Each entry in the web server log contains a field that references the URL of the page or file that was accessed. WebTrends software uses this field to track activity on the web site, and counts each unique URL as a separate page or file. However, some web server plug-ins or shopping cart software add a unique string to the page name in order to track visitors and their shopping carts. In these situations, every hit to such a page will appear in the log as a unique URL (containing the ID of the visitor). This prevents accurate counting of hits to these pages.
URL Search and Replace allows you to delete specific identifiers from URLs or replace all unique identifiers with a common string. Doing so restores accuracy to page counts, makes your reports more informative, and avoids some out of memory conditions when the number of unique IDs is extremely high.
To create a new URL search and replace definition:
- From the links at the top of the WRC AdminConsole, click Advanced Features.
- Select the URL Search And Replace tab and click Add.
- In the Name text box, type the name of this URL Search and Replace definition. This is used to identify it in the definitions list and in reports.
- From the Replace From drop-down list, select the starting point for the replacement. Enter the string to match in the next text box. You can specify multiple strings by separating them with a pipe character (|). The pipe is interpreted as an "OR"--so if it finds any of the strings listed, it will replace it with your text. The search is not case sensitive.
- From the Up To drop-down list, select the ending point for the replacement and enter the text that indicates the end of the replacement string.
- In the With text box, type the text to replace the text you specified in Replace From.
- If desired, select the Perform Replacement Only If The URL Contains check box, and specify a value to match. The text is replaced only if the URL contains this value.
- Use the Test Area to see how the replacement definition works before running an analysis. Enter a URL to test. The Resulting URL text box displays the URL after the replacement is performed. Text That Was Replaced displays the text that was removed from the URL.
- Click OK to close this dialog box.
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