/react-native-google-cast

React Native wrapper for the Google Cast SDK

Primary LanguageJavaMIT LicenseMIT

npm version

react-native-google-cast

This library wraps the native Google Cast SDK v3 for iOS and Android, providing a unified JavaScript interface.

This is a complete rewrite of the library. If you're still using v1, please check the v1 branch.

There's a yet new version in the works that closely resembles the native APIs. All new feature requests will be directed there. If you want to check it out, visit the v4 branch.

Getting started

$ npm install react-native-google-cast
$ react-native link react-native-google-cast

iOS Setup

  • Install CocoaPods

  • Add pod 'google-cast-sdk', '~> 3' to your Podfile and run pod install.

  • In AppDelegate.m add

    #import <GoogleCast/GoogleCast.h>

    and in the didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method add:

    GCKCastOptions *options = [[GCKCastOptions alloc] initWithReceiverApplicationID:kGCKMediaDefaultReceiverApplicationID];
[GCKCastContext setSharedInstanceWithOptions:options];

    (or replace kGCKMediaDefaultReceiverApplicationID with your custom Cast app id).

Android Setup

  • Make sure the device you're using (also applies to emulators) has Google Play Services installed.

  • Add to AndroidManifest.xml

    <meta-data
  android:name="com.google.android.gms.cast.framework.OPTIONS_PROVIDER_CLASS_NAME"
  android:value="com.reactnative.googlecast.GoogleCastOptionsProvider" />

    Alternatively, you may provide your own OptionsProvider class. For example, to use a custom receiver app:

    // assuming this is in package com.foo
package com.foo;

import com.reactnative.googlecast.GoogleCastOptionsProvider;

public class CastOptionsProvider extends GoogleCastOptionsProvider {
  @Override
  public CastOptions getCastOptions(Context context) {
    CastOptions castOptions = new CastOptions.Builder()
        .setReceiverApplicationId(context.getString(R.string.app_id))
        .build();
    return castOptions;
  }
}

    and don't forget to set your AndroidManifest.xml:

    <meta-data
  android:name="com.google.android.gms.cast.framework.OPTIONS_PROVIDER_CLASS_NAME"
  android:value="com.foo.GoogleCastOptionsProvider" />

  • Change your MainActivity to extend GoogleCastActivity.

    import com.facebook.react.GoogleCastActivity;

public class MainActivity extends GoogleCastActivity {
  // ..
}

    If you already extend other class than ReactActivity (e.g. if you use react-native-navigation) or integrate React Native in native app, make sure that the Activity is a descendant of android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity. Then add CastContext.getSharedInstance(this); to your Activity's onCreate method (this lazy loads the Google Cast context).

Usage

// Require the module
import GoogleCast, { CastButton } from 'react-native-google-cast'

// Render the Cast button which enables to connect to Chromecast
;<CastButton style={{ width: 24, height: 24 }} />

// Stream the media to the connected Chromecast
GoogleCast.castMedia({
  mediaUrl:
    'https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/gtv-videos-bucket/CastVideos/mp4/BigBuckBunny.mp4',
  imageUrl:
    'https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/gtv-videos-bucket/CastVideos/images/480x270/BigBuckBunny.jpg',
  title: 'Big Buck Bunny',
  subtitle:
    'A large and lovable rabbit deals with three tiny bullies, led by a flying squirrel, who are determined to squelch his happiness.',
  studio: 'Blender Foundation',
  streamDuration: 596, // seconds
  contentType: 'video/mp4', // Optional, default is "video/mp4"
  playPosition: 10, // seconds
})

API

  • GoogleCast.getCastState().then(state => {})
  • GoogleCast.castMedia(options)
  • GoogleCast.play()
  • GoogleCast.pause()
  • GoogleCast.seek(playPosition) - jump to position in seconds from the beginning of the stream
  • GoogleCast.stop()
  • GoogleCast.endSession(stopCasting)
  • GoogleCast.initChannel('urn:x-cast:...') - initialize custom channel for communication with Cast receiver app. Once you do this, you can subscribe to CHANNEL_* events.
  • GoogleCast.sendMessage('urn:x-cast:...', message) - send message over the custom channel

Components

The Google Cast SDK comes with a set of useful UI components.

Cast Button

The Cast button displays the Cast icon. It automatically changes appearance based on state (available, connecting, connected). If no Chromecasts are in range, the button is not rendered.

When clicking the button, the native Cast Dialog is presented which enables the user to connect to a Chromecast, and, when casting, to play/pause and change volume.

import { CastButton } from 'react-native-google-cast'

// ...
  render() {
    // ...
    <CastButton style={{width: 24, height: 24, tintColor: 'black'}} />
  }

The default Cast button behavior can be customized but this is not supported yet by this library.

Introductory Overlay

The introductory overlay highlights the Cast button for new users when they're near a Chromecast device for the first time. The native framework will make sure it is only ever shown to the user once.

