Delphi 11 – Firebase Cloud Messaging ( FCM ) – iOS app Push Notification

30/12/1899

Goals:

Integrate Firebase push notifications (FCM) into an app built with Delphi for iOS without the help of third-party libraries.
Having the same base code in the application and in the servers for managing pushes in Delphi the same as that used for Android.

Test environment used:

VM Delphi 11 Alexandria Ent. Edition on Windows 10 pro 64GB Ram
Xcode 13.2.1
Mac OS Menterey 12.0.1
iOS sdk iPhoneOS 14.5
Device test
- iPad 10.2 myl92ty/a os. ver 14.3
- iPhone 12 mini

Prerequisites:

IOS application operational on your devices in development
Firebase account and created project

Steps needed to associate notifications

Configure the distribution of the app on the developer.apple.com portal and on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/apps/ <appId>
Add the management code on the Delphi application and import the firebase sdk for iOS
Configure the project on firebase https://console.firebase.google.com/project/
Download the “GoogleService-Info.plist” file from firebase, copy it to the project directory and insert it in the distribution list (deploy)
Sending a test push message from the firebase console or your server

Step 1: Configure the distribution of the app on the developer.apple.com portal and on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/apps/ <appId>

(apple portal) Configure the distribution of the app on the apple developer portal to receive pushes
- create a certificate for push notifications
- enable “Push Notifications” in the “Identifier” section and associate a certificate for the “Production SSL Certificate” push (mac keystore -> Keychain Access -> Certificate Assistant -> Request a certificate from a certification authority)
- always in the “keys” section of your developers panel Create a key for pushes
- (if not already done) create an app on “app Store Connect” (the “sku” code is your internal code (write us what you want, just remember it))
- publish the app on the App Store Connect even without push support using the “Transporter” program

Step 2: Add the management code on the Delphi application and import the firebase sdk for iOS

(delphi) Download the FCM SDK package from getit and unzip it in the proposed directory or choose a custom path
(delphi) Create an “environment variable” in which to define the base path of Friebase SDK for iOS (in my case C: \ Users \ <myusername> \ Documents \ Embarcadero \ Studio \ 22.0 \ CatalogRepository \ FirebaseSDKforiOS- 6.28 \ Firebase) and which I called “Firebase_6_28“

(delphi) Change the search path in the project options ( project –> options –> Delphi compiler –> search Path :

$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\nanopb.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\nanopb.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\GoogleUtilities.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\GoogleUtilities.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\GoogleDataTransport.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\GoogleDataTransport.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\GoogleAppMeasurement.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\FirebaseInstallations.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\FirebaseInstallations.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\FirebaseCoreDiagnostics.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\FirebaseCoreDiagnostics.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\FirebaseCore.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\FirebaseCore.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\FirebaseAnalytics.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseMessaging\FirebaseMessaging.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\FirebaseMessaging.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseMessaging\FirebaseInstanceID.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\FirebaseInstanceID.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseAnalytics\PromisesObjC.framework\ios-armv7_arm64\PromisesObjC.framework;$(Firebase_6_28)\FirebaseMLModelInterpreter\Protobuf.xcframework\ios-armv7_arm64\Protobuf.framework

(delphi) directive “-ObjC” to linker LD (project -> options -> Delphi Compiler -> Linking) to allow to include SDK methods

(delphi) copy the Delphi “iOSapi.FirebaseCommon.pas” file to your project folder ( C:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\22.0\source\rtl\ios\iOSapi.FirebaseCommon.pas –> e:\progetti\myApp ) edit the file and write in it:

unit iOSapi.FirebaseCommon;

{*******************************************************}
{                                                       }
{            CodeGear Delphi Runtime Library            }
{                                                       }
{ Copyright(c) 2010-2021 Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. }
{                  All rights reserved                  }
{                                                       }
{*******************************************************}

interface

uses
  Macapi.ObjectiveC,
  iOSapi.CocoaTypes, iOSapi.Foundation;

const
  FIRInstanceIDErrorUnknown = 0;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorAuthentication = 1;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorNoAccess = 2;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorTimeout = 3;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorNetwork = 4;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorOperationInProgress = 5;
  FIRInstanceIDErrorInvalidRequest = 7;
  FIRInstanceIDAPNSTokenTypeUnknown = 0;
  FIRInstanceIDAPNSTokenTypeSandbox = 1;
  FIRInstanceIDAPNSTokenTypeProd = 2;

type
  FIRInstanceIDError = NSUInteger;

  FIRAppClass = interface(NSObjectClass)
    ['{B8962096-555F-498E-B102-8EC66E871EF2}']
    {class} procedure configure; cdecl;
  end;

