Unable to trigger geofence transition IntentService from PendingIntent

Question

I want to dynamically update the list of geofences according to current location of user even when app is not in background. So I am calling GeofencingApi.addGeofences from a service instead of activity.

public void addGeofences()
{

    if (!mGoogleApiClient.isConnected()) {
        Log.v("TAG", getString(R.string.not_connected));
        return;
    }

    try {
        LocationServices.GeofencingApi.addGeofences(
                mGoogleApiClient,
                getGeofencingRequest(),
                getGeofencePendingIntent(this)
        ).setResultCallback(this); // Result processed in onResult().
    } catch (SecurityException securityException) {
        logSecurityException(securityException);
    }
}

Code to get PendingIntent:

private PendingIntent getGeofencePendingIntent(Context c) {
    if (mGeofencePendingIntent != null) {
        return mGeofencePendingIntent;
    }
    Intent intent = new Intent(GeofenceService.this, GeofenceTransitionsIntentService.class);
    return PendingIntent.getService(this, 0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
}

Code to get GeofencingRequest:

private  GeofencingRequest getGeofencingRequest() {
    GeofencingRequest.Builder builder = new GeofencingRequest.Builder();
    builder.setInitialTrigger(GeofencingRequest.INITIAL_TRIGGER_ENTER);
    builder.addGeofences(mGeofenceList);
    return builder.build();
}

It does not trigger GeofenceTransitionsIntentService when user enters or exits a geofence. It works very fine when implemented in activity but it does not work from service.

Note: These functions are defined and called in a service which is dynamically changing mGeofenceList according to current location of user.

Edit:

Manifest:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.example.android.routein" >

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN" />

<permission
    android:name="com.example.gcm.permission.C2D_MESSAGE"
    android:protectionLevel="signature" />



<application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >

   .....

    <service android:name=".geofencing.GeofenceTransitionsIntentService" />

    <meta-data
        android:name="com.google.android.geo.API_KEY"
        android:value="--My Api Key--" />

    .....
</application>

It does not matter where you register geofences from (Activity, Service etc.). I assume you went thru developer.android.com/intl/ja/training/location/geofencing.html - it works for me - please go those steps again and check your code. — Marian Paździoch
@MarianPaździoch Did you tested it using a service? Is Geofence list being updated with new geofences even when app is not in background? My purpose is to get the details of nearby places from Places API and then using that data to update the geofence list everytime when user changes location irrespective of app being in background. — Tushar Kathuria
You didn't post your entire manifest. Does your app have any activities? How are you starting the Service? How is addGeoFences() getting called? Are you sure it is getting called? — David Wasser

powder366 powder366 · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-14T11:00:45

Following the example: https://developer.android.com/training/location/geofencing.html with code: https://github.com/googlesamples/android-play-location/tree/master/Geofencing

Use:

 mGoogleApiClient.blockingConnect(TIME_OUT, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);

And add/change the code as following:

public class RegisterGeoIntentService extends IntentService implements GoogleApiClient.ConnectionCallbacks, GoogleApiClient.OnConnectionFailedListener, ResultCallback<Status> {

protected static final String TAG = "RegisterGeoIS";

private static final long TIME_OUT = 100;
protected GoogleApiClient mGoogleApiClient;
protected ArrayList<Geofence> mGeofenceList;
private PendingIntent mGeofencePendingIntent;

public RegisterGeoIntentService() {
    super(TAG);
}

@Override
public void onCreate() {
    super.onCreate();
    Log.i(TAG, "Creating Intent service");
    mGeofenceList = new ArrayList<Geofence>();
    mGeofencePendingIntent = null;
}

@Override
protected void onHandleIntent(Intent intent) {
    buildGoogleApiClient();
    populateGeofenceList();
    mGoogleApiClient.blockingConnect(TIME_OUT, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
    String connected = mGoogleApiClient.isConnected() ? "connected" : "disconnected";
    Log.i(TAG, "Restoring geofence - status: " + connected);
    addGeofencesButtonHandler();
}

...

public void addGeofencesButtonHandler() {
    if (!mGoogleApiClient.isConnected()) {
        Toast.makeText(this, getString(R.string.not_connected), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return;
    }

    try {
        LocationServices.GeofencingApi.addGeofences(
                mGoogleApiClient,
                // The GeofenceRequest object.
                getGeofencingRequest(),
                // A pending intent that that is reused when calling removeGeofences(). This
                // pending intent is used to generate an intent when a matched geofence
                // transition is observed.
                getGeofencePendingIntent()
        ).await(TIME_OUT, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
    } catch (SecurityException securityException) {
        // Catch exception generated if the app does not use ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission.
        logSecurityException(securityException);
    }
    Log.i(TAG, "Trying to add Geofences - result: " + result.toString());
}

...

Add the following in AndroidManifest:

    <service android:name=".RegisterGeoIntentService" />

Call it with:

    Intent kickoff = new Intent(context, RegisterGeoIntentService.class);
    context.startService(kickoff);

Unable to trigger geofence transition IntentService from PendingIntent

1 Answers