Uninstall Tracking

The Trackier Cordova SDK supports uninstall tracking, a feature that monitors when users remove your app from their devices, providing valuable insights into user retention, campaign quality, and potential fraud detection. By integrating with Firebase Analytics and a Firebase Cloud Function, this feature tracks uninstall events on Android, enabling you to analyze churn rates and optimize marketing strategies. This section outlines how to configure uninstall tracking in your Cordova or Ionic Native application.

Prerequisites

Trackier Cordova SDK installed and initialized in your project
A Trackier MMP account with access to the Trackier Panel
Firebase project set up with Firebase Analytics enabled for your Android app
Firebase Cloud Functions configured in your Firebase project
Cordova 9.0 or later
For Ionic Native apps:
- Ionic CLI and Capacitor
- @awesome-cordova-plugins/core and trackier plugin configured
Basic knowledge of JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular (for Ionic Native), Firebase Analytics, and Cordova development

Configure Uninstall Tracking

Uninstall tracking requires setting a common identifier (ct_objectId) using the AppTrove SDK's getTrackierId method, configuring Firebase Analytics to track the app_remove event, and setting up a Firebase Cloud Function to send uninstall data to the Trackier MMP.

Steps to Configure Uninstall Tracking

Initialize the AppTrove SDK with your SDK key and environment.
Retrieve the Trackier ID using trackierCordovaPlugin.getTrackierId and set it as a user property (ct_objectId) in Firebase Analytics.
Configure Firebase Analytics to track the app_remove event as a conversion event.
Set up a Firebase Cloud Function to send uninstall data to the Trackier MMP, following Trackier's support documentation.

TypeScript Example (Ionic Native)

tab1.page.ts
import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { TrackierCordovaPlugin, TrackierConfig, TrackierEnvironment } from '@awesome-cordova-plugins/trackier/ngx';
import { FirebaseAnalytics } from '@awesome-cordova-plugins/firebase-analytics/ngx';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-tab1',
  templateUrl: 'tab1.page.html',
  styleUrls: ['tab1.page.scss']
})
export class Tab1Page {
  constructor(
    private trackierCordovaPlugin: TrackierCordovaPlugin,
    private firebaseAnalytics: FirebaseAnalytics
  ) {}

  async ngOnInit() {
    // Initialize SDK
    var key = "0455721b-XXXX-XXXXX-596d818d910a"; // Replace with your SDK key
    var trackierConfig = new TrackierConfig(key, TrackierEnvironment.Development);
    this.trackierCordovaPlugin.initializeSDK(trackierConfig);

    // Set Trackier ID as Firebase User Property
    this.trackierCordovaPlugin.getTrackierId()
      .then(val => this.firebaseAnalytics.setUserProperty({ name: "ct_objectId", value: val }))
      .catch(e => console.log('error: ', e)); // Replace with your actual method to get ct_objectId
  }
}

JavaScript Example (Pure Cordova)

tab1.page.ts
document.addEventListener('deviceready', onDeviceReady, false);

function onDeviceReady() {
  // Initialize SDK
  var key = "0455721b-XXXX-XXXXX-596d818d910a"; // Replace with your SDK key
  var trackierConfig = new TrackierConfig(key, TrackierEnvironment.Development);
  TrackierCordovaPlugin.initializeSDK(trackierConfig);

  // Set Trackier ID as Firebase User Property
  TrackierCordovaPlugin.getTrackierId()
    .then(val => FirebaseAnalytics.setUserProperty({ name: "ct_objectId", value: val }))
    .catch(e => console.log('error: ', e)); // Replace with your actual method to get ct_objectId
}

Step 2: Configure Firebase Analytics

Log in to your Firebase Console.
Navigate to Analytics > Events.
Ensure the app_remove event is marked as a conversion event.
Verify that Firebase Analytics is correctly integrated into your Android app.

Step 3: Set Up Firebase Cloud Function

Prerequisites

Node.js 20.x or 22.x (use nvm for easy version management)
Firebase CLI (npm install -g firebase-tools)
Firebase project on Blaze plan (required for analytics triggers)
Google account with access to Firebase Console
App with Firebase Analytics SDK integrated
Trackier account (for uninstall event tracking)

Set Up Node.js and Firebase CLI

# Install Node Version Manager (nvm) if not already installed
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

# Install and use Node.js 22 (recommended)
nvm install 22
nvm use 22

# Install Firebase CLI globally
npm install -g firebase-tools

# Login to Firebase
firebase login

Create or Select Your Firebase Project

If you already have a Firebase project for your app:

Go to Firebase Console
Select your project

If you need to create a new Firebase project:

In the Firebase Console, click Add project and follow the steps
Link Google Analytics when prompted
Register your Android app and download google-services.json for your app

Initialize Firebase Functions in Your Project Directory

# Create a new directory for your project (if needed)
mkdir YourProjectName
cd YourProjectName

# Initialize Firebase in this directory
firebase init functions

Choose:
- Use an existing project (if you already have one) or create a new one
- Language: JavaScript
- ESLint: Yes (recommended)
- Install dependencies: Yes

Prepare Your Functions Directory

Your folder structure should look like this:

YourProjectName/
  functions/
    index.js
    package.json
    .eslintrc.js
    ...

