Push Plugin for NativeScript

This plugin is deprecated. Feel free to use the Firebase Plugin for implementing push notifications in your NativeScript app. If you already have an app that use the Push Plugin, read the migrate-to-firebase doc for initial guidance.

The code for the Push Plugin for NativeScript.

• Installation
• Configuration
  • Android
  • iOS
• Usage
  • Using the plugin in Android
  • Using the plugin in iOS
• API Reference
  • Methods
  • Android only
  • iOS only
• Troubleshooting
  • Troubleshooting issues in Android
  • Troubleshooting issues in iOS
• Android Configuration for using Firebase Cloud Messaging
  • Receive and Handle Messages from FCM on Android
• Contribute
• Get Help

Installation

In the Command prompt / Terminal navigate to your application root folder and run:

tns plugin add nativescript-push-notifications

Configuration

Android

See the Android Configuration for using Firebase Cloud Messaging for information about how to add Firebase to your project.

• Edit the

  package.json

  file in the root of application, by changing the bundle identifier to match the Firebase's project package name. For example:

  json
  "id": "org.nativescript.PushNotificationApp"
  

• Edit the

  app/App_Resources/Android/app.gradle

  file of your application, by changing the application ID to match the bundle identifier from the package.json. For example:

  Groovy
  android {
  // ...
      defaultConfig {
          applicationId = "org.nativescript.PushNotificationApp"
      }
  // ...
  }
  

• Go to the application folder and add the Android platform to the application

  bash
  tns platform add android
  

• Add the

  google-settings.json

  file with the FCM configuration to the

  app/App_Resources/Android folder

  in your app. If this file is not added, building the app for android will fail.

The plugin will default to version 12.0.1 of the

firebase-messaging

firebaseMessagingVersion

    // in the root level of /app/App_Resources/Android/app.gradle:
    project.ext {
        firebaseMessagingVersion = "+" // OR the version you wish
    }

iOS

• Ensure you have set up an App in your Apple Developer account, with Push Notifications enabled and configured. More on this in the Apple's AddingCapabilities documentation >

  Configuring Push Notifications

  section.

• Edit the package.json file in the root of application, by changing the bundle identifier to match the App ID. For example:

  json
  "id": "org.nativescript.PushNotificationApp"
  

• Go to the application folder and add the iOS platform to the application

  bash
  tns build ios
  

• Go to (application folder)/platforms/ios and open the XCode project. Enable Push Notifications in the project Capabilities options. In case you don't have XCode, go to (application folder)/platforms/ios/(application folder name) , find *.entitlements file and add to it

  aps-environment

  key and its value as shown below:

  xml
  
  
      aps-environment
      development
  
  
  

Usage

Using the plugin in Android

Add code in your view model or component to subscribe and receive messages (don't forget to enter your Firebase Cloud Messaging Sender ID in the options of the register method):

TypeScript

import * as pushPlugin from "nativescript-push-notifications";
private pushSettings = {
    senderID: "", // Required: setting with the sender/project number
    notificationCallbackAndroid: (stringifiedData: String, fcmNotification: any) => {
        const notificationBody = fcmNotification && fcmNotification.getBody();
        this.updateMessage("Message received!\n" + notificationBody + "\n" + stringifiedData);
    }
};
pushPlugin.register(pushSettings, (token: String) => {
    alert("Device registered. Access token: " + token);;
}, function() { });

Javascript

var pushPlugin = require("nativescript-push-notifications");
var pushSettings = {
        senderID: "", // Required: setting with the sender/project number
        notificationCallbackAndroid: function (stringifiedData, fcmNotification) {
            var notificationBody = fcmNotification && fcmNotification.getBody();
            _this.updateMessage("Message received!\n" + notificationBody + "\n" + stringifiedData);
        }
    };
pushPlugin.register(pushSettings, function (token) {
    alert("Device registered. Access token: " + token);
}, function() { });

• Run the app on the phone or emulator:

  bash
  tns run android
  

• The access token is written in the console and displayed on the device after the plugin sucessfully subscribes to receive notifications. When a notification comes, the message will be displayed in the notification area if the app is closed or handled directly in the notificationCallbackAndroid callback if the app is open.