You should include the showIntroductoryOverlay callback to every screen that contains the Cast button.

componentDidMount() {
  GoogleCast.showIntroductoryOverlay();
}

Mini Media Control

TODO

Expanded Media Control

The expanded controller is a full screen view which offers full control of the remote media playback. This view should allow a casting app to manage every manageable aspect of a cast session, with the exception of receiver volume control and session lifecycle (connect/stop casting). It also provides all the status information about the media session (artwork, title, subtitle, and so forth).

To use the default expanded controller:

  • iOS: in AppDelegate.m's didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method add

    [GCKCastContext sharedInstance].useDefaultExpandedMediaControls = YES;

  • Android: in AndroidManifest.xml add

    <activity android:name="com.reactnative.googlecast.GoogleCastExpandedControlsActivity" />

Then, to load the expanded controller, call

GoogleCast.launchExpandedControls()

The expanded controller will also be launched automatically when the user taps the mini controller.

Volume Control

The Cast framework automatically manages the volume for the sender app and synchronizes the sender and receiver apps so that the sender UI always reports the volume specified by the receiver.

Physical button volume control is automatically enabled on Android. On iOS, you need to enable it when initializing the cast context:

GCKCastOptions *options = [[GCKCastOptions alloc] initWithReceiverApplicationID:kGCKMediaDefaultReceiverApplicationID];
options.physicalVolumeButtonsWillControlDeviceVolume = YES;
[GCKCastContext setSharedInstanceWithOptions:options];

Programmatic access to the volume will be added in a future version.

Events

The library emits events to inform you about current state.

Session Events

A session is an end-to-end connection from a sender application (mobile app) to a receiver application (on Chromecast).

import GoogleCast from 'react-native-google-cast'

// Establishing connection to Chromecast
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_STARTING, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Connection established
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_STARTED, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Connection failed
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_START_FAILED, error => {
  console.error(error)
})

// Connection suspended (your application went to background or disconnected)
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_SUSPENDED, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Attempting to reconnect
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_RESUMING, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Reconnected
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_RESUMED, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Disconnecting
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_ENDING, () => {
  /* callback */
})

// Disconnected (error provides explanation if ended forcefully)
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(GoogleCast.SESSION_ENDED, error => {
  /* callback */
})

Media Events

Remote media client controls media playback on a Cast receiver.

// Status of the media has changed. The `mediaStatus` object contains the new status.
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.MEDIA_STATUS_UPDATED,
  ({ mediaStatus }) => {},
)

For convenience, the following events are triggered in addition to MEDIA_STATUS_UPDATED in these special cases (they're called after MEDIA_STATUS_UPDATED, if you're subscribed to them).

// Media started playing
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.MEDIA_PLAYBACK_STARTED,
  ({ mediaStatus }) => {},
)

// Media finished playing
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.MEDIA_PLAYBACK_ENDED,
  ({ mediaStatus }) => {},
)

// Playing progress of the media has changed. The `mediaProgress` object contains the duration and new progress.
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.MEDIA_PROGRESS_UPDATED,
  ({ mediaProgress }) => {},
)

Channel Events

A virtual communication channel for exchanging messages between a Cast sender (mobile app) and a Cast receiver (on Chromecast).

Each channel is tagged with a unique namespace, so multiple channels may be multiplexed over a single network connection between a sender and a receiver.

A channel must be registered by calling GoogleCast.initChannel('urn:x-cast:...') before it can be used. When the associated session is established, the channel will be connected automatically and can then send and receive messages.

// Communication channel established
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.CHANNEL_CONNECTED,
  ({ namespace }) => {},
)

// Communication channel terminated
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.CHANNEL_DISCONNECTED,
  ({ namespace }) => {},
)

// Message received
GoogleCast.EventEmitter.addListener(
  GoogleCast.CHANNEL_MESSAGE_RECEIVED,
  ({ namespace, message }) => {},
)

// Send message
GoogleCast.sendMessage(namespace, message)

Example

Refer to the example folder to find an implementation of this project.

Troubleshooting

  • Android: com.google.android.gms.dynamite.DynamiteModule$zza: No acceptable module found. Local version is 0 and remote version is 0.

    You don't have Google Play Services available on your device. Make sure to install them either from http://opengapps.org/ or follow tutorials online.

    TODO: Handle gracefully and ignore the Cast library without crashing.

  • Android: If you're having version conflicts of the appcompat (or google play services) libraries, make sure you set versions globally in your project's top-level build.gradle:

    buildscript {
  ext {
    buildToolsVersion = '27.0.3'
    minSdkVersion = 16
    compileSdkVersion = 27
    targetSdkVersion = 26
    supportLibVersion = '26.1.0'
    castFrameworkVersion = '16.1.2'
  }
  ...
}

  • Android* java.lang.IllegalStateException: The activity must be a subclass of FragmentActivity

    Make sure your MainActivity extends GoogleCastActivity, AppCompatActivity, or some other descendant of FragmentActivity.

Contribution

  1. Contributions are welcome!
  2. Fork the repo.
  3. Implement your shiny new thing.
  4. Demonstrate how to use it in the example project.
  5. Document the functionality in the README (here).
  6. PR