Send location (lat, long) via API to the chat and store it to FireBase - WORKING SOLUTION!!

[fritexvz]

I figure it out.
Go to https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/maps-static/intro.
Grab a Key with Enabled API's: https://console.cloud.google.com/home/dashboard.
Add no restrictions or use only for Android SDK.

Changes to the MainActivity.java:

...public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity ... {
LocationTrack locationTrack; // NEW HERE
...
// Location Permissions // NEW HERE
  private static final int REQUEST_LOCATION = 3;
  private static String[] PERMISSIONS_LOCATION = {
    android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION,
    android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
  };
...
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
...
  locationTrack = new LocationTrack(MainActivity.this); // NEW HERE
...
}

// DELETE OR COMMENT OUT ALL INSIDE
else if (requestCode == PLACE_PICKER_REQUEST) {
      if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
           .... // REMOVE ALL INSIDE HERE
     }
}


...
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) { ...
...
// NEW HERE UNDER STORAGE
             case R.id.sendLocation:
                verifyLocationPermissions();
                //locationPlacesIntent();
                break;

...
}
...

private void locationPlacesIntent(){
        /* COMMENT THIS OUT - DEPRECATED
            try {
            PlacePicker.IntentBuilder builder = new PlacePicker.IntentBuilder();
            startActivityForResult(builder.build(this), PLACE_PICKER_REQUEST);
        } catch (GooglePlayServicesRepairableException | GooglePlayServicesNotAvailableException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
       */ END COMMENT

      // NEW HERE - BELOW
      locationTrack = new LocationTrack(MainActivity.this);

      if (locationTrack.canGetLocation()) {

        double longitude = locationTrack.getLongitude();
        double latitude = locationTrack.getLatitude();

        Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Longitude:" + Double.toString(longitude) + "\nLatitude:" + Double.toString(latitude), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        MapModel mapModel = new MapModel(latitude +"", longitude +"");
        ChatModel chatModel = new ChatModel(userModel,Calendar.getInstance().getTime().getTime()+"",mapModel);
        mFirebaseDatabaseReference.child(CHAT_REFERENCE).push().setValue(chatModel);
      } else {
        //locationTrack.showSettingsAlert();
        Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),"Greška!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
      }
    }
.....
}

...

// NEW HERE - BELOW
public void verifyLocationPermissions() {
    // Check if we have write permission
    int permission = ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(MainActivity.this, android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION);

    if (permission != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
      // We don't have permission so prompt the user
      ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(
        MainActivity.this,
        PERMISSIONS_LOCATION,
        REQUEST_LOCATION
      );
    }else{
      // we already have permission, lets go ahead and call camera intent
      locationPlacesIntent();
    }
  }


} // END OF public class MainActivity

Create new file LocationTrack.java:

package alessandro.firebaseandroid;

import android.Manifest;
import android.app.AlertDialog;
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
import android.location.Location;
import android.location.LocationListener;
import android.location.LocationManager;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.provider.Settings;
import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class LocationTrack extends Service implements LocationListener {

  private final Context mContext;


  boolean checkGPS = false;


  boolean checkNetwork = false;

  boolean canGetLocation = false;

  Location loc;
  double latitude;
  double longitude;


  private static final long MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES = 10;


  private static final long MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES = 1000 * 60 * 1;
  protected LocationManager locationManager;

  public LocationTrack(Context mContext) {
    this.mContext = mContext;
    getLocation();
  }

  private Location getLocation() {

    try {
      locationManager = (LocationManager) mContext
        .getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE);

      // get GPS status
      checkGPS = locationManager
        .isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);

      // get network provider status
      checkNetwork = locationManager
        .isProviderEnabled(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);

      if (!checkGPS && !checkNetwork) {
        Toast.makeText(mContext, "No Service Provider is available", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
      } else {
        this.canGetLocation = true;

