Cache and article hits issue

[vbarlakoski]

Hello!

When i set cache option ON, on my joomla site, the article HITS stop counting at all.

How can i use cache properly but not affecting the counting function?

Thanks!

[vidak]

Counting function is bad and doesn't give you proper information.
Use Google Analytic. It is about 98% right.

[vbarlakoski]

That's kind of bad solution for this

Thanks anyway, i will wait for actual solution.

[kenmcd]

When i set cache option ON, on my joomla site, the article HITS stop counting at all.
How can i use cache properly but not affecting the counting function?

EDITED

The full page cache affects anything which has regular updates.
Which is why the full page cache can often have limited usefulness.

.

[vbarlakoski]

So, Conservative cache caches just display or full page cache, because when cache expires, hits are not updated at all!

[kenmcd]

.
What I previously posted above was incorrect (so I edited it).

Hits are not counted in the background when the full page is cached.
Joomla counts hits when the page is built, and since it is not being built, no counting.

The best solution is to use external analytics as suggested above.

.

[vbarlakoski]

I have found third-party plugin CacheControl, and i forbid option=com_content&view=article to cache, so, i have my hits back.

Joomla developers should really look into this thing.

Thanks for help!

[kenmcd]

.
Then you have basically disabled caching for all content.
That makes no sense to me.
Just turn the cache plug-in Off instead.


.

[vbarlakoski]

Its off for Article View from com_content, not for blog view, not for featured view, not for modules outside that view, not for other components. How this does not make sense?

[masoksian]

same problem

system: Joomla 2.5.8

if cache enabled article hits stopping. (

[SimonHayter]

To be honest, the hits counter within Joomla is pretty naff. Most opt to use external applications to monitor success of pages in a much detailed way than just 1 hit, 2 hits, and so on.

[vbarlakoski]

Is there any way in template_name/html/com_content/article/default.php to make connection with the database and increase the hits count? In that way, that query wont be cached i think or i'm wrong?

It seems wrong that cache stops hits counting, because there is ordering by hits option.

[bradm]

I know this is an older post, but I was able to come up with a solution for my website, increasing hits even if a cached page is being served. I posted the basic concept of the solution here: http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomla ... m_id=29831

It does involve a change to the core, but it works, and that's what I needed. If anyone has any questions as to how to get this working, just let me know.

[itoctopus]

Another way that doesn't involve modifying the core, is to create a system plugin that is run after the cache plugin runs, and that system plugin will update the page count. This'll work and it doesn't involve changing the core.

[vbarlakoski]

There is a hack that works with Conservative and Progressive cache but not with System Cache.

In Site ROOT/index.php after $app->route(); insert this code:

Code: Select all

if (isset($_GET['view']) && strtolower($_GET['view']) == 'article') {
 $articleId = (int) $_GET['id']; 
  
 $db = JFactory::getDBO();
 $db->setQuery(
                        'UPDATE #__content' .
                        ' SET hits = hits + 1' .
                        ' WHERE id = '.(int) $articleId
                );

 $db->query(); 
}

This will update hits in database in real time, but in article view will update every time when cache session expires with actual database hits.

[bradm]

Hi @itoctopus and @vbarlakoski,

Great ideas! Were you able to prevent Joomla from updating the hits two times in the event someone was not seeing a cached version of the page? IE, the code / plugins you described would update the hits, and then the normal Joomla code would run and update the hit again.

[vbarlakoski]

Joomla code will run once to activate new cache. So it will update hit once. I think its better to have one time double hit every time cache expires, than have no hits at all while cache is active.

But, this is temporary fix, it should not be permanent one if you need to edit the core.

I hope that Joomla will adapt the system to work properly with or without cache. Hits must be excluded from caching.

[pankajsharma21+]

HI
everyone
i tried the solution by @vbarlakoski
but the problem is still there ,
As i tested it for joomla 3.2.2 the article hit counter call is different in both cases(joomla3.2.2 and joomla2.5.x)

in joomla 3.2.2 the article hit counter is increased by

Code: Select all

	public function hit($pk = 0)
	{
		$input = JFactory::getApplication()->input;
		$hitcount = $input->getInt('hitcount', 1);

		if ($hitcount)
		{
			$pk = (!empty($pk)) ? $pk : (int) $this->getState('article.id');
			$db = $this->getDbo();

			$db->setQuery(

				'UPDATE #__content' .
					' SET hits = hits + 1' .
					' WHERE id = ' . (int) $pk
			);

			try
			{
				$db->execute();
			}
			catch (RuntimeException $e)
			{
				$this->setError($e->getMessage());
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	}

this code


I tried it to add in the root/index.php file but its not working for me , may be the issue is incorrect implementation of the above code .
is there anyone who will help me to solve this known joomla bug?
Regards

[vbarlakoski]

I have done it this way:

I`m using jotCache for page caching.

Then i have created module that runs code for article hits increase.

Code: Select all

<?php
// no direct access
defined( '_JEXEC' ) or die( 'Restricted access' );

if (isset($_GET['view']) && strtolower($_GET['view']) == 'article') {
 $articleId = (int) $_GET['id']; 
  
 $db = JFactory::getDBO();
 $db->setQuery(
                        'UPDATE #__content' .
                        ' SET hits = hits + 1' .
                        ' WHERE id = '.(int) $articleId
                );
 $db->query(); 
}

?>

Then I have excluded the module from JotCache caching.

This works perfectly in 2.5.

[pankajsharma21+]

HI @vbarlakoski
is it custom html module ??
any idea for joomla3.2.2?

[vbarlakoski]

You should try it.. Its custom module, that is changing the db values, so it should work in 3 too. Please share the result if you try it.

[k2bmedia]

Does it also work with K2 Items?

[pankajsharma21+]

Hi the issue is solved .

[kartov]

' WHERE id = '.(int) $articleId

All of you be aware that this is SQJ Injection and this brings certain security risks. Did you ever heard about sanitizing inputs?

[changlee]

I have found third-party plugin CacheControl, and i forbid option=com_content&view=article to cache, so, i have my hits back...

Hello! Have you tried that option for Joomla 3.x also?

[alfa6]

I made simple system plugin based on Your solution. I think plugin should fit better then module. Just install and enable it ("sittelicznik") in plugins.

Tested on Joomla 3.6.5 but it is so simple that it shuold work on all verssions.

Remember - if You disable cache then hits will by doubled every refresh. If You have cache enabled then hits will be doubled only from time to time so it's not precize solution.

[Tov]

not work on 2.7.2

[pe7er]

I made simple system plugin based on Your solution. I think plugin should fit better then module. Just install and enable it ("sittelicznik") in plugins.

Tested on Joomla 3.6.5 but it is so simple that it shuold work on all verssions.

Actually, to have it working on Joomla 3 you should change the XML file

Code: Select all

<extension version="2.5" type="plugin" group="system">

should be

Code: Select all

<extension version="3.0" type="plugin" group="system">

See https://docs.joomla.org/Manifest_files