javascript geolocation on android doesn't work

Asked 30/7, 2010 at 0:40 Answered 11/9, 2013 at 23:19

Solved javascript android geolocation htc-hero

I am developing a website that relies on pulling the geolocation data of a mobile user. I am doing it the typical way via:

function initialize() {
   if(window.google && google.gears) {
        var geo = google.gears.factory.create('beta.geolocation');
        geo.getCurrentPosition(useLocation, errorOnLocate);
   }
   else if(navigator.geolocation) {
       navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(useLocation, errorOnLocate);
   }
   else {
       alert("no geo found");
   }
}

function errorOnLocate(message)
{
    alert(message);
    zoomTo(-34.397, 150.644);
}

This always fails with [object PositionError] in to the errorOnLocate function, even if I switch the geolocation method order.

This is on an HTC Hero with android 2.1 using whatever browser is built in. My gps is on and I have instructed the browser to allow websites to view my location. The "location" feature on the google map native application that comes on the phone picks up my location just fine

Further more if I visit my site using FireFox 3.5 on my personal computer it will find my location correctly.(I believe it uses a combination of ip and ap data points). Either way, it uses the same javascript.

EDIT: This is html/js in a browser, not a native app. Also the exact error message is 'The last location provider was disabled'

Lubberly answered 30/7, 2010 at 0:40 Comment(0)

Is this being accessed from a WebView or from the Android Browser app? If from a WebView, you may need to enable geolocation via a Java call. See the WebView reference for that.

Otherwise, I'm not sure precisely what's wrong with your JS, but here's HTML+JS that I know works with the Android browser:

<!DOCTYPE html> 
<html> 
<head> 
  <script type="text/javascript"> 
function watchLocation(successCallback, errorCallback) {
  successCallback = successCallback || function(){};
  errorCallback = errorCallback || function(){};

  // Try HTML5-spec geolocation.
  var geolocation = navigator.geolocation;

  if (geolocation) {
    // We have a real geolocation service.
    try {
      function handleSuccess(position) {
        successCallback(position.coords);
      }

      geolocation.watchPosition(handleSuccess, errorCallback, {
        enableHighAccuracy: true,
        maximumAge: 5000 // 5 sec.
      });
    } catch (err) {
      errorCallback();
    }
  } else {
    errorCallback();
  }
}

function init() {
  watchLocation(function(coords) {
    document.getElementById('test').innerHTML = 'coords: ' + coords.latitude + ',' + coords.longitude;
  }, function() {
    document.getElementById('test').innerHTML = 'error';
  });
}
  </script> 
</head> 

<body onload="init()"> 
  <div id="test">Loading...</div> 
</body> 
</html>

Lukewarm answered 30/7, 2010 at 1:21 Comment(3)

Hmm, Thanks for the reply. This is a different approach but the behavior is bizarre. It takes over 2 minutes for it to find a location, and once it does it only displays the coordinates for about 5 seconds, and then finally just displays "error". – Lubberly 30/7, 2010 at 1:38

I added the Options to my code above and it works just the same, takes over 2 minutes to get a location, but it's not erroring at least. Key is the enableHighAccuracy flag, without the flag it errors everytime. Do you know of a more specialized forum to take this inquiry to, because at 2 minutes to get a lock this project is dead in the water. – Lubberly 30/7, 2010 at 2:1

Odd, I get a response almost immediately on my Nexus One. Perhaps it's an issue with the device and not the code? I'd try this with an emulator and sending it mock location data via DDMS. – Lukewarm 30/7, 2010 at 2:17

This wasn't working on my Android 2.4, the problem was solved by enabling Wireless Networks Location besides GPS (wasn't working with just GPS)

Settings -> Location & Privacy -> Enable Wireless Networks.

Ldopa answered 6/6, 2013 at 6:51 Comment(0)

I have tested html5 geolocation functionality with the following two phones:

HTC Wildfire
HTC Galaxy

Both were running the Android 2.1 update1 OS and both failed to do geolocation using the built in Google browser and demo sites like:

However, I have developed my own app (using a combination of the code already presented above) that successfully runs on:

HTC Wildfire
Android 2.1 update1 emulator
have not had HTC Galaxy yet to test

and the code I am using is:

Javascript lib:

function is_browser_gps_capable() {
    var _locator_object;
    try {
        _locator_object = navigator.geolocation;
    } catch (e) { return false; }
    if (_locator_object)
        return true;
    else
        return false;
}

function watchLocation(successCallback, errorCallback) { successCallback = successCallback || function(){}; errorCallback = errorCallback || function(){};

// Try HTML5-spec geolocation.
var geolocation = navigator.geolocation;

if (geolocation) {
    // We have a real geolocation service.
    try {
      function handleSuccess(position) {
        successCallback(position.coords);
      }

      geolocation.watchPosition(handleSuccess, errorCallback, {
        enableHighAccuracy: true,
        maximumAge: 5000 // 5 sec.
      });
    } catch (err) {
      errorCallback();
    }
  } else {
    errorCallback();
  }

}

actual code in my html file:

if (is_browser_gps_capable()) {
    $('geo_location').innerHTML = 'Locating device...';
    watchLocation(function(coords) {
          var latlng = new google.maps.LatLng(coords.latitude, coords.longitude);
          var myOptions = {
            zoom: 16,
            center: latlng,
            mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP
          };
          var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_canvas"), myOptions);
          var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
              position: latlng, 
              map: map,
          });

       $('geo_location').innerHTML = coords.latitude + ',' + coords.longitude;
     }, function() {
       $('geo_location').innerHTML = 'Not supported';
    });
} else {
    $('geo_location').innerHTML = 'Not supported';
}

Sorry this source code just does not want to format properly, message me and i'll send you the code directly if you wish so.

Spike answered 21/9, 2010 at 12:5 Comment(0)

I was having this problem and I think it was because the power on the device was low. Charged it up and the problem went away.

Corinacorine answered 11/9, 2013 at 23:19 Comment(0)

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