# Location tracking QA checklist Applies to the BackgroundGeolocation integration: - [`trackLocation()`](src/location/trackLocation.js:11) - [`createTrackingController()`](src/location/bggeo/createTrackingController.js:1) - [`TRACKING_PROFILES`](src/location/backgroundGeolocationConfig.js:190) ## Goals 1. Updates only when moved enough - IDLE: record/upload only after moving ~200m. - ACTIVE: record/upload after moving ~25m. 2. Works in foreground, background and terminated (Android + iOS). 3. Avoid uploads while stationary. ## Current implementation notes - Movement-driven recording only: - IDLE relies on the SDK's **stop-detection + stationary geofence** (`geolocation.stopOnStationary` + `geolocation.stationaryRadius`) to avoid periodic stationary updates on Android. - We explicitly exit moving mode on entry to IDLE (`changePace(false)`) to prevent drift-generated periodic locations. - If the SDK later reports a real move (`onMotionChange(isMoving:true)`), JS may request **one** persisted fix as a fallback. - We intentionally do not rely on time-based updates. - ACTIVE uses `geolocation.distanceFilter: 25`. - JS may request a persisted fix when entering ACTIVE (see [`applyProfile()`](src/location/bggeo/createTrackingController.js:170)). - Upload strategy is intentionally simple: - Keep only the latest persisted geopoint: `persistence.maxRecordsToPersist: 1`. - No batching / thresholds: `batchSync: false`, `autoSyncThreshold: 0`. - When authenticated, each persisted location should upload immediately via native HTTP (works while JS is suspended). - Pre-auth: BGGeo tracking is disabled (do not start). UI-only location uses `expo-location`. - Stationary noise suppression: - Native accuracy gate for persisted/uploaded locations: `geolocation.filter.trackingAccuracyThreshold: 100`. - Identical location suppression: `geolocation.allowIdenticalLocations: false`. - IDLE primarily relies on stop-detection + stationary geofence (`stopOnStationary: true`) to eliminate periodic stationary updates. - Elasticity disabled (`disableElasticity: true`) to avoid dynamic distanceFilter shrink. - Extra safety: any JS-triggered persisted fix requests are tagged and ignored if accuracy > 100m. ## Concise testing checklist (Android + iOS) ### 1) Baseline setup - App has foreground + background location permissions. - Motion/Activity permission granted (iOS motion, Android activity-recognition if prompted). - Logged-in (to validate native HTTP uploads). ### 2) IDLE (no open alert) 1. Launch app and confirm there is **no open alert** owned by the current user. 2. Leave phone stationary for 10+ minutes (screen on and screen off). - Expect: no periodic server uploads. 3. Walk/drive ~250m. - Expect: a movement-triggered persisted location + upload. ### 3) ACTIVE (open alert) 1. Open an alert owned by the current user. 2. Move ~30m. - Expect: at least one persisted location reaches server quickly. 3. Continue moving. - Expect: updates align with movement (distanceFilter-based), not time. ### 4) Lifecycle coverage - Foreground → background: repeat IDLE and ACTIVE steps. - Terminated: - Android: swipe-away from recents, then move the above distances and verify server updates. - iOS: swipe-kill, then move significantly and verify app relaunch + upload after relaunch. ## Basic preconditions - Location permissions: foreground + background granted. - Motion permission granted. - Network reachable. ## Foreground behavior ### IDLE (no open alert) 1. Launch app, ensure no open alert. 2. Stay stationary for 5+ minutes. - Expect: no repeated server updates. 3. Walk/drive ~250m. - Expect: `onMotionChange(isMoving:true)` then one persisted location + upload. ### ACTIVE (open alert) 1. Open an alert owned by the current user. 2. Move ~30m. - Expect: at least one location persisted + uploaded. 3. Continue moving. - Expect: periodic updates roughly aligned with movement, not time. ## Background behavior ### IDLE 1. Put app in background. 