Is it good practice to check internet connection before each api call (register,save object..etc)?

General
1

Hi,
as the question above says, Is it good practice to check internet connection before each api call (register, save object, get object, update geo … etc) in my app ???
using swift code like :

import SystemConfiguration
public class Reachability {
 class func isConnectedToNetwork() -> Bool {
 var zeroAddress = sockaddr_in(sin_len: 0, sin_family: 0, sin_port: 0, sin_addr: in_addr(s_addr: 0), sin_zero: (0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0))
 zeroAddress.sin_len = UInt8(MemoryLayout.size(ofValue: zeroAddress))
 zeroAddress.sin_family = sa_family_t(AF_INET)
 let defaultRouteReachability = withUnsafePointer(to: &zeroAddress) {
 $0.withMemoryRebound(to: sockaddr.self, capacity: 1) {zeroSockAddress in
 SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithAddress(nil, zeroSockAddress)
 }
 }
 var flags: SCNetworkReachabilityFlags = SCNetworkReachabilityFlags(rawValue: 0)
 if SCNetworkReachabilityGetFlags(defaultRouteReachability!, &flags) == false {
 return false
 }
 /* Only Working for WIFI
 let isReachable = flags == .reachable
 let needsConnection = flags == .connectionRequired
 return isReachable && !needsConnection
 */
 // Working for Cellular and WIFI
 let isReachable = (flags.rawValue & UInt32(kSCNetworkFlagsReachable)) != 0
 let needsConnection = (flags.rawValue & UInt32(kSCNetworkFlagsConnectionRequired)) != 0
 let ret = (isReachable && !needsConnection)
 return ret
 }
}

and then check anywhere in the app:

if Reachability.isConnectedToNetwork() == true
{
 print("Internet Connection Available!")
}
else
{
 print("Internet Connection not Available!")
}

OR stick with the error code throw back from each api call ?

2

Hello,

Rather than checking internet connection before every API call, it would be better to create a global callback in your app so it is notified when the connection is dropped. Then, it would be easier for you to check if the connection exists simply by referencing a global variable.

Alternatively, you should be adding fault handling for all of your calls anyway. If the connection is dropped, a fault will be generated and you could handle it in a user-friendly way.

Regards,
Mark

3

Hi Mark,

thanks for the quick respond … so you’re saying the best option is to handle fault for all calls as the example below :

Types.tryblock({ () -> Void in 
 // sychronous backendless API call here
},
catchblock: { (exception) -> Void in 
 // handle error from server here 
 if ((exception as! Fault).faultCode == "-1009") { 
 print ("The Internet connection appears to be offline") 
 } 
})

???

4

If you’re developing with Swift, yes, that’s how you catch the reported errors.

It is a good idea to have fault handling not just for missing internet connection, but all other cases as well.

Regards,
Mark

5

Thanks for the help Mark :slight_smile: