ga:PageTitle Returns (not set)

[Ronald Heft]

I'm having an issue on query calls for the ga:pageviews metric, with
the ga:pagePath and ga:pageTitle dimensions being requested.

What's happening is sometimes the ga:pageTitle returns (not set) on
matching data ga:pagePaths. Here is example:

Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[title] => ga:pageTitle=Navigon GPS for iPhone Review |
Ronald Heft | ga:pagePath=/2009/07/navigon-gps-for-iphone-review/
[ga:pageTitle] => Navigon GPS for iPhone Review | Ronald
Heft
[ga:pagePath] => /2009/07/navigon-gps-for-iphone-review/
[ga:pageviews] => 299
)

[1] => Array
(
[title] => ga:pageTitle=(not set) | ga:pagePath=/2009/07/
navigon-gps-for-iphone-review/
[ga:pageTitle] => (not set)
[ga:pagePath] => /2009/07/navigon-gps-for-iphone-review/
[ga:pageviews] => 40
)

[2] => Array
(
[title] => ga:pageTitle=Ronald Heft | About | ga:pagePath=/
about/
[ga:pageTitle] => Ronald Heft | About
[ga:pagePath] => /about/
[ga:pageviews] => 21
)

[3] => Array
(
[title] => ga:pageTitle=iPhone Push Applications for
Twitter | Ronald Heft | ga:pagePath=/2009/07/iphone-push-applications-
for-twitter/
[ga:pageTitle] => iPhone Push Applications for Twitter |
Ronald Heft
[ga:pagePath] => /2009/07/iphone-push-applications-for-
twitter/
[ga:pageviews] => 20
)

[4] => Array
(
[title] => ga:pageTitle=Ronald Heft | Archive |
Professional | ga:pagePath=/category/professional/
[ga:pageTitle] => Ronald Heft | Archive | Professional
[ga:pagePath] => /category/professional/
[ga:pageviews] => 18
)

)

If I remove the ga:pageTitle dimension, array item 0 and 1 condense
into one, as shown in my actual Analytics reports.

Is there anyway I can condense this information and receive the
pageTitle from the API? I realize I can do this using post processing,
but I'm trying to get the information correct straight from the API.

Furthermore, why would a pageTitle be (not set) to begin with? Are
certain browser configurations not reporting the pageTitle correctly,
and why this not show up my Analytics report and only through the API?

Thanks for any assistance.

[Nick]

Hi,

This occurs because certain browsers are sending page url data but for
some reason GA can't retrieve the proper page title. This behavior is
most likely consistent with what can be retrieved through the Custom
Reporting interface.

Beyond post processing, you could just set a filter to only return
rows where ga:pageTitle != (not set)...though this would lead to
incorrect pageview metrics.

There is also an open feature request to change filters into
dimensions that potentially would solve this issue. Feel free to add
your use case in the comments section: http://code.google.com/p/gdata-issues/issues/detail?id=1430

-Nick