Display your location history on the map.

Use case
You can track device location history and display it as lines and points on the map. The history can be used to visualize how the user moved through the world, to retrace their steps, or to create new feature geometry. An unmapped trail, for example, could be added to the map using this technique.
How to use the sample
Click ‘Start tracking’ to start tracking your location, which will appear as points on the map. A line will connect the points for easier visualization. Click ‘Stop tracking’ to stop updating the location history. This sample uses a simulated data source to allow the sample to be useful on desktop/non-mobile devices. To track a user’s real position, use the DefaultLocationDataSource instead.
How it works
- If necessary, request location permission from the operating system.
- Create a graphics overlay to show each point and another graphics overlay for displaying the route line.
- Create a
SimulatedLocationDataSourceand initialize it with a polyline. Start theSimulatedLocationDataSourceto begin receiving location updates.- NOTE: To track a user’s real position, use
DefaultLocationDataSourceinstead.
- NOTE: To track a user’s real position, use
- Connect to the
LocationDisplay’sLocationChangedsignal to handle location updates. - Every time the location updates, store that location, display a point on the map, and re-create the route line.
Relevant API
- Location::position
- LocationDisplay::autoPanMode
- LocationDisplay::dataSource
- LocationDisplay::locationChanged
- MapView::locationDisplay
- SimulatedLocationDataSource
About the data
A custom set of points is used to create a Polyline and initialize a SimulatedLocationDataSource. This simulated location data source enables easier testing and allows the sample to be used on devices without an actively updating GPS signal.
Tags
bread crumb, breadcrumb, GPS, history, movement, navigation, real-time, trace, track, trail
Sample Code
// [WriteFile Name=ShowLocationHistory, Category=Maps]// [Legal]// Copyright 2020 Esri.//// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.// You may obtain a copy of the License at// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0//// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and// limitations under the License.// [Legal]
#ifdef PCH_BUILD#include "pch.hpp"#endif // PCH_BUILD
// sample headers#include "ShowLocationHistory.h"
// ArcGIS Maps SDK headers#include "Graphic.h"#include "GraphicListModel.h"#include "GraphicsOverlay.h"#include "GraphicsOverlayListModel.h"#include "Location.h"#include "LocationDisplay.h"#include "Map.h"#include "MapQuickView.h"#include "MapTypes.h"#include "MapViewTypes.h"#include "Polyline.h"#include "PolylineBuilder.h"#include "SimpleLineSymbol.h"#include "SimpleMarkerSymbol.h"#include "SimpleRenderer.h"#include "SimulatedLocationDataSource.h"#include "SimulationParameters.h"#include "SpatialReference.h"#include "SymbolTypes.h"
// Qt headers#include <QDateTime>#include <QFuture>
using namespace Esri::ArcGISRuntime;
namespace{constexpr int initialZoomScale = 8000;const Point initialCenter(-13185535.98, 4037766.28);const QString polylineJson("{\"paths\":[[[-13185646.046666779,4037971.5966668758],[-13185586.780000051,4037827.6633333955]," "[-13185514.813333312,4037709.1299999417],[-13185569.846666701,4037522.8633330846]," "[-13185591.01333339,4037378.9299996048],[-13185629.113333428,4037283.6799995075]," "[-13185770.93000024,4037425.4966663187],[-13185821.730000293,4037546.146666442]," "[-13185880.996667018,4037704.8966666036],[-13185948.730000421,4037874.2300001099]," "[-13185974.130000448,4037946.1966668498],[-13186120.180000596,4037958.896666863]," "[-13186264.113334076,4037984.296666889],[-13186336.080000836,4038001.2300002342]," "[-13186314.91333415,4037757.8133333195],[-13186272.580000773,4037560.9633331187]," "[-13186187.913334005,4037463.59666635],[-13186431.33000092,4037404.3299996229]," "[-13186676.863334503,4037290.0299995062],[-13187625.130002158,4038589.6633341513]," "[-13187333.030001862,4038756.8800009824],[-13187091.730001617,4038617.1800008402]," "[-13186791.163334643,4038805.5633343654],[-13186721.313334571,4038801.3300010278]," "[-13186833.49666802,4038195.9633337436],[-13186977.677439401,4037699.8176972247]," "[-13186784.921301765,4037820.4541915278],[-13186749.517113185,4038150.8932846226]," "[-13186649.860878762,4038288.5762400767],[-13186556.760975549,4038323.9804286221]," "[-13186472.839936033,4038481.3323777127],[-13186373.183701571,4038489.1999751539]," "[-13186344.335844241,4038242.6819215398],[-13186126.665647998,4038308.245233661]," "[-13185814.584282301,4038358.0733508728],[-13185651.987268206,4038116.8003622484]," "[-13185203.534213299,4038048.6145176427],[-13184576.748949422,4038150.8932845518]," "[-13184251.55492135,4037833.5668537691],[-13184146.653621957,4037524.1080205571]," "[-13183949.963685593,4037621.1417224966],[-13183687.71043711,4037781.1162040718]," "[-13183480.530370807,4037875.5273735262],[-13182307.629999243,4037859.7460188437]," "[-13181376.039484169,4037820.9297473822],[-13180716.162869323,4038364.3575478429]," "[-13180182.439136729,4038810.7446696493],[-13178474.523192419,4040237.2426458625]," "[-13178321.134040033,4039740.6894803117],[-13177958.020228144,4039140.1550991111]," "[-13177073.512224896,4037459.5898928214],[-13177757.842101147,4037589.9384406791]," "[-13178386.308314031,4037799.427178307],[-13180095.012208173,4037811.6550856642]," "[-13180126.165447287,4036845.9046731163],[-13179806.844746364,4036324.0879179495]," "[-13180928.361354485,4035887.9425703473],[-13181598.155995468,4035428.432293402]," "[-13182984.47513606,4034447.105261297],[-13182229.264383668,4033222.8051626245]," "[-13182058.735615831,4033339.8690072047],[-13181939.035180708,4033691.2477038498]," "[-13182116.65518121,4033861.1450956347],[-13181792.305615077,4034085.1007484416]," "[-13182027.845180977,4034467.3698799671],[-13181877.254310986,4034644.9898804692]," "[-13181630.130832028,4034517.5668366305],[-13181386.868657427,4034424.8955320208]," "[-13181228.555178719,4034652.7124891868],[-13181379.14604871,4034942.3103160923]," "[-13181267.168222306,4035189.4337950516],[-13181074.103004368,4035015.6750989081]," "[-13180807.673003616,4034934.5877073747],[-13180618.469090037,4034814.8872722536]," "[-13180599.162568243,4035374.7764042714],[-13181047.073873857,4035494.476839392]," "[-13181317.365178969,4035413.3894478586],[-13180765.198655669,4035143.0981427468]," "[-13180328.871263131,4034892.1133594285],[-13180270.951697765,4035258.9372735149]," "[-13180325.009958787,4035718.4324922049],[-13180707.279090302,4035695.2646660525]," "[-13181413.897788007,4035536.9511873648],[-13181618.54691902,4035807.2424924765]," "[-13181884.976919774,4036065.949884512],[-13182159.129529245,4035861.3007534989]," "[-13182174.57474668,4035668.2355355616],[-13182417.83692128,4035664.374231203]," "[-13182784.660835361,4035409.5281435261],[-13182997.032575091,4035255.0759691764]," "[-13182618.624747934,4034679.7416197238]]]," "\"spatialReference\":{\"wkid\":102100,\"latestWkid\":3857}}");}
ShowLocationHistory::ShowLocationHistory(QObject* parent /* = nullptr */): QObject(parent), m_map(new Map(BasemapStyle::ArcGISDarkGray, this)), m_locationHistoryOverlay(new GraphicsOverlay(this)), m_locationHistoryLineOverlay(new GraphicsOverlay(this)){ // graphics overlay for displaying the trail SimpleLineSymbol* locationLineSymbol = new SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbolStyle::Solid, Qt::green, 2, this); m_locationHistoryLineOverlay->setRenderer(new SimpleRenderer(locationLineSymbol, this)); m_locationHistoryLineGraphic = new Graphic(this); m_locationHistoryLineOverlay->graphics()->append(m_locationHistoryLineGraphic);
// graphics overlay for showing points SimpleMarkerSymbol* locationPointSymbol = new SimpleMarkerSymbol(SimpleMarkerSymbolStyle::Circle, Qt::red, 3, this); m_locationHistoryOverlay->setRenderer(new SimpleRenderer(locationPointSymbol, this));