If you already have a functions directory, use it.

Add the Uninstall Tracking Function Code

Replace the contents of functions/index.js with:

const functions = require("firebase-functions");
const admin = require("firebase-admin");
const axios = require("axios");

// Set your SDK key here (or use environment variables for security)
const SDK_KEY = "YOUR_SDK_KEY_HERE";

admin.initializeApp();

// Defensive: Only export analytics trigger if available
if (!functions.analytics) {
  // This will prevent deployment errors in unsupported environments
  console.warn("Analytics triggers are not available in this environment.");
  exports.sendAndroidUninstallToTrackierApptrove = () => {};
} else {
  exports.sendAndroidUninstallToTrackierApptrove = functions.analytics
      .event("app_remove")
      .onLog(async (event) => {
      // Defensive extraction of user properties
        const userProps =
        event.user && event.user.userProperties ?
          event.user.userProperties :
          {};
        const installId =
        userProps.ct_objectId && userProps.ct_objectId.value ?
          userProps.ct_objectId.value :
          "";
        const mode =
        userProps.ct_mode && userProps.ct_mode.value ?
          userProps.ct_mode.value :
          "production";
        const cuid =
        userProps.ct_uid && userProps.ct_uid.value ?
          userProps.ct_uid.value :
          "";
        const cmail =
        userProps.ct_mail && userProps.ct_mail.value ?
          userProps.ct_mail.value :
          "";

        if (!installId) {
          functions.logger.warn(
              "No ct_objectId found in event",
              {userProps},
          );
          return null;
        }

        const url = "https://events.trackier.io/v1/uninstall";
        const data = {
          installId,
          sdkKey: SDK_KEY,
          mode,
          cuid,
          cmail,
          meta: event,
        };

        try {
          const response = await axios.post(
              url,
              data,
              {
                headers: {"Content-Type": "application/json"},
                timeout: 10000,
              },
          );
          functions.logger.log(
              "Tracked uninstall",
              {
                installId,
                status: response.status,
                data: response.data,
              },
          );
        } catch (error) {
          functions.logger.error(
              "Uninstall tracking failed",
              {
                installId,
                status: error.response ? error.response.status : "N/A",
                data: error.response ? error.response.data : error.message,
              },
          );
        }
        return null;
      });
}

Set Up Dependencies In package.json

{
  "name": "functions",
  "description": "Cloud Functions for Firebase",
  "scripts": {
    "lint:fix": "eslint . --fix",
    "lint": "eslint .",
    "serve": "firebase emulators:start --only functions",
    "shell": "firebase functions:shell",
    "start": "npm run shell",
    "deploy": "firebase deploy --only functions",
    "logs": "firebase functions:log"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": "20"
  },
  "main": "index.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "axios": "^1.10.0",
    "firebase-admin": "^11.0.0",
    "firebase-functions": "^3.23.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "eslint": "^8.15.0",
    "eslint-config-google": "^0.14.0"
  },
  "private": true
}

ESLint Configuration

Create a .eslintrc.js file in your functions directory:

// .eslintrc.js
module.exports = {
  parserOptions: {
    ecmaVersion: 2020, // or at least 2015
    sourceType: 'module', // if you're using ES modules (import/export)
  },
  env: {
    es6: true,
    node: true, // if you're in a Node.js environment
  },
};

Deploy Your Function And Fix link Error

# In the functions directory
cd functions

# Install dependencies
npm install

# (Optional) Run linter and auto-fix issues
npm run lint:fix

firebase deploy --only functions

If you see errors about CPU/Gen 2 or function already existing as 2nd Gen:

firebase functions:delete sendAndroidUninstallToTrackierApptrove --force

// After delete your function redeploy the function

firebase deploy --only functions

Ignore warnings about outdated firebase-functions if you need analytics triggers.

Verify and Debug

A. See Data in Firebase Console

Go to Firebase Console
Select your project
Navigate to Analytics > Dashboard and look for the app_remove event

B. Use Analytics DebugView

In the Firebase Console, go to Analytics > DebugView

Enable DebugView on your device:

adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app <your.app.package>
# Example:
adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app com.example.myapp
# To turn off:
adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app .none.

