Tracking Options Reference

For background tracking, Radar's SDK supports custom tracking options as well as three presets: EFFICIENT, RESPONSIVE, and CONTINUOUS.

Configuring Tracking Options#

While it's recommended to use one of the three optimized presets, custom parameters can also be passed at the time of tracking initialization. Additionally, you can also choose to forgo setting background tracking options as part of SDK initialization and override to any of the three preset on the Radar dashboard using Remote Tracking Options.

Swift
Objective-C
Java
Kotlin

let trackingOptions = RadarTrackingOptions.presetResponsivetrackingOptions.beacons = trueRadar.startTracking(trackingOptions: trackingOptions)

RadarTrackingOptions *trackingOptions = RadarTrackingOptions.presetResponsive;trackingOptions.beacons = YES;[Radar startTrackingWithOptions:trackingOptions];

RadarTrackingOptions trackingOptions = RadarTrackingOptions.RESPONSIVE;trackingOptions.beacons = true;Radar.startTracking(trackingOptions);

val trackingOptions = RadarTrackingOptions.RESPONSIVEtrackingOptions.beacons = trueRadar.startTracking(trackingOptions)

Tracking states#

The SDK has two states: stopped and moving. After a location update is made, a user then occupies one of these two states. Tracking Options can be customized to alter the frequency of updates when a user is either stopped or moving. While less common to adjust, stopDuration and stopDistance are Tracking Options that alter the intervals after which a user is assumed to be stopped.

iOS#

iOS options#

desiredStoppedUpdateInterval: Determines the desired location update interval in seconds when stopped. Use 0 to shut down when stopped. Defaults to 0.
desiredMovingUpdateInterval: Determines the desired location update interval in seconds when moving. Defaults to 0. Note that location updates may be delayed significantly by Low Power Mode, or if the device has connectivity issues, low battery, or wi-fi disabled.
desiredSyncInterval: Determines the desired sync interval in seconds. Defaults to 0.
desiredAccuracy: Determines the desired accuracy of location updates. .high uses kCLLocationAccuracyBest, .medium uses kCLLocationAccuracyHundredMeters, .low uses kCLLocationAccuracyKilometer. Defaults to .medium.
stopDuration: With stopDistance, determines the duration in seconds after which the device is considered stopped. Defaults to 0.
stopDistance: With stopDuration, determines the distance in meters within which the device is considered stopped. Defaults to 0.
startTrackingAfter: Determines when to start tracking. Use nil to start tracking when startTracking is called.
stopTrackingAfter: Determines when to stop tracking. Use nil to track until stopTracking is called.
replay: Determines which failed location updates to replay to the server. .all replays all location updates including those collected offline, .replayStops replays failed stops, .replayNone replays no location updates. Defaults to .replayNone.
syncLocations: Determines which location updates to sync to the server. .all syncs all location updates to the server, .stopsAndExits syncs only stops and exits to the server, .none syncs no location updates to the server. Defaults to .all.
showBlueBar: Determines whether the flashing blue status bar is shown when tracking. Defaults to false.
useStoppedGeofence: Determines whether to use the iOS region monitoring service (geofencing) to create a client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when stopped. Defaults to false.
stoppedGeofenceRadius: Determines the radius in meters of the client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when stopped. Use smaller values (e.g., 100 meters) for faster exit events or larger values (e.g., 200 meters) to avoid jumpy exits while stopped. Defaults to 0.
useMovingGeofence: Determines whether to use the iOS region monitoring service (geofencing) to create a client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when moving. Defaults to false.
movingGeofenceRadius: Determines the radius in meters of the client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when moving. Defaults to 0.
syncGeofences: Determines whether to sync nearby geofences from the server to the client to improve responsiveness. Defaults to false.
useVisits: Determines whether to use the iOS visit monitoring service. Defaults to false.
useSignificantLocationChanges: Determines whether to use the iOS significant location change service. Defaults to false.
beacons: Determines whether to monitor beacons. Defaults to false.

iOS presets#

RadarTrackingOptions.presetContinuous: Updates about every 30 seconds while moving or stopped. Moderate battery usage. Shows the flashing blue status bar during tracking.
RadarTrackingOptions.presetResponsive: Updates about every 2.5 minutes when moving and shuts down when stopped to save battery. Once stopped, the device will need to move more than 100 meters to wake up and start moving again. Low battery usage. Requires the location background mode.
RadarTrackingOptions.presetEfficient: Uses the iOS visit monitoring service to update only on stops and exits. Once stopped, the device will need to move several hundred meters and trigger a visit departure to wake up and start moving again. Lowest battery usage.

