How to get My Location changed event with Google Maps android API v2?

Question

How to get My Location changed event with Google Maps android API v2?

In v1 you can do the next in order to handle location changed event:

Answer 1

There is no way to do this now: http://code.google.com/p/gmaps-api-issues/issues/detail?id=4644

Answer 2

UPDATE: Google introduced the new LocationClient and associated LocationListener (the OnMyLocationChangeListener interface is now deprecated).

---

You can do this by creating a custom LocationSource for the my-location layer. Below is an example that automatically centers the camera on current location ("my location"), similar to the functionality that was offered by MyLocationOverlay in Google Maps Android API v1.

So you can simply replace this line of code

mMap.animateCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLng(new LatLng(location.getLatitude(), location.getLongitude())));

with whatever functionality you need to be executed when the location changes.

public class PlaceMapFragment extends SupportMapFragment {

    // Note that this may be null if the Google Play services APK is not available.
    private GoogleMap mMap;

    protected PlaceActivity activity;
    private FollowMeLocationSource followMeLocationSource;
    private Context mContext;

    /* We need the Context in order to get a reference to the Location Manager
     * (when instantiating this fragment from your activity use:
     *  PlaceMapFragment mapFragment = new PlaceMapFragment(this); ) */
    public PlaceMapFragment(Context context) {
        this.mContext = context;
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityCreated(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState);

        activity = (PlaceActivity)getActivity();
    }

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        // creates our custom LocationSource and initializes some of its members
        followMeLocationSource = new FollowMeLocationSource();

        /* We can't be guaranteed that the map is available because Google Play services might not be available.
         * (un-comment the following line when using this code in a FragmentActivity / Activity 
         *  to try get a reference to the map here !) */
        //setUpMapIfNeeded();
    }

    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onResume();

        /* We query for the best Location Provider everytime this fragment is displayed
         * just in case a better provider might have become available since we last displayed it */
        followMeLocationSource.getBestAvailableProvider();

        // Get a reference to the map/GoogleMap object
        setUpMapIfNeeded();

        /* Enable the my-location layer (this causes our LocationSource to be automatically activated.)
         * While enabled, the my-location layer continuously draws an indication of a user's
         * current location and bearing, and displays UI controls that allow a user to interact
         * with their location (for example, to enable or disable camera tracking of their location and bearing).*/
        mMap.setMyLocationEnabled(true);
    }

    @Override
    public void onPause() {
        /* Disable the my-location layer (this causes our LocationSource to be automatically deactivated.) */
        mMap.setMyLocationEnabled(false);

        super.onPause();
    }

    /**
     * Sets up the map if it is possible to do so (i.e., the Google Play services APK is correctly
     * installed) and the map has not already been instantiated. This will ensure that we only ever
     * manipulate the map once when it {@link #mMap} is not null.
     * <p>
     * If it isn't installed {@link SupportMapFragment} (and {@link com.google.android.gms.maps.MapView
     * MapView}) will show a prompt for the user to install/update the Google Play services APK on their device.
     */
    private void setUpMapIfNeeded() {
        // Do a null check to confirm that we have not already instantiated the map.
        if (mMap == null) {
            mMap = getMap();
            // Check if we were successful in obtaining the map.
            if (mMap != null) {
                // The Map is verified. It is now safe to manipulate the map:

                // Replace the (default) location source of the my-location layer with our custom LocationSource
                mMap.setLocationSource(followMeLocationSource);

                // Set default zoom
                mMap.moveCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.zoomTo(15f));
            }
        }
    }

    /* Our custom LocationSource. 
     * We register this class to receive location updates from the Location Manager
     * and for that reason we need to also implement the LocationListener interface. */
    private class FollowMeLocationSource implements LocationSource, LocationListener {

        private OnLocationChangedListener mListener;
        private LocationManager locationManager;
        private final Criteria criteria = new Criteria();
        private String bestAvailableProvider;
        /* Updates are restricted to one every 10 seconds, and only when
         * movement of more than 10 meters has been detected.*/
        private final int minTime = 10000;     // minimum time interval between location updates, in milliseconds
        private final int minDistance = 10;    // minimum distance between location updates, in meters

        private FollowMeLocationSource() {
            // Get reference to Location Manager
            locationManager = (LocationManager) mContext.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);

            // Specify Location Provider criteria
            criteria.setAccuracy(Criteria.ACCURACY_FINE);
            criteria.setPowerRequirement(Criteria.POWER_LOW);
            criteria.setAltitudeRequired(true);
            criteria.setBearingRequired(true);
            criteria.setSpeedRequired(true);
            criteria.setCostAllowed(true);
        }

        private void getBestAvailableProvider() {
            /* The preffered way of specifying the location provider (e.g. GPS, NETWORK) to use 
             * is to ask the Location Manager for the one that best satisfies our criteria.
             * By passing the 'true' boolean we ask for the best available (enabled) provider. */
            bestAvailableProvider = locationManager.getBestProvider(criteria, true);
        }

        /* Activates this provider. This provider will notify the supplied listener
         * periodically, until you call deactivate().
         * This method is automatically invoked by enabling my-location layer. */
        @Override
        public void activate(OnLocationChangedListener listener) {
            // We need to keep a reference to my-location layer's listener so we can push forward
            // location updates to it when we receive them from Location Manager.
            mListener = listener;

            // Request location updates from Location Manager
            if (bestAvailableProvider != null) {
                locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(bestAvailableProvider, minTime, minDistance, this);
            } else {
                // (Display a message/dialog) No Location Providers currently available.
            }
        }

        /* Deactivates this provider.
         * This method is automatically invoked by disabling my-location layer. */
        @Override
        public void deactivate() {
            // Remove location updates from Location Manager
            locationManager.removeUpdates(this);

            mListener = null;
        }

        @Override
        public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
            /* Push location updates to the registered listener..
             * (this ensures that my-location layer will set the blue dot at the new/received location) */
            if (mListener != null) {
                mListener.onLocationChanged(location);
            }

            /* ..and Animate camera to center on that location !
             * (the reason for we created this custom Location Source !) */
            mMap.animateCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLng(new LatLng(location.getLatitude(), location.getLongitude())));
        }

        @Override
        public void onStatusChanged(String s, int i, Bundle bundle) {

        }

        @Override
        public void onProviderEnabled(String s) {

        }

        @Override
        public void onProviderDisabled(String s) {

        }
    }

}

Answer 3

I encountered the same problem... my solution by now:

Create a Thread, that asks a Handler to get the position a few times. You need to use a Handler, because the getMyLocation method can only be called from GUI Thread:

private class MyLocationThread extends Thread{
        @Override
        public void run() {
            int loops = 0;
            // we give the location search a minute 
            while(loops < 60){
                // we have to try it over a handler, because getMyLocation() has to be called from GUI Thread -_-
                _getMyLocationHandler.sendEmptyMessage(0);
                if(isInterrupted()){
                    return;
                }
                // take a short nap before next try
                try {Thread.sleep(1000);} catch(Exception e){}
                loops++;
            }

        }
    }

Here's what the Handler does:

private Handler _getMyLocationHandler = new Handler(){
        public void handleMessage(android.os.Message msg) {
            if(getMap().isMyLocationEnabled() && getMap().getMyLocation() != null){
                _locationWatcher.interrupt();
                drawCurrentImagePositions();
            }
        }
    };