        // if GPS Enabled get lat/long using GPS Services
        if (checkGPS) {

          if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED && ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            // TODO: Consider calling
            //    ActivityCompat#requestPermissions
            // here to request the missing permissions, and then overriding
            //   public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String[] permissions,
            //                                          int[] grantResults)
            // to handle the case where the user grants the permission. See the documentation
            // for ActivityCompat#requestPermissions for more details.
          }
          locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(
            LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER,
            MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,
            MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);
          if (locationManager != null) {
            loc = locationManager
              .getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER);
            if (loc != null) {
              latitude = loc.getLatitude();
              longitude = loc.getLongitude();
            }
          }


        }


                /*if (checkNetwork) {


                    if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED && ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                        // TODO: Consider calling
                        //    ActivityCompat#requestPermissions
                        // here to request the missing permissions, and then overriding
                        //   public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String[] permissions,
                        //                                          int[] grantResults)
                        // to handle the case where the user grants the permission. See the documentation
                        // for ActivityCompat#requestPermissions for more details.
                    }
                    locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(
                            LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER,
                            MIN_TIME_BW_UPDATES,
                            MIN_DISTANCE_CHANGE_FOR_UPDATES, this);

                    if (locationManager != null) {
                        loc = locationManager
                                .getLastKnownLocation(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER);

                    }

                    if (loc != null) {
                        latitude = loc.getLatitude();
                        longitude = loc.getLongitude();
                    }
                }*/

      }


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

    return loc;
  }

  public double getLongitude() {
    if (loc != null) {
      longitude = loc.getLongitude();
    }
    return longitude;
  }

  public double getLatitude() {
    if (loc != null) {
      latitude = loc.getLatitude();
    }
    return latitude;
  }

  public boolean canGetLocation() {
    return this.canGetLocation;
  }

  public void showSettingsAlert() {
    AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(mContext);


    alertDialog.setTitle("GPS is not Enabled!");

    alertDialog.setMessage("Do you want to turn on GPS?");


    alertDialog.setPositiveButton("Yes", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
      public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
        Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
        mContext.startActivity(intent);
      }
    });


    alertDialog.setNegativeButton("No", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
      public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
        dialog.cancel();
      }
    });


    alertDialog.show();
  }


  public void stopListener() {
    if (locationManager != null) {

      if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED && ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(mContext, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
        // TODO: Consider calling
        //    ActivityCompat#requestPermissions
        // here to request the missing permissions, and then overriding
        //   public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String[] permissions,
        //                                          int[] grantResults)
        // to handle the case where the user grants the permission. See the documentation
        // for ActivityCompat#requestPermissions for more details.
        return;
      }
      locationManager.removeUpdates(LocationTrack.this);
    }
  }

  @Override
  public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
    return null;
  }

  @Override
  public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {

  }

  @Override
  public void onStatusChanged(String s, int i, Bundle bundle) {

  }

  @Override
  public void onProviderEnabled(String s) {

  }

  @Override
  public void onProviderDisabled(String s) {

  }
} // END OF NEW FILE

Full code here: https://www.journaldev.com/13325/android-location-api-tracking-gps

strings.xml

• do not forget to add your key here
  <string name="api_key_google_places">YOUR_API_KEY</string>

app/build.gradle:

• add this

        //Places SERVICES
        implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-places:16.1.0'
        implementation 'com.google.android.libraries.places:places:1.1.0'
        implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:16.1.0'
        implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:16.0.0'

Util.java

• change this:
  return "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center="+latitudeFinal+","+longitudeFinal+"&zoom=18&size=280x280&markers=color:red|"+latitudeFinal+","+longitudeFinal;

• to this:
  return "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center="+latitudeFinal+","+longitudeFinal+"&zoom=18&size=640x640&maptype=roadmap&key=YOUR_KEY_HERE&markers=color:red|"+latitudeFinal+","+longitudeFinal;

And it works as a charm.
You have a toast and you get image with link - which opens Google Maps application.

In case if needed, take a look here: https://www.journaldev.com/13325/android-location-api-tracking-gps

Working by me here:
https://ibb.co/N7crJNX
https://ibb.co/XJGM4Lh
https://ibb.co/61x1pNC

I can help you to get it working