How do I get the current GPS location programmatically in Android?

I have created a small application with step by step description to get current location's GPS coordinates.

Complete example source code is in Get Current Location coordinates , City name - in Android.

See how it works:

• All we need to do is add this permission in the manifest file:

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

• And create a LocationManager instance like this:

  LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager)getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);

• Check if GPS is enabled or not.

• And then implement LocationListener and get coordinates:

  LocationListener locationListener = new MyLocationListener();locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER, 5000, 10, locationListener);

• Here is the sample code to do so

/*---------- Listener class to get coordinates ------------- */private class MyLocationListener implements LocationListener {    @Override    public void onLocationChanged(Location loc) {        editLocation.setText("");        pb.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);        Toast.makeText(                getBaseContext(),                "Location changed: Lat: " + loc.getLatitude() + " Lng: "                    + loc.getLongitude(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();        String longitude = "Longitude: " + loc.getLongitude();        Log.v(TAG, longitude);        String latitude = "Latitude: " + loc.getLatitude();        Log.v(TAG, latitude);        /*------- To get city name from coordinates -------- */        String cityName = null;        Geocoder gcd = new Geocoder(getBaseContext(), Locale.getDefault());        List<Address> addresses;        try {            addresses = gcd.getFromLocation(loc.getLatitude(),                    loc.getLongitude(), 1);            if (addresses.size() > 0) {                System.out.println(addresses.get(0).getLocality());                cityName = addresses.get(0).getLocality();            }        }        catch (IOException e) {            e.printStackTrace();        }        String s = longitude + "\n" + latitude + "\n\nMy Current City is: "            + cityName;        editLocation.setText(s);    }    @Override    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {}    @Override    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {}    @Override    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {}}

Here is additional information for other answers.

Since Android has

GPS_PROVIDER and NETWORK_PROVIDER

you can register to both and start fetch events from onLocationChanged(Location location) from two at the same time. So far so good. Now the question do we need two results or we should take the best. As I know GPS_PROVIDER results have better accuracy than NETWORK_PROVIDER.

Let's define Location field:

private Location currentBestLocation = null;

Before we start listen on Location change we will implement the following method. This method returns the last known location, between the GPS and the network one. For this method newer is best.

/** * @return the last know best location */private Location getLastBestLocation() {    Location locationGPS = mLocationManager.getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);    Location locationNet = mLocationManager.getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);    long GPSLocationTime = 0;    if (null != locationGPS) { GPSLocationTime = locationGPS.getTime(); }    long NetLocationTime = 0;    if (null != locationNet) {        NetLocationTime = locationNet.getTime();    }    if ( 0 < GPSLocationTime - NetLocationTime ) {        return locationGPS;    }    else {        return locationNet;    }}

Each time when we retrieve a new location we will compare it with our previous result.

...static final int TWO_MINUTES = 1000 * 60 * 2;...

I add a new method to onLocationChanged:

@Overridepublic void onLocationChanged(Location location) {    makeUseOfNewLocation(location);    if(currentBestLocation == null){        currentBestLocation = location;    }    ....}/** * This method modify the last know good location according to the arguments. * * @param location The possible new location. */void makeUseOfNewLocation(Location location) {    if ( isBetterLocation(location, currentBestLocation) ) {        currentBestLocation = location;    }}..../** Determines whether one location reading is better than the current location fix * @param location  The new location that you want to evaluate * @param currentBestLocation  The current location fix, to which you want to compare the new one. */protected boolean isBetterLocation(Location location, Location currentBestLocation) {    if (currentBestLocation == null) {        // A new location is always better than no location        return true;    }    // Check whether the new location fix is newer or older    long timeDelta = location.getTime() - currentBestLocation.getTime();    boolean isSignificantlyNewer = timeDelta > TWO_MINUTES;    boolean isSignificantlyOlder = timeDelta < -TWO_MINUTES;    boolean isNewer = timeDelta > 0;    // If it's been more than two minutes since the current location, use the new location,    // because the user has likely moved.    if (isSignificantlyNewer) {        return true;        // If the new location is more than two minutes older, it must be worse.    } else if (isSignificantlyOlder) {        return false;    }    // Check whether the new location fix is more or less accurate    int accuracyDelta = (int) (location.getAccuracy() - currentBestLocation.getAccuracy());    boolean isLessAccurate = accuracyDelta > 0;    boolean isMoreAccurate = accuracyDelta < 0;    boolean isSignificantlyLessAccurate = accuracyDelta > 200;    // Check if the old and new location are from the same provider    boolean isFromSameProvider = isSameProvider(location.getProvider(),                                                currentBestLocation.getProvider());    // Determine location quality using a combination of timeliness and accuracy    if (isMoreAccurate) {        return true;    } else if (isNewer && !isLessAccurate) {        return true;    } else if (isNewer && !isSignificantlyLessAccurate && isFromSameProvider) {        return true;    }    return false;}// Checks whether two providers are the sameprivate boolean isSameProvider(String provider1, String provider2) {    if (provider1 == null) {        return provider2 == null;    }    return provider1.equals(provider2);}....

