Geolocation
The
geolocation
object provides access to location data based on the device's GPS sensor or inferred from network signals.
Geolocation
provides information about the device's location, such as
latitude and longitude. Common sources of location information include
Global Positioning System (GPS) and location inferred from network
signals such as IP address, RFID, WiFi and Bluetooth MAC addresses,
and GSM/CDMA cell IDs. There is no guarantee that the API returns the
device's actual location.
This API is based on the W3C Geolocation API Specification, and only executes on devices that don't already provide an implementation.
Important privacy note: Collection and use of geolocation data raises important privacy issues. Your app's privacy policy should discuss how the app uses geolocation data, whether it is shared with any other parties, and the level of precision of the data (for example, coarse, fine, ZIP code level, etc.). Geolocation data is generally considered sensitive because it can reveal a person's whereabouts and, if stored, the history of his or her travels. Therefore, in addition to your app's privacy policy, you should strongly consider providing a just-in-time notice prior to your app accessing geolocation data (if the device operating system doesn't do so already). That notice should provide the same information noted above, as well as obtaining the user's permission (e.g., by presenting choices for "OK" and "No Thanks"). For more information, please see the Privacy Guide.
Methods
Arguments
Objects (Read-Only)
Permissions
Android
app/res/xml/config.xml
<plugin name="Geolocation" value="org.apache.cordova.GeoBroker" />
app/AndroidManifest.xml
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
BlackBerry WebWorks
www/plugins.xml
<plugin name="Geolocation" value="org.apache.cordova.geolocation.Geolocation" />
www/config.xml
<rim:permissions>
<rim:permit>read_geolocation</rim:permit>
</rim:permissions>
iOS
config.xml
<plugin name="Geolocation" value="CDVLocation" />
Windows Phone
Properties/WPAppManifest.xml
<Capabilities>
<Capability Name="ID_CAP_LOCATION" />
</Capabilities>
Reference: Application Manifest for Windows Phone
Tizen
No permissions are required.
geolocation.getCurrentPosition
Returns the device's current position as a Position
object.
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(geolocationSuccess,
[geolocationError],
[geolocationOptions]);
Parameters
- geolocationSuccess: The callback that is passed the current position.
- geolocationError: (Optional) The callback that executes if an error occurs.
- geolocationOptions: (Optional) The geolocation options.
Description
geolocation.getCurrentPosition
is an asynchronous function. It
returns the device's current position to the geolocationSuccess
callback with a Position
object as the parameter. If there is an
error, the geolocationError
callback is passed a
PositionError
object.
Supported Platforms
- Android
- BlackBerry WebWorks (OS 5.0 and higher)
- iOS
- Tizen
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8
Quick Example
// onSuccess Callback
// This method accepts a Position object, which contains the
// current GPS coordinates
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
alert('Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '\n' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '\n' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '\n' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '\n' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '\n' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '\n' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '\n' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '\n');
};
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
Full Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Device Properties Example</title>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-x.x.x.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// Wait for device API libraries to load
//
document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
}
// onSuccess Geolocation
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br />' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br />' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '<br />' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '<br />' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '<br />' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '<br />' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '<br />' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '<br />';
}
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<p id="geolocation">Finding geolocation...</p>
</body>
</html>
geolocation.watchPosition
Watches for changes to the device's current position.
var watchId = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(geolocationSuccess,
[geolocationError],
[geolocationOptions]);
Parameters
- geolocationSuccess: The callback that is passed the current position.
- geolocationError: (Optional) The callback that executes if an error occurs.
- geolocationOptions: (Optional) The geolocation options.
Returns
-
String: returns a watch id that references the watch position interval. The watch id should be used with
geolocation.clearWatch
to stop watching for changes in position.
Description
geolocation.watchPosition
is an asynchronous function. It returns
the device's current position when a change in position is detected.
When the device retrieves a new location, the geolocationSuccess
callback executes with a Position
object as the parameter. If
there is an error, the geolocationError
callback executes with a
PositionError
object as the parameter.
