• Howdy! Welcome to our community of more than 130.000 members devoted to web hosting. This is a great place to get special offers from web hosts and post your own requests or ads. To start posting sign up here. Cheers! /Peo, FreeWebSpace.net
managed wordpress hosting

please recommend a counter

polestar

polestar

New Member
I used to use thecounter.com, but I'd prefer my counter to be a part of my site. The most important thing is that it doesn't slow the loading of the site much (scripts which use SSI are slow, aren't they???). Also, it has to be either invisible or a small text display, and I'd love to know most popular screen resolution, browser and other stats. There are so many counters at sites like hotscripts.com, I really don't know where to start. Would you please recommend a reliable script that you have used and like. Thanks.
 
You've already used it, but I would recommend TheCounter.com. I have been using it for year and a half now and it's very accurate, it's invisible, and it loads fairly fast. It rarely slows down page load times, only when they are upgrading and the image isn't showing up.

The second counter I would recommend would be from HitBox. Many sites I know are using it and are very happy with the accuracy of the statistics. The bad thing here is that they require you to display a small button where the counter appears.

Hope this helped!
 
he's looking for an in-house solution...

SSI probably won't slow you down a lot (maybe like .1-.5secs tops) but the catch is SSI usually only works with .shtm or .shtml file extensions.

Another way is PHP, which also requires a file rename (i think... there might be an exception here).

There's plenty of scripts out there but most use files to store the data. A pretty good script was phphits, but since the file kept getting corrupt (and i only had like under 500views/day), i got tired of filecounters pretty fast.
I've been working on a PHP counter which requires you to have a MySQL database. Here's the (few) features that are included in the (free) version:
Features:
Shows total count when called
Logs daily values and total value
Very easy to Install and Uninstall
IP-Blocking, blocking a user for X hours (where you pick X)
Starting count can be set
Choose between graphical and text output
One set of digits included (for graphical mode)
Easy-to-use log display with optional user authentication
Optional public stats

http://www.webmastersbeware.com/php/track0.php
more coming soon tho
 
You have to rename a page to .php if you want to include PHP code in it. You can use tags to go in and out of PHP mode. That's what's good about it! :)
 
ok CB, I'll give your track0 a whirl......if I can get it working then anyone should be able to!

Good luck developing it - for your future plans, I agree that a graphical output's probably more trouble than it's worth - a simple '75% - 800x600' or whatever in plain text is just as good and would be faster.

The idea of referral statistics is great - most if not all of the scripts I've seen with this feature haven't been free though.

Full report will follow...!
 
ok Cheap Bastard...

install.php ran successfully - it really is idiot-proof :p

I have some questions and comments for you though!

Edit the settings in mysql_test.php and then upload it if you wish to test your settings and to make sure you have both PHP and MySQL
Click to expand...
This file was not contained in the track0.zip I downloaded, however it wasn't necessary for the installation.

(from track0.php)
$site_addy = "http://www.phoenix0.com";
Click to expand...
what is this?

Create a directory called "tracko" under your root directory
Click to expand...
the 0 on your instructions page looks a little like an o. Maybe I'm being too picky here!

I put the following on the page, as you said in your instructions
http://www.pstar.f2s.com/indexnew.html
(it's right at the bottom if you look at the source. This is just a test page by the way, it's not part of my site)

<?
include ("http://www.pstar.f2s.com/track0/track0.php");
?>

I set it to text display, but no number is displayed on my page - why is this? I don't believe the counter's meant to be invisible.

Going to this page also doesn't increase the count displayed in log.php (I'm aware of the time restriction feature). Just typing the url http://www.pstar.f2s.com/track0/track0.php does increase the count however.

Also, a minor point is that the date displayed in log.php is not very easy to read: 20010627.

All in all a good script IMHO, but please can you tell me if the stuff between the <? tags above is correct?
 
Last edited:
actually first plans were to have the free version (which you're using now) and to have a pro version with all those extra features for like 5 or 10 bucks. Nothing much. I'm really leaning towards 5bucks actually... Now as for your comments (btw, thanks for responding)

Originally posted by polestar
ok Cheap Bastard...

install.php ran successfully - it really is idiot-proof :p
Click to expand...
that was the idea :D Figured nobody should go through the hell i've went through. In some sadistic little way i suppose it was 'educational' though... :rolleyes:
*mysql-test.php*
I have some questions and comments for you though!

This file was not contained in the track0.zip I downloaded, however it wasn't necessary for the installation.
Click to expand...
it was included in some preliminary (but never distributed) release. all it really did was connect to MySQL to see if your settings were right. Basically if install.php works, then so would mysql-test.php

guess i'd better go search where i didn't remove that... =o\

*phoenix0.com*
what is this?
Click to expand...
i've got 3 sites, 2 with traffic. Only one is one where the 'professional image' doesn't matter so much, which is phoenix0.com . More or less my own playground, i suppose. Must've forgotten to edit that part out in the middle of updating versions (even if the previous ones weren't released). Nothing big though... I do suppose http://www.YourURL.com would've been more obvious

the 0 on your instructions page looks a little like an o. Maybe I'm being too picky here!
Click to expand...
yes it's the font... I like the font though, 0 and o are the only problems with it. I asked someone else and they said it was obvious enough... On the other hand, it probly wasn't a 'neutral' opinion since it was my buddy. But still, it's... visible at the least. Hope i'm not being rude, but after all, you figured out it was a 0...

