How-to: Setup Azure Push Notification with Client SDK v3.1.0 and Server SDK v2.0.0 using a CustomAuthController - azure-mobile-services

Question

Since a few days the new Azure Server and Client SDK are available. I had that issue with the App Service Push https://github.com/Azure/azure-mobile-apps-net-server/issues/170#issuecomment-262656329 in last November 2016.
After reading the release blog https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/appserviceteam/2017/01/10/azure-mobile-apps-net-sdk-releases/ I can now see that the current
way to register for push notification is deprecated.
Can you please give me detailed instructions what I have to change to use the new App Service Push?
The previous problem was that the
_UserId (SID)
Tag was not properly included in the push notification installation. The _UserId had the MD5 hash of the NameIdentifier instead of the clients unique Id I passed to the CustomAuthController. But I need my clients unique Id afterwards for targeted push notifications to clients utilizing the
_UserId=client-unique-id
Here is my current code in Android:
protected override void OnRegistered(Context context, string registrationId)
{
Log.Verbose("PushHandlerBroadcastReceiver", "GCM Registered: " + registrationId);
App.NotificationHubInstallationId = registrationId;
//await RegisterForPushNotifications(OfflineSyncStoreManager.Instance.MobileAppClient, MainActivity.CurrentActivity);
MainActivity.CurrentActivity.RunOnUiThread(async () =>
{
if (GcmClient.IsRegistered(context))
{
try
{
var pushHub = OfflineSyncStoreManager.Instance.MobileAppClient.GetPush();
const string templateBodyGcm = "{\"data\":{\"message\":\"$(messageParam)\"}}";
var templates = new JObject
{
["genericMessage"] = new JObject
{
{"body", templateBodyGcm}
}
};
//NOTE: Unregister any previous NotificationHub Installation of the TruckerApp on that device
await pushHub.UnregisterAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
//NOTE_ Register the TruckerApp for Push Notification in the backend.
await pushHub.RegisterAsync(registrationId, templates).ConfigureAwait(false);
MetricsManager.TrackEvent($"PushNotificationHub-{OfflineSyncStoreManager.Instance.MobileAppClient.CurrentUser.UserId}",
new Dictionary<string, string>
{
{"NotificationHubInstallationId", registrationId}
},
new Dictionary<string, double>());
Log.Info("Push Installation Id", App.NotificationHubInstallationId);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
await MetricsManagerHelper.Instance.SendErrorToApplicationInsightsAsync($"PushNotificationHub Registration failed for reason: {ex.Message}");
DialogNotify("AZURE PUSH Registierungsfehler", "Pushmeldungen sind derzeit nicht verfügbar. " + Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine +
"Um neue Aufträge auf Ihr Handy zu übertragen ziehen " +
"Sie bitte in der Truck Auftrag Übericht (hier!) " +
"mit dem Finger von OBEN -> nach -> UNTEN." +
Environment.NewLine +
Environment.NewLine);
}
}
else
{
await MetricsManagerHelper.Instance.SendErrorToApplicationInsightsAsync("GCM/FCM Client is not registered at Google");
DialogNotify("GCM/FCM Push Registrierungsfehler", "Sei konnten nicht beim Google Cloud Messaging angemeldet werden. " +
"Versuchen Sie bitte ein ReLogin oder um neue Aufträge " +
"auf Ihr Handy zu übertragen, ziehen " +
"Sie bitte in der Truck Auftrag Übericht (hier!) " +
"mit dem Finger von OBEN -> nach -> UNTEN." +
Environment.NewLine +
Environment.NewLine);
}
});
}
Here is my current code in iOS:
// We've successfully registered with the Apple notification service, or in our case Azure
public override async void RegisteredForRemoteNotifications(UIApplication application, NSData deviceToken)
{
try
{
const string templateBodyApns = "{\"aps\":{\"alert\":\"$(messageParam)\"}}";
JObject templates = new JObject();
templates["genericMessage"] = new JObject
{
{"body", templateBodyApns}
};
// Register for push with your mobile app
Push push = OfflineSyncStoreManager.Instance.MobileAppClient.GetPush();
await push.RegisterAsync(deviceToken, templates);
}
catch (Exception e)
{
UIAlertView avAlert = new UIAlertView("AZURE PUSH Registierungsfehler",
"Pushmeldungen sind derzeit nicht verfügbar. " +
Environment.NewLine +
Environment.NewLine +
"Um neue Aufträge auf Ihr Handy zu übertragen ziehen " +
"Sie bitte in der Truck Auftrag Übericht (hier!) " +
"mit dem Finger von OBEN -> nach -> UNTEN." +
Environment.NewLine +
Environment.NewLine,
null,
"OK",
null);
avAlert.Show();
}
}
Thanks in advance,
Eric

Answer 1

You don't need to unregister and then register - a simple register will do it.
Check out chapter 5 of the book - http://aka.ms/zumobook - there is code within the chapter for each type of push registration that covers the Installation method (where you specify tags and templates together). You can then specify the SID explicitly by constructing a tag that is suitable for your needs.

Answer 2

One save way is to use the Azure Mobile Client installationId, persist it in your backend and use that Id for targeted push notifications to that individual client. Instead sending the push notification to _UserId:your-userid post to $installationId:your-clients-zumo-client-id
But that requires you to store the installationId in your backend SQL Server or other cache (e.g. Redis)
A better solution is to follow both links below:
General App Service Push Notification Installations ZUMO Book
and for custom push notification Tags that Custom Tag Blog