m_polylineBuilder = new PolylineBuilder(SpatialReference::webMercator(), this); m_simulatedLocationDataSource = new SimulatedLocationDataSource(this);}
void ShowLocationHistory::handleLocationChanges(){ SimulationParameters* simulationParameters = new SimulationParameters(QDateTime::currentDateTime(), 30.0, 0.0, 0.0, this); // set speed
m_simulatedLocationDataSource->setLocationsWithPolyline(geometry_cast<Polyline>(Geometry::fromJson(polylineJson)), simulationParameters);
m_mapView->locationDisplay()->setDataSource(m_simulatedLocationDataSource); m_mapView->locationDisplay()->setAutoPanMode(LocationDisplayAutoPanMode::Recenter); m_mapView->locationDisplay()->setInitialZoomScale(initialZoomScale); m_mapView->locationDisplay()->start();
m_simulatedLocationDataSource->start();
// if tracking is enabled then show location history connect(m_mapView->locationDisplay(), &LocationDisplay::locationChanged, this, [this](const Location& location) { if (!m_trackingEnabled) { return; }
// clear old route m_locationHistoryLineGraphic->setGeometry(Geometry());
if (m_lastPosition.isValid()) { m_polylineBuilder->addPoint(m_lastPosition); m_locationHistoryOverlay->graphics()->append(new Graphic(m_lastPosition, this)); }
// store the current position m_lastPosition = location.position();
// update the polyline m_locationHistoryLineGraphic->setGeometry(m_polylineBuilder->toGeometry()); });}
ShowLocationHistory::~ShowLocationHistory() = default;
void ShowLocationHistory::init(){ // Register the map view for QML qmlRegisterType<MapQuickView>("Esri.Samples", 1, 0, "MapView"); qmlRegisterType<ShowLocationHistory>("Esri.Samples", 1, 0, "ShowLocationHistorySample");}
MapQuickView* ShowLocationHistory::mapView() const{ return m_mapView;}
// Set the view (created in QML)void ShowLocationHistory::setMapView(MapQuickView* mapView){ if (!mapView || mapView == m_mapView) return;
m_mapView = mapView; m_mapView->setMap(m_map);
// set initial viewpoint near UCLA, Los Angeles m_mapView->setViewpointCenterAsync(initialCenter, initialZoomScale);
m_mapView->graphicsOverlays()->append(m_locationHistoryLineOverlay); m_mapView->graphicsOverlays()->append(m_locationHistoryOverlay);
handleLocationChanges();
emit mapViewChanged();}// [WriteFile Name=ShowLocationHistory, Category=Maps]// [Legal]// Copyright 2020 Esri.//// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.// You may obtain a copy of the License at// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0//// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and// limitations under the License.// [Legal]
#ifndef SHOWLOCATIONHISTORY_H#define SHOWLOCATIONHISTORY_H
// ArcGIS Maps SDK headers#include "Point.h"
// Qt headers#include <QObject>
namespace Esri::ArcGISRuntime{class Graphic;class GraphicsOverlay;class Map;class MapQuickView;class PolylineBuilder;class SimulatedLocationDataSource;}
Q_MOC_INCLUDE("MapQuickView.h")
class ShowLocationHistory : public QObject{ Q_OBJECT
Q_PROPERTY(Esri::ArcGISRuntime::MapQuickView* mapView READ mapView WRITE setMapView NOTIFY mapViewChanged) Q_PROPERTY(bool trackingEnabled MEMBER m_trackingEnabled NOTIFY trackingEnabledChanged)
public: explicit ShowLocationHistory(QObject* parent = nullptr); ~ShowLocationHistory();
static void init();
signals: void mapViewChanged(); void trackingEnabledChanged();
private: Esri::ArcGISRuntime::MapQuickView* mapView() const; void setMapView(Esri::ArcGISRuntime::MapQuickView* mapView); void handleLocationChanges();
Esri::ArcGISRuntime::Map* m_map = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::MapQuickView* m_mapView = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::GraphicsOverlay* m_locationHistoryOverlay = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::GraphicsOverlay* m_locationHistoryLineOverlay = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::Graphic* m_locationHistoryLineGraphic = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::PolylineBuilder* m_polylineBuilder = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::SimulatedLocationDataSource* m_simulatedLocationDataSource = nullptr; Esri::ArcGISRuntime::Point m_lastPosition; bool m_trackingEnabled = false;};
