Announcing the Capacitor Barometer Plugin

We're pleased to introduce the Capacitor Barometer plugin, bringing atmospheric pressure sensing capabilities to your Capacitor applications. This plugin enables precise barometric measurements in hectopascals (hPa) with support for real-time updates and sensor availability detection across Android and iOS platforms. The plugin is now available for all Capawesome Insiders.

Whether you're building weather applications, altitude tracking systems, or environmental monitoring tools, this plugin provides the foundation for atmospheric pressure data integration in your cross-platform apps.

Installation

To install the Capacitor Barometer plugin, please refer to the Installation section in the plugin documentation.

Usage

The Capacitor Barometer plugin provides a comprehensive API for atmospheric pressure monitoring with both single measurements and continuous updates. Let's explore the core functionality that makes this plugin essential for environmental sensing applications.

Checking sensor availability

Before requesting measurements, verify that the device has a barometer sensor using the isAvailable() method:

import { Barometer } from '@capawesome-team/capacitor-barometer';

const checkBarometerSupport = async () => {
  const { isAvailable } = await Barometer.isAvailable();

  if (isAvailable) {
    console.log('Barometer sensor is available on this device');
    // Proceed with barometer operations
  } else {
    console.log('Barometer sensor is not available');
    // Handle gracefully or show alternative UI
  }
};

This check ensures your app gracefully handles devices without barometer sensors and provides appropriate user feedback.

Managing permissions

Handle sensor permissions appropriately using the permission methods provided by the plugin:

import { Barometer } from '@capawesome-team/capacitor-barometer';

const handleBarometerPermissions = async () => {
  // Check current permission status
  const permissions = await Barometer.checkPermissions();

  if (permissions.sensors !== 'granted') {
    // Request permission if not already granted
    const result = await Barometer.requestPermissions();

    if (result.sensors === 'granted') {
      console.log('Sensor permission granted');
      // Proceed with barometer operations
    } else {
      console.log('Sensor permission denied');
      // Handle permission denial
    }
  }
};

This ensures your app has the necessary permissions to access the barometer sensor, enhancing user trust and compliance with platform guidelines.

Getting a single measurement

Use the getMeasurement() method to retrieve the current atmospheric pressure reading from the device's barometer sensor:

import { Barometer } from '@capawesome-team/capacitor-barometer';

const getCurrentPressure = async () => {
  try {
    const { measurement } = await Barometer.getMeasurement();
    console.log('Current pressure:', measurement.pressure, 'hPa'); 

    // Optional: Calculate relative altitude if available
    if (measurement.relativeAltitude !== undefined) {
      console.log('Relative altitude:', measurement.relativeAltitude, 'm');
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Failed to get barometer measurement:', error);
  }
};

The measurement object contains the pressure value in hectopascals, providing you with accurate atmospheric pressure data for your application's needs.

Real-time measurement updates

For applications requiring continuous atmospheric pressure monitoring, use the startMeasurementUpdates() method to receive real-time pressure readings:

import { Barometer } from '@capawesome-team/capacitor-barometer';

const startContinuousMonitoring = async () => {
  // Listen for measurement updates
  Barometer.addListener('measurementReceived', (event) => {
    console.log('New pressure reading:', event.measurement.pressure, 'hPa');
  });

  // Start receiving measurement updates
  await Barometer.startMeasurementUpdates();
};

const stopContinuousMonitoring = async () => {
  // Stop measurement updates to conserve battery
  await Barometer.stopMeasurementUpdates();

  // Remove all listeners
  Barometer.removeAllListeners();
};

Remember to call stopMeasurementUpdates() when continuous monitoring is no longer needed to preserve device battery life.

Conclusion

The Capacitor Barometer plugin delivers reliable atmospheric pressure sensing for environmental monitoring, weather applications, and altitude tracking systems. With its intuitive API and cross-platform compatibility, you can easily integrate barometric measurements into your Capacitor applications.

Explore the complete API Reference to discover additional features and configuration options. Have ideas for enhancements Create a feature request in our GitHub repository.

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