How to get the current location latitude and longitude in android

Question

In my application, I get the current location's latitude and longitude when application is open, but not when the application is closed.

I am using Service class to get the current location latitude and longitude in my application.

Please tell me how to get the current location latitude and longitude even when application is closed

Answer 1

Before couple of months, I created GPSTracker library to help me to get GPS locations. In case you need to view GPSTracker > getLocation

Demo

AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

Activity

import android.os.Bundle;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    TextView textview;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.geo_locations);

        // check if GPS enabled
        GPSTracker gpsTracker = new GPSTracker(this);

        if (gpsTracker.getIsGPSTrackingEnabled())
        {
            String stringLatitude = String.valueOf(gpsTracker.latitude);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldLatitude);
            textview.setText(stringLatitude);

            String stringLongitude = String.valueOf(gpsTracker.longitude);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldLongitude);
            textview.setText(stringLongitude);

            String country = gpsTracker.getCountryName(this);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldCountry);
            textview.setText(country);

            String city = gpsTracker.getLocality(this);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldCity);
            textview.setText(city);

            String postalCode = gpsTracker.getPostalCode(this);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldPostalCode);
            textview.setText(postalCode);

            String addressLine = gpsTracker.getAddressLine(this);
            textview = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.fieldAddressLine);
            textview.setText(addressLine);
        }
        else
        {
            // can't get location
            // GPS or Network is not enabled
            // Ask user to enable GPS/network in settings
            gpsTracker.showSettingsAlert();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.varna_lab_geo_locations, menu);
        return true;
    }
}

GPS Tracker

import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Locale;

import android.app.AlertDialog;
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.location.Address;
import android.location.Geocoder;
import android.location.Location;
import android.location.LocationListener;
import android.location.LocationManager;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.provider.Settings;
import android.util.Log;

/**
 * Create this Class from tutorial : 
 * http://www.androidhive.info/2012/07/android-gps-location-manager-tutorial
 * 
 * For Geocoder read this : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/472313/android-reverse-geocoding-getfromlocation
 * 
 */

public class GPSTracker extends Service implements LocationListener {

    // Get Class Name
    private static String TAG = GPSTracker.class.getName();

    private final Context mContext;

    // flag for GPS Status
    boolean isGPSEnabled = false;

    // flag for network status
    boolean isNetworkEnabled = false;

    // flag for GPS Tracking is enabled 
    boolean isGPSTrackingEnabled = false;

    Location location;
    double latitude;
    double longitude;

    // How many Geocoder should return our GPSTracker
    int geocoderMaxResults = 1;

    // The minimum distance to change updates in meters
    private static final long MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES = 10; // 10 meters

    // The minimum time between updates in milliseconds
    private static final long MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES = 1000 * 60 * 1; // 1 minute

    // Declaring a Location Manager
    protected LocationManager locationManager;

    // Store LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER or LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER information
    private String provider_info;

    public GPSTracker(Context context) {
        this.mContext = context;
        getLocation();
    }

    /**
     * Try to get my current location by GPS or Network Provider
     */
    public void getLocation() {

        try {
            locationManager = (LocationManager) mContext.getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);

            //getting GPS status
            isGPSEnabled = locationManager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

            //getting network status
            isNetworkEnabled = locationManager.isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);

            // Try to get location if you GPS Service is enabled
            if (isGPSEnabled) {
                this.isGPSTrackingEnabled = true;

                Log.d(TAG, "Application use GPS Service");

                /*
                 * This provider determines location using
                 * satellites. Depending on conditions, this provider may take a while to return
                 * a location fix.
                 */

                provider_info = LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER;

            } else if (isNetworkEnabled) { // Try to get location if you Network Service is enabled
                this.isGPSTrackingEnabled = true;

                Log.d(TAG, "Application use Network State to get GPS coordinates");

                /*
                 * This provider determines location based on
                 * availability of cell tower and WiFi access points. Results are retrieved
                 * by means of a network lookup.
                 */
                provider_info = LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER;

