The TestFlight SDK allows you to track how beta testers are testing your application. Out of the box we track simple usage information, such as which tester is using your application, their device model/OS, how long they used the application, and automatic recording of any crashes they encounter.
The SDK can track more information if you pass it to TestFlight. The Checkpoint API is used to help you track exactly how your testers are using your application. Curious about which users passed level 5 in your game, or posted their high score to Twitter, or found that obscure feature? See "Checkpoint API" down below to see how.
1. If this is a new application, and you have not uploaded it to TestFlight before, first register it here: [https://testflightapp.com/dashboard/applications/create/](https://testflightapp.com/dashboard/applications/create/).
Otherwise, if you have previously uploaded your app to TestFlight, go to your list of applications ([http://testflightapp.com/dashboard/applications/](http://testflightapp.com/dashboard/applications/)) and click on the application you are using from the list.
3. To report crashes to you we install our own uncaught exception handler. If you are not currently using an exception handler of your own then all you need to do is go to the next step. If you currently use an Exception Handler, or you use another framework that does please go to the section on advanced exception handling.
For **BETA** apps only: In order for "In App Updates" to work and for user data not to be anonymized, you may provide the device's unique identifier. To send the device identifier call the following method **before** your call to `+[TestFlight takeOff:]` like so:
Note: `[[UIDevice currentDevice] uniqueIdentifier]` is deprecated, which means it may be removed from iOS in the future and that it should not be used in production apps. We recommend using it **only** in beta apps. If using it makes you feel uncomfortable, you are not required to include it.
**Note on iOS 7 and Xcode 5**: In iOS 7, `uniqueIdentifier` no longer returns the device's UDID, so iOS 7 users will show up anonymously on TestFlight. Also, when building with ARC, Xcode 5 will not allow you to call `uniqueIdentifier` because it has been removed in iOS 7 from `UIDevice`'s header. We are working on a workaround for this issue.
**DO NOT USE THIS IN PRODUCTION APPS**. When it is time to submit to the App Store comment this line out. Apple will probably reject your app if you leave this line in.
After you have integrated the SDK into your application you need to upload your build to TestFlight. You can upload your build on our [website](https://testflightapp.com/dashboard/builds/add/), using our [desktop app](https://testflightapp.com/desktop/), or by using our [upload API](https://testflightapp.com/api/doc/).
View anonymous information about how often users use your app, how long they use it for, and when they use it. You can see what type of device the user is using, which OS, which language, etc.
Sessions automatically start at when the app becomes active and end when the app resigns active. Sessions that start shortly after an end continue the session instead of starting a new one.
NB: Sessions do not start when `takeOff:` is called, `takeOff:` registers callbacks to start sessions when the app is active.
For **beta** users, you can see who the users are if you are **setting the UDID**, they have a TestFlight account, and their device is registered to TestFlight. (See Setting the UDID for more information).
### Crash Reports
The TestFlight SDK automatically reports all crashes (beta and prod) to TestFlight's website where you can view them. Crash reports are sent **at** crash time. TestFlight will also automatically symbolicate all crashes (if you have uploaded your dSYM). For **beta** apps, on the site, you can see which checkpoints the user passed before the crash and see remote logs that were sent before the crash. For **prod** apps, you can see remote logs that were sent before the crash.
### Beta In App Updates
If a user is using a **beta** version of your app, you are **setting the UDID**, a new beta version is available, and that user has permission to install it; an in app popup will ask them if they would like to install the update. If they tap "Install", the new version is installed from inside the app.
NB: For this to work, you must increment your build version before uploading. Otherwise the new and old builds will have the same version number and we won't know if the user needs to update or is already using the new version.
To turn this off set this option before calling `takeOff:`
When a tester does something you care about in your app, you can pass a checkpoint. For example completing a level, adding a todo item, etc. The checkpoint progress is used to provide insight into how your testers are testing your apps. The passed checkpoints are also attached to crashes, which can help when creating steps to replicate. Checkpoints are visible for all beta and prod builds.
[TestFlight passCheckpoint:@"CHECKPOINT_NAME"];
Use `passCheckpoint:` to track when a user performs certain tasks in your application. This can be useful for making sure testers are hitting all parts of your application, as well as tracking which testers are being thorough.
Checkpoints are meant to tell you if a user visited a place in your app or completed a task. They should not be used for debugging purposes. Instead, use Remote Logging for debugging information (more information below).
In **beta** builds, if you want to see some extra information about your user, you can add some custom environment information. You must add this information before the session starts (a session starts at `takeOff:`) to see it on TestFlight's website. NB: You can only see this information for **beta** users.
In **beta** builds, if you collect feedback from your users, you may pass it back to TestFlight which will associate it with the user's current session.
Remote Logging allows you to see the logs your app prints out remotely, on TestFlight's website. You can see logs for **beta sessions** and **prod sessions with crashes**. NB: you cannot see the logs for all prod sessions.
To use it, simply replace all of your `NSLog` calls with `TFLog` calls. An easy way to do this without rewriting all your `NSLog` calls is to add the following macro to your `.pch` file.
#import "TestFlight.h"
#define NSLog TFLog
Not only will `TFLog` log remotely to TestFlight, it will also log to the console (viewable in a device's logs) and STDERR (shown while debugging) just like NSLog does, providing a complete replacement.
For even better information in your remote logs, such as file name and line number, you can use this macro instead:
If you have your own custom logging, call `TFLog` from your custom logging function. If you do not need `TFLog` to log to the console or STDERR because you handle those yourself, you can turn them off with these calls:
When passing a checkpoint, TestFlight logs the checkpoint synchronously (See Remote Logging for more information). If your app has very high performance needs, you can turn the logging off with the `TFOptionLogOnCheckpoint` option.
All logging is done synchronously. Every time the SDK logs, it must write data to a file. This is to ensure log integrity at crash time. Without this, we could not trust logs at crash time. If you have a high performance app, please email support@testflightapp.com for more options.
Continuing sessions: You can adjust the amount of time a user can leave the app for and still continue the same session when they come back by changing the `TFOptionSessionKeepAliveTimeout` option. Change it to 0 to turn the feature off.
Manual Session Control: If your app is a music player that continues to play music in the background, a navigation app that continues to function in the background, or any app where a user is considered to be "using" the app even while the app is not active you should use Manual Session Control. Please only use manual session control if you know exactly what you are doing. There are many pitfalls which can result in bad session duration and counts. See `TestFlight+ManualSessions.h` for more information and instructions.
An uncaught exception means that your application is in an unknown state and there is not much that you can do but try and exit gracefully. Our SDK does its best to get the data we collect in this situation to you while it is crashing, but it is designed in such a way that the important act of saving the data occurs in as safe way a way as possible before trying to send anything. If you do use uncaught exception or signal handlers, install your handlers before calling `takeOff:`. Our SDK will then call your handler while ours is running. For example: