NativeScript Contacts

A NativeScript module providing easy access to iOS and Android contact directory. Pick a contact, update it, delete it, or add a new one. Working with groups available in 1.5.0. Create a group, add and remove contacts to the group, and delete a group.

Installation

Run tns plugin add nativescript-contacts

Usage

To use the contacts module you must first require() it.

var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

iOS Caveats

Add following key to Info.plist found in app/App_Resources/iOS/Info.plist

<key>NSContactsUsageDescription</key>
<string>Kindly provide permission to access contact on your device.</string>

User will be asked for permissions when contacts are accessed by the app.

Android Caveats

From API level 23 on you need to check for the appropriate permissions to access the contacts. So not only do you need these permissions in your manifest:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS" />

You also need to make sure to request the permissions everytime you perform the operation itself (e.g. using the great nativescript-permissions plugin):

const contact = new Contact();
(...)
Permissions.requestPermissions([android.Manifest.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS, android.Manifest.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS], "I need these permissions because I'm cool")
            .then(() => {
                contact.save();
            });

Methods

getContact: Pick one contact and bring back its data.

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts.getContact().then(function(args) {
  /// Returns args:
  /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object
  /// args.reponse: "selected" or "cancelled" depending on wheter the user selected a contact.

  if (args.response === "selected") {
    var contact = args.data; //See data structure below

    // lets say you wanted to grab first name and last name
    console.log(contact.name.given + " " + contact.name.family);

    //lets say you want to get the phone numbers
    contact.phoneNumbers.forEach(function(phone) {
      console.log(phone.value);
    });

    //lets say you want to get the addresses
    contact.postalAddresses.forEach(function(address) {
      console.log(address.location.street);
    });
  }
});

Save a new contact

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");
var imageSource = require("@nativescript/core/image-source");

var newContact = new contacts.Contact();
newContact.name.given = "John";
newContact.name.family = "Doe";
newContact.phoneNumbers.push({
  label: contacts.KnownLabel.HOME,
  value: "123457890"
}); // See below for known labels
newContact.phoneNumbers.push({ label: "My Custom Label", value: "11235813" });
newContact.photo = imageSource.fromFileOrResource("~/photo.png");
newContact.save();

Update an existing contact

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");
var imageSource = require("@nativescript/core/image-source");

contacts.getContact().then(function(args) {
  if (args.response === "selected") {
    var contact = args.data;
    contact.name.given = "Jane";
    contact.name.family = "Doe";

    imageSource
      .fromUrl("http://www.google.com/images/errors/logo_sm_2.png")
      .then(function(src) {
        contact.photo = src;
        contact.save();
      });
  }
});

Delete a contact

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts.getContact().then(function(args) {
  /// Returns args:
  /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object
  /// args.reponse: "selected" or "cancelled" depending on wheter the user selected a contact.

  if (args.response === "selected") {
    var contact = args.data; //See data structure below
    contact.delete();
  }
});

Check if contact is Unified/Linked (iOS Specific)

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts.getContact().then(function(args) {
  /// Returns args:
  /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object
  /// args.reponse: "selected" or "cancelled" depending on wheter the user selected a contact.

  if (args.response === "selected") {
    var contact = args.data; //See data structure below
    console.log(contact.isUnified() ? 'Contact IS unified' : 'Contact is NOT unified');
  }
});

getContactsByName: Find all contacts whose name matches. Returns an array of contact data.

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

/*
  contactFields contains the fields to retrieve from native backend to reduce processing time
  var contactFields = ['name','organization','nickname','notes','photo','urls','phoneNumbers','emailAddresses','postalAddresses']
*/
var contactFields = ["name", "phoneNumbers"];

contacts.getContactsByName("Hicks", contactFields).then(
  function(args) {
    console.log("getContactsByName Complete");
    console.log(JSON.stringify(args));
    /// Returns args:
    /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no contacts were found.
    /// args.reponse: "fetch"
  },
  function(err) {
    console.log("Error: " + err);
  }
);

getAllContacts: Find all contacts. Returns an array of contact data.

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

/*
  Optional: contactFields contains the fields to retrieve from native backend to reduce processing time
  var contactFields = ['name','organization','nickname','notes','photo','urls','phoneNumbers','emailAddresses','postalAddresses']

  If not supplied, all available contactFields will be returned.
*/
var contactFields = ["name", "phoneNumbers"];

contacts.getAllContacts(contactFields).then(
  function(args) {
    console.log("getAllContacts Complete");
    console.log(JSON.stringify(args));
    /// Returns args:
    /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no contacts were found.
    /// args.reponse: "fetch"
  },
  function(err) {
    console.log("Error: " + err);
  }
);

getContactById: Finds the contact with the matching identifier. Returns GetFetchResult. (iOS Only)

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

var contactId = '[Contact Identifier]'; // Assumes this is a valid contact identifier (Contact.id)

contacts.getContactById(contactId).then(
  function(args) {
    console.log("getContactById Complete");
    console.log(JSON.stringify(args));
    /// Returns args:
    /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no contacts were found.
    /// args.reponse: "fetch"
  },
  function(err) {
    console.log("Error: " + err);
  }
);

getGroups: Find groups. Returns an array of group data.

