pods_api_post_save_pod_item or save_post not working on frontend

Hi everyone,
I am pulling my hair out on this one. Almost at the point of changing from PODS, so please help if you can…

I have been trying to get any action hook to fire when I insert and/or update a pod on the frontend form. I have tried pods_api_post_save_pod_item and pods_api_post_save_pod_item_my_pod_name but these do not seem to fire. I even tried save_post but that is not either. I am trying to do some tasks when the submit is clicked on the pods created form.

I have deactivated all other plugins, tried a different theme. I have run these in snippets and also in a custom plugin. I know the save_post works when I update a page or post.

Here is an example that is not triggered:

add_action('pods_api_post_save_pod_item', 'my_test_function', 10, 3); 
function my_test_function($pieces, $is_new_item, $id) { 

	$myfile = fopen("podsubmitlog.txt", "a") or die("Unable to open file!"); 
	$date = new DateTime();
	$date = $date->format("y:m:d h:i:s");
	$txt = "Test function ---- ".$date."\n";
	fwrite($myfile, $txt);
	fclose($myfile);
	
} 

I also set the pods settings so that the api is enabled for the pod, as well as individual fields. I also tried changing the hook priority, etc.

The weird thing is that I stumbled upon this action hook, that does not appear in the PODS documentation. But it actually does fire. Can I use this???

function action_pods_form_after_submit( $pod, $fields, $params ) {
	//
	$thetitle = $pod->field('post_title');
	$thetype = $pod->field('post_type');
	
	$myfile = fopen("podsubmitlog.txt", "a") or die("Unable to open file!"); // ../wp-content/plugins/jamie/
	$date = new DateTime();
	$date = $date->format("y:m:d h:i:s");
	$txt = $date."--".$thetitle."--".$thetype."\n";
	fwrite($myfile, $txt);
	fclose($myfile);	
};

// add the action
add_action( 'pods_form_after_submit', 'action_pods_form_after_submit', 10, 3 );

My form:
Just to be complete, my form is on a page, using this short code:

add_shortcode( 'edit_sitter', function () {

	$out = ''; // init

	$theurlparamname = 'sittertitle';
	
	$theparam = get_request_parameter($theurlparamname);
	
	
		$mypod = pods( 'sitter', $theparam );

	
		$fields = array( 'post_title' => array( 'type' => 'text', 'label' => 'Name of Sitter)', 'required' => true ), 'email', 'cell', 'notes' => array( 'label' => 'My Notes',  'type' => 'paragraph' ), 'availability', 'sitteruserid' => array( 'hidden' => true, 'readonly' => true ), 'memberuserid' => array( 'hidden' => true, 'readonly' => true ) );	 // note can't use defaults on edit
	
	
		$thebuttontxt = 'Save Changes';
	
		$sURL    = site_url(); // WordPress function to get site url
		//$thereturnlink = $sURL . '/my-sitters';	
		$thereturnlink = $sURL . '/view-sitter/?sittertitle='.$theparam;	
	
		$out .=  $mypod->form( $fields, $thebuttontxt, $thereturnlink );	
	

	
	
	return $out;
} );

Again, the form functions correctly…

I am at a lose on what is happening. All pods features and all my 5 pod ityems save and work correctly. Any help is appreciated,
Jamie