Supported Platforms
- Android
- BlackBerry WebWorks (OS 5.0 and higher)
- iOS
- Tizen
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8
Quick Example
// onSuccess Callback
// This method accepts a `Position` object, which contains
// the current GPS coordinates
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br />' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br />' +
'<hr />' + element.innerHTML;
}
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
// Options: throw an error if no update is received every 30 seconds.
//
var watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, { timeout: 30000 });
Full Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Device Properties Example</title>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-x.x.x.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// Wait for device API libraries to load
//
document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
var watchID = null;
// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
// Throw an error if no update is received every 30 seconds
var options = { timeout: 30000 };
watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, options);
}
// onSuccess Geolocation
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br />' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br />' +
'<hr />' + element.innerHTML;
}
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<p id="geolocation">Watching geolocation...</p>
</body>
</html>
geolocation.clearWatch
Stop watching for changes to the device's location referenced by the
watchID
parameter.
navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);
Parameters
-
watchID: The id of the
watchPosition
interval to clear. (String)
Description
The geolocation.clearWatch
stops watching changes to the device's
location by clearing the geolocation.watchPosition
referenced by
watchID
.
Supported Platforms
- Android
- BlackBerry WebWorks (OS 5.0 and higher)
- iOS
- Tizen
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8
Quick Example
// Options: watch for changes in position, and use the most
// accurate position acquisition method available.
//
var watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, { enableHighAccuracy: true });
// ...later on...
navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);
Full Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Device Properties Example</title>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-x.x.x.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// Wait for device API libraries to load
//
document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
var watchID = null;
// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
// Get the most accurate position updates available on the
// device.
var options = { enableHighAccuracy: true };
watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(onSuccess, onError, options);
}
// onSuccess Geolocation
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br />' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br />' +
'<hr />' + element.innerHTML;
}
// clear the watch that was started earlier
//
function clearWatch() {
if (watchID != null) {
navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);
watchID = null;
}
}
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<p id="geolocation">Watching geolocation...</p>
<button onclick="clearWatch();">Clear Watch</button>
</body>
</html>
Coordinates
A set of properties that describe the geographic coordinates of a position.
Properties
- latitude: Latitude in decimal degrees. (Number)
- longitude: Longitude in decimal degrees. (Number)
- altitude: Height of the position in meters above the ellipsoid. (Number)
- accuracy: Accuracy level of the latitude and longitude coordinates in meters. (Number)
- altitudeAccuracy: Accuracy level of the altitude coordinate in meters. (Number)
- heading: Direction of travel, specified in degrees counting clockwise relative to the true north. (Number)
- speed: Current ground speed of the device, specified in meters per second. (Number)
Description
The Coordinates
object is attached to the Position
object that is
available to callback functions in requests for the current position.
Supported Platforms
- Android
- BlackBerry WebWorks (OS 5.0 and higher)
- iOS
- Tizen
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8
Quick Example
// onSuccess Callback
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
alert('Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '\n' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '\n' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '\n' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '\n' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '\n' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '\n' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '\n' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '\n');
};
// onError Callback
//
var onError = function() {
alert('onError!');
};
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
Full Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Geolocation Position Example</title>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-x.x.x.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// wait for device API libraries to load
//
document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
}
// Display `Position` properties from the geolocation
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var div = document.getElementById('myDiv');
div.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br/>' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br/>' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '<br/>' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '<br/>' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '<br/>' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '<br/>' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '<br/>';
}
// Show an alert if there is a problem getting the geolocation
//
function onError() {
alert('onError!');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div id="myDiv"></div>
</body>
</html>
Android Quirks
altitudeAccuracy: Not supported by Android devices, returning null
.
Position
Contains Position
coordinates and timestamp, created by the geolocation API.
Properties
- coords: A set of geographic coordinates. (Coordinates)
-
timestamp: Creation timestamp for
coords
. (Date)
Description
The Position
object is created and populated by Cordova, and returned to the user through a callback function.