  FIRApp = interface(NSObject)
    ['{FFF4B247-25C6-47B8-BBC5-893D2170EFA5}']
  end;
  TFIRApp = class(TOCGenericImport<FIRAppClass, FIRApp>) end;

  FIRInstanceIDClass = interface(NSObjectClass)
    ['{4A9F1C85-AEDE-4284-A7DC-0EF9111504B1}']
    {class} function instanceID: pointer; cdecl;
  end;

  FIRInstanceID = interface(NSObject)
    ['{2967A1F9-98F5-40E6-8BDA-A25D3C699ED3}']
    function token: NSString; cdecl;
  end;
  TFIRInstanceID = class(TOCGenericImport<FIRInstanceIDClass, FIRInstanceID>) end;

implementation

uses
  System.Sqlite, System.ZLib,
  iOSapi.StoreKit;

const
  libSystemConfiguration = '/System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/SystemConfiguration';

procedure ClangRTLoader; cdecl; external '/usr/lib/clang/lib/darwin/libclang_rt.ios.a';
procedure FirebaseAnalyticsLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseAnalytics';
procedure FirebaseCoreLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseCore';
procedure FirebaseCoreDiagnosticsLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseCoreDiagnostics';
procedure FirebaseInstallationsLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseInstallations';
procedure FoundationLoader; cdecl; external {$IFDEF IOS32}libFoundation{$ELSE}framework 'Foundation'{$ENDIF};
procedure GoogleAppMeasurementLoader; cdecl; external  'GoogleAppMeasurement';
procedure GoogleDataTransportLoader; cdecl; external  'GoogleDataTransport';
procedure GoogleUtilitiesLoader; cdecl; external 'GoogleUtilities';
procedure nanopbLoader; cdecl; external 'nanopb';
procedure PromisesObjCLoader; cdecl; external 'PromisesObjC';
//procedure PromisesObjCLoader; cdecl; external 'PromisesObjC';
procedure SystemConfigurationLoader; cdecl; external {$IFDEF IOS32}libSystemConfiguration{$ELSE}framework 'SystemConfiguration'{$ENDIF};
procedure StoreKitLoader; cdecl; external {$IFDEF IOS32}libStoreKit{$ELSE}framework 'StoreKit'{$ENDIF};

end.

(delphi) copy the Delphi “iOSapi.FirebaseMessaging.pas” file to your project folder ( C:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\22.0\source\rtl\ios\iOSapi.FirebaseMessaging.pas–> e:\progetti\myApp )

unit iOSapi.FirebaseMessaging;

{*******************************************************}
{                                                       }
{            CodeGear Delphi Runtime Library            }
{                                                       }
{ Copyright(c) 2010-2021 Embarcadero Technologies, Inc. }
{                  All rights reserved                  }
{                                                       }
{*******************************************************}

interface

uses
  Macapi.ObjectiveC,
  iOSapi.CocoaTypes, iOSapi.Foundation;

const
  FIRMessagingErrorUnknown = 0;
  FIRMessagingErrorAuthentication = 1;
  FIRMessagingErrorNoAccess = 2;
  FIRMessagingErrorTimeout = 3;
  FIRMessagingErrorNetwork = 4;
  FIRMessagingErrorOperationInProgress = 5;
  FIRMessagingErrorInvalidRequest = 7;
  FIRMessagingMessageStatusUnknown = 0;
  FIRMessagingMessageStatusNew = 1;
  FIRMessasingAPNSTokenTypeUnknown = 0;
  FIRMessasingAPNSTokenTypeSandbox = 1;
  FIRMessasingAPNSTokenTypeProd = 2;

type
  FIRInstanceIDAPNSTokenType = NSInteger;
  FIRMessagingAPNSTokenType = NSInteger;
  FIRMessagingError = NSUInteger;
  FIRMessagingMessageStatus = NSInteger;

  TFIRMessagingConnectCompletion = procedure(error: NSError) of object;

  FIRMessagingMessageInfoClass = interface(NSObjectClass)
    ['{FDAC534F-3D79-4FF6-824E-50DC7423662A}']
  end;

  FIRMessagingMessageInfo = interface(NSObject)
    ['{4D70F5C5-3635-405F-895C-F41C8D1FD76B}']
    function status: FIRMessagingMessageStatus; cdecl;
  end;
  TFIRMessagingMessageInfo = class(TOCGenericImport<FIRMessagingMessageInfoClass, FIRMessagingMessageInfo>) end;

  FIRMessagingRemoteMessageClass = interface(NSObjectClass)
    ['{EF45D074-C7A5-4DB2-BCD1-53B8650419F4}']
  end;