Open your app and trigger uninstall or other events
Watch for real-time events in DebugView

C. Check Cloud Function Logs

In Firebase Console: Build > Functions > View logs
monitor the status of your cloud function here:
https://console.cloud.google.com/functions/list

Look for logs like Tracked uninstall or Uninstall tracking failed

D. Check Trackier Uninstall Log

Log in to your [Trackier dashboard]
Navigate to uninstall/event logs
Filter by installId or other user properties
Confirm the uninstall event was received

Tips for cloud function

Analytics triggers not working?
- Make sure you are on Blaze plan and Analytics is linked
- Only deploy to production (not emulator)
- Use firebase-functions@3.x and firebase-admin@11.x
CPU/Gen 2 errors?
- Remove any "cpu" option from firebase.json or CLI flags
- Delete the function if it was previously deployed as Gen 2, then redeploy
Dependency conflicts?
- Downgrade firebase-admin to ^11.0.0 if needed
Linting errors?
- Use npm run lint:fix and break up long lines/fix indentation
Function not triggering?
- Ensure your app is setting the user property:
```
await analytics().setUserProperty('ct_objectId', trackierId);
```
- Use Analytics DebugView to verify the event is sent
Still stuck?
- Check Firebase Functions Docs and Firebase Analytics Triggers

Expected Outcome

When a user uninstalls the app, the app_remove event will be logged in Firebase Analytics, and the Firebase Cloud Function will send the ct_objectId to the Trackier MMP. Uninstall data will appear in the Trackier Panel, allowing analysis of churn rates and campaign quality.

Best Practices

Verify Firebase Integration: Ensure Firebase Analytics is correctly set up in your app and the app_remove event is enabled as a conversion event.
Test in Development Environment: Use TrackierEnvironment.Development to test uninstall tracking without affecting production data.
Secure Cloud Function: Restrict access to your Firebase Cloud Function to prevent unauthorized data transmission.
Monitor Uninstall Data: Regularly check the Trackier Panel to analyze uninstall trends and identify high-churn campaigns.
Handle Errors Gracefully: Implement error handling for getTrackierId to manage cases where the ID is unavailable.
Comply with Privacy Regulations: Ensure uninstall tracking complies with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws, obtaining user consent for analytics where required.

Troubleshooting

Uninstall Events Not Appearing in Trackier Panel:
- Verify that getTrackierId returns a valid ID and is set as the ct_objectId user property in Firebase Analytics.
- Ensure the app_remove event is marked as a conversion event in Firebase.
- Check the Firebase Cloud Function logs for errors in sending data to Trackier.
Firebase Analytics Not Tracking app_remove:
- Confirm Firebase Analytics is correctly integrated into your Android app.
- Test the app on a physical device, as emulators may not trigger uninstall events.
Trackier ID Not Set:
- Ensure the SDK is initialized before calling getTrackierId.
- Check console logs for errors related to trackierCordovaPlugin.getTrackierId.
Ionic Native Issues:
- Verify the TrackierCordovaPlugin and FirebaseAnalytics providers are registered in app.module.ts.
- Ensure the trackier folder is in node_modules/@awesome-cordova-plugins and ionic cap sync was executed.

For further assistance, refer to the Trackier Documentation Portal or contact Trackier support at support@trackier.com.

Prerequisites​

Configure Uninstall Tracking​

Steps to Configure Uninstall Tracking​

TypeScript Example (Ionic Native)​

JavaScript Example (Pure Cordova)​

Step 2: Configure Firebase Analytics​

Step 3: Set Up Firebase Cloud Function​

Prerequisites​

Set Up Node.js and Firebase CLI​

Create or Select Your Firebase Project​

If you already have a Firebase project for your app:​

If you need to create a new Firebase project:​

Initialize Firebase Functions in Your Project Directory​

Prepare Your Functions Directory​

Add the Uninstall Tracking Function Code​

Set Up Dependencies In package.json​

ESLint Configuration​

Deploy Your Function And Fix link Error​

Verify and Debug​

A. See Data in Firebase Console​

B. Use Analytics DebugView​

C. Check Cloud Function Logs​

D. Check Trackier Uninstall Log​

Tips for cloud function​

Expected Outcome​

Best Practices​

Troubleshooting​

Prerequisites

Configure Uninstall Tracking

Steps to Configure Uninstall Tracking

TypeScript Example (Ionic Native)

JavaScript Example (Pure Cordova)

Step 2: Configure Firebase Analytics

Step 3: Set Up Firebase Cloud Function

Prerequisites

Set Up Node.js and Firebase CLI

Create or Select Your Firebase Project

If you already have a Firebase project for your app:

If you need to create a new Firebase project:

Initialize Firebase Functions in Your Project Directory

Prepare Your Functions Directory

Add the Uninstall Tracking Function Code

Set Up Dependencies In package.json

ESLint Configuration

Deploy Your Function And Fix link Error

Verify and Debug

A. See Data in Firebase Console

B. Use Analytics DebugView

C. Check Cloud Function Logs

D. Check Trackier Uninstall Log

Tips for cloud function

Expected Outcome

Best Practices

Troubleshooting