[PAID] 📍 Location Service Extension

Samuel_Dutton · September 16, 2022, 6:23pm

good evening

I've just purchased your extension and awaiting a download link for it. as you've probably already seen I'm struggling with my app. i need it to be able to run in the background when another app is in use or the screen is locked, please can you advise me on the necessary blocks needed to achieve this as i don't have a clue and really need this for work. any help would be more than appreciated.

kind regards
Samuel

Taifun · September 16, 2022, 6:42pm

Thank you, I just sent you the download link.

Please see the documentation here App Inventor Extensions: Location Service | Pura Vida Apps and try the example project to find out how to use the extension .

Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 16, 2022, 6:45pm

thank you, just got it I've been looking at your documentation before deciding to purchase your extension. the problem is i don't fully understand the process hense my post.
thanks Samuel

Taifun · September 16, 2022, 6:52pm

Try the example app and if there are still questions then ask specific questions here

Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 16, 2022, 7:14pm

ok, so i've had a play with the blocks using your extension, i cannot get the app to post to web1 when the screen on my phone goes off or locks. please see attached blocks if you point out what i've done wrong and any possible solutions. sorry for be hasty as i really need this solved for work asap

Taifun · September 16, 2022, 7:27pm

First request the permissions and make sure the permissions have been granted before starting the service... see again the example project...

The Locationservice.LocationChanged event will fire only if your app is up and running. If your app is in the background, no user interface changes are possible. You have to setup the web background functionality as described in the example project... there is a MySql example and an example to send an email via IFTTT.. .

It does not look like you read the documentation or tried the example app...

Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 16, 2022, 8:08pm

I've tried to implement the blocks i think is necessary for my app having looked at your example app and still hitting a brick wall, i've requested all the permissions ect and cannot get it to post when the app isn't being used. I cannot express how important this is to get resolved, i've attached my aia file if you could have alook i'd forever be in your debt.

kind regards
Samuel

Taifun · September 16, 2022, 8:48pm

I removed your project...

Sorry, you can't post a project, which includes a paid extension in the community... this is against my t&c...

It looks like you need help with your project and you are in a hurry, so yo are not able to follow the documentation...

Please contact me by mail, send me your project and I can take a look at it... please be ready to transfer a small amount to cover my time for this..

Alternatively post a screenshot of your relevant blocks here...

You really should spend some time to read and understand the documentation and play around with the example project... to do something in the background is working on another level...

Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 16, 2022, 8:52pm

Please see my blocks below. As mentioned it's more of an issue that I don't fully understand what's needed to be done.

If you have a closer look that would be appreciated

Taifun · September 16, 2022, 10:01pm

you blocks are exactly the same as previously...
you already found out yourself, this will not work like this if the app is in the background
as already mentioned earlier

Also your Clock events will not fire and you will not be able to draw something in the background...

You have to do it like this: while the app is in the background, the location data will be stored in TinyDB... additionally you can send your Post requests in the background to somewhere... as an example see the IFTTT setup... just adjust it to your needs and use the keywords as described in the documentation...

Background web properties

The following properties are used to configure the background web functionality to send a request. The following requerst methods are available: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, HEAD and OPTIONS. Also the background web functionality is able to convert keywords into their correponding values. The following keywords are available: DATETIME, URIENCODEDATETIME, LATITUDE, LONGITUDE, ALTITUDE, ACCURACY, SPEED, CURRENTADDRESS, URIENCODECURRENTADDRESS and PROVIDER

you have to setup the web background functionality before starting the locationservice

Later when you start again your app, then read all the stored data from TinyDB and draw on the map... my example project shows you how to draw all the stored coordinates on the map, see the ListPicker.AfterPicking event there App Inventor Extensions: Location Service | Pura Vida Apps

I hope this helps to get you starting...

Taifun

Anke · September 17, 2022, 10:02am

Suggestion:

There should be a blacklist of paid extensions NOT allowed to be posted here. So something like what is already the case when an APK is posted (which is not allowed/possible).

Any app developer who offers paid extensions can enter their extensions in this list.

Perhaps the AI2 team can consider this option.

Samuel_Dutton · September 21, 2022, 5:20pm

Ok so I've looked at the example blocks provided and started afresh. this is what I've got so far. My google sheet says it was updated seconds ago so i believe it's trying to post something, but nothing shows up. Please can you tell me what's missing in the simplest way as like I've already mentioned i don't understand the example at

all.