  FIRMessagingRemoteMessage = interface(NSObject)
    ['{6E2F8E14-FD8D-4B5D-8026-A607BE0B8F9C}']
    function appData: NSDictionary; cdecl;
  end;
  TFIRMessagingRemoteMessage = class(TOCGenericImport<FIRMessagingRemoteMessageClass, FIRMessagingRemoteMessage>) end;

  FIRMessaging = interface;

  FIRMessagingDelegate = interface(IObjectiveC)
    ['{264C1F0E-3EA9-42AC-9802-EF1BC9A7E321}']
    procedure applicationReceivedRemoteMessage(remoteMessage: FIRMessagingRemoteMessage); cdecl;
    [MethodName('messaging:didReceiveMessage:')]
    procedure didReceiveMessage(messaging: FIRMessaging; remoteMessage: FIRMessagingRemoteMessage); cdecl;
    [MethodName('messaging:didRefreshRegistrationToken:')]
    procedure didRefreshRegistrationToken(messaging: FIRMessaging; fcmToken: NSString); cdecl;
    [MethodName('messaging:didReceiveRegistrationToken:')]
    procedure didReceiveRegistrationToken(messaging: FIRMessaging; fcmToken: NSString); cdecl;
  end;

  FIRMessagingClass = interface(NSObjectClass)
    ['{62AF9A4C-681E-4BCD-9063-6209CAE08296}']
    {class} function messaging: pointer; cdecl;
  end;

  FIRMessaging = interface(NSObject)
    ['{A721C3D4-82EB-4A7B-A5E5-42EF9E8F618E}']
    function APNSToken: NSData; cdecl;
    procedure connectWithCompletion(handler: TFIRMessagingConnectCompletion); cdecl;
    function delegate: Pointer; cdecl;
    procedure disconnect; cdecl;
    procedure sendMessage(msg: NSDictionary; receiver: NSString; messageID: NSString; ttl: Int64); cdecl;
    procedure setAPNSToken(apnsToken: NSData; tokenType: FIRMessagingAPNSTokenType); cdecl;
    procedure setDelegate(delegate: Pointer); cdecl;
    function shouldEstablishDirectChannel: Boolean; cdecl;
    procedure setShouldEstablishDirectChannel(value: Boolean); cdecl;
    procedure subscribeToTopic(topic: NSString); cdecl;
    procedure unsubscribeFromTopic(topic: NSString); cdecl;
  end;
  TFIRMessaging = class(TOCGenericImport<FIRMessagingClass, FIRMessaging>) end;

  function kFIRInstanceIDTokenRefreshNotification: NSString; cdecl;

implementation

uses
  iOSapi.FirebaseCommon,
  Macapi.Helpers;

function kFIRInstanceIDTokenRefreshNotification: NSString;
begin
  Result := StrToNSStr('com.firebase.iid.notif.refresh-token');
end;

procedure FirebaseInstanceIDLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseInstanceID';
procedure FirebaseMessagingLoader; cdecl; external  'FirebaseMessaging';
procedure ProtobufLoader; cdecl; external 'Protobuf';

end.

Delete from the files the writing “{$ IFNDEF IOS32} framework {$ ENDIF}” (directive to the compiler) from the two files just mentioned
Include the Embarcadero libraries for managing pushes via FCM in the main project form

interface

uses xxxx
  ,System.PushNotification


  {$IFDEF ANDROID},FMX.PushNotification.Android {$ENDIF}
  {$IFDEF IOS}
     
       , FMX.PushNotification.iOS
       , FMX.PushNotification.FCM.iOS
     

  {$ENDIF}

..
..
..
uses System.NetEncoding, 
{$IFDEF IOS}
  ,iOSapi.Foundation
  ,iOSapi.CoreTelephony
{$ENDIF}

{$IFDEF ANDROID}
  ,Androidapi.Helpers,
  Androidapi.JNIBridge,
  Androidapi.Jni,
  Androidapi.JNI.JavaTypes,
  FMX.Platform.Android,
  Androidapi.JNI.Os,
  FMX.Helpers.Android


{$ENDIF}
;

We define in the form the methods of managing the notification reception and the connection change, we also use the onclick event “btnInitializePushClick” of a button “btnInitializePush” to perform the initialization of the notification management. The interface is managed in this demo by a “memoLog” Tmemo

  TfmxMain = class(TForm)
    ....
  private
    { Private declarations }
    o : TMyBridgeObject;

    // PUSH NOTIFICATION ID
    FDeviceId: string;
    FDeviceToken: string;

    function HandleAppEvent(AAppEvent: TApplicationEvent; AContext: TObject): Boolean;

    procedure btnInitializePushClick(Sender: TObject);

