Find a route and directions

Learn how to find a route and directions with the route service.

find a route and directions

Routing is the process of finding the path from an origin to a destination in a street network. You can use the Routing service to find routes, get driving directions, calculate drive times, and solve complicated, multiple vehicle routing problems. To create a route, you typically define a set of stops (origin and one or more destinations) and use the service to find a route with directions. You can also use a number of additional parameters such as barriers and mode of travel to refine the results.

In this tutorial, you define an origin and destination by clicking on the map. These values are used to get a route and directions from the route service. The directions are also displayed on the map.

Prerequisites

The following are required for this tutorial:

An ArcGIS account to access your API keys. If you don't have an account, sign up for free.
Confirm that your system meets the minimum system requirements.
An IDE for Java.

Steps

Open a Java project with Gradle

To start this tutorial, complete the Display a map tutorial, or download and unzip the Display a map solution into a new folder.
Open the build.gradle file as a project in IntelliJ IDEA.

If you downloaded the solution project, set your API key.

An API Key enables access to services, web maps, and web scenes hosted in ArcGIS Online.

Go to your developer dashboard to get your API key. For these tutorials, use your default API key. It is scoped to include all of the services demonstrated in the tutorials.
In the IntelliJ IDEA > Project tool window, open src/main/java/com.example.app and click App.

In the start() method, set the API key property on the ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment with your API key. Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API Key. Be sure to surround your API Key with quotes, because the parameter passed to setApiKey is a string.

App.java
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  @Override
  public void start(Stage stage) {
    // set the title and size of the stage and show it
    stage.setTitle("Display a map tutorial");
    stage.setWidth(800);
    stage.setHeight(700);
    stage.show();

    // create a JavaFX scene with a stack pane as the root node, and add it to the scene
    StackPane stackPane = new StackPane();
    Scene scene = new Scene(stackPane);
    stage.setScene(scene);

    // Note: it is not best practice to store API keys in source code.
    // The API key is referenced here for the convenience of this tutorial.
    String yourApiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";
    ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment.setApiKey(yourApiKey);

Add import statements and variable declarations

Add import statements and variable declarations to reference the packages and classes required for this tutorial.

In the IntelliJ IDEA > Project tool window, open src/main/java/com.example.app and click App.

Add the following imports above the existing imports:

App.java
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import com.esri.arcgisruntime.concurrent.ListenableFuture;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.Geometry;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.BasemapStyle;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.Viewpoint;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.Graphic;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.GraphicsOverlay;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleLineSymbol;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleMarkerSymbol;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.tasks.networkanalysis.Route;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteParameters;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteResult;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteTask;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.tasks.networkanalysis.Stop;

import javafx.collections.FXCollections;
import javafx.collections.ListChangeListener;
import javafx.collections.ObservableList;
import javafx.geometry.Point2D;
import javafx.geometry.Pos;
import javafx.scene.control.Alert;
import javafx.scene.control.ListView;
import javafx.scene.input.MouseButton;
import java.util.List;

import com.esri.arcgisruntime.ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.ArcGISMap;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.MapView;

import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

Within the App class, add the following member variables to easily reference them from other parts of the application:

Member variables ensure that objects are not deallocated while asynchronous methods are executing. If an object is deallocated while one of its asynchronous methods is executing, the completion callback closure will never be called.

App.java
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  private MapView mapView;

  private Graphic routeGraphic;
  private RouteTask routeTask;
  private RouteParameters routeParameters;
  private final ObservableList<Stop> routeStops = FXCollections.observableArrayList();
  private final ListView<String> directionsList = new ListView<>();

Update the map

A streets basemap layer is typically used in routing applications. Update the basemap to use the ARCGIS_STREETS basemap style, and change the position of the map to center on Los Angeles.

Update the BasemapStyle from ARCGIS_TOPOGRAPHIC to ARCGIS_STREETS.

Update the latitude and longitude coordinates to center on Los Angeles.

