How to retrieve user's current city name?

Question

How do you retrieve the user's current city name?

Cusp

Answer 1

What you have to do is setup a CLLocationManager that will find your current coordinates. With the current coordinates you need to use MKReverseGeoCoder to find your location.

- (void)viewDidLoad 
{  
    // this creates the CCLocationManager that will find your current location
    CLLocationManager *locationManager = [[[CLLocationManager alloc] init] autorelease];
    locationManager.delegate = self;
    locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyNearestTenMeters;
    [locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
}

// this delegate is called when the app successfully finds your current location
- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didUpdateToLocation:(CLLocation *)newLocation fromLocation:(CLLocation *)oldLocation 
{
    // this creates a MKReverseGeocoder to find a placemark using the found coordinates
    MKReverseGeocoder *geoCoder = [[MKReverseGeocoder alloc] initWithCoordinate:newLocation.coordinate];
    geoCoder.delegate = self;
    [geoCoder start];
}

// this delegate method is called if an error occurs in locating your current location
- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didFailWithError:(NSError *)error 
{
 NSLog(@"locationManager:%@ didFailWithError:%@", manager, error);
}

// this delegate is called when the reverseGeocoder finds a placemark
- (void)reverseGeocoder:(MKReverseGeocoder *)geocoder didFindPlacemark:(MKPlacemark *)placemark
{
    MKPlacemark * myPlacemark = placemark;
    // with the placemark you can now retrieve the city name
    NSString *city = [myPlacemark.addressDictionary objectForKey:(NSString*) kABPersonAddressCityKey];
}

// this delegate is called when the reversegeocoder fails to find a placemark
- (void)reverseGeocoder:(MKReverseGeocoder *)geocoder didFailWithError:(NSError *)error
{
    NSLog(@"reverseGeocoder:%@ didFailWithError:%@", geocoder, error);
}

Fennec

One note: You have to stash the location manager in an ivar (and maybe stop it again once you've received a location), otherwise it will be immediately autoreleased and you won't receive any delegate callbacks. Also, the reverse geocoder requires an internet connection to work. – Halting

Can you say me how to print Current City Or Location in Title and Subtitle on Pin ??? – Painkiller

@Frade #import <AddressBook/AddressBook.h> – Drudgery

MKReverseGeoCoder is deprecated since ios 5.0 – Slatternly

Frade, i wish you could have said what you found out... sigh – Hannigan

Answer 2

As of iOS 5 MKReverseGeoCoder is Deprecated!

So you want to use CLGeocoder with CLLocationManager, very simple and works with block.

Example:

- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager
    didUpdateToLocation:(CLLocation *)newLocation
           fromLocation:(CLLocation *)oldLocation
{
   [self.locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];

   CLGeocoder * geoCoder = [[CLGeocoder alloc] init];
    [geoCoder reverseGeocodeLocation:newLocation
                   completionHandler:^(NSArray *placemarks, NSError *error) {
                       for (CLPlacemark *placemark in placemarks) {
                           .... = [placemark locality];
                       }
                   }];
}

Edit: Instead of a for in loop you can also do:

NSString *locString = placemarks.count ? [placemarks.firstObject locality] : @"Not Found";

Construction

Answer 3

This is working fine for me :

CLGeocoder *geocoder = [[CLGeocoder alloc] init] ;
[geocoder reverseGeocodeLocation:self.locationManager.location
               completionHandler:^(NSArray *placemarks, NSError *error) {
                   NSLog(@"reverseGeocodeLocation:completionHandler: Completion Handler called!");

                   if (error){
                       NSLog(@"Geocode failed with error: %@", error);
                       return;

                   }


                   CLPlacemark *placemark = [placemarks objectAtIndex:0];

                   NSLog(@"placemark.ISOcountryCode %@",placemark.ISOcountryCode);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.country %@",placemark.country);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.postalCode %@",placemark.postalCode);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.administrativeArea %@",placemark.administrativeArea);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.locality %@",placemark.locality);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.subLocality %@",placemark.subLocality);
                   NSLog(@"placemark.subThoroughfare %@",placemark.subThoroughfare);

               }];

Civilly

Why does it return an array? strange. Thanks anyway. – Disguise

This is slick, love blocks. I'd put a conditional on placemarks array to make sure objectatindex:0 actually exists. – Weissman

Hello I am getting an error kCLErrorDomain error 8 do you know why? – Lycia

CLGeoCoder is undeclared what I have to do so it may work what to import and what to add – Mozellemozes

Answer 4

If anyone is trying to move onto CLGeocoder from MKReverseGeocoder then I have written a blog post that might be of help http://jonathanfield.me/jons-blog/clgeocoder-example.html

Basically an example would be, after you have created locationManager and CLGeocoder objects just add this code to your viewDidLoad() and then make some labels or text areas to show the data.