Supported Platforms
- Android
- BlackBerry WebWorks (OS 5.0 and higher)
- iOS
- Tizen
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8
Quick Example
// onSuccess Callback
//
var onSuccess = function(position) {
alert('Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '\n' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '\n' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '\n' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '\n' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '\n' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '\n' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '\n' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '\n');
};
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
Full Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Device Properties Example</title>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-x.x.x.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
// Wait for device API libraries to load
//
document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onError);
}
// onSuccess Geolocation
//
function onSuccess(position) {
var element = document.getElementById('geolocation');
element.innerHTML = 'Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '<br />' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '<br />' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '<br />' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '<br />' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '<br />' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '<br />' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '<br />' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '<br />';
}
// onError Callback receives a PositionError object
//
function onError(error) {
alert('code: ' + error.code + '\n' +
'message: ' + error.message + '\n');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<p id="geolocation">Finding geolocation...</p>
</body>
</html>
PositionError
A PositionError
object is passed to the geolocationError
callback when an error occurs.
Properties
- code: One of the predefined error codes listed below.
- message: Error message describing the details of the error encountered.
Constants
PositionError.PERMISSION_DENIED
PositionError.POSITION_UNAVAILABLE
PositionError.TIMEOUT
Description
The PositionError
object is passed to the geolocationError
callback function when an error occurs with geolocation.
PositionError.PERMISSION_DENIED
Returned when the user does not allow your application to retrieve position information. This is dependent on the platform.
PositionError.POSITION_UNAVAILABLE
Returned when the device is unable to retrieve a position. In general this means the device has no network connectivity and/or cannot get a satellite fix.
PositionError.TIMEOUT
Returned when the device is unable to retrieve a position within the
time specified in the geolocationOptions
' timeout
property. When
used with geolocation.watchPosition
, this error could be passed to
the geolocationError
callback every timeout
milliseconds.
geolocationSuccess
The user's callback function that executes when a geolocation position
becomes available (when called from geolocation.getCurrentPosition
),
or when the position changes (when called from
geolocation.watchPosition
).
function(position) {
// Do something
}
Parameters
- position: The geolocation position returned by the device. (Position)
Example
function geolocationSuccess(position) {
alert('Latitude: ' + position.coords.latitude + '\n' +
'Longitude: ' + position.coords.longitude + '\n' +
'Altitude: ' + position.coords.altitude + '\n' +
'Accuracy: ' + position.coords.accuracy + '\n' +
'Altitude Accuracy: ' + position.coords.altitudeAccuracy + '\n' +
'Heading: ' + position.coords.heading + '\n' +
'Speed: ' + position.coords.speed + '\n' +
'Timestamp: ' + position.timestamp + '\n');
}
geolocationError
The user's callback function that executes when there is an error for geolocation functions.
function(error) {
// Handle the error
}
Parameters
- error: The error returned by the device. (PositionError)
geolocationOptions
Optional parameters to customize the retrieval of the geolocation
Position
.
{ maximumAge: 3000, timeout: 5000, enableHighAccuracy: true };
Options
-
enableHighAccuracy: Provides a hint that the application needs the best possible results. By default, the device attempts to retrieve a
Position
using network-based methods. Setting this property totrue
tells the framework to use more accurate methods, such as satellite positioning. (Boolean) -
timeout: The maximum length of time (milliseconds) that is allowed to pass from the call to
geolocation.getCurrentPosition
orgeolocation.watchPosition
until the correspondinggeolocationSuccess
callback executes. If thegeolocationSuccess
callback is not invoked within this time, thegeolocationError
callback is passed aPositionError.TIMEOUT
error code. (Note that when used in conjunction withgeolocation.watchPosition
, thegeolocationError
callback could be called on an interval everytimeout
milliseconds!) (Number) - maximumAge: Accept a cached position whose age is no greater than the specified time in milliseconds. (Number)
Android Quirks
Android 2.x simulators do not return a geolocation result unless the enableHighAccuracy
option is set to true
.