App.java
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    // create a MapView to display the map and add it to the stack pane
    mapView = new MapView();
    stackPane.getChildren().add(mapView);

    ArcGISMap map = new ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ARCGIS_STREETS);

    // set the map on the map view
    mapView.setMap(map);

    mapView.setViewpoint(new Viewpoint(34.05398, -118.24532, 144447.638572));
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Add a UI to display driving directions

To display the turn-by-turn directions from the route, a UI element is required.

In the start() method, set the maximum size of the directionsList (a JavaFX ListView which will display a vertical list of directions), and then add it to the stackPane.

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    ArcGISMap map = new ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ARCGIS_STREETS);

    // set the map on the map view
    mapView.setMap(map);

    mapView.setViewpoint(new Viewpoint(34.05398, -118.24532, 144447.638572));

    directionsList.setMaxSize(400, 250);
    stackPane.getChildren().add(directionsList);
    StackPane.setAlignment(directionsList, Pos.TOP_LEFT);
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Add a graphics overlay

A graphics overlay is a container for graphics. Graphics will be added later in this tutorial as a visual means to display the route stops and route result on the map.

Create a new GraphicsOverlay and add it to the mapView.

App.java
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    directionsList.setMaxSize(400, 250);
    stackPane.getChildren().add(directionsList);
    StackPane.setAlignment(directionsList, Pos.TOP_LEFT);

    GraphicsOverlay graphicsOverlay = new GraphicsOverlay();
    mapView.getGraphicsOverlays().add(graphicsOverlay);
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Create a route task and route parameters

A task makes a request to a service and returns the results. Use the RouteTask class to access a routing service.A routing service with global coverage is part of ArcGIS location services. You can also publish custom routing services using ArcGIS Enterprise.

Create a RouteTask(java.lang.String) with a string URL to reference the routing service.

App.java
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    GraphicsOverlay graphicsOverlay = new GraphicsOverlay();
    mapView.getGraphicsOverlays().add(graphicsOverlay);

    routeTask = new RouteTask("https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World");

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Get default RouteParameters objects from the routeTask and set the return directions property to true. This specifies that the route results should include turn-by-turn directions. Add a UI text prompt.

The createDefaultParametersAsync() method is asynchronous and you must handle its completion and check for errors.

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    routeTask = new RouteTask("https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World");

    ListenableFuture<RouteParameters> routeParametersFuture = routeTask.createDefaultParametersAsync();
    routeParametersFuture.addDoneListener(() -> {
      try {
        routeParameters = routeParametersFuture.get();
        routeParameters.setReturnDirections(true);
        directionsList.getItems().add("Click to add two points to the map to find a route.");

      } catch (Exception e) {
        Alert alert = new Alert(Alert.AlertType.ERROR, e.toString());
        alert.show();
        e.printStackTrace();
      }
    });
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Create origin and destination stops

A RouteTask requires at least a single origin and destination stop to find a route. Use a click handler on the mapView to add stops and display them as graphics when the map is clicked.

When a user clicks on the map, a stop will be added to a list of route stops. In this tutorial, the first click will create the origin stop and the second will create the destination stop.

Create a new addStopsOnMouseClicked() method which adds a setOnMouseClicked() listener to the mapView. Convert the clicked JavaFX Point2D to a location Point. Use the point to create a new Stop and add it to the routeStops list.

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  }

  private void addStopsOnMouseClicked() {
    mapView.setOnMouseClicked(event -> {
      if (event.isStillSincePress() && event.getButton() == MouseButton.PRIMARY) {
        Point2D mapPoint = new Point2D(event.getX(), event.getY());
        routeStops.add(new Stop(mapView.screenToLocation(mapPoint)));
      }
    });
  }
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Call addStopsOnMouseClicked() in the start() method.

App.java
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      } catch (Exception e) {
        Alert alert = new Alert(Alert.AlertType.ERROR, e.toString());
        alert.show();
        e.printStackTrace();
      }
    });

    addStopsOnMouseClicked();
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To display the stops on the map as they are added, add a listener to the routeStops ObservableList and create a new SimpleMarkerSymbol for each Stop. Use the stop's geometry to create a new Graphic and add it to the graphicsOverlay.

