Send push notifications via Insert [Android]

By following a few simple steps, you can use Insert to send and receive push notifications in your app. Before you complete the appropriate configuration steps in Insert, be sure that your Android app is properly configured for push notifications. Consult Android documentation for more details.

After ensuring your app is enabled to receive push notifications, you need to complete two steps that are specific to Insert. First, you need to provide your Google Cloud Messaging API Key so that Insert can send push notifications to the app. Second, you need to add a small amount of code to your app.

To provide the API key, navigate to the Apps page and then click on your app in the list. Next, click the App Details link in the menu on the left. You will see a section called Push Settings. Click the edit icon, and then set your API key and optionally the name of an icon image and sound file in your app.

Second, you need to add code that sends the push token that your app receives to Insert.

Insert.setPushId(<token>) - where <token> is the push token received from Google APIs.

Make sure to call this method from a background service and not from the main (UI) thread of your application. The approach differs based on whether you are using Firebase Cloud Messaging or Google Cloud Messaging. See the below for more details.

Firebase Instructions

If you're using Firebase Cloud Messaging, you will need to extend the FirebaseInstanceIdService and call (Insert.setPushId(<token>)) from the "onTokenRefresh()" callback. Firebase knows to start this service whenever a new token is generated so you don't need to do any additional work.

GCM Instructions

If you're using GCM, Google instructs you to create your own RegistrationIntentService in your app. Within the RegistrationIntentService you need to add the call to Insert.setPushId. See this following screenshot for an example:

You now need to start the registration service from two places:

1. In the onCreate() method of your launcher/main activity. 

Intent intent = new Intent(this, RegistrationIntentService.class);
startService(intent);

2. From the InstanceIDListenerService. This listener service should be created by following the Google GCM instructions. See the following screenshot for an example:

 

 

Using Cordova with Push Notification

• Create a new Cordova Project or use an existing project.
• Add the insert plug-in as discussed in here
• Add  the Push notification cordova plug in using the following command line:
  
          cordova plugin add phonegap-plugin-push --variable SENDER_ID=<sender-id>
  
• Add the following code after "onDeviceReady" in your javascript file

    var push = PushNotification.init({ "android": {"senderID": "<sender-id>"},
         "ios": {"alert": "true", "badge": "true", "sound": "true"}, "windows": {} } );

    push.on('registration', function(data) {
         window.plugins.Insert.setPushId(data.registrationId);

    });

    push.on('notification', function(data) {

        // this function will be called when the push notification is received by the app
    });

    push.on('error', function(e) {

        console.log(e.message);

    });