Using the plugin in iOS

Add code in your view model or component to subscribe and receive messages:

TypeScript

import * as pushPlugin from "nativescript-push-notifications";
const iosSettings = {
    badge: true,
    sound: true,
    alert: true,
    interactiveSettings: {
        actions: [{
            identifier: 'READ_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Read',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: false,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }, {
            identifier: 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Cancel',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: true,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }],
        categories: [{
            identifier: 'READ_CATEGORY',
            actionsForDefaultContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER'],
            actionsForMinimalContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER']
        }]
    },
    notificationCallbackIOS: (message: any) => {
        alert("Message received!\n" + JSON.stringify(message));
    }
};

pushPlugin.register(iosSettings, (token: String) => {
    alert("Device registered. Access token: " + token);
// Register the interactive settings
if(iosSettings.interactiveSettings) {
    pushPlugin.registerUserNotificationSettings(() => {
        alert('Successfully registered for interactive push.');
    }, (err) => {
        alert('Error registering for interactive push: ' + JSON.stringify(err));
    });
}
}, (errorMessage: any) => {
    alert("Device NOT registered! " + JSON.stringify(errorMessage));
});

Javascript

var pushPlugin = require("nativescript-push-notifications");
var iosSettings = {
    badge: true,
    sound: true,
    alert: true,
    interactiveSettings: {
        actions: [{
            identifier: 'READ_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Read',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: false,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }, {
            identifier: 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Cancel',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: true,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }],
        categories: [{
            identifier: 'READ_CATEGORY',
            actionsForDefaultContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER'],
            actionsForMinimalContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER']
        }]
    },
    notificationCallbackIOS: function (data) {
        alert("message", "" + JSON.stringify(data));
    }
};

pushPlugin.register(iosSettings, function (data) {
    alert("Device registered. Access token" + data);
// Register the interactive settings
    if(iosSettings.interactiveSettings) {
        pushPlugin.registerUserNotificationSettings(function() {
            alert('Successfully registered for interactive push.');
        }, function(err) {
            alert('Error registering for interactive push: ' + JSON.stringify(err));
        });
    }
}, function() { });

• Run the app on the phone or simulator:

  bash
  tns run ios
  

• [HINT] Install the pusher app to send notifications to the device being debugged on. In the 'device push token' field paste the device access token generated in the {N} CLI / XCode debug console after launching the app.

API Reference

Methods

register(options, successCallback, errorCallback) - subscribe the device with Apple/Google push notifications services so the app can receive notifications

| Option | Platform | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | senderID | Android | String | The Sender ID for the FCM project. This option is required for Android. | | notificationCallbackAndroid | Android | Function | Callback to invoke, when a push is received on Android. | | badge | iOS | Boolean | Enable setting the badge through Push Notification. | | sound | iOS | Boolean | Enable playing a sound. | | alert | iOS | Boolean | Enable creating a alert. | | clearBadge | iOS | Boolean | Enable clearing the badge on push registration. | | notificationCallbackIOS | iOS | Function | Callback to invoke, when a push is received on iOS. | | interactiveSettings | iOS | Object | Interactive settings for use when registerUserNotificationSettings is used on iOS. |

The interactiveSettings object for iOS can contain the following:

| Option | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | actions | Array | A list of iOS interactive notification actions. | | categories | Array | A list of iOS interactive notification categories. |

The

actions

| Option | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | identifier | String | Required. String identifier of the action. | | title | String | Required. Title of the button action. | | activationMode | String | Set to either "foreground" or "background" to launch the app in foreground/background and respond to the action. | | destructive | Boolean | Enable if the action is destructive. Will change the action color to red instead of the default. | | authenticationRequired | Boolean | Enable if the device must be unlocked to perform the action. | | behavior | String | Set if the action has a different behavior - e.g. text input. |

The

categories

| Option | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | identifier | String | Required. String identifier of the category. | | actionsForDefaultContext | Array | Required. Array of string identifiers of actions. | | actionsForMinimalContext | Array | Required. Array of string identifiers of actions. |