Option	Efficient	Responsive	Continuous
`desiredStoppedUpdateInterval`	`0`	`0`	`30`
`desiredMovingUpdateInterval`	`0`	`150`	`30`
`desiredSyncInterval`	`0`	`20`	`20`
`desiredAccuracy`	`.medium`	`.medium`	`.high`
`stopDuration`	`0`	`140`	`140`
`stopDistance`	`0`	`70`	`70`
`startTrackingAfter`	`nil`	`nil`	`nil`
`stopTrackingAfter`	`nil`	`nil`	`nil`
`replay`	`.stops`	`.stops`	`.none`
`syncLocations`	`.all`	`.all`	`.all`
`showBlueBar`	`false`	`false`	`true`
`useStoppedGeofence`	`false`	`true`	`false`
`stoppedGeofenceRadius`	`0`	`100`	`0`
`useMovingGeofence`	`false`	`true`	`false`
`movingGeofenceRadius`	`0`	`100`	`0`
`syncGeofences`	`true`	`true`	`false`
`useVisits`	`true`	`true`	`false`
`useSignificantLocationChanges`	`false`	`true`	`false`
`beacons`	`false`	`false`	`false`

Android#

Android options#

desiredStoppedUpdateInterval: Determines the desired location update interval in seconds when stopped. Use 0 to shut down when stopped. Defaults to 0.
fastestStoppedUpdateInterval: Determines the fastest location update interval in seconds when stopped. Defaults to 0.
desiredMovingUpdateInterval: Determines the desired location update interval in seconds when moving. Defaults to 0. Note that location updates may be delayed significantly by Doze Mode, App Standby, and Background Location Limits, or if the device has connectivity issues, low battery, or wi-fi disabled. To avoid these restrictions, you can start a foreground service.
fastestMovingUpdateInterval: Determines the fastest location update interval in seconds when stopped. Defaults to 0.
desiredSyncInterval: Determines the desired sync interval in seconds. Defaults to 0.
desiredAccuracy: Determines the desired accuracy of location updates. HIGH uses PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY, MEDIUM uses PRIORITY_BALANCED_POWER_ACCURACY, LOW uses PRIORITY_LOW_POWER, NONE uses PRIORITY_NO_POWER. Defaults to MEDIUM.
stopDuration: With stopDistance, determines the duration in seconds after which the device is considered stopped. Defaults to 0.
stopDistance: With stopDuration, determines the distance in meters within which the device is considered stopped. Defaults to 0.
startTrackingAfter: Determines when to start tracking. Use null to start tracking when startTracking() is called.
stopTrackingAfter: Determines when to stop tracking. Use null to track until stopTracking() is called.
replay: Determines which failed location updates to replay to the server. ALL replays all location updates including those collected offline, STOPS replays failed stops, NONE replays no location updates. Defaults to NONE.
sync: Determines which location updates to sync to the server. ALL syncs all location updates to the server, STOPS_AND_EXITS syncs only stops and exits to the server, NONE syncs no location updates to the server. Defaults to STOPS_AND_EXITS.
useStoppedGeofence: Determines whether to create a client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when stopped. Defaults to false.
stoppedGeofenceRadius: Determines the radius in meters of the client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when stopped. Use smaller values (e.g., 100 meters) for faster exit events or larger values (e.g., 200 meters) to avoid jumpy exits while stopped. Defaults to 0.
useMovingGeofence: Determines whether to create a client-side geofence "bubble" around the device's current location when moving. Defaults to false.
movingGeofenceRadius: Determines the radius in meters of the client geofence around the device's current location when moving. Defaults to 0.
syncGeofences: Determines whether to sync nearby geofences from the server to the client to improve responsiveness. Defaults to false.
syncGeofencesLimit: Determines how many nearby geofences to sync from the server to the client when syncGeofences is enabled. Defaults to 0.
foregroundService: If set, starts a foreground service and shows a notification during tracking. Deprecated in Android SDK 3.4.1.
foregroundServiceEnabled: If set, starts a foreground service and shows a notification during tracking. Defaults to false.
beacons: Determines whether to monitor beacons. Defaults to false.

