How to track Visits & Downloads from non-web app (.EXE)?

Support & Bugs
1

I’m trying to use Piwik to track a non-web app, namely a compiled .EXE where Javascript and other usual tools are not available.

I have successfully logged Visits by sending the following request to my Piwik server:
GET /piwik/piwik.php?idsite=1&rec=1&url=myurl&action_name=Test
This pseudo-visit is visible in the Piwik dashboard as a visit, but I can’t figure out how to issue a request to be logged as a “download”.
I assume this is done by some parameter as listed in the Tracking “HTTP API” ref (Tracking HTTP API: API Reference - Matomo Analytics (formerly Piwik Analytics) - Developer Docs - v3) but I can’t figure out how to do this. I’ve tried lots of guesses without joy.
Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

2

Use download=URL instead of action_name. URL as url/uri encoded/escaped string.

3

Duh. I can’t believe I missed that in the doc. Thanks much. I will try it!

4

Well, it half worked. I now see a download symbol (a little down arrow plus disk icon) in the “Visitor Log”, but still no entries under Actions":“Downloads”.

5

I understand now. Downloads appeared after 24 hours (in my case), I guess because an “archive” run only happens periodically.