Tracking Script & document.referer

never got Referer?

[zhenghua]

Referers are never got, what's wrong with the code?

function TrackIt() { 
if (window.status.indexOf('go to') == 0) 
{ 
docref='na';
AdvertiserDomain='';
PageLocation='';
if (document.referer) docref=escape(document.referer) 
if (window.status) AdvertiserDomain=escape(window.status.substring(6))
if (document.location) PageLocation=escape(document.location)
bug = new Image(); 
bug.src = 'trackScript.dll?loc=' + PageLocation + '&ad=' + AdvertiserDomain + '&r=' + docref ; 
} 
} 
var elements; 
elements = document.getElementsByTagName("iframe"); 
for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) { 
if(elements[i].src.indexOf('googlesyndication.com') > -1) 
{ 
elements[i].onfocus = TrackIt; 
} 
} 

I wonder if I am the only guy who never got the value of the referer. Please help, thanks!

[edited by: zhenghua at 12:23 am (utc) on Mar. 14, 2004]

[zhenghua]

After over 150 records, I only find "na" and nothing more about the document.referer.

[zhenghua]

The Tracking Script I mean is from [webmasterworld.com...] .

[jomaxx]

If you're only doing the testing on your own system, maybe you have a firewall such as Norton that blocks the referer from being passed. Just a thought.

[zhenghua]

jomaxx, thanks, but the thing is, I really run this script on my website. and got over 200 records. then found all other info are tracked well, only document.referer remains nothing else. :-(

[ari11210]

It seems to me that all of these tracking scripts use onFocus to check for the click on the iFrame. Doesnt onfocus also get called when the user uses the tab key to the tab through the iframe? Can this be the reason for the multiple clicks people are seeing? This can register a 'hit' in the tracking script although the user never clicked on the iframe. Does this make sense to anyone else? Is there a better way to check for the click on the iframe (onClick, etc)?

Aaron

[richmondsteve]

ari11210, yes, there are a number of actions other than clicking to load the target URL which will trigger then onFocus event. A few of us pointed out several examples in this thread (I realize the thread is very long so you may have missed these posts).

[too much information]

I found the same problem. I think what is happening is that the referrer for the Iframe is the page that loads it, so the script doesn't do what it looks like it should.

You should try putting a Session cookie with the referrer on each page, then use the cookie to identify the referrer for each page when you write the click to your log file.

That would be the quick and easy solution.

[zhenghua]

Finally I think I know the reason, this tracking javascript does not place inline with the page, I use a linked .js, thus the vaule of "document.referer" cannot transfer to the .js script. If I place the whole javascript at the every page can solve this problem.

[zhenghua]

Okay, I first place following code at every page just blow the code of the GAS:

<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
if (document.referer) _ref=escape(document.referer) 
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/javascript/AdsenseTracking.js"></script>

Then, at the AdsenseTracking.js, do some modification as follows:

...
if (document.referer) docref=escape(document.referer) 

if (typeof(_ref)!= "undefined") docref=escape(_ref)

if (window.status) AdvertiserDomain=escape(window.status.substring(6)) 
...

[zhenghua]

One more question, should I use "var"?

[devedge.netscape.com...]

Otherwise, the document.referer cannot or can transfer to the linked .js?

[zhenghua]

A-ha!

In fact, because of the typo, all referer
should be referrer. That's all.