For more information about iOS interactive notifications, please visit the Apple Developer site

var settings = {
    badge: true,
    sound: true,
    alert: true,
    interactiveSettings: {
        actions: [{
            identifier: 'READ_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Read',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: false,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }, {
        identifier: 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER',
            title: 'Cancel',
            activationMode: "foreground",
            destructive: true,
            authenticationRequired: true
        }],
        categories: [{
            identifier: 'READ_CATEGORY',
            actionsForDefaultContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER'],
            actionsForMinimalContext: ['READ_IDENTIFIER', 'CANCEL_IDENTIFIER']
        }]
    },
    notificationCallbackIOS: function(message) {
        alert(JSON.stringify(message));
    }
};


pushPlugin.register(settings,
    // Success callback
    function(token){
        // Register the interactive settings
        if(settings.interactiveSettings) {
            pushPlugin.registerUserNotificationSettings(function() {
                alert('Successfully registered for interactive push.');
            }, function(err) {
                alert('Error registering for interactive push: ' + JSON.stringify(err));
            });
        }
    },
    // Error Callback
    function(error){
        alert(error.message);
    }
);

unregister(successCallback, errorCallback, options) - unsubscribe the device so the app stops receiving push notifications. The options object is the same as on the

register

method

| Parameter | Platform | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | successCallback | iOS | Function | Called when app is successfully unsubscribed. Has one object parameter with the result. | | successCallback | Android | Function | Called when app is successfully unsubscribed. Has one string parameter with the result. | | errorCallback | Android | Function | Called when app is NOT successfully unsubscribed. Has one parameter containing the error. | | options | Android | Function | Called when app is NOT successfully unsubscribed. Has one parameter containing the error. |

pushPlugin.unregister(
    // Success callback
    function(result) {
        alert('Device unregistered successfully');
    },
    // Error Callback
    function(errorMessage) {
        alert(errorMessage);
    },
    // The settings from the registration phase
    settings
);

areNotificationsEnabled(successCallback) - check if push notifications are enabled (iOS only, always returns true on Android)

| Parameter | Platform | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | successCallback | iOS/Android | Function | Called with one boolean parameter containing the result from the notifications enabled check. |

pushPlugin.areNotificationsEnabled(function(areEnabled) {
        alert('Are Notifications enabled: ' + areEnabled);
    });

Android only

onMessageReceived(callback) DEPRECATED - register a callback function to execute when receiving a notification. You should set this from the

notificationCallbackAndroid

registration option instead

| Parameter | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | stringifiedData | String | A string containing JSON data from the notification | | fcmNotification | Object | iOS/Android | Function | The FCMNotification object. |

The fcmNotification object contains the following methods:

| Method | Returns | | --- | --- | | getBody() | String | | getBodyLocalizationArgs() | String[] | | getBodyLocalizationKey() | String | | getClickAction() | String | | getColor() | String | | getIcon() | String | | getSound() | String | | getTag() | String | | getTitle() | String | | getTitleLocalizationArgs() | String[] | | getTitleLocalizationKey() | String |

onTokenRefresh(callback) - register a callback function to execute when the old token is revoked and a new token is obtained. Note that the token is not passed to the callback as an argument. If you need the new token value, you'll need to call

register

again or add some native code to obtain the token from FCM

| Parameter | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | callback | Function | Called with no arguments. |

pushPlugin.onTokenRefresh(function() {
        alert("new token obtained");
});

iOS only

registerUserNotificationSettings(successCallback, errorCallback) - used to register for interactive push on iOS

| Parameter | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | successCallback | Function | Called when app is successfully unsubscribed. Has one object parameter with the result. | | errorCallback | Function | Called when app is NOT successfully unsubscribed. Has one parameter containing the error. |

Troubleshooting

In case the application doesn't work as expected. Here are some things you can verify

Troubleshooting issues in Android

• When the application is started using

  tns run android

  (i.e. in debug mode with livesync) some background notifications might not be received correctly. This happens because the app is not started in a normal way for debugging and the resume from background happens differently. To receive all notifications correctly, stop the app (swipe it away it from the recent apps list) and start it again by tapping the app icon on the device.

