I want to count how many times my app is used on a public app

[RensD]

I have a public app.
I am paying for the Publisher Pro subscription. 

Since I am paying from my own pocket, as a service to a community, I would like to know how much people are using my app. Hence.....I would like to create a counting mechanism of some kind. This way it makes me be aware of the value I provide to the community, compared to the costs I make.

I really have NO clue on how to build something like that in AppSheet.
How can I increase a stored counter, every time somebody opens the app?

I am fairly new to appSheet, so I am learning as fast as I can.
Any help would be greatly appreciated please.
Thanks in advance.

[baba_sawane]

Hi Rens,

You can see usage logs in Monitor > Usage statistics 

[RensD]

I know.
But that only gives me information on how many unique users there are per day.
It does not show me how often they are using it en which functionality they use most.
I want to know for instance on which functionality I need to focus to improve.

So......yes I would like to create my own counters.
How would I do that?

[scott192]

I think the only way it could be done would be to make your own actions for the built in Appsheet ones?

As an example, Appsheet supports Form Save Event actions.  If a user fills in one of your forms and saves it, you could make an action fire that adds a row to a hidden 'Telemetery' table for instance?

Also, you could replace the action on when a user clicks a row in a table to open a detail screen?  You could replace that action to Add a row to your 'Telemetry' table and then go to the detail screen?

Any prominently shown actions like Edit can be replaced with a Grouped action that adds a row to 'Telemetry' and then opens the record for editing.

It's all possible what you want to do...just needs some thought and work.

[RensD]

The app is an information only App that users will use to only view data.
They will not fill in any forms or change any data.
This will just look at the data (Locations where Car Meetups will be) and maybe plan their route from the app. Planning their route is an 'action button' I made, but for the rest it is only viewing.

Is there a way to fire an action or automation the moment the app starts?
Is there a way to detect for instance if the user clicks a tab?
Is there a way to see if the user has clicked the sync button.
Things like that? 

[baba_sawane]

---

Is there a way to fire an action or automation the moment the app starts?
Is there a way to detect for instance if the user clicks a tab?
Is there a way to see if the user has clicked the sync button.

---

1/You can use the solution described in this post . 
2/ To quote @scott192  : 

Also, you could replace the action on when a user clicks a row in a table to open a detail screen?  You could replace that action to Add a row to your 'Telemetry' table and then go to the detail screen?

3/ Same as 1.

Unfortunately, what you're asking can only be done if you use tricks and manipulate the views and actions to create logs.

But, looking at your goal (to know which functions are the most used), trying to count the number of syncs may not be that useful. It will be much easier to do as @scott192 suggested and just using actions when user click on a Row or update/add a row. Of course, you can, but it may impact the user experience and simplicity of a public app, if not done properly.

Please use the reply button to keep the thread readable.

[scott192]

It is of no importance whether they fill forms or not.  They still have to click stuff to view information right?  Whether that is a row in a table, your special action button or any buttons that make the screen change for them...you can write data behind the scenes to track that.

There is no way to get a bot to fire on app startup or to check when a sync has happened.

[RensD]

> ...you can write data behind the scenes to track that.
Yes......that is what I would like.
Please can you advice me how I can do that?

I repeat: I am fairly new to appSheet and I have to learn a lot. 

[RensD]

I created an action that updates a 'tracker' tabel.
....but HOW to I tell that action to fire when the tab to show the map is being clicked?

The map data is in the table 'GPS' and the tracker data is in the table 'Tracker'.
It seems I can not connect something from one table to on other.
Help?

[scott192 · Accepted solution]

So it sounds as if you have a view that displays a Map.  You have possibly set that view to be one of the 5 available positions at the bottom of your app...yes?

To be able to do what you want, you cannot allow the user to just click on a tab to display the view.  In fact, you should only ever have 1 view that is shown to the user.  That view would be a Menu screen with buttons that when clicked display the requested view.

The actions that you attach to the buttons would be what are called Grouped Actions.  Grouped action buttons allow a single click to trigger multiple actions.  For the case where you want the user to view your Map screen, the actions (in order!) would be Add row to another table (your tracker table) followed by Go to another view in this App (LINKTOVIEW("Your map view name").

[RensD]

Ah.....yes.......I can understand that.
And yes....it is currently as you are describing.

I will try to do it like you suggest.
Thank you for thinking along.