2020.09.01.
Xamarin.Forms – Mock Locations
This Project you can find at: https://github.com/officialdoniald/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.
Forms:
We can detect Location changing in the Forms Project: https://github.com/officialdoniald/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation/blob/master/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile/MainPage.xaml.cs. If we will get a Mock Location this will detect it.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Xamarin.Essentials;
using Xamarin.Forms;
namespace Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile
{
// Learn more about making custom code visible in the Xamarin.Forms previewer
// by visiting https://aka.ms/xamarinforms-previewer
[DesignTimeVisible(false)]
public partial class MainPage : ContentPage
{
public MainPage()
{
InitializeComponent();
Thread thread = new Thread(async () =>
{
while (true)
{
var request = new GeolocationRequest(GeolocationAccuracy.Medium);
var location = await Geolocation.GetLocationAsync(request);
if (location != null)
{
if (location.IsFromMockProvider)
{
//Detect mocking location
}
else
{
//Detect normal location
}
}
}
});
}
}
}The two platforms need to be discussed separately. In Android we can make an Implementation for Mock Location, but in iOS, we have to use a script file and we have to add to the emulator, so we can’t make this programmatically.
Android:
First, we have to request permissions in the Manifest and in the MainActivity (Runtime).
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0" package="com.companyname.xamarin.forms.mocklocation.mobile">
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="21" android:targetSdkVersion="28" />
<application android:label="Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile.Android"></application>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.location" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.location.network" android:required="false" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<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" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_MOCK_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
</manifest>protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
TabLayoutResource = Resource.Layout.Tabbar;
ToolbarResource = Resource.Layout.Toolbar;
base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
Context = this.ApplicationContext;
Xamarin.Essentials.Platform.Init(this, savedInstanceState);
global::Xamarin.Forms.Forms.Init(this, savedInstanceState);
ActivityCompat.RequestPermissions(this, new String[] { Manifest.Permission.AccessFineLocation }, 1);
LoadApplication(new App());
}Allright! We have to send the mock(test) location via LocationManager. Let’s create an interface in the Forms Project and call the Android implementation via DependencyService.
Forms: https://github.com/officialdoniald/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation/blob/master/Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Implementation/IMockLocationProvider.cs.
namespace Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Implementation
{
public interface IMockLocationProvider
{
void SendMockLocation(MockPosition mockPosition);
}
public class MockPosition
{
public double Longitude { get; set; }
public double Latitude { get; set; }
/// <summary>
/// Default value: 1.0.
/// </summary>
public double Altitude { get; set; } = 1.0;
}
}using System;
using Android.Content;
using Android.Hardware;
using Android.Locations;
using Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Implementation;
using Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile.Droid.Implementations;
[assembly: Xamarin.Forms.Dependency(typeof(MockLocationProvider))]
namespace Xamarin.Forms.MockLocation.Mobile.Droid.Implementations
{
public class MockLocationProvider : IMockLocationProvider
{
public void SendMockLocation(MockPosition position)
{
Location location = new Location(LocationManager.GpsProvider)
{
Latitude = position.Latitude,
Longitude = position.Longitude,
Altitude = position.Altitude,
Time = DateTime.Now.Ticks,
ElapsedRealtimeNanos = 100,
Speed = 0.0f,
Bearing = 0.0f,
Accuracy = 0
};
LocationManager locationManager = MainActivity.Context.GetSystemService(Context.LocationService) as LocationManager;
locationManager.AddTestProvider(LocationManager.GpsProvider, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, Power.Low, SensorStatus.AccuracyHigh);
locationManager.SetTestProviderLocation(LocationManager.GpsProvider, location);
locationManager.SetTestProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GpsProvider, true);
}
}
}Deploy your app to the phone and close it.
One more important thing: only the System app can send mock locations, so we have to call for the operation system, that this will send mock locations. So if you haven’t already, let’s enable developer mode on your phones and go to developer options.
