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Quick Help: FAQ - Standard Form
This page answers to the most frequently asked questions about our log file analysis program. See also detailed web site statistics report information by selecting a report link in the left column on this page. In addition, further information can be found in our documentation and technical support areas.
Q. How can I generate a report on web traffic to a specific file, page (or section) of my web site?
A. Using the Page To Analyze field in the top portion of the form, enter the specific location of the directory or page that you wish to analyze. For example, '/about/aboutus.html' directs the program to the "about" directory and the page named 'aboutus.html'. Only stats for this page would be returned.
Q. How do I make sure I'm not seeing my or my company's own visits to our web site?
A. First, make sure you are using the advanced and not the standard Report Request Form. Using the Filter Out Requests From Specific IPs Or Domains field in the top portion of the form, enter your domain name(s) and/or IP address(es) to ensure that internal hits to your site are not reported.
Filtering out these requests will also assist in presenting accurate referrer information within the "Top Referrers to your Site" report.
Q. Why would I want to filter out specific file types before running a web site statistics report?
A. When using the advanced form, using the Filter Out Requests for Specific File Types field, you can delineate any type of file (.jpg, .gif, .png, etc.) to be "ignored" when the Top URLs Requested report is generated. This is especially useful in ascertaining the amount of web traffic and visits to a specific page, as images and other files that load on a page would otherwise erroneously be considered a "hit" to that page. Removing these file types from the equation gives a much more accurate accounting of how many times a particular page was visited.
When using the standard form, requests from image files are by default selected to be filtered out. To filter out additional file types, be sure to use the advanced form.
Q. How can I save web site statistics reports?
A. Once the report has been generated, go to your browser's "File" menu and select "Save as". Rename the file (e.g. 'traffic12-15-99.html') and save it to the desired location on your hard drive.
Q. Do I have to run all the reports each time I run stats?
A. No. By default, the most popular reports are selected. You can clear these fields however, by selecting the "no reports" link under the "Choose Reports" option. You may then manually select which report(s) you wish to run.
Q. How do I use the "Reports" and "Options" areas under the "Choose Reports to Generate" portion of the form?
A. This is the area that allows you to select which (or all) web traffic reports to generate, and the amount of data you would like returned in the report (all, number 1, top 10, top 25, or the number you specify).
There are several options to choose from when running all, some or a single specific report. For example if you would like to find out only the total number of impressions to the site's Top 25 pages; you would use the "Quick Select" links and under "Reports" and would click on "No Reports" and then check the box next to the Top URLs Requested. This action ensures that only the Top URLs Requested report is generated.
Next, under the "Options" area, you would use the "Quick Select" link and click on "25". This will auto-fill with "25" the area that specifies the amount of information to be returned (top 10, top 25, etc.). You can also manually specify this information, entering any number you wish.
Q. What does the Bad URLs report tell me, and how can I use it?
A. This report lists all links that return a 404 ('file not found') error to site visitors. Follow the links to the pages listed to find those errors and correct (or remove) the bad links. This report allows you to track down bad external links into your site, and get them removed or corrected.
Q. What does the Bad Referrers report tell me?
A. This report shows all bad links to your site - internal and external. This report is different from the List referrers for bad URLs (Bad URLs) option above because bad referrers are grouped together, offering a different way of fixing bad links all at once. It can also display a complete listing of bad referrers since filtering can affect the other listing.
For a complete listing of all reports, their specific functions, the information they return, and to see samples of the reports, please click here.
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