/ Installation  

Installation

ActiveStat is written in PHP scripting language and supports a MySQL database, so its server side part can be installed on any platform that has PHP and can access a MySQL database. If you have any questions concerning PHP and MySQL, please visit their official www.php.net and www.mysql.com sites.

There are two types of embedding statistics scripts, both having their advantages and disadvantages:

-embedding as JS-code only
  You install and configure your main statistics site (server-part) having PHP and MySQL to be used for gathering information from your web sites, administering statistics and getting reports. Then you paste a bit of JavaScript-code into each of your site pages (or your skeleton page) and set a page name value for each page. However, you'll need to do some extra embedding into your site pages if you wish to track more resources than just pages (downloads, links, visitor's actions, requested non-existent resources). Please refer to the "Tracking Resources" section to learn more about additional configurations required for resource tracking.

Advantages:
  • You can gather information on any number of your sites into a single database on the main statistics site;
  • Your web sites don't have to use PHP (except for the main ActiveStat's site that must use it);
  • You can change hosting for any of the sites being tracked. You don't have to reconfigure statistic scripts;
  • You must include only one piece of JavaScript code into each page to be tracked (or into your skeleton page).
Disadvantages:
  • You won't be able to use the 'Deny' type of access rules (which means no redirecting visitors);
  • If a visitor turns JavaScript off in his browser, his platform information will contain just Browser and OS names (i.e. only parameters derived from PHP variables).
  • If a visitor turns off loading images in his browser, he won't get registered at all.
-embedding as PHP-code
  You install and configure the ActiveStat server part to the same web site to be tracked. Then add some code to your web site pages or to the skeleton page.
Note: you'll need to do some extra embedding into your site pages if you wish to track more resources than just pages (downloads, links, visitor's actions, requested non-existent resources). Please refer to the "Tracking Resources" section to learn more about additional configurations required for resource tracking.

Advantages:
  • You can gather information on any number of your sites into a single database on the main ActiveStat's site;
  • Every request for your pages will be tracked irrespective of user browser settings;
  • You can use the 'Deny' type of access rules (to be able to redirect visitors who satisfy a corresponding access rule);
  • You can gather information about custom parameters to eventually get standard reports on them.
Disadvantages:
  • You must avoid using PHP-names (they will be specified later) which you may come across in statistic scripts;
  • Your site pages must be processed by PHP;
  • You must include two pieces of code into each page to be tracked (or your skeleton page).

To work with ActiveStat's interface, you should use Internet Explorer 4.x+, Opera 6+ or Netscape Navigator 6.x+ with cookies and JavaScript enabled.