analytics and file_download

[moussatat]

Hi. didn't seem this question fits with previous ones. I apologize if I should have posted elsewhere.
After adding my G-XXX tag to mkdocs.yml, I also enabled in "enhanced measurements" both search and file download metrics as specified on the documentation site.
In the analytics website, I do see properly the visited page_locations, the search entry made, as well as feedback for pages. But file_download value remains empty when I test it.
I am using a markdown link [.pdf](/pdf/path to document.pdf) and host all pdf files in a pdf/ folder in my root directory.
I tried putting the pdf inside the doc/ folder it wasn't enough.

My question: Is there a specific way to link to a pdf file so that the analytics cookies identify a download when visitors click on the link? Or is there something else at play here.

My mkdocs.yml is here

[kamilkrzyskow]

Hello @moussatat,
the documentation page doesn't mention anything about file downloads. I'm talking about this page:

• https://squidfunk.github.io/mkdocs-material/setup/setting-up-site-analytics/

You can look at the implementation of the built-in analytics code for search here:

mkdocs-material/src/templates/partials/integrations/analytics/google.html

Lines 40 to 49 in 12a8e82

	/* Set up search tracking */
	if (document.forms.search) {
	var query = document.forms.search.query
	query.addEventListener("blur", function() {
	if (this.value)
	gtag("event", "search", { search_term: this.value })
	})
	}

As you can see JavaScript is used to attach a function to the search, which uses the defined gtag function to add analytics requests to the stack:

• gtag("event", "search", { search_term: this.value })

So you would have to setup a similar code in your extra.js that would attach a special function that would send another "event" using a specified gtag:

• https://squidfunk.github.io/mkdocs-material/customization/#additional-javascript

I would use attr_list to add a special class to the buttons with download links, to make it easier to target in JavaScript:

• https://squidfunk.github.io/mkdocs-material/reference/buttons/
• [Download PDF](...){ .md-button .md-button--primary .ext-download-file }

[moussatat]

Thanks for the guidance. I shall generalize the attr_list for all download clicks.
For the GA4 config, I managed to get a trigger, the report didn't look like standard file_download. I will go without this for now.