Starting and Stopping Vibration

Read the original article：Starting and Stopping Vibration

Requirement Description

Wearables and other HarmonyOS devices often rely on haptic feedback to enhance user experience. Developers may need to:

• Trigger vibration feedback (short taps, long buzzes, custom vibration patterns).


• Stop ongoing vibration when necessary.

The Vibrator Service Kit provides the APIs startVibration and stopVibration for these functions.

Background Knowledge

• Module: @kit.SensorServiceKit
  


• System Capability: SystemCapability.Sensors.MiscDevice
  


• Supported Devices: Phone, PC/2in1, Tablet, TV, Wearable


• Permissions Required: ohos.permission.VIBRATE
  


• Quick App Support: Yes (API version ≥ 11)

Effect Types (VibrateEffect):

• VibratePreset – Built-in vibration patterns for taps, long presses, etc.


• VibrateFromFile – Uses vibration definition from custom configuration file (.json).


• VibrateTime – Fixed-duration vibration (milliseconds).


• VibrateFromPattern – Custom vibration sequence defined programmatically.

Stop Modes (VibratorStopMode):

• 
  VIBRATOR_STOP_MODE_TIME – Stop fixed-duration vibration.


• 
  VIBRATOR_STOP_MODE_PRESET – Stop preset vibration.

Error Codes:

• 
  201: Permission denied.


• 
  401: Parameter error (missing, incorrect type).


• 
  801: Capability not supported.


• 
  14600101: Device operation failed.

Implementation Steps

1. 
   Import Modules:
   
   
   
   
   • 
     vibrator from @kit.SensorServiceKit
     
   
   
   • 
     BusinessError from @kit.BasicServicesKit
     
   
   
   • 
     resourceManager from @kit.LocalizationKit (for file-based effects)
   
   
   
   


2. 
   Request Permission:
   Add ohos.permission.VIBRATE in module.json5.


3. 
   Start Vibration using one of four modes:
   
   
   
   
   • Preset (effectId)
   
   
   • File (hapticFd)
   
   
   • Time (duration)
   
   
   • Pattern (array definition)
   
   
   
   


4. 
   Stop Vibration using the appropriate stop mode.


5. 
   Error Handling: Wrap in try/catch, log err.code and err.message.

Code Snippet (Time-Based)

import { vibrator } from '@kit.SensorServiceKit';

import { BusinessError } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';



try {

  vibrator.startVibration({

    type: 'time',

    duration: 1000

  }, {

    id: 0,

    usage: 'alarm'

  }).then(() => {

    console.info('1-second vibration started');

  }, (error: BusinessError) => {

    console.error(`Failed to start vibration. Code: ${error.code}, message: ${error.message}`);

  });

} catch (err) {

  let e: BusinessError = err as BusinessError;

  console.error(`Unexpected error: ${e.code}, message: ${e.message}`);

}

Stop Vibration (Time Mode) Code:

import { vibrator } from '@kit.SensorServiceKit';

import { BusinessError } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';



try {

  vibrator.stopVibration(vibrator.VibratorStopMode.VIBRATOR_STOP_MODE_TIME, (error: BusinessError) => {

    if (error) {

      console.error(`Failed to stop vibration. Code: ${error.code}, message: ${error.message}`);

      return;

    }

    console.info('Vibration stopped successfully');

  });

} catch (err) {

  let e: BusinessError = err as BusinessError;

  console.error(`Unexpected error: ${e.code}, message: ${e.message}`);

}

Test Results

• 
  On Wearable (Watch 5):
  
  
  
  
  • Preset vibration worked for tap feedback.
  
  
  • File-based vibration triggered a custom alarm pattern.
  
  
  • Time-based vibration ran for 1 second and stopped when stopVibration was called.
  
  
  
  
  
  



• 
  
  On PC (emulator):
  
  
  
  
  • Returned 801 (capability not supported).
  
  
  
  
  
  

Limitations or Considerations

• 
  Device-Dependent: Some vibration effects are not supported on all devices.


• 
  Performance: File-based and pattern-based vibration may consume more battery.


• 
  Permissions: Must include ohos.permission.VIBRATE.


• 
  Stop Mode: Use the correct stop mode (TIME, PRESET) to terminate vibration.

Related Documents

• Vibrator Service Kit API Reference

Written by Taha Enes Kon