Application Permission Management

Why permissions are required ?

Users must grant permission for an app to access sensitive information, including the current location, calendar, contact information, reminders and photos. Although people appreciate the convenience of using an app that has access to this information, they also expect to have control over their privacy.

Implementation Requirement

Permission management requires OS-specific development since permission structures are totally separate in iOS and Android.

IOS

Smartface iOS Framework handles permissions automatically for the user. Developer does not need to handle permission management.

TypeScript

import Location from "@smartface/native/device/location";

Location.start(Location.Android.Priority.HIGH_ACCURACY, 1000);
Location.onLocationChanged = (event: {
  latitude: number;
  longitude: number;
}): void => {
  console.log(
    "Location latitude: " + event.latitude + "  Longitude: " + event.longitude
  );
};

In addition, there are also some convenient functions that check the status of related permission. Location permission status example like below;

TypeScript

import Location from "@smartface/native/device/location";

//@ts-ignore
switch (Location.ios.getAuthorizationStatus()) {
  //@ts-ignore
  case Location.ios.authorizationStatus.Authorized:
    /*code block*/
    break;
  //@ts-ignore
  case Location.ios.authorizationStatus.Denied:
    /*code block*/
    break;
  //@ts-ignore
  case Location.ios.authorizationStatus.NotDetermined:
    /*code block*/
    break;
  default:
  /*code block*/
}

Android

In the JavaScript side, there are some methods which are necessary for managing permissions.

TypeScript

import Permission from '@smartface/native/device/permission';

const CAMERA_PERMISSION_CODE: number = 1002;
const CAMERA_PERMISSION = Permissions.ANDROID.CAMERA

function getPermission(permission: string, code: number): void {
  let prevPermissionRationale =
    Permission.android.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(permission);
 Permission.android.onRequestPermissionsResult = function (e) {
    if (e.requestCode != code) return;

    let currentPermissionRationale =
      Permission.android.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(permission);
    if (e.result) {
      console.log("GRANTED");
    } else if (!currentPermissionRationale) {
      if (prevPermissionRationale) {
        console.info("NEVER ASK AGAIN");
      } else {
        console.info("COULD NOT ASK");
      }
    } else {
      console.log("DENIED");
    }
  };

  if ( Permission.android.checkPermission(permission)) {
    console.log("ALREADY GRANTED");
  } else {
    Permission.android.requestPermissions(code, permission);
  }
}

TypeScript

import Permission from '@smartface/native/device/permission';

Permission.android.requestPermissions(Permissions.ANDROID.READ_CONTACTS).then((e) => {
  // your code
});

module.exports = pagePermission;

Sample examples of permissions

Call Detection

import PgCallDetectionDesign from 'generated/pages/pgCallDetection';
import { withDismissAndBackButton } from '@smartface/mixins';
import { Router, Route } from '@smartface/router';
import Application from '@smartface/native/application';
import CallDetection from '@smartface/native/device/calldetection';
import Permission from '@smartface/native/device/permission';
import { PermissionResult, Permissions } from '@smartface/native/device/permission/permission';

export default class PgCallDetection extends withDismissAndBackButton(PgCallDetectionDesign) {
  constructor(private router?: Router, private route?: Route) {
    super({});
  }

  async initCallStateListener() {
    const results = await Permission.android.requestPermissions(Permissions.ANDROID.READ_PHONE_STATE);
    if (results[0] === PermissionResult.GRANTED) {
      CallDetection.on('callStateChanged', (a) => console.info(a));
    }
  }

  onShow() {
    super.onShow();
    this.initBackButton(this.router); //Addes a back button to the page headerbar.
    this.initCallStateListener();
  }

  onLoad() {
    super.onLoad();
  }
}

Camera & Location

import pagePermissionDesign from 'generated/pages/pagePermissions';
import { Router, Route } from '@smartface/router';
import Button from '@smartface/native/ui/button';
import Permission from '@smartface/native/device/permission';
import Application from '@smartface/native/application';
import Location from '@smartface/native/device/location';

export default class pagePermissions extends pagePermissionDesign {
  constructor(private router?: Router, private route?: Route) {
    super({});
  }
  initPermission() {
    this.btnCameraPermission.on('press', () => {
      Permission.requestPermission('CAMERA')
        .then((res) => alert('Permission Success: ' + res))
        .catch((err) => {
          alert({
            title: 'Camera Permission', // title of the alert dialog
            message: 'Camere permission is required to use this app', // message of the alert dialog
          });
          console.error('Permission failed ' + JSON.stringify(err));
        });
    });
    this.btnLocationPermission.on('press', () => {
      Permission.requestPermission('LOCATION')
        .then((res) => alert('Permission Success: ' + res))
        .catch((err) => {
          alert({
            title: 'Location Permission', // title of the alert dialog
            message: 'Location permission is required to use this app', // message of the alert dialog
          });
          console.error('Permission failed ' + JSON.stringify(err));
        });
    });
  }
  initLocation() {
    this.btnGetLocation.on('press', () => {
      Location.getCurrentLocation()
        .then((res) => alert('Location Success: ' + res))
        .catch((err) => alert('Location failed ' + JSON.stringify(err)));
    });
  }

  onShow() {
    super.onShow();
  }

  onLoad() {
    super.onLoad();
    this.initPermission();
    this.initLocation();
  }
}

