How to log clicks

[slimjim]

I have been trying to figure out how to log banner clicks into the database , but having no luck at all.
Getting the banners to show and keep track of impressions works fine, but no luck on how to log the clicks.
Any help would be great.
Below is what i have so far and that works if this helps.

$sql = mysql_query ("SELECT * FROM banners ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1");
while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
        $id=$myrow["id"];
        $banner=$myrow["banner"];
		$bannerurl=$myrow["bannerurl"];

?>
<a href="http://<?echo $bannerurl;?>"><img border="0" src="<?echo $ROOT_HOST;?>images/<?echo $banner;?>" width="468" height="60"></a>
<?
 $sql2 = mysql_query("UPDATE banners SET numviews = numviews + 1 where id=$id");
mysql_query($sql2);
}

?>

[The_Chancer]

In the $bannerurl - also pass $bannerurl."?click=1

Then in the url - use the script you stated to add 1 to the count.

Do this on the end page (after the click) - so you can tell if it was clicked.

Only run the code though if it was the click - so you would need to pass a var to that page...

HTH

[slimjim]

One of the problems you are forgetting, is that the banner url will not be a page that i will own, it will be a url to a different domain all together, so passing the the way you mention, i would have to first go another page, then get transferred to the other domain.

Which i have no clue what i just said

[bubblenut]

So you have a redirector page.

When you click the banner it goes to a script on your site (might be called banner.php?) which when processes the clicks, credits and affiliates account, does some other stuff maybe and then redirects the user out to the destination url.

[The_Chancer]

Originally posted by slimjim
One of the problems you are forgetting, is that the banner url will not be a page that i will own,

Urm...

I couldn't forget cos you didn't say... 😃

But as Bubblenut said (and I bet he is only trying to bump his post cout :p ) redirect to your own page, then do the update sql as before... then look into header(Location: ) - should be exactly what you need...

[slimjim]

well i got it so that it gives the count to the clicks field, but i cant get it to go to the bannerurl, which is to the place where a person will go if clicked on. Any help ? Please !!

Here is what i did.. I added
banner.php?bannerurl=<?echo $bannerurl;?>&id=<?echo $id;?>
to the below code, now when clicked on it brings them to the banner.php page.

$sql = mysql_query ("SELECT * FROM banners ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1");
while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
        $id=$myrow["id"];
        $banner=$myrow["banner"];
		$bannerurl=$myrow["bannerurl"];

?>
<a href="banner.php?bannerurl=<?echo $bannerurl;?>&id=<?echo $id;?>"><img border="0" src="<?echo $ROOT_HOST;?>images/<?echo $banner;?>" width="468" height="60"></a>
<?
 $sql2 = mysql_query("UPDATE banners SET numviews = numviews + 1 where id=$id");
mysql_query($sql2);
}

?>

Now on the banner.php page i put this code, but it doesnt redirect them to it..

$sql = mysql_query("SELECT id,banner,bannerurl,clicks FROM banners WHERE id='$id'");
$row = mysql_fetch_array($sql);

$sql2 = mysql_query("UPDATE banners SET clicks = clicks + 1 where id=$id");
mysql_query($sql2);{

header("Location: $bannerurl");
}
mysql_close();

[The_Chancer]

try

header("Location: ".$bannerurl);

You need to escape out of "" so it'll work...

[slimjim]

NOw i get this

The requested URL /testing/www.cnn.com was not found on this server.

[The_Chancer]

Ahh - you are only giving it the www.xxx.com part....

Try

header("Location: HTTP://".$bannerurl);

From www.PHP.net/header
Note: HTTP/1.1 requires an absolute URI as argument to Location: including the scheme, hostname and absolute path, but some clients accept relative URIs. You can usually use $SERVER['HTTP_HOST'], $SERVER['PHP_SELF'] and dirname() to make an absolute URI from a relative one yourself:

[slimjim]

Perfect that did the trick, i was close i had "http://.$bannerurl

But yours did it.

Now just one more thing.

What would i add so that clicks wouldn't count again if banner was clicked on within so many seconds ? Any idea...

[The_Chancer]

Set a "Last clicked" column in the database, then:

1) Query database and get last clicked time (timestamp)
2) If time()-timestamp<5 seconds then redirect else goto 3
3) Update database with new click and new time goto 4
4) Redirect

Something along those lines....

[bubblenut]

Originally posted by The Chancer
and I bet he is only trying to bump his post cout :p

Figured if I stole your answers I could bump mine and prevent your lead growing in one move, you scuppered me though. In fact, with 5:2 I think you slaughtered me :p

[slimjim]

Can you give me an example on how to write that as i have no clue, even after going thru timestamp info.

If you have time at all...

[The_Chancer]

1) Query database and get last clicked time (timestamp)
2) If time()-timestamp<5 seconds then redirect else goto 3
3) Update database with new click and new time goto 4
4) Redirect

<?php
//step 1
$query=mysql_query("SELECT lastclicked FROM `table` WHERE id='".$bannerid."'");
list($time)=mysql_fetch_row($query);
//step 2
if ((time()-$time)<5)
{
     header("Location: Http://".$bannerurl);
     exit;
}
//step 3
else
{
     $query=mysql_query("UPDATE `table` SET lastclicked=".time()." WHERE id='".$bannerid."'");
     //step 4
      header("Location: Http://".$bannerurl);
     exit;
}

Something like that anyway...

Hehe - I'll get there ahead of you yet Bubble :p