• Thе

  google-services

  plugin is added automatically. If this fails, you can try adding it manually:
• • Navigate to the project

    platforms/android/

    folder and locate the application-level

    build.gradle

    file
• • Add the

    google-services

    plugin to the list of other dependencies in your app's

    build.gradle

    file

    Groovy
    dependencies {
    // ...
    classpath "com.google.gms:google-services:3.0.0"
    // ...
    }
    

• • Add the following line be at the bottom of your

    build.gradle

    file to enable the Gradle plugin

    Groovy
    apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'
    

• Ensure that the AndroidManifest.xml located at platforms/android/build/... (do not add it in your "App_Resources/Android/AndroidManifest.xml" file) contains the following snippets for registering the GCM listener:

  XML
  
  
      
          
          
      
  
  
      
          
      
  
  

• Ensure that the AndroidManifest.xml located at platforms/android/build/... contains the following permissions for push notifications:

  xml
  
  
  

Troubleshooting issues in iOS

• Error "Error registering: no valid 'aps-environment' entitlement string found for application" - this means that the certificates are not correctly set in the xcodeproject. Open the xcodeproject, fix them and you can even run the application from xcode to verify it's setup correctly. The bundle identifier in xcode should be the same as the "id" in the package.json file in the root of the project. Also make sure that "Push Notifications" is switched ON in the "Capabilities" page of the project settings.

Android Configuration for using Firebase Cloud Messaging

The

nativescript-push-notifications

1. Add the

   google-services.json

   file

   To use FCM, you need this file. It contains configurations and credentials for your Firebase project. To obtain this follow the instructions for adding Firebase to your project from the official documentation. Scroll down to the Manually add Firebase section.

   Place the file in your app's

   App_Resources/Android

   folder

2. Obtain the FCM Server Key (optional)

   This key is required to be able to send programmatically push notifications to your app. You can obtain this key from your Firebase project.

Receive and Handle Messages from FCM on Android

The plugin allows for handling data, notification, and messages that contain both payload keys which for the purposes of this article are reffered to as mixed. More specifics on these messages are explained here.

The plugin extends the

FirebaseMessagingService

onMessageReceived

notificationCallbackAndroid

register

The behavior of the callback in the module follows the behavior of the FCM service.

Handling Data Messages

The

notificationCallbackAndroid

data

If the app is stopped or suspended, NO notification is constructed and placed in the tray. Tapping the app icon launches the app and invokes the

notificationCallbackAndroid

If the app is active and in foreground, the

notificationCallbackAndroid

Handling Notification Messages

If the app is active and in foreground, it invokes the

notificationCallbackAndroid

If the app is in background, a notification is put in the tray. When tapped, it launches the app, but does not invoke the

notificationCallbackAndroid

Handling Mixed Messages

Mixed messages are messages that contain in their load both data and notification keys. When such message is received:

• The app is in foreground, the

  notificationCallbackAndroid

  callback is invoked with parameters (stringifiedData, fcmNotification)
• The app is in background, the

  notificationCallbackAndroid

  callback is not invoked. A notification is placed in the system tray. If the notification in the tray is tapped, the

  data

  part of the mixed message is available in the extras of the intent of the activity and are available in the respective application event of NativeScript.

Example of handling the

data

application.on(application.resumeEvent, function(args) {
    if (args.android) {
        var act = args.android;
        var intent = act.getIntent();
        var extras = intent.getExtras();
        if (extras) {
            // for (var key in extras) {
            //     console.log(key + ' -> ' + extras[key]);
            // }
            var msg = extras.get('someKey');
        }
    }
});

Parameters of the notificationCallbackAndroid Callback

Depending on the notification event and payload, the

notificationCallbackAndroid

• stringifiedData

  - String. A stringified JSON representation of the

  data

  value in the notification payload.

• fcmNotification

  -

  RemoteMessage.Notification

  . A representation of the

  RemoteMessage.Notification

  class which can be accessed according to its public methods. This parameter is available in case the callback was called from a message with a

  notification

  key in the payload.

Setting Notification Icon and Color

The plugin automatically handles some keys in the

data

message

title

color

smallIcon

largeIcon

Custom default color and icon for notification messages can be set in the

AndroidManifest.xml

application

XML

For more info visit the Edit the app manifest article.

Contribute

We love PRs! Check out the contributing guidelines. If you want to contribute, but you are not sure where to start - look for issues labeled

help wanted

Get Help

Please, use github issues strictly for reporting bugs or requesting features. For general questions and support, check out Stack Overflow or ask our experts in NativeScript community Slack channel.