Flutter-geolocator: GetCurrentLocation not working in release apk in Android

[MarieOatu]

When running my app in debug mode everything works fine both in Emulator and real device. I am able to built a release apk without any problems. The problem is that after installing the apk the getCurrentLocation method doesn't work. I tried in two real Android devices.

It doesn't seem just a very long delay since I kept the app open for 20 minutes :/

There aren't any problems during release build nor debug build.

I am using the version 5.3.0

[northonBarbosa]

Consegui resolver adicionando as seguintes permissões:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" />

Depois rodei um flutter clean;
Depois dei um build de novo (flutter run);

[MarieOatu]

Tentei o que @northonBarbosa sugeriu, mas infelizmente não o arquivo apk não funciona como esperado. O método getCurrentLocation não é executado até o fim e a aplicação fica esperando por ele pra sempre.

Consegui resolver adicionando as seguintes permissões:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" />

Depois rodei um flutter clean;
Depois dei um build de novo (flutter run);

Unfortunately the configuration above does not solve the problem. The loading screen (that is shown while the getCurrentLocation is being executed) stays there as long as the app is open on a real device.

[mvanbeusekom]

@MarieOatu could you verify that you added the permissions suggested by @northonBarbosa to your AndroidManifest.xml located in your android/app/src/main folder?

Since you mentioned everything works fine in when running in debug mode, it makes me think you might have added the configuration to the android/app/src/debug/AndroidManifest.xml file (which only gets loaded when running in debug mode, and is ignored when compiling a release build).

[MarieOatu]

@mvanbeusekom It was exactly what I did.

[mvanbeusekom]

@MarieOatu can you make sure that the GPS services are enabled (see also: https://github.com/Baseflow/flutter-geolocator/issues/400)?

[MarieOatu]

@mvanbeusekom Yes, they are, here is a screenshot.

This device is the same I use in debug mode. It works perfectly fine in debug mode, but the release apk doesn't work.

[northonBarbosa]

@MarieOatu try to set the desiredAccuracy to LocationAccuracy.high
I was using LocationAccuracy.low and it wasn't working for me.
@mvanbeusekom seems that the LocationAccuracy.low isen't working, it dind't return the latitude and longitude to me.

[MarieOatu]

@northonBarbosa I tried it but it doesn't work either. As soon as the app launches thelocation onicon is shown for 2 seconds (maybe less than that). The app in debug mode works as good with LocationAccuracy.high as it worked with LocationAccuracy.low.

Below is a screenshot of the app in debug mode in a real device (second screen, after getCurrentLocation was executed).

And here is a screenshot of the release apk in the same device, the location on icon showing up on the status bar.

[northonBarbosa]

@MarieOatu it seems that the problem is with the device, but I could be wrong.
Is your project on Git? Can you send us the link to the project for us to analyze the code and test it on our device?

[MarieOatu]

@northonBarbosa
The API response of the OpenWeatherApp changed and broke my app entirely. I'll make the necessary changes and push the project to git. But I tested the app in two devices.

[northonBarbosa]

@MarieOatu
I took a simple project that uses the geolocator package, and I got the same issue as you.
It worked on the simulator but not in the release apk.
@mvanbeusekom Do you know whats happening?

[northonBarbosa]

@MarieOatu
I think that I solved the issue.

1)===========
In the lines that you get the position, try to adapt your code to the following one:
Geolocator geoLocator = Geolocator()..forceAndroidLocationManager = true;
Position position = await geoLocator.getCurrentPosition(desiredAccuracy: LocationAccuracy.low);

2)===========
Check if you are using these permissions:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" />

3)===========
After updating the permissions, run flutter clean on terminal.

Then you can build the apk or run on the simulator.

It worked for me, both on the simulator and the physical device.

Let us know if it worked for you!

[Psabot]

Hi, thanks for the tip @northonBarbosa about the Geolocator geoLocator = Geolocator()..forceAndroidLocationManager = true;

Do you know why we have to put that here ? Especially since I have google services in my dependencies
```
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.3.1'
classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlin_version"
classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.2.0'
}

?

[mvanbeusekom]

I am not very informed about this @Psabot, but to my understanding this is dependent on the region you are in. Some regions (in the world) are actively blocking or are not allowed to use Google Play Services. Meaning even if it is installed you cannot get a connection and thus not receive the correct data.

For example, because of the latest trade war between China and the US, Google is not allowed to offer their Google Play Services in China (or even on devices manufactured in China).

This means you need to fallback on the native Android routines using the forceAndroidLocationManager property.

[Tbhesswebber]

Is there any way to validate before forcing the location manager in a production application?

I'm running into a similar issue, but it worked perfectly on my device while not working on my emulator until I added the force. I wonder if my emulator thinks I'm in a region without access to Google Play Services?

[kada105]

Still having the same issue.
Working well on debug mode and not working on release i tried everything above by the way.

[tigerjoy]

@MarieOatu
I think that I solved the issue.

1)===========
In the lines that you get the position, try to adapt your code to the following one:
Geolocator geoLocator = Geolocator()..forceAndroidLocationManager = true;
Position position = await geoLocator.getCurrentPosition(desiredAccuracy: LocationAccuracy.low);

2)===========
Check if you are using these permissions:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" />

3)===========
After updating the permissions, run flutter clean on terminal.

Then you can build the apk or run on the simulator.

It worked for me, both on the simulator and the physical device.

Let us know if it worked for you!

This worked for me. The problem was in permission as far I could tell as updating the permissions fixed my issue. Initially, I had the following permissions,

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

After updating the permissions as given in your post, the code ran. Thank you. And I am from India, Google Play Services does work here, hence did not need to force Android Location Manager.

[LeonDragon]

If you are using location for the internet API. then put android.permission.INTERNET in the Android manifest. It should work for physical devices for release APK mode.

[mohamed-alazawy]

not working for me