback | Callback<Titanium.Event> | Callback function to invoke when the event is fired. |
Returns
- Type
- void
# applyProperties
Applies the properties to the proxy.
Properties are supplied as a dictionary. Each key-value pair in the object is applied to the proxy such that myproxy[key] = value.
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
props | Dictionary | A dictionary of properties to apply. |
Returns
- Type
- void
# createRegion
Creates a geofence Modules.Geofence.Region.
Example:
var region = Geofence.createRegion({
center: {
latitude: 37.38960100,
longitude: -122.05016900
},
radius: 30,
identifier: 'Appcelerator'
});
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
object | Dictionary<Modules.Geofence.Region> | Object with properties of the Modules.Geofence.Region object. |
Returns
# fireEvent
Fires a synthesized event to any registered listeners.
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
name | String | Name of the event. |
event | Dictionary | A dictionary of keys and values to add to the Titanium.Event object sent to the listeners. |
Returns
- Type
- void
# isGooglePlayServicesAvailable DEPRECATED
DEPRECATED SINCE 3.0.0
Use isGooglePlayServicesAvailable in Titanium SDK 7.0.0 and later.
Returns a number value indicating the availability of Google Play Services which are required to monitor regions.
Possible values include SUCCESS, SERVICE_MISSING, SERVICE_VERSION_UPDATE_REQUIRED, SERVICE_DISABLED, and SERVICE_INVALID. Example:
var Playservices = require('ti.playservices');
var hasGooglePlayServices = Playservices.isGooglePlayServicesAvailable();
Returns
- Type
- Boolean
# regionMonitoringAvailable
Returns a boolean that indicates if region monitoring is supported on the current device.
Example:
var canMonitor = Geofence.regionMonitoringAvailable();
Returns
- Type
- Boolean
# removeEventListener
Removes the specified callback as an event listener for the named event.
Multiple listeners can be registered for the same event, so the
callback
parameter is used to determine which listener to remove.
When adding a listener, you must save a reference to the callback function in order to remove the listener later:
var listener = function() { Ti.API.info("Event listener called."); }
window.addEventListener('click', listener);
To remove the listener, pass in a reference to the callback function:
window.removeEventListener('click', listener);
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
name | String | Name of the event. |
callback | Callback<Titanium.Event> | Callback function to remove. Must be the same function passed to |
Returns
- Type
- void
# requestStateForRegion
Asynchronously retrieve the cached state of the specified region.
The state is returned to the delegate via the regionstate
event.
Returns
- Type
- void
# startMonitoringForRegions
Starts monitoring the Modules.Geofence.Region passed as a parameter.
Takes either an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects or a single Modules.Geofence.Region object as an argument.
On Android, if the device is located in a Modules.Geofence.Region that has just
started being monitored, an enterregions
event is generated. On iOS, this scenario will not generate an enterregions
event;
instead, call the containsCoordinate method
on the newly Region
object to check if the device is located within it.
Each platform limits the number of regions that can be monitored at one time. On iOS this limit is 20 regions, and 100 regions on Android. The following example creates a new Region object and then starts monitoring it.
var region1 = Geofence.createRegion({
center: {
latitude: 37.389601,
longitude: -122.050169
},
radius: 500,
identifier: 'Appcelerator'
});
Geofence.startMonitoringForRegions(region1);
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Region | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | Modules.Geofence.Region | Either an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects or a single Modules.Geofence.Region object. |
Returns
- Type
- void
# stopMonitoringAllRegions
Stops monitoring all of the regions that are currently being monitored.
This method is asynchronous on Android. The removeregions
event will fire on completion.
Example:
Geofence.stopMonitoringAllRegions();
Returns
- Type
- void
# stopMonitoringForRegions
Stops monitoring the specified region or regions.
Takes either an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects or a single Modules.Geofence.Region object as an argument.
This method is asynchronous on Android. The removeregions
event will fire on completion.
Geofence.stopMonitoringForRegions([region, region1]);
Parameters
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Region | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | Modules.Geofence.Region | Either an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects or a single Modules.Geofence.Region object. |
Returns
- Type
- void
# Events
# error
Fired when there is an error, or monitoring failed for a region.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
error | String | A string that describes the error. |
errorcode | Number | A number that describes the error (Android, only). Can be one of the following: LOCATION_STATUS_ERROR, LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_NOT_AVAILABLE, LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_TOO_MANY_GEOFENCES, LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_TOO_MANY_PENDING_INTENTS |
regions | Array<Dictionary> | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | The regions for which monitoring failed. On iOS, this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects representing the regions for which monitoring failed. On Android, this property contains an array of generic objects, each of which has an identifier property that corresponds to the region(s) that were entered. |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# enterregions
Fired when the device enters a monitored region.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
regions | Array<Dictionary> | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | The region(s) that were entered. On iOS, this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects representing the regions that were entered. On Android, this property contains an array of generic objects, each of which has an identifier property that corresponds to the region(s) that were entered. |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# exitregions
Fired when the device exits a monitored region.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
regions | Array<Dictionary> | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | The region(s) that were exited. On iOS, this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects representing the regions that were exited. On Android, this property contains an array of generic objects, each of which has an identifier property that corresponds to the region(s) that were exited. |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# monitorregions
Fired when startMonitoringForRegions and monitoring has successfully started for those regions.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
regions | Array<Dictionary> | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | The region(s) for which monitoring has started. On iOS, this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects representing the regions for which monitoring has started. On Android, there is no property for you to check. |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# regionstate
Fired when requestStateForRegion requested a state or there is a state transition for a monitored region.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
region | Modules.Geofence.Region | The region that triggered the state change. |
state | Number | The updated region state. One of |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# removeregions
Fired on Android when regions are removed using stopMonitoringForRegions
or stopMonitoringAllRegions
and monitoring has successfully stopped for those regions.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
regions | Array<Dictionary> | Array<Modules.Geofence.Region> | The region(s) for which monitoring has stopped. On iOS, this property contains an array of Modules.Geofence.Region objects representing the regions for which monitoring has stopped. On Android, this property contains an array of generic objects, each of which has an identifier property that corresponds to the region(s) for which monitoring has stopped. |
source | Object | Source object that fired the event. |
type | String | Name of the event fired. |
bubbles | Boolean | True if the event will try to bubble up if possible. |
cancelBubble | Boolean | Set to true to stop the event from bubbling. |
# Constants
# LOCATION_STATUS_ERROR
Possible value of the errorcode
property in the error event object indicating an unspecified error occurred.
# LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_NOT_AVAILABLE
Possible value of the errorcode
property in the error event object indicating the geofence service is not available now.
# LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_TOO_MANY_GEOFENCES
Possible value of the errorcode
property in the error event object indicating your application has registered more than 100 geofences.
# LOCATION_STATUS_GEOFENCE_TOO_MANY_PENDING_INTENTS
Possible value of the errorcode
property in the error event object.
# REGION_STATE_INSIDE
Possible value of the state
property in the regionstate event object.
The location is inside the given region.
# REGION_STATE_OUTSIDE
Possible value of the state
property in the regionstate event object.
The location is outside of the given region.
# REGION_STATE_UNKNOWN
Possible value of the state
property in the regionstate event object.
It is unknown whether the location is inside or outside of the region.