#endif // SHOWLOCATIONHISTORY_H// [WriteFile Name=ShowLocationHistory, Category=Maps]// [Legal]// Copyright 2020 Esri.//// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.// You may obtain a copy of the License at// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0//// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and// limitations under the License.// [Legal]
import QtQuickimport QtQuick.Controlsimport Esri.Samples
Item {
// add a mapView component MapView { id: view anchors.fill: parent
Component.onCompleted: { // Set the focus on MapView to initially enable keyboard navigation forceActiveFocus(); }
Button { id: button text: model.trackingEnabled ? "Stop tracking" : "Start tracking" anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter width: 200 onClicked: model.trackingEnabled =! model.trackingEnabled } }
// Declare the C++ instance which creates the map etc. and supply the view ShowLocationHistorySample { id: model mapView: view }}// [Legal]// Copyright 2020 Esri.//// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.// You may obtain a copy of the License at// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0//// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and// limitations under the License.// [Legal]
// sample headers#include "ShowLocationHistory.h"
// ArcGIS Maps SDK headers#include "ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment.h"
// Qt headers#include <QDir>#include <QGuiApplication>#include <QQmlApplicationEngine>
// Platform specific headers#ifdef Q_OS_WIN#include <Windows.h>#endif
int main(int argc, char *argv[]){ Esri::ArcGISRuntime::ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment::setUseLegacyAuthentication(false); QGuiApplication app(argc, argv); app.setApplicationName(QString("ShowLocationHistory"));
// Use of ArcGIS location services, such as basemap styles, geocoding, and routing services, // requires an access token. For more information see // https://links.esri.com/arcgis-runtime-security-auth.
// The following methods grant an access token:
// 1. User authentication: Grants a temporary access token associated with a user's ArcGIS account. // To generate a token, a user logs in to the app with an ArcGIS account that is part of an // organization in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.
// 2. API key authentication: Get a long-lived access token that gives your application access to // ArcGIS location services. Go to the tutorial at https://links.esri.com/create-an-api-key. // Copy the API Key access token.
const QString accessToken = QString("");
if (accessToken.isEmpty()) { qWarning() << "Use of ArcGIS location services, such as the basemap styles service, requires" << "you to authenticate with an ArcGIS account or set the API Key property."; } else { Esri::ArcGISRuntime::ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment::setApiKey(accessToken); }
// Initialize the sample ShowLocationHistory::init();
// Initialize application view QQmlApplicationEngine engine; // Add the import Path engine.addImportPath(QDir(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath()).filePath("qml"));
#ifdef ARCGIS_RUNTIME_IMPORT_PATH_2 engine.addImportPath(ARCGIS_RUNTIME_IMPORT_PATH_2);#endif
// Set the source engine.load(QUrl("qrc:/Samples/Maps/ShowLocationHistory/main.qml"));
return app.exec();}// Copyright 2020 Esri.
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.// You may obtain a copy of the License at// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and// limitations under the License.
import QtQuick.Controlsimport Esri.Samples
ApplicationWindow { visible: true width: 800 height: 600
ShowLocationHistory { anchors.fill: parent }}