  [super viewDidLoad];
    locationManager.delegate = self;
    [locationManager startUpdatingLocation];

    locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBestForNavigation;
    [self.CLGeocoder reverseGeocodeLocation: locationManager.location completionHandler: 
     ^(NSArray *placemarks, NSError *error) {


         CLPlacemark *placemark = [placemarks objectAtIndex:0];


             isoCountryCode.text = placemark.ISOcountryCode;
             country.text = placemark.country;
             postalCode.text= placemark.postalCode;
             adminArea.text=placemark.administrativeArea;
             subAdminArea.text=placemark.subAdministrativeArea;
             locality.text=placemark.locality;
             subLocality.text=placemark.subLocality;
             thoroughfare.text=placemark.thoroughfare;
             subThoroughfare.text=placemark.subThoroughfare;
             //region.text=placemark.region;



     }];

Hal

@macayer Yes, would crash if empty, but will never be empty if I understand correctly. Will either contain 1 or more elements or be nil, and messages sent to nil result in nil, as well as property access through dot notation via nil. That being said, one should always check if error is non-nil. – Virgel

Answer 5

After you setup CLLocationManager you would get location update as a latitude/longitude pair. Then you could use CLGeocoder to convert the coordinate to a user friendly place name.

Here is the sample code in Swift 4.

func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
    if let lastLocation = locations.last {
        let geocoder = CLGeocoder()

        geocoder.reverseGeocodeLocation(lastLocation) { [weak self] (placemarks, error) in
            if error == nil {
                if let firstLocation = placemarks?[0],
                    let cityName = firstLocation.locality { // get the city name
                    self?.locationManager.stopUpdatingLocation()
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Oleomargarine

Answer 6

If anyone needs it in Swift 3, this is how I did it:

func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {

    let location = locations.first!
    let coordinateRegion = MKCoordinateRegionMakeWithDistance(location.coordinate, 500, 500)

    self.location = location
    self.locationManager?.stopUpdatingLocation()

    // Drop a pin at user's Current Location
    let myAnnotation: MKPointAnnotation = CustomPointAnnotation()
    myAnnotation.coordinate = CLLocationCoordinate2DMake(location.coordinate.latitude, location.coordinate.longitude)
    myAnnotation.title = "Localização"
    self.mapViewMK.addAnnotation(myAnnotation)

    self.mapViewMK.setRegion(coordinateRegion, animated: true)
    self.locationManager?.stopUpdatingLocation()
    self.locationManager = nil

    // Get user's current location name
    let geocoder = CLGeocoder()
    geocoder.reverseGeocodeLocation(self.location!) { (placemarksArray, error) in

        if (placemarksArray?.count)! > 0 {

            let placemark = placemarksArray?.first
            let number = placemark!.subThoroughfare
            let bairro = placemark!.subLocality
            let street = placemark!.thoroughfare

            self.addressLabel.text = "\(street!), \(number!) - \(bairro!)"
        }
    }
}

Rugby

Answer 7

You have to get user's current location and then use MKReverseGeocoder to recognize the city.