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts
  .getGroups("Test Group") //[name] optional. If defined will look for group with the specified name, otherwise will return all groups.
  .then(
    function(args) {
      console.log("getGroups Complete");
      console.log(JSON.stringify(args));
      /// Returns args:
      /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no groups were found.
      /// args.reponse: "fetch"

      if (args.data === null) {
        console.log("No Groups Found!");
      } else {
        console.log("Group(s) Found!");
      }
    },
    function(err) {
      console.log("Error: " + err);
    }
  );

Save a new group

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

var groupModel = new contacts.Group();
groupModel.name = "Test Group";
//Save Argument (boolean)
//iOS: [false=> Use Local Container, true=> Use Default Container]
//Android: will always be true, setting this value will not affect android.
groupModel.save(false);

Delete a group

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts.getGroups("Test Group").then(
  function(args) {
    console.log("getGroups Complete");
    console.log(JSON.stringify(args));
    /// Returns args:
    /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no groups were found.
    /// args.reponse: "fetch"

    if (args.data !== null) {
      console.log("Group(s) Found!");
      args.data[0].delete(); //Delete the first found group
    }
  },
  function(err) {
    console.log("Error: " + err);
  }
);

Add Member To Group

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts.getContact().then(function(args) {
  /// Returns args:
  /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object
  /// args.reponse: "selected" or "cancelled" depending on wheter the user selected a contact.

  if (args.response === "selected") {
    var contact = args.data; //See data structure below
    contacts.getGroups("Test Group").then(
      function(a) {
        if (a.data !== null) {
          var group = a.data[0];
          group.addMember(contact);
        }
      },
      function(err) {
        console.log("Error: " + err);
      }
    );
  }
});

Remove Member From Group

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts
  .getGroups("Test Group") //[name] optional. If defined will look for group with the specified name, otherwise will return all groups.
  .then(
    function(args) {
      if (args.data !== null) {
        var group = args.data[0];

        contacts.getContactsInGroup(group).then(
          function(a) {
            /// Returns args:
            /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no groups were found.
            /// args.reponse: "fetch"
            console.log("getContactsInGroup complete");

            if (a.data !== null) {
              a.data.forEach(function(c, idx) {
                group.removeMember(c);
              });
            }
          },
          function(err) {
            console.log("Error: " + err);
          }
        );
      }
    },
    function(err) {
      console.log("Error: " + err);
    }
  );

getContactsInGroup: Get all contacts in a group. Returns an array of contact data.

var app = require("@nativescript/core/application");
var contacts = require("nativescript-contacts");

contacts
  .getGroups("Test Group") //[name] optional. If defined will look for group with the specified name, otherwise will return all groups.
  .then(
    function(args) {
      if (args.data !== null) {
        var group = args.data[0];

        contacts.getContactsInGroup(group).then(
          function(a) {
            console.log("getContactsInGroup complete");
            /// Returns args:
            /// args.data: Generic cross platform JSON object, null if no groups were found.
            /// args.reponse: "fetch"
          },
          function(err) {
            console.log("Error: " + err);
          }
        );
      }
    },
    function(err) {
      console.log("Error: " + err);
    }
  );

Single User Data Structure

{
    id : "",
    name : {
        given: "",
        middle: "",
        family: "",
        prefix: "",
        suffix: "",
        displayname: "",
        phonetic : {
            given: "",
            middle: "",
            family: ""
        }
    },
    nickname : "",
    organization : {
        name: "",
        jobTitle: "",
        department: "",

        // Android Specific properties
        symbol: "",
        phonetic: "",
        location: "",
        type: ""
    },
    notes : "",
    photo: null, // {N} ImageSource instance

    phoneNumbers : [],
    emailAddresses : [],
    postalAddresses : [],
    urls : []
}

PhoneNumber / EmailAddress structure

{
    id: "",
    label: "",
    value: ""
}

Url structure

{
    label: "",
    value: ""
}

PostalAddress structure

{
    id: "",
    label: "",
    location: {
        street: "",
        city: "",
        state: "",
        postalCode: "",
        country: "",
        countryCode: ""
    }
}

Known Labels (for Urls, Addresses and Phones)

The following constants are exposed from the plugin in the KnownLabel structure. See details bellow for what types and on what platform they are supported

• HOME iOS - phone, email, postal, url Android - phone, email, postal, url
• WORK iOS - phone, email, postal, url Android - phone, email, postal, url
• OTHER iOS - phone, email, postal, url Android - phone, email, postal, url
• FAX_HOME iOS - phone Android - phone
• FAX_WORK iOS - phone Android - phone
• PAGER iOS - phone Android - phone
• MAIN iOS - phone Android - phone
• HOMEPAGE iOS - url Android - url
• CALLBACK Android - phone
• CAR Android - phone
• COMPANY_MAIN Android - phone
• ISDN Android - phone
• OTHER_FAX Android - phone
• RADIO Android - phone
• TELEX Android - phone
• TTY_TDD Android - phone
• WORK_MOBILE Android - phone
• WORK_PAGER Android - phone
• ASSISTANT Android - phone
• MMS Android - phone
• FTP Android - url
• PROFILE Android - url
• BLOG Android - url

Those are the system labels but you can also use any custom label you want.

Single Group Data Structure

{
  id: "";
  name: "";
}

GetFetchResult Data Structure

The object returned by contact fetch requests.

{
  data: Contact[];
  response: string;
}

iOS

See apples docs on properties available: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Contacts/Reference/CNContact_Class/index.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/CNContact

NOTE: Since the plugin uses the Contact framework it is supported only on iOS 9.0 and above!