You can also use ParaChat LiveHelp to implement server-side visitor tracking using ASP, PHP or any other code that executes at the server.
The advantages of using server-side tracking as opposed to client-side tracking using javascript are as follows:
- Fastest possible visitor tracking and page loads. Pages will show in ParaChat LiveHelp even before the visitor has seen them!
- No requirement for javascript or images to be enabled on the visitor's browser.
- Ability to track spiders and other automated bots.
- Ability to serve custom content based on agent availability and visitor GEO-IP.
- No requirement for the ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway to be running on a public IP address.
- Ability to track SSL pages without the requirement to assign an SSL certificate to the ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway.
- No firewall or security issues for the visitor, since the page is tracked at the server.
If your web site is built using ASPX, ASP or PHP then server-side tracking is the recommended method of tracking visitors with ParaChat LiveHelp.
Your server-side code makes a HTTP request to the ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway for the file 'stat.xml'. Since the request happens server-side there wont be any firewall issues. The request contains details of the visitor and page. The ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway returns some XML containing current agent status and optional visitor GEO-IP data. Your server-side code can then use this XML data to serve custom content (like a Click To Chat link).
Example HTTP Request:
The following HTTP request to the ParaChat LiveHelpGateway will return an XML file:
http://testdrive.parachat.biz/stat.xml?domain=www.webpage.com&auth=TESTDRIVE&ip=123.123.123.123&p=page.htm&r=http://www.referrer.com
With all server-side calls to the Gateway you must pass the 'auth' parameter. This must be set to the Authentication string as set in your ParaChat LiveHelp settings. This is an added security measure. The 'ip' parameter must be set to the IP address of the visitor. The 'p' parameter must be set to the page name they are viewing. The 'r' parameter can be set to an optional referrer.
How To Build Your HTTP request:
From the example above you would find this information based on your log-in credentials. If you do not understand how to build your HTTP request, please contact ParaChat Support and they will help build one for you.
http://testdrive.parachat.biz/stat.xml?domain=www.mysite.com&auth=TESTDRIVE&ip=123.123.123.123&p=page.htm&r=http://www.referrer.com
ParaChat Server = testdrive.parachat.biz
Authentication String = TESTDRIVE
Domain = <your domain name>
Query String Parameters:
The following query strings can be passed via the stat.xml request (* denotes required parameters):
|
domain/d |
* Domain name of the site in ParaChat LiveHelp |
|
dept/t |
Department name (optional) |
|
p |
* Page name (if no page is specified the 'home page' as defined in site settings is assumed) |
|
auth |
* ParaChat LiveHelp Server Authentication string as defined in ParaChat LiveHelp settings - Remote Access section |
|
ip |
* IP address of visitor |
|
r |
Referrer (optional) |
|
u |
User name (optional - if specified this value is used to track the visitor in addition to the IP address) |
|
v |
Revenue of visit (optional) |
|
c |
Cost of visit (optional) |
|
s |
HTTP status (optiona0 - allows you to pass page errors (404's etc) to ParaChat LiveHelp to show as exceptions |
|
n |
Visitor contact information (Name|Company|Email|Telephone) (optional) |
The ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway will then send the visitor information to the ParaChat LiveHelp Server and return a XML file, in the format:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<domain>
<online>2</online>
<name>www.test.com</name>
<message>One moment - we will be with you shortly.</message>
<agents>
<agent>
<name>Mark</name>
<status>0</status>
<dept>Technical Support</dept>
</agent>
<agent>
<name>Simone</name>
<status>0</status>
<dept>Sales</dept>
</agent>
</agents>
</domain>
The <online> tag will contain the number of agents currently online. You can use this to serve your on/off line chat link/graphic. The <message> tag contains the default 'available' message as defined by the site properties in ParaChat LiveHelp.
The <agents> tag contains a repeating section for each <agent> showing their <name>, <status> and <department>
If you request 'geoip.xml' instead of 'stat.xml' in the HTTP request to the Gateway, then the ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway will also include GEO-IP data for the IP address passed in the 'ip' parameter in the returned XML.
The following tags are returned in addition to the above:
<visitor>
<ip>64.233.167.99</ip>
<country>United States</country>
<region>CA</region>
<city>Mountain View</city>
<organization>Google</organization>
<lattitude>37.4192</lattitude>
<longitude>-122.0574</longitude>
</visitor>
You could then use this data in your server-side code to serve different content based on the visitor's location.
License Note: You are licensed to use the GEO-IP data in this way only for your own site. You cannot use the ParaChat LiveHelp Gateway to serve GEO-IP data for other users or sites.