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    addStopsOnMouseClicked();

    routeStops.addListener((ListChangeListener<Stop>) e -> {
      // tracks the number of stops added to the map, and use it to create graphic geometry and symbol text
      int routeStopsSize = routeStops.size();
      // handle user interaction
      if (routeStopsSize == 0) {
        return;
      } else if (routeStopsSize == 1) {
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().clear();
        if (!directionsList.getItems().isEmpty())
          directionsList.getItems().clear();
        directionsList.getItems().add("Click to add two points to the map to find a route.");
      }
      // create a blue circle symbol for the stop
      SimpleMarkerSymbol stopMarker = new SimpleMarkerSymbol(SimpleMarkerSymbol.Style.CIRCLE, 0xff0000ff, 20);
      // get the stop's geometry
      Geometry routeStopGeometry = routeStops.get(routeStopsSize-1).getGeometry();

      graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(new Graphic(routeStopGeometry, stopMarker));

    });
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Find and display the route

To find the route between the origin and destination, set the stops on the route parameters and solve the route using the RouteTask. Display the route result on the map as a graphic.

When an origin and destination stop have been created, set them on the routeParameters.

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      graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(new Graphic(routeStopGeometry, stopMarker));

      if (routeStopsSize == 2) {
        // remove the mouse clicked event if two stops have been added
        mapView.setOnMouseClicked(null);
        routeParameters.setStops(routeStops);

      }
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Solve (find) the route based on the provided route parameters to obtain a RouteResult. The result is a collection of computed routes. Then, get the list of Route objects from the result. Each element represents an independent route with its own driving directions.The routing service only returns the optimal route.

The solveRouteAsync() method is asynchronous and you must handle its completion, check for errors, and confirm that a populated list of Route objects has been returned.

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      if (routeStopsSize == 2) {
        // remove the mouse clicked event if two stops have been added
        mapView.setOnMouseClicked(null);
        routeParameters.setStops(routeStops);

        // get the route and display it
        ListenableFuture<RouteResult> routeResultFuture = routeTask.solveRouteAsync(routeParameters);
        routeResultFuture.addDoneListener(() -> {
          try {
            RouteResult result = routeResultFuture.get();
            List<Route> routes = result.getRoutes();

          } catch (Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
          }
        });

      }
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Check that a route was returned, and retrieve the first one. Display this route to the map by creating a new Graphic using the route's Geometry and a SimpleLineSymbol, and add it to the graphicsOverlay.

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<CodeBlock
label="App.java"
language="java"
source="./solutions/find-a-route-and-directions/src/main/java/com/example/app/App.java"
section="getRouteGeometryContext"
addedLines="getRouteGeometry"
hideLines="addDirections"
lineIcons
showLineNumbers
expandable
/>

Get directions

You can get driving directions from the route service with the setReturnDirections() method on RouteParameters. This property was set to true in the Create a route task and route parameters section of this tutorial.

To display the driving directions, get each DirectionManeuver from the route, and add them to the directionsList.

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            if (!routes.isEmpty()) {
              Route route = routes.get(0);
              Geometry shape = route.getRouteGeometry();
              routeGraphic = new Graphic(shape, new SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0xff0000ff, 2));
              graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(routeGraphic);

              // get the direction text for each maneuver and display it as a list in the UI
              route.getDirectionManeuvers().forEach(step -> directionsList.getItems().add(step.getDirectionText()));
              // reset stops and re-enable mapview interactions once the route task has completed
              routeStops.clear();
              addStopsOnMouseClicked();
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Run the app. Ensure to run the app as a Gradle task and not as an application in your IDE. In the Gradle tool window, under Tasks > application, click run.

The map should support two clicks to create an origin and destination point and then use the route service to display the resulting route and turn-by-turn directions.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional API features, ArcGIS location services, and ArcGIS tools in these tutorials:

ArcGIS Maps SDK for Java

Find a route and directions

Solution

Estimated time

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