Enabling Firebase Push Notifications in a Titanium SDK Android App

Desired Outcome

Make a Titanium Android application that can register with Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) and display a local alert whenever a remote push message arrives.

Prerequisites

• Titanium SDK 7.5 or newer (the ti.fcm module is still bundled but marked deprecated; use it only if you cannot upgrade to a newer push‑notification approach).
• Android API level 21 or higher.
• Firebase project with a valid google-services.json file.
• Physical Android device (emulators can work but may block FCM traffic).
• Internet connectivity on the device.
• In tiapp.xml, enable the ti.fcm module and add required permissions.

Procedure

1. Add the module to tiapp.xml

   ```xml ti.fcm ```

   Also ensure the ti.fcm module is listed under modules for the Android platform. No additional ti.fcm SDK download is needed because it ships with Titanium.

2. Place google‑services.json in the project root

   Copy the file you downloaded from the Firebase console into the same directory that contains tiapp.xml. Titanium will automatically bundle it into the APK.

3. Request notification permission at runtime

   FCM requires the RECEIVE permission. Titanium automatically adds android.permission.INTERNET and android.permission.WAKE_LOCK when the module is present, but you must request the notification permission explicitly for Android 13+.

   ```javascript // main.js Ti.FCM.requestPermission({ alert: true, badge: true, sound: true }, function(e) { if (e.success) { console.log('FCM permission granted'); } else { console.error('FCM permission denied', e.error); } }); ```

4. Implement a push‑event listener

   ```javascript Ti.FCM.addEventListener('push', function(e) { // e.message contains the notification body Ti.UI.createAlertDialog({ title: 'Push Received', message: e.message || 'No message body' }).show(); }); ```

   When a remote message arrives, the listener will trigger and display an alert.

5. Retrieve and log the FCM token

   ```javascript var token = Ti.FCM.getToken(); console.log('FCM token:', token); if (!token) { console.warn('Token is empty – registration may have failed'); } ```

   Keep this token handy; you’ll need it to send a test message from the Firebase console.

6. Build and deploy

   Run the standard Titanium build command targeting a physical device:

   ti build -p android -T device -B

   Make sure the device is connected via USB and has USB debugging enabled.

Expected Checks

• Token Verification

  Open the app’s console (logcat) and confirm a non‑empty string is printed for FCM token. If the token is missing, the app likely failed to register.

• Test Message Delivery

  In the Firebase console, navigate to Cloud Messaging → Send your first message. Use the token printed earlier as the target. Send a notification with a short title and body.

  On the device, the alert dialog defined in the listener should appear almost instantly.

• Logcat Inspection

  Search for ti.fcm or FirebaseMessagingService logs. Typical messages include "FCM registration succeeded" or error codes such as com.google.android.gms.common.api.ApiException. Any exception indicates a configuration issue.

Troubleshooting & Recovery

1. Token is empty or missing
   • Verify google-services.json is in the project root and not corrupted.
   • Check that the file contains the correct client>project_number and client>client_id entries.
   • Ensure the device has internet access and no VPN or firewall blocks fcm.googleapis.com.
   • Re‑install the app: uninstall from the device, clean the build folder (ti clean), and rebuild.
2. No alert appears on message receipt
   • Confirm the listener was added before any push messages could arrive. Place the listener code at the top of main.js.
   • For Android 13+, create a notification channel. Titanium’s ti.fcm module automatically creates a default channel named default, but you can override it:

     Ti.FCM.setChannel({id: 'default', name: 'General', importance: Ti.FCM.IMPORTANCE_HIGH});

   • Check that the device is not in Do Not Disturb mode or that the app is not force‑stopped.
   • Look for android.app.RemoteInput errors in logcat indicating the notification payload is malformed.
3. FCM service disabled in Firebase
   • In the Firebase console, go to Project Settings → Cloud Messaging and confirm that the “Firebase Cloud Messaging” service is enabled.
   • Ensure the API key in google-services.json matches the one on the console.

Summary

By adding the ti.fcm module, supplying a valid google-services.json, requesting runtime permission, and listening for the push event, a Titanium Android app can receive Firebase push notifications. Verify the token, send a test message, and inspect logcat for any registration or delivery errors. If the token is missing or notifications fail, check the JSON placement, internet connectivity, and Android 13 notification channel requirements.