2. Stay stationary. - Expect: no periodic uploads. 3. Move ~250m. - Expect: `onMotionChange(isMoving:true)` then one persisted record and upload. ### ACTIVE 1. Put app in background. 2. Move ~30m. - Expect: updates continue. ## Terminated behavior ### Android 1. Ensure tracking enabled and authenticated. 2. Swipe the app away from recents / kill the task. 3. Move ~250m in IDLE. - Expect: native service still records + uploads. 4. Move ~30m in ACTIVE. - Expect: native service still records + uploads. > Note: This does **not** include Android Settings → **Force stop**. > Force-stop prevents background services and receivers from running; no SDK can reliably track after that. ### iOS 1. Swipe-kill the app. 2. Move significantly (expect iOS to relaunch app on stationary-geofence exit). - Expect: tracking resumes and uploads after movement. ## Test matrix (quick) | Platform | App state | Profile | Move | Expected signals | |---|---|---|---:|---| | Android | foreground | IDLE | ~250m | [`onMotionChange`](src/location/bggeo/createTrackingController.js:311) then [`onLocation`](src/location/bggeo/createTrackingController.js:286) (sample=false), then [`onHttp`](src/location/bggeo/createTrackingController.js:302) | | Android | background | IDLE | ~250m | same as above | | Android | swipe-away | IDLE | ~250m | native geofence triggers; verify server update; app may relaunch to deliver JS logs | | Android | foreground | ACTIVE | ~30m | location + upload continues | | iOS | background | IDLE | ~250m | movement-driven update; no periodic uploads while stationary | | iOS | swipe-killed | IDLE | significant | OS relaunch on movement; upload after relaunch | ## What to look for in logs - No time-based uploads: heartbeat is disabled (`heartbeatInterval: 0`). - Movement-only uploads: - IDLE: look for `Motion change` (isMoving=true). - ACTIVE distance threshold: `distanceFilter: 25` in [`TRACKING_PROFILES`](src/location/backgroundGeolocationConfig.js:148). - Attribution for `getCurrentPosition`: - `Location update received` logs include `extras.req_reason` and `extras.req_persist`. - Persisted-fix reasons to expect: `active_profile_enter`, `moving_edge`, `startup_fix`, `identity_fix:*`. - Accuracy gate signals: - A persisted-fix request can be logged but later ignored due to accuracy > 100m. - If the server still receives periodic updates while stationary, check that the uploaded record has acceptable accuracy and that the device isn't flapping between moving/stationary. ## Debugging tips - Observe logs in app (dev/staging): - `Motion change` edges - `HTTP response` when uploads fail or in dev/staging - pending queue (`BackgroundGeolocation.getCount()` via [`bggeoGetStatusSnapshot()`](src/location/bggeo/diagnostics.js:15)) ## Android-specific note (stationary-geofence EXIT loop) Some Android devices can repeatedly trigger the SDK's internal **stationary geofence EXIT** using a very poor "trigger" fix (eg `hAcc=500m`). This can cause false motion transitions and periodic persisted uploads even when the phone is not moving. Mitigation applied: - Android IDLE disables `geolocation.stopOnStationary` (we do **not** rely on stationary-geofence mode in IDLE on Android). - See [`BASE_GEOLOCATION_CONFIG.geolocation.stopOnStationary`](src/location/backgroundGeolocationConfig.js:1) and [`TRACKING_PROFILES.idle.geolocation.stopOnStationary`](src/location/backgroundGeolocationConfig.js:1). - Android IDLE no longer uses `geolocation.useSignificantChangesOnly`. - Reason: this mode can record only "several times/hour" and was observed to miss timely updates after moving ~200–300m while the app is backgrounded on some devices. - IDLE now relies on `distanceFilter: 200` plus native drift filtering. - See [`TRACKING_PROFILES.idle`](src/location/backgroundGeolocationConfig.js:190). Diagnostics: - `onGeofence` events are not explicitly logged anymore (we rely on motion/location/http + the in-app diagnostics helpers).