Contacts

import PgContactsDesign from 'generated/pages/pgContacts';
import { withDismissAndBackButton } from '@smartface/mixins';
import { Router, Route } from '@smartface/router';
import Permission from '@smartface/native/device/permission';
import Contacts from '@smartface/native/device/contacts';
import Application from '@smartface/native/application';
import { PermissionResult, Permissions } from '@smartface/native/device/permission/permission';

export default class PgContacts extends withDismissAndBackButton(PgContactsDesign) {
  constructor(private router?: Router, private route?: Route) {
    super({});
  }

  getAllContacts() {
    Permission.android.requestPermissions(Permissions.ANDROID.READ_CONTACTS).then((e) => {
      Contacts.fetchAll({
        onSuccess: (contacts) => console.info(contacts.map((contact) => Object.keys(contact))),
        onFailure: (error) => console.error('fetchAll Failed', error)
      });
    });
  }

  async addContact() {
    try {
      await Permission.android.requestPermissions(Permissions.ANDROID.WRITE_CONTACTS);
      Contacts.add({
        contact: new Contacts.Contact({ firstName: 'Smartface', lastName: 'Mobile', phoneNumbers: ['0000'] }),
        onSuccess: () => console.info('add Success'),
        onFailure: () => console.error('add Failed')
      });
    } catch (e) {
      console.error(e.message, { stack: e.stack });
    }
  }

  initializeButtons() {
    this.btnFetchAll.on('press', () => this.getAllContacts());
    this.btnAdd.on('press', () => this.addContact());
  }

  onShow() {
    super.onShow();
    this.initBackButton(this.router); //Addes a back button to the page headerbar.
  }

  onLoad() {
    super.onLoad();
    this.initializeButtons();
  }
}

Permission Prompts

The permission prompt dialogs cannot be customized or localized. They are fully managed by the operating system for security purposes.

Publishing Binaries from Smartface IDE

For required permission operations, you must add permissions to config/AndroidManifest.xml on Smartface IDE.

Which permission you should use with Smartface Native Framework?

Some features requires specific permission both iOS and Android. For example, when you want to access user's location, you need Location permission. In this section, you can find which Smartface Native Framework feature requires which permission.

Feature	Android Manifest	iOS Info.plist	Android Run-time
Application.byteReceived	READ_PHONE_STATE		READ_PHONE_STATE
Application.byteSent	READ_PHONE_STATE		READ_PHONE_STATE
Contacts.add	WRITE_CONTACTS	NSContactsUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} Contact fetch	WRITE_CONTACTS
Contacts.getAll	READ_CONTACTS	NSContactsUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} Contact fetch	READ_CONTACTS
Location.start() 1	ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION || ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION	NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} WhenInUse Location	ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION || ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
Multimedia.pickMultipleFromGallery()	READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE for API Level 32 and below No permission required for API Level 33 and above.	NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} PhotoLibrary Usage NSCameraUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} Camera Usage	READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE on API Level 32 and below No permission required on API Level 33 and above.
System.fingerPrintAvailable	USE_FINGERPRINT		-
IO.File 2	READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE for API Level 32 and below READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO for API Level 33 and above.		READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE on API Level 32 and below READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO on API Level 33 and above.
Net.Http 3	ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE	NSAppTransportSecurity NSAllowsArbitraryLoads	-
SpeechRecognizer.start	RECORD_AUDIO	NSSpeechRecognitionUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} Speech Recognition Usage NSMicrophoneUsageDescription ${PRODUCT_NAME} Microphone Usage	RECORD_AUDIO
Device.Multimedia.startCamera	CAMERA	NSCameraUsageDescription $(PRODUCT_NAME) shoots contact picture	CAMERA
sf-extension-smsreceiver	RECEIVE_SMS READ_SMS		RECEIVE_SMS READ_SMS
Application.call	CALL_PHONE		CALL_PHONE
Device.System.Vibrate	VIBRATE		VIBRATE
UI.MapView	MAPS_RECEIVE		MAPS_RECEIVE

1 For Android, based on Provider; you can use ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION for Location.Android.Provider.NETWORK, ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION for Location.Android.Provider.GPS and Location.Android.Provider.AUTO
2 For Android, all methods and properties under IO.File requires some permissions if the file is not under Path.DataDirectory. Android 12L (API Level 32) and below requires READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, Android 13 (API Level 33) and above requires granular media permissions (READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO)
3 For Android, all methods under Net.Http requires ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE permission.