Troubleshooting
App doesn't track in background
- Go to Settings > Apps > Colota > Battery and select Unrestricted
- Verify location permissions are set to Allow all the time
- Ensure the foreground notification is visible
GPS accuracy is poor
- Wait for GPS lock (can take 30--60 seconds)
- Move to an open area away from buildings
- Check if High Accuracy is enabled in device location settings
- Enable Filter Inaccurate Locations in app settings
Server sync not working
- Check endpoint URL format -- must be
https://orhttp://localhost - Use the Test Connection button in settings
- Check server logs for incoming requests
- Verify network connectivity
- Check the queue count in Data Management
Common causes: Wrong URL, HTTPS required for non-localhost, expired SSL certificate, incorrect authentication, mismatched field mapping, self-signed certificate (not supported).
Debugging with adb logcat
Filter logs to see what Colota is doing:
adb logcat | grep -E "LocationDB|NetworkManager|SyncManager|LocationService|GeofenceHelper"
Key log tags:
| Tag | What it shows |
|---|---|
LocationService | GPS fixes, service lifecycle |
SyncManager | Queue processing, retry attempts |
NetworkManager | HTTP requests, endpoint validation |
LocationDB | Database operations |
GeofenceHelper | Zone detection |
You can also use the Location Inspector screen in the app to see sent and queued locations with their accuracy and timestamps.
Database growing too large
- Use Clear Sent History to remove synced locations
- Use Delete Older Than X Days for cleanup
- Export data first if you want to keep it
- Use Vacuum Database to reclaim space after deletions
Size reference: ~200 bytes per location, ~2 MB per 10,000 locations.