I put the following on the page, as you said in your instructions
http://www.pstar.f2s.com/indexnew.html
(it's right at the bottom if you look at the source. This is just a test page by the way, it's not part of my site)

<?
include ("http://www.pstar.f2s.com/track0/track0.php");
?>

I set it to text display, but no number is displayed on my page - why is this? I don't believe the counter's meant to be invisible.

Going to this page also doesn't increase the count displayed in log.php (I'm aware of the time restriction feature). Just typing the url http://www.pstar.f2s.com/track0/track0.php does increase the count however.
Click to expand...
rename your file from indexnew.html to index.php
that's probably the biggest drawback i know of. You'll have to rename every page you use it on to .php (.php3 or .php4 would work too, but then you're starting with versions, blah blah... too messy for me).
Of course you could use SSI as well to include it if you prefer. I'm not sure but that would be something like <!#-- something -->
also, this would still require you to rename your files to .shtm or .shtml
On the other hand, PHP is a powerful language and i don't doubt it's all worth it. (Keeping in mind i am becoming a PHP fan, if i'm not already...)

Also, a minor point is that the date displayed in log.php is not very easy to read: 20010627.
Click to expand...
yea i know... YYYYMMDD isn't exactly the easiest way to read, sorry. I'm still more focusing on making it work and work better than on making it look pretty. Hope you don't mind too much...

All in all a good script IMHO, but please can you tell me if the stuff between the <? tags above is correct?
Click to expand...
it's perfect. Just rename your file to .php and it should work just fine (or at least, i hope).
Another point about the PHP and SSI thing though... There's a few servers (very few i know of though) out there that WILL process SSI on .html and .htm extensions, although generally slower. I've yet to meet a server that'll process PHP in .html or .htm .

Also, i'm kinda stumped, but while responding got a new idea.

How about i use a table for this month's referral count. I could show the total and mail you the month's referrals once there's a new month.

I could do the same with browsers, resolution, OS once i figure out their variables.
i'd do the referral like so:
place.com - XX
place2.net - XX
place3.org - X
place6.ws - 1
place7.cc - 1
place8.be - 1

and the browser, res, and OS the same but then with percentages.

Also, if you want some working stats, just visit my playground:
http://www.phoenix0.com/track0/log.php
didn't bother to change the username&pass. Heck, they might as well be public...

Also, i'll add the invisibility somewhere along the line...
 
rename your file from indexnew.html to indexnew.php
that's probably the biggest drawback i know of
Click to expand...

Ok - thanks to your help it works now! It's not that much of a drawback IMO.

The emailing of stats sounds like an excellent idea - like thecounter.com but cheaper :cool:

-------report ends-------- :p
 
the only real drawback to renaming your files is
1) search engines might haev the .htm or .html pages indexed and it could take them a while to update the URL's
2) any incoming links to files (not directories, but files) will stop working as well

like if they link to www.mysite.com/reviews.html the links'll stop working, of course if they link to www.mysite.com/reviews/ they will still work. On the other hand, if they link to www.mysite.com/reviews/index.html they'll stop working.

Right. Why am i doing this... the only thing it might do is persuade you to stop using PHP, which is great (PHP, not stopping to use it)


btw, i'll get right on the href thing.
once i get those 4 things in i'll work on an upgrade.
 
url rewriting is the obvious solution to the .html to .php problem so that all your .php pages appear as .html to the world - ok slight overhead but not too much

has to be said you need .htaccess and mod_rewrite is a pian in the bum
 
lucifer: where can I find out about this stuff?

I'm on f2s - do they have .htacess (I don't know what this is!)

Thanks.
 
But I don't *think* they have mod_rewrite. Ask at the users site.

For both the links and the engines you could also use .htaccess and a permanent redirect.

If that doesn't work use html files with Meta Refresh going to the php files and a link to the new URL in the body. That will at least get the links and if Meta doesn't work they can click the link.

Something of that ought to work. :p
 
you mean a blank page called index.html with this:

<META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" content="0;URL=http://www.pstar.f2s.com/index.php">

in the header - is this correct?

Also, where is the file .htaccess - in my root dir? I can't seem to find it with cuteFTP, I know it's hidden, grrr....help!
 
Originally posted by polestar
Also, where is the file .htaccess - in my root dir? I can't seem to find it with cuteFTP, I know it's hidden, grrr....help!
Click to expand...
same here I used to be able to see them but now I can't (moved pc) must be some setting somewhere I can't see either
 
hey um... i (just) realized the counter stopped working with the new month, so i've made an upgrade...

Sorry it took so long but i was (and still am) on vacation...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top