You can find the location either by GPS_PROVIDER or NETWORK_PROVIDER.

Overview of location services in Android.

Here is one example which try to find the location using GPS. If your GPS is not available then try to use network for find the location.

GPSTracker.java

 public class GPSTracker extends Service implements LocationListener {    private final Context mContext;    // Flag for GPS status    boolean isGPSEnabled = false;    // Flag for network status    boolean isNetworkEnabled = false;    // Flag for GPS status    boolean canGetLocation = false;    Location location; // Location    double latitude; // Latitude    double longitude; // Longitude    // 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;    public GPSTracker(Context context) {        this.mContext = context;        getLocation();    }    public Location 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);            if (!isGPSEnabled && !isNetworkEnabled) {                // No network provider is enabled            } else {                this.canGetLocation = true;                if (isNetworkEnabled) {                    locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(                            LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER,                            MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,                            MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);                    Log.d("Network", "Network");                    if (locationManager != null) {                        location = locationManager                                .getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);                        if (location != null) {                            latitude = location.getLatitude();                            longitude = location.getLongitude();                        }                    }                }                // If GPS enabled, get latitude/longitude using GPS Services                if (isGPSEnabled) {                    if (location == null) {                        locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(                                LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,                                MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,                                MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);                        Log.d("GPS Enabled", "GPS Enabled");                        if (locationManager != null) {                            location = locationManager                                    .getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);                            if (location != null) {                                latitude = location.getLatitude();                                longitude = location.getLongitude();                            }                        }                    }                }            }        }        catch (Exception e) {            e.printStackTrace();        }        return location;    }    /**     * Stop using GPS listener     * Calling this function will stop using GPS in your app.     * */    public void stopUsingGPS(){        if(locationManager != null){            locationManager.removeUpdates(GPSTracker.this);        }    }    /**     * Function to get latitude     * */    public double getLatitude(){        if(location != null){            latitude = location.getLatitude();        }        // return latitude        return latitude;    }    /**     * Function to get longitude     * */    public double getLongitude(){        if(location != null){            longitude = location.getLongitude();        }        // return longitude        return longitude;    }    /**     * Function to check GPS/Wi-Fi enabled     * @return boolean     * */    public boolean canGetLocation() {        return this.canGetLocation;    }    /**     * Function to show settings alert dialog.     * On pressing the Settings button it will launch Settings Options.     * */    public void showSettingsAlert(){        AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(mContext);        // Setting Dialog Title        alertDialog.setTitle("GPS is settings");        // Setting Dialog Message        alertDialog.setMessage("GPS is not enabled. Do you want to go to settings menu?");        // On pressing the Settings button.        alertDialog.setPositiveButton("Settings", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog,int which) {                Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);                mContext.startActivity(intent);            }        });        // On pressing the cancel button        alertDialog.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {            dialog.cancel();            }        });        // Showing Alert Message        alertDialog.show();    }    @Override    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {    }    @Override    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {    }    @Override    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {    }    @Override    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {    }    @Override    public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {        return null;    }}

Activity -AndroidGPSTrackingActivity.java

    public class AndroidGPSTrackingActivity extends Activity {    Button btnShowLocation;    // GPSTracker class    GPSTracker gps;    @Override    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);        setContentView(R.layout.main);        btnShowLocation = (Button) findViewById(R.id.btnShowLocation);        // Show location button click event        btnShowLocation.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {            @Override            public void onClick(View arg0) {                // Create class object                gps = new GPSTracker(AndroidGPSTrackingActivity.this);                // Check if GPS enabled                if(gps.canGetLocation()) {                    double latitude = gps.getLatitude();                    double longitude = gps.getLongitude();                    // \n is for new line                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Your Location is - \nLat: " + latitude + "\nLong: " + longitude, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();                } else {                    // Can't get location.                    // GPS or network is not enabled.                    // Ask user to enable GPS/network in settings.                    gps.showSettingsAlert();                }            }        });    }}

Layout- main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"    android:layout_width="fill_parent"    android:layout_height="fill_parent"    android:orientation="vertical" >    <Button android:id="@+id/btnShowLocation"        android:layout_width="wrap_content"        android:layout_height="wrap_content"        android:text="Show Location"        android:layout_centerVertical="true"        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/></RelativeLayout>

AndroidManifest.xml

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