            } 

            // Application can use GPS or Network Provider
            if (!provider_info.isEmpty()) {
                locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(
                    provider_info,
                    MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,
                    MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, 
                    this
                );

                if (locationManager != null) {
                    location = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(provider_info);
                    updateGPSCoordinates();
                }
            }
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            //e.printStackTrace();
            Log.e(TAG, "Impossible to connect to LocationManager", e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Update GPSTracker latitude and longitude
     */
    public void updateGPSCoordinates() {
        if (location != null) {
            latitude = location.getLatitude();
            longitude = location.getLongitude();
        }
    }

    /**
     * GPSTracker latitude getter and setter
     * @return latitude
     */
    public double getLatitude() {
        if (location != null) {
            latitude = location.getLatitude();
        }

        return latitude;
    }

    /**
     * GPSTracker longitude getter and setter
     * @return
     */
    public double getLongitude() {
        if (location != null) {
            longitude = location.getLongitude();
        }

        return longitude;
    }

    /**
     * GPSTracker isGPSTrackingEnabled getter.
     * Check GPS/wifi is enabled
     */
    public boolean getIsGPSTrackingEnabled() {

        return this.isGPSTrackingEnabled;
    }

    /**
     * Stop using GPS listener
     * Calling this method will stop using GPS in your app
     */
    public void stopUsingGPS() {
        if (locationManager != null) {
            locationManager.removeUpdates(GPSTracker.this);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Function to show settings alert dialog
     */
    public void showSettingsAlert() {
        AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(mContext);

        //Setting Dialog Title
        alertDialog.setTitle(R.string.GPSAlertDialogTitle);

        //Setting Dialog Message
        alertDialog.setMessage(R.string.GPSAlertDialogMessage);

        //On Pressing Setting button
        alertDialog.setPositiveButton(R.string.action_settings, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) 
            {
                Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
                mContext.startActivity(intent);
            }
        });

        //On pressing cancel button
        alertDialog.setNegativeButton(R.string.cancel, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) 
            {
                dialog.cancel();
            }
        });

        alertDialog.show();
    }

    /**
     * Get list of address by latitude and longitude
     * @return null or List<Address>
     */
    public List<Address> getGeocoderAddress(Context context) {
        if (location != null) {

            Geocoder geocoder = new Geocoder(context, Locale.ENGLISH);

            try {
                /**
                 * Geocoder.getFromLocation - Returns an array of Addresses 
                 * that are known to describe the area immediately surrounding the given latitude and longitude.
                 */
                List<Address> addresses = geocoder.getFromLocation(latitude, longitude, this.geocoderMaxResults);

                return addresses;
            } catch (IOException e) {
                //e.printStackTrace();
                Log.e(TAG, "Impossible to connect to Geocoder", e);
            }
        }

        return null;
    }

    /**
     * Try to get AddressLine
     * @return null or addressLine
     */
    public String getAddressLine(Context context) {
        List<Address> addresses = getGeocoderAddress(context);

        if (addresses != null && addresses.size() > 0) {
            Address address = addresses.get(0);
            String addressLine = address.getAddressLine(0);

            return addressLine;
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }

    /**
     * Try to get Locality
     * @return null or locality
     */
    public String getLocality(Context context) {
        List<Address> addresses = getGeocoderAddress(context);

        if (addresses != null && addresses.size() > 0) {
            Address address = addresses.get(0);
            String locality = address.getLocality();

            return locality;
        }
        else {
            return null;
        }
    }

    /**
     * Try to get Postal Code
     * @return null or postalCode
     */
    public String getPostalCode(Context context) {
        List<Address> addresses = getGeocoderAddress(context);

        if (addresses != null && addresses.size() > 0) {
            Address address = addresses.get(0);
            String postalCode = address.getPostalCode();

            return postalCode;
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }

    /**
     * Try to get CountryName
     * @return null or postalCode
     */
    public String getCountryName(Context context) {
        List<Address> addresses = getGeocoderAddress(context);
        if (addresses != null && addresses.size() > 0) {
            Address address = addresses.get(0);
            String countryName = address.getCountryName();

            return countryName;
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
    }

    @Override
    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {
    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {
    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {
    }

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }
}

Note

If the method / answer doesn't work. You need to use the official Google Provider: FusedLocationProviderApi.

Article: Getting the Last Known Location