    {$IF (defined(ANDROID)) OR (defined(IOS))}

    procedure OnServiceConnectionChange(Sender: TObject; PushChanges: TPushService.TChanges);
    procedure OnReceiveNotificationEvent(Sender: TObject; const ServiceNotification: TPushServiceNotification);

    {$ENDIF}

  public
    { Public declarations }
    ....

  end;

We implement the method that manages the receipt of notifications

{$IF defined(ANDROID) OR defined(IOS)}
procedure TfmxMain.OnReceiveNotificationEvent(Sender: TObject;
  const ServiceNotification: TPushServiceNotification);
var
  MessageText: string;
begin
  MemoLog.Lines.Add('-----------------------------------------');
  MemoLog.Lines.Add('DataKey = ' + ServiceNotification.DataKey);


  MemoLog.Lines.Add('Json = ' + ServiceNotification.Json.ToString);
  MemoLog.Lines.Add('DataObject = ' + ServiceNotification.DataObject.ToString);
  MemoLog.Lines.Add('---------------------------------------');
end;


procedure TfmxMain.OnServiceConnectionChange(Sender: TObject;
  PushChanges: TPushService.TChanges);
var
  PushService: TPushService;
begin
  PushService := TPushServiceManager.Instance.GetServiceByName
    (TPushService.TServiceNames.FCM);
  if TPushService.TChange.DeviceToken in PushChanges then
  begin
    FDeviceToken := PushService.DeviceTokenValue
      [TPushService.TDeviceTokenNames.DeviceToken];
    MemoLog.Lines.Add('Firebase Token: ' + FDeviceToken);
//    Log.d('Firebase device token: token=' + FDeviceToken);
  end;
  if (TPushService.TChange.Status in PushChanges) and
    (PushService.Status = TPushService.TStatus.StartupError) then
    MemoLog.Lines.Add('Error: ' + PushService.StartupError);
end;
{$ENDIF}

Push initiation via the button “click” event:

procedure TfmxMain.btnIniutializePushClick(Sender: TObject);
{$IF (defined(ANDROID) OR defined(IOS))}

 var
   PushService: TPushService;
   ServiceConnection: TPushServiceConnection;
   Notifications: TArray<TPushServiceNotification>;
 begin
   PushService :=
       TPushServiceManager.Instance.GetServiceByName(TPushService.TServiceNames.FCM);
   ServiceConnection := TPushServiceConnection.Create(PushService);
   ServiceConnection.Active := True;
   ServiceConnection.OnChange := OnServiceConnectionChange;
   ServiceConnection.OnReceiveNotification := OnReceiveNotificationEvent;

   FDeviceId :=
       PushService.DeviceIDValue[TPushService.TDeviceIDNames.DeviceId];
   MemoLog.Lines.Add('DeviceID: ' + FDeviceId);
   MemoLog.Lines.Add('Ready to receive!');

   // Checks notification on startup, if application was launched fromcold start
   // by tapping on Notification in Notification Center
   Notifications := PushService.StartupNotifications;
   if Length(Notifications) > 0 then
   begin
       MemoLog.Lines.Add('-----------------------------------------');
       MemoLog.Lines.Add('DataKey = ' + Notifications[0].DataKey);
       MemoLog.Lines.Add('Json = ' + Notifications[0].Json.ToString);
       MemoLog.Lines.Add('DataObject = ' +
       Notifications[0].DataObject.ToString);
       MemoLog.Lines.Add('-----------------------------------------');
   end;


 end;
{$ELSE}
 begin

 end;
{$ENDIF}

Step 3: Configure the project on firebase:

Add the app to the project by clicking on “Add App” and download the GoggleService-Info.plist file to your Delphi project directory.

In the settings section you have to upload the APN certificate that you previously generated on the apple portal in the “Keys” section and upload it to:

At this point, compile the application and run it on your device.

Inside memoLog you will find a JSON containing the deviceID, you have to copy it to test sending the first message from firebase.

Step 5) Send a test push message from the firebase console or your server

Copy the server key and perform a rest call as follows:

The JSON must also contain the “notification” object if you want the notification to arrive even when your app is not active:

{
    "to": "d-fmNb_zQ6u39hIOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "priority" : "high",
    "message_id":"2205", 
    "time_to_live": 200,
    "notification":{
      "title":"Portugal vs. Denmark",
      "body":"great match!"
    },
    "data":{
        "body":"Ciao",
        "title":"Cisco"
    }
}

that’s all

Delphi 11 – Firebase Cloud Messaging ( FCM ) – iOS app Push Notification

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