Events

There are various events provided by cordova to be used by the application. The application code could add listeners for these events. For example:

HTML File

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
    <title>Device Ready Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="example.js"></script>
    </head>
    <body onload="onLoad()">
    </body>
</html>

JS File

// example.js file
// Wait for device API libraries to load
//
function onLoad() {
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);
}

// device APIs are available
//
function onDeviceReady() {
    document.addEventListener("pause", onPause, false);
    document.addEventListener("resume", onResume, false);
    document.addEventListener("menubutton", onMenuKeyDown, false);
    // Add similar listeners for other events
}

function onPause() {
    // Handle the pause event
}

function onResume() {
    // Handle the resume event
}

function onMenuKeyDown() {
    // Handle the menubutton event
}

// Add similar event handlers for other events

Note: Applications typically should use document.addEventListener to attach an event listener once the deviceready

The following table lists the cordova events and the supported platforms:

</tr> </thead> </table> ## deviceready The deviceready event fires when Cordova is fully loaded. This event is essential to any application. It signals that Cordova's device APIs have loaded and are ready to access. Cordova consists of two code bases: native and JavaScript. While the native code loads, a custom loading image displays. However, JavaScript only loads once the DOM loads. This means the web app may potentially call a Cordova JavaScript function before the corresponding native code becomes available. The `deviceready` event fires once Cordova has fully loaded. Once the event fires, you can safely make calls to Cordova APIs. Applications typically attach an event listener with `document.addEventListener` once the HTML document's DOM has loaded. The `deviceready` event behaves somewhat differently from others. Any event handler registered after the `deviceready` event fires has its callback function called immediately. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false); function onDeviceReady() { // Now safe to use device APIs } ``` ## pause The pause event fires when the native platform puts the application into the background, typically when the user switches to a different application. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("pause", onPause, false); function onPause() { // Handle the pause event } ``` ### iOS Quirks In the `pause` handler, any calls to the Cordova API or to native plugins that go through Objective-C do not work, along with any interactive calls, such as alerts or `console.log()`. They are only processed when the app resumes, on the next run loop. The iOS-specific `resign` event is available as an alternative to `pause`, and detects when users enable the __Lock__ button to lock the device with the app running in the foreground. If the app (and device) is enabled for multi-tasking, this is paired with a subsequent `pause` event, but only under iOS 5. In effect, all locked apps in iOS 5 that have multi-tasking enabled are pushed to the background. For apps to remain running when locked under iOS 5, disable the app's multi-tasking by setting [UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend][UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend] to `YES`. To run when locked on iOS 4, this setting does not matter. ## resume The `resume` event fires when the native platform pulls the application out from the background. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("resume", onResume, false); function onResume() { // Handle the resume event } ``` ### iOS Quirks Any interactive functions called from a [pause](#pause) event handler execute later when the app resumes, as signaled by the `resume` event. These include alerts, `console.log()`, and any calls from plugins or the Cordova API, which go through Objective-C. - __active__ event The iOS-specific `active` event is available as an alternative to `resume`, and detects when users disable the __Lock__ button to unlock the device with the app running in the foreground. If the app (and device) is enabled for multi-tasking, this is paired with a subsequent `resume` event, but only under iOS 5. In effect, all locked apps in iOS 5 that have multi-tasking enabled are pushed to the background. For apps to remain running when locked under iOS 5, disable the app's multi-tasking by setting [UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend][UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend] to `YES`. To run when locked on iOS 4, this setting does not matter. - __resume__ event When called from a `resume` event handler, interactive functions such as `alert()` need to be wrapped in a `setTimeout()` call with a timeout value of zero, or else the app hangs. For example: ```javascript document.addEventListener("resume", onResume, false); function onResume() { setTimeout(function() { // TODO: do your thing! }, 0); } ``` ### Android Quirks Refer [Android Life Cycle Guide][AndroidLifeCycleGuide] for details on android quirks with the `resume` event. ## backbutton The event fires when the user presses the back button. To override the default back-button behavior, register an event listener for the `backbutton` event. It is no longer necessary to call any other method to override the back-button behavior. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("backbutton", onBackKeyDown, false); function onBackKeyDown() { // Handle the back button } ``` ### Windows Quirks Throw an error in a `backbutton` callback to force the default behavior, which is an app exit: ```javascript document.addEventListener('backbutton', function (evt) { if (cordova.platformId !== 'windows') { return; } if (window.location.href !== firstPageUrl) { window.history.back(); } else { throw new Error('Exit'); // This will suspend the app } }, false); ``` ## menubutton The event fires when the user presses the menu button. Applying an event handler overrides the default menu button behavior. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("menubutton", onMenuKeyDown, false); function onMenuKeyDown() { // Handle the back button } ``` ## searchbutton The event fires when the user presses the search button on Android. If you need to override the default search button behavior on Android you can register an event listener for the 'searchbutton' event. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("searchbutton", onSearchKeyDown, false); function onSearchKeyDown() { // Handle the search button } ``` ## startcallbutton The event fires when the user presses the start call button. If you need to override the default start call behavior you can register an event listener for the `startcallbutton` event. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("startcallbutton", onStartCallKeyDown, false); function onStartCallKeyDown() { // Handle the start call button } ``` ## endcallbutton This event fires when the user presses the end call button. The event overrides the default end call behavior. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("endcallbutton", onEndCallKeyDown, false); function onEndCallKeyDown() { // Handle the end call button } ``` ## volumedownbutton The event fires when the user presses the volume down button. If you need to override the default volume down behavior you can register an event listener for the `volumedownbutton` event. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("volumedownbutton", onVolumeDownKeyDown, false); function onVolumeDownKeyDown() { // Handle the volume down button } ``` ## volumeupbutton The event fires when the user presses the volume up button. If you need to override the default volume up behavior you can register an event listener for the `volumeupbutton` event. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("volumeupbutton", onVolumeUpKeyDown, false); function onVolumeUpKeyDown() { // Handle the volume up button } ``` ## activated The event fires when Windows Runtime activation has occurred. See [MSDN docs][MSDNActivatedEvent] for further details and activation types. ### Quick Example ```javascript document.addEventListener("activated", activated, false); function activated(args) { if (args && args.kind === Windows.ApplicationModel.Activation.ActivationKind.file) { // Using args.raw to get the native StorageFile object Windows.Storage.FileIO.readTextAsync(args.raw.detail[0].files[0]).done(function (text) { console.log(text); }, function (err) { console.error(err); }); } } ``` ### Windows Quirks * Original activated event args are available in `args.raw.detail[0]` property and can be used to get a type information or invoke methods of one of the activation arguments, * Original activated event args are also cloned to `args.detail[0]` and can be used as a fallback in case an inner args property has been lost. See https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CB-10653 for details. * `activated` event might be fired before `deviceready` so you should save the activation flag and args to the app context in case you need them - for example in the [Share target case](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CB-11924). The subscription to the `activated` event should be done before `deviceready` handler (in `app.bindEvents` in terms of the Cordova template). [UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend]: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/general/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/iPhoneOSKeys.html [AndroidLifeCycleGuide]: ../../guide/platforms/android/index.html#lifecycle-guide [MSDNActivatedEvent]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br212679.aspx
Supported Platforms/
Events</td>
android ios Windows
deviceready
pause
resume
backbutton
menubutton
searchbutton
startcallbutton
endcallbutton
volumedownbutton
volumeupbutton
activated