Taifun · September 22, 2022, 6:47pm

some observations

first do the setup, then start the service
also move the notifier down (see arrow) and in case no GPS is enabled, show a notifier which tells the user to enable GPS

Unbenannt740×286 50.3 KB
also it might be a good idea to set the request header as @SteveJG showed you in his example here HOW TO: use LocationService extension with a GoogleSpreadsheet to record real time locations while the app is in the background - #7 by SteveJG
it does not make much sense to set the bckground web property first to false and later to true... only set it to true
use a reasonable value for the distance interval... this property determines the minimum distance interval, in meters, that the sensor will try to use for sending out location updates... 0 does not make sense... try to first use the default value of 5... and after you got it running, then later you can adjust it to your needs...
it would be wise to use the ErrorOccured event... see also Q2 here App Inventor Extensions: Location Service | Pura Vida Apps
as general recommendation to test your POST method: as test use the web component to send some test values to your Google spreadsheet to find out the correct blocks for the POST method... after you got this working then setup the background web functionality accordingly...

Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 23, 2022, 6:15pm

Thank you, I've tried the above suggestions and it doesn't work. The app goes to start the background process then closes, it says the app closed due to a bug. Any ideas?

Taifun · September 23, 2022, 9:18pm

some observations and suggestions

we already talked about clocks... it is not a good idea to start the locationservice several times... in the latest screnshot you are using again clock components... Clock_In starts Clock2... My guess is, Clock2 will be started again and again by Clock_In... repeatedly starting the locationservice might be an issue... let me suggest you to start it only once... my suggestion is to move all the setup blocks into the Screen.Initialize event and use a button to start the service

it would be wise to use the ErrorOccurred event and display any errors for example in a label... see also Q2 here App Inventor Extensions: Location Service | Pura Vida Apps as test disable the MoveTaskToBackground methods to find out if there are any errors reported
as general recommendation to test your POST method: as test use the web component to send some test values to your Google spreadsheet to find out the correct blocks for the POST method... did you get this running successfully? can you show the blocks for this test?
the Web.Post method inside the LocationChanged event does not make sense... if the blocks were correct (they are not, because only the locationservice in the background is able to convert the keywords), you would post the information twice to your Spreadsheet, first from the extension running in the background and then again in the LocationChanged event... just remove the PostText block completely
to get more information about the runtime error you are experiencing, use logcat and post the logcat report as text file here, see also Capturing Device Logs using adb logcat

Taifun

Taifun · September 28, 2022, 8:21pm

Version 3 of the Locationservice extension has been released App Inventor Extensions: Location Service | Pura Vida Apps

SDK31 update: FLAG_IMMUTABLE for pending intents added, property MaxTimeBeforeShutdown in minutes added, RequestMethod helper added, bug fix for empty request header

setMaxTime

requestMethod

Thank you @SteveJG and @Samuel_Dutton for your tests!
Taifun

Samuel_Dutton · September 29, 2022, 1:59pm

Hi Taiifun as mentioned my app uses a geofence that once you leave the fence and return to it, it will post to my Google sheet, I call procedures to only post once to the sheet instead of multiple times and to reduce the amount of blocks in location changed event. I was wondering if this logic can be done in the background.

Taifun · September 29, 2022, 2:49pm

first of all great, that you got it running now

Thank you guys for all the help. I've got my app to post to my Google sheet whilst maintaining my apps purpose. The error was with the Google script.

unfortunately this is not possible using the locationservice extension, but what about a server solution? You could write a Google Apps Script to delete the rows from the spreadsheet you do not want using some logic...

Taifun

SteveJG · September 29, 2022, 3:30pm

What about some code like this? This is not THE solution but an idea you might work with.

It calculates distance (miles) between your present coordinates and a destination(lat2,long2). It is sort of a geofence. When you approach a destination it posts distance to that location as you get closer. I tested this and it works to post the accuracy and the distance.

If you modify add a script to your spread sheet, you might be able to only post when the distance is less than 1 mile. Another idea is to RequestMethod immediately preceding the RequestText (I haven't tried this).

Good luck.

Taifun · September 29, 2022, 6:59pm

Remember, the LocationChanged event of the extension only fires if the app is NOT in the background...
also the setup (for example setup of the RequestText) needs to be done before starting the service...

but you could use the formula from Steve and calculate the distance in the spreadsheet after passing the current lat and long... the destination lat and long could be provided for example as variable in the Google Apps Script

Taifun