There's great example in iPhone App Programming Guide, chapter 8. Once you've got location initialize geocoder, set the delegate and read country from the placemark. Read the documentation for MKReverseGeocodeDelegate and create methods:

• reverseGeocoder:didFindPlacemark:

• reverseGeocoder:didFailWithError:

  MKReverseGeocoder *geocoder = [[MKReverseGeocoder alloc] initWithCoordinate:newLocation.coordinate];
  geocoder.delegate = self;
  [geocoder start];
  

Scarcely

Answer 8

You can use this code for getting Current City:--

extension YourController: CLLocationManagerDelegate { func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {

    CLGeocoder().reverseGeocodeLocation(manager.location!, completionHandler: {(placemarks, error)->Void in

        if (error != nil)
        {
            manager.stopUpdatingLocation()
            return
        }
        else
        {
            if placemarks!.count > 0
            {
                let placeMarksArrray: NSArray = placemarks!
                let pm = placeMarksArrray[0] as! CLPlacemark
                self.displayLocationInfo(pm)
                manager.stopUpdatingLocation()
            } else
            {
                print("Problem with the data received from geocoder")
            }
        }
    })
}

func displayLocationInfo(placemark: CLPlacemark!) {
    if (placemark != nil) {
        //stop updating location to save battery life
        locationLocation.stopUpdatingLocation()
        var tempString : String = ""
        if(placemark.locality != nil){
            tempString = tempString +  placemark.locality! + " "
            print(placemark.locality)
        }
        if(placemark.postalCode != nil){
            tempString = tempString +  placemark.postalCode! + " "
            print(placemark.postalCode)
        }
        if(placemark.administrativeArea != nil){
            tempString = tempString +  placemark.administrativeArea! + " "
            print(placemark.administrativeArea)
        }
        if(placemark.country != nil){
            tempString = tempString +  placemark.country! + " "



        }
        let dictForaddress = placemark.addressDictionary as! NSDictionary


        if let city = dictForaddress["City"] {
            print(city)



        }
        strLocation = tempString
    }
}

Swiercz

Answer 9

Here is my small Swift class which helps me with getting reverse geocoded information about current location. Don't forget about NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription field in Info.plist.

class CurrentPlacemarkUpdater: NSObject, CLLocationManagerDelegate {

    private let locationManager = CLLocationManager()
    private let geocoder = CLGeocoder()

    private(set) var latestPlacemark: CLPlacemark?
    var onLatestPlacemarkUpdate: (() -> ())?
    var shouldStopOnUpdate: Bool = true

    func start() {
        locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
        locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyKilometer
        locationManager.delegate = self
        locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
    }

    func stop() {
        locationManager.stopUpdatingLocation()
    }

    fileprivate func updatePlacemark(for location: CLLocation) {
        geocoder.reverseGeocodeLocation(location) { [weak self] placemarks, error in
            if let placemark = placemarks?.first {
                self?.latestPlacemark = placemark
                self?.onLatestPlacemarkUpdate?()
                if self?.shouldStopOnUpdate ?? false {
                    self?.stop()
                }
            }
        }
    }

    func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
        if let location = locations.last {
            updatePlacemark(for: location)
        }
    }

    func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didFailWithError error: Error) {
        print("CurrentPlacemarkUpdater: \(error)")
    }

}

Glairy

Answer 10

// place the function code below in desire location in program.

// [self getCurrentLocation];



-(void)getCurrentLocation
{
    CLGeocoder *geocoder = [[CLGeocoder alloc] init] ;
    [geocoder reverseGeocodeLocation:self->locationManager.location
                   completionHandler:^(NSArray *placemarks, NSError *error) {
                       NSLog(@"reverseGeocodeLocation:completionHandler: Completion Handler called!");

                       if (error){
                           NSLog(@"Geocode failed with error: %@", error);
                           return;

                       }


                       CLPlacemark *placemark = [placemarks objectAtIndex:0];

                       NSLog(@"placemark.ISOcountryCode %@",placemark.ISOcountryCode);
                       NSLog(@"placemark.country %@",placemark.country);
                        NSLog(@"placemark.locality %@",placemark.locality );
                       NSLog(@"placemark.postalCode %@",placemark.postalCode);
                       NSLog(@"placemark.administrativeArea %@",placemark.administrativeArea);
                       NSLog(@"placemark.locality %@",placemark.locality);
                       NSLog(@"placemark.subLocality %@",placemark.subLocality);
                       NSLog(@"placemark.subThoroughfare %@",placemark.subThoroughfare);

                   }];
}

Hiphuggers

Answer 11

Read the documentation for MKReverseGeocoder -- the documentation, guides & sample applications are provided by Apple for a reason.

Squireen

MKReverseGeoCoder is deprecated – Construction