Android foreground service options#

To avoid Background Location Limits, you can start a foreground service and show a notification during tracking. If using Android SDK < 3.4.1, set trackingOptions.foregroundService to an instance of RadarTrackingOptionsForegroundService. If using Android SDK >= 3.4.1, use Radar.setForegroundServiceOptions() to customize the foreground service notification appearance passing in an instance of RadarTrackingOptionsForegroundService.

text: Determines the notification text. Defaults to "Location tracking started".
title: Determines the notification title. Optional.
icon: Determines the notification icon, like R.drawable.ic_your_icon. Optional, defaults to applicationContext.applicationInfo.icon.
updatesOnly: Determines when to show the notification. Use false to show the notification always, use true to show the notification only during location updates. Optional, defaults to false.
activity: Determines the activity to start when the notification is tapped, like "com.yourapp.MainActivity". Optional.
importance: Determines the importance of the notification, one of android.app.NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_*. Optional, defaults to android.app.NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT.
id: Determines the id of the notification. Optional, defaults to 20160525.
channelName: Determines the name of the notification channel. Optional, defaults to "Location Services".

Android presets#

RadarTrackingOptions.CONTINUOUS: Updates about every 30 seconds while moving or stopped. Starts a foreground service. Moderate battery usage.
RadarTrackingOptions.RESPONSIVE: Updates about every 2.5 minutes while moving and shuts down when stopped to save battery. Once stopped, the device will need to move more than 100 meters to wake up and start moving again. Low battery usage, but may exceed Android vitals bad behavior thresholds for excessive wakeups and excessive wi-fi scans.
RadarTrackingOptions.EFFICIENT: Updates as fast as every 6 minutes while moving and periodically when stopped. Once stopped, the device will need to move more than 100 meters and wait for at least 15 minutes to wake up and start moving again. Lowest battery usage and will not exceed Android vitals bad behavior thresholds.

Option	Efficient	Responsive	Continuous
`desiredStoppedUpdateInterval`	`3600`	`0`	`30`
`fastestStoppedUpdateInterval`	`1200`	`0`	`30`
`desiredMovingUpdateInterval`	`1200`	`150`	`30`
`fastestMovingUpdateInterval`	`360`	`30`	`30`
`desiredSyncInterval`	`140`	`20`	`20`
`desiredAccuracy`	`MEDIUM`	`MEDIUM`	`HIGH`
`stopDuration`	`140`	`140`	`0`
`stopDistance`	`70`	`70`	`0`
`startTrackingAfter`	`null`	`null`	`null`
`stopTrackingAfter`	`null`	`null`	`null`
`replay`	`STOPS`	`STOPS`	`NONE`
`sync`	`ALL`	`ALL`	`ALL`
`useStoppedGeofence`	`false`	`true`	`false`
`stoppedGeofenceRadius`	`0`	`100`	`0`
`useMovingGeofence`	`false`	`true`	`false`
`movingGeofenceRadius`	`0`	`100`	`0`
`syncGeofences`	`true`	`true`	`false`
`syncGeofencesLimit`	`10`	`10`	`0`
`foregroundServiceEnabled`	`false`	`false`	`true`
`beacons`	`false`	`false`	`false`

Remote tracking options#

SDK tracking options can be set in dashboard settings for iOS and Android with the three default presets.

Tracking options can be targeted by OS (Android and iOS) and environment (live and test). By setting tracking options, any client configuration for tracking options set in the SDK will be overridden.