Re: geolocation.setCurrentPosition({...}): a way to debug geolocation and give more power to users.

I think this is out of scope of the working group.

Regards,
Doug

On Aug 23, 2011, at 8:58 AM, louis-rémi Babé wrote:

> Yes, this is what I want to do.
> This kind of API shouldn't be able to control browser features such as
> permission prompt.
> 
> Looking at NetworkGeolocationProvider.js in Mozilla central, this
> doesn't appear easy to do.
> And it is impossible to do in all other browsers.
> 
> I'm aware that allowing developers to debug an API is not usually part
> of that API design. But most APIs are still easy to debug (it is
> possible to generate custom events to debug event based APIs for
> instance). Developers are able to create their own tools and do not
> have to wait for browser vendors to implement ready to use tools.
> 
> The geolocation API can currently be only debugged if you own the
> source code of the application and insert "debugging hooks".
> 
> I think this situation is not ideal. And I think giving users an easy
> way to control the position info sent to websites is important too.
> 
> Lr
> 
> 2011/8/17 Doug Turner <doug.turner@gmail.com>:
>> So, in general, you want a way to setup a mock position for testing purposes?  Do you also want to be able to control the permission prompt in this case?
>> 
>> In FF's case, it is trivial to write an add-on that does this - something that you can share with other users.  (In fact, our test infrastructure basically has exactly this without the add-on packaging).
>> 
>> Doug
>> 
>> On Aug 17, 2011, at 8:31 AM, louis-rémi Babé wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi all,
>>> 
>>> I'm currently frustrated by the lack of debuging tools regarding the
>>> geolocation API, as opposed to other event based device APIs such as
>>> deviceorientation.
>>> 
>>> To debug deviceorientation, I can simply generate a custom event right
>>> from my js console using create/init/dispatchEvent.
>>> And I can do so on any website listening to deviceorientation events
>>> (I don't need to be the author).
>>> 
>>> It is impossible to do the same thing with the geolocation API. To
>>> debug it I need the following kind of code:
>>> 
>>>     // can't use inline handler
>>>     function positionHandler( event ) {
>>>         ...
>>>     }
>>>     navigator.geolocation.watchPosition( positionHandler );
>>>     // need to create a global "debug object" to make the
>>>     // positionHandler available from my js console
>>>     window.updatePosition = positionHandler;
>>> 
>>> It requires to add one extra line to my code for debugging purpose,
>>> and I need to be the author of the website.
>>> I can alternatively write a geolocation provider for my Web browser,
>>> but that requires a far larger amount of work, a kind of knowledge
>>> that Web developers do not necessarily have, and it isn't a cross
>>> browser solution.
>>> 
>>> geolocation.setCurrentPosition() would allow to create a fake position
>>> in the flow of "real" position updates.
>>> Users could simply ignore the "permission prompt" on a website and use
>>> setCurrentPosition() to have complete control over the position
>>> updates provided to a website.
>>> 
>>> Thank you in advance for your feedback,
>>> louisremi@mozilla.com
>>> 
>> 
>>

Received on Tuesday, 23 August 2011 17:22:01 UTC