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Troubleshoot Tracking

This guide provides steps to troubleshoot tracking methods in the Burst WordPress plugin. The article does not address issues with collected data but rather the methods of tracking data.

Symptoms

Issues arise when both the primary and fallback tracking methods (Endpoint & REST-API) are disabled or when you receive a “Tracking error.” in the Burst Dashboard. 

If there is no tracking error, but statistics are not showing up in the dashboard, there is presumably a problem on the ‘front-end’ of your website. Which is most likely caused by a plugin conflict or a caching issue.

How to solve the Burst Dashboard error

Two main tracking methods in Burst

  • Endpoint (Primary method)
  • REST-API (Fallback method)

Burst selects a method based on your server configuration and provides a notification if there’s a problem.

While tracking with REST-API isn’t problematic and ensures your plugin works correctly, for optimal speed, we recommend using the endpoint method.

What to do in case of a complete tracking failure

If a “Tracking error” surfaces, it signifies that both the Rest API and endpoint are malfunctioning. Start troubleshooting with the endpoint and consider REST-API as a secondary solution.

Endpoint issues & solutions:

  1. Permissions issue:
    The endpoint might be missing from your website’s root folder because Burst cannot write there.
    Solution: Adjust permissions temporarily to allow Burst to write the endpoint.
    • Access your server with FTP and navigate to the folder with your WordPress installation, typically “Public HTML.”
    • Right-click the folder and find ‘settings’ or ‘permissions’.
    • Modify permissions to a minimum of “664” or ensure ‘writing’ is enabled.
    • Wait for an hour for Burst to write the endpoint. Once done, you can revert the permissions.
  2. Manually adding the endpoint:
    Solution: Add the file “burst-statistics-endpoint.php” manually to the root folder.

REST-API issues & solutions:

  1. Pretty permalinks:
    If Burst indicates your permalinks aren’t configured properly, adjust them to a setting other than ‘plain’.
  2. Security plugin interference:
    Some security plugins restrict the REST-API.
    Solution: Temporarily disable your security plugin to see if REST-API works. If successful, identify and disable the specific setting in the security plugin that restricts REST-API usage.
    If this doesn’t rectify the issue, contact your hosting provider.

How to resolve other tracking issues

Caching issues & solutions:

For those using caching or performance optimization plugins ensure you don’t minify or combine these two Javascript files: 

  • burst.min.js (or burst-cookieless.min.js depending on if you have enabled cookieless tracking.)
  • timeme.min.js
  • burst-goals.min.js (This file only loads when there is a goal set on the current page.)

Be aware: When you have enabled WP_DEBUG the above files become just ‘.js’ instead of .min.js’.

In most caching plugins you can add these two files to an ‘exclusion list’. We recommend checking the documentation of the plugin you are using and look for a way to exclude JS files. Most plugins will clear the cache after changing settings, but make sure to clear all caches after.

Resolving plugin conflicts with WordPress Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin

  1. Allow tracking yourself: Make sure your own IP and user role are not blocked otherwise this will not work. These settings can be found here Dashboard > Statistics > Settings > Advanced
  2. Install & activate: First, go to WordPress Plugins Repository and install the “Health Check & Troubleshooting” plugin. Activate it.
  3. Access the tool: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Site Health > Troubleshooting.
  4. Enter troubleshooting mode: Click on the “Enter Troubleshooting Mode” button. This will disable all plugins and use a default theme, but only for you as the logged-in user. Other visitors will see the site as normal.
  5. Test plugins individually:
    – First reactivate Burst Statistics or Burst Pro.
    – Reactivate each plugin one by one.
    – After each activation, check the site’s functionality to identify which plugin causes the conflict.
  6. Identify & resolve: Once the problematic plugin is identified, you can:
    – Deactivate and delete it.
    – Seek an alternative plugin.
    – Contact the plugin developer for support.
  7. Exit troubleshooting mode: Once you’ve resolved the conflict, go back to the Site Health > Troubleshooting tab and click “Exit Troubleshooting Mode”.

Conclusion

By adjusting permissions or manually adding the endpoint, you can resolve most Burst tracking issues. If problems persist, inspect REST-API settings and consult with your hosting provider. Remember to always keep ‘burst’ and ‘timeme’ excluded from JS cache in other plugins for smooth operation. Is your issue error still not resolved after following these steps? Open a support thread on the WordPress forums.