Select the Mock Location, and select you app. Run the app again and it will work.
iOS:
So, as above said, we can mock the Location programmatically. We have to create a script fiel and add it to the Emulator. Here is a good website for the gpx file generating: https://www.gpxgenerator.com/.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="gpxgenerator.com">
<wpt lat="50.84633694747007" lon="4.364619255065918">
<time>2017-02-10T10:48:50Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.845889847299254" lon="4.36431884765625">
<time>2017-02-10T10:49:28Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84507692692001" lon="4.363868236541748">
<time>2017-02-10T10:50:36Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84460271682405" lon="4.363675117492676">
<time>2017-02-10T10:51:14Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84374912650492" lon="4.363245964050293">
<time>2017-02-10T10:52:25Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84296326764228" lon="4.36281681060791">
<time>2017-02-10T10:53:31Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84281578200512" lon="4.36181902885437">
<time>2017-02-10T10:54:22Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84310709422066" lon="4.360542297363281">
<time>2017-02-10T10:55:30Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84268028733167" lon="4.359984397888184">
<time>2017-02-10T10:56:13Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84245672026023" lon="4.359222650527954">
<time>2017-02-10T10:56:55Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.843019023277556" lon="4.35808539390564">
<time>2017-02-10T10:58:07Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84339840461739" lon="4.357527494430542">
<time>2017-02-10T10:58:48Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84356777029096" lon="4.357130527496338">
<time>2017-02-10T10:59:12Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.844069089081536" lon="4.356368780136108">
<time>2017-02-10T11:00:07Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84437550047113" lon="4.3559181690216064">
<time>2017-02-10T11:00:40Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84555269015878" lon="4.354877471923828">
<time>2017-02-10T11:02:27Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84620302096338" lon="4.354770183563232">
<time>2017-02-10T11:03:18Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.8467178597545" lon="4.354383945465088">
<time>2017-02-10T11:04:03Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84665428412764" lon="4.3536436557769775">
<time>2017-02-10T11:04:40Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84662380036855" lon="4.353042840957642">
<time>2017-02-10T11:05:10Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.846430736098434" lon="4.3524473905563354">
<time>2017-02-10T11:05:43Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.846213961280625" lon="4.351991415023804">
<time>2017-02-10T11:06:11Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84603783095749" lon="4.3516212701797485">
<time>2017-02-10T11:06:34Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.845837989977895" lon="4.351256489753723">
<time>2017-02-10T11:06:58Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84563476098514" lon="4.350859522819519">
<time>2017-02-10T11:07:23Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84547556432245" lon="4.350618124008179">
<time>2017-02-10T11:07:40Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84531975429677" lon="4.350387454032898">
<time>2017-02-10T11:07:56Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.845167330942075" lon="4.350119233131409">
<time>2017-02-10T11:08:14Z</time>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="50.84499536286211" lon="4.3499743938446045">
<time>2017-02-10T11:08:29Z</time>
</wpt>
</gpx>If we get a gpx file, we have to script the Emulator. Open the AppleScript App on the Mac and create a new script:
on replace_chars(this_text, search_string, replacement_string)
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to the search_string
set the item_list to every text item of this_text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to the replacement_string
set this_text to the item_list as string
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return this_text
end replace_chars
on run arg
--> arg is a collection of the command line parameters
set xmlPathParam to item 1 of arg --> first param is the location of the gpx file
set sleepParam to item 2 of arg --> second param is the time (seconds) to sleep between each iteration
tell application "System Events"
tell XML file xmlPathParam
tell XML element "gpx"
set wptElements to every XML element whose name = "wpt" -->put wpt elements in a collection for later use
end tell
end tell
tell process "Simulator"
set frontmost to true
repeat with c from 1 to count of wptElements
set wptElement to item c of wptElements
tell wptElement
set lon to value of XML attribute "lon" of wptElement --> putting the lon value of the wpt element in a variable for later use
set lat to value of XML attribute "lat" of wptElement --> putting the lan value of the wpt element in a variable for later use
end tell
click menu item "Custom Location…" of menu of menu item "Location" of menu "Debug" of menu bar 1
set popup to window "Custom Location"
set value of text field 1 of popup to my replace_chars(lat, ".", ",")
set value of text field 2 of popup to my replace_chars(lon, ".", ",")
click button "OK" of popup
delay sleepParam --> sleep to simulate 'natural' movement
end repeat
end tell
end tell
end runWith this script this will open our gpx file and processes it.
iOS Blog Source: https://blog.pieeatingninjas.be/2017/02/10/custom-location-and-movement-on-xamarin-remoted-ios-simulator-for-windows/.
Another way: you can create a Xamarin UI Test Project and you can mock the location too. Just call the SetLocation function. (On Android it is still required that change the Mock Location app and request permissions.)