Solution Usage Tracking with Google Analytics
One of the nicest feelings in the world is getting something for free. Especially when it really helps you out and it's valuable.
At the small cost of giving up a little bit of data, to one of the world's biggest data collectors, you can see how users use your FileMaker solution and what they do.
In fact, what you collect, and how, is totally up to you. You can control pretty much anything in terms of what you transfer to Google Analytics.
Many developers who have implemented Google's Analytics only go a short distance to what they could potentially collect. They often point to some remote site with embedded analytics code provided as the default by Google.
However, the usage of the default code is SO LIMITING. You can get as creative as you want when pushing data to Google Analytics. The big trick is to know what can be sent, how it's sent and what to do when Google has the data.
The reporting aspect, on Google's side, is where most of the power lies. What you need to do is determine what you want to push and when. Fortunately, this video has all the nitty gritty details for making things super easy for you!
Comments
Great Intro
Thanks, Matt. This is a great intro to the possibilities with GA.
I'm wondering if there's a way to track script errors so we can be pro-active with our clients. Hmmmm. I'll have to think on this.
Error logging
For the purpose of error logging I would certainly look into collecting a local log of errors then pushing this up to a FileMaker Server. You could also use a web site. In my case, the Theme Studio pushes errors up to a Drupal site via REST requests. Of course, this will most likely require the use of a plugin.
When using FileMaker/FileMaker server you don't have to have plugins, but it will be slower.
You can also capture information to any web based service via javascript. There are many out there.
To that end, I wouldn't use Google Analytics for error logging, because it doesn't seem to be a good fit. But hey, if you wanted to use another id and your users won't go over the quota limits then it can certainly be done.
-- Matt Petrowsky - ISO FileMaker Magazine Editor
Update Requested
It seems that this solution does not work with actual Google Analytics.
Can you do an update of this solution file?
Kind regards
Philipp