Keep track of number of downloaded files?

Mark M

Mark M

Mark M

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2006
Posts
3,423
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
I want to put some "advice guides" (pdf) on my website but would also like to know how many people are using them, if any :p

Is there a way to have some sort of simple counter that can tell me the number of downloads for each file?
 
Are you using any server technologies? Quite easy to setup a link which performs an increment of a counter, then streams the file to the browser with its specified content type.

Or you could just report on the downloads using a web statistics program that manipulates the server log files?
 
I assume that because I dont know what server technologies are that Im not using any :p

Im open to trying anything though, what ever is the most simple really!! Doesnt need to give me any details other than number of downloads :)
 
2 ways:

Either have a standard counter that simply updates the number in a text file by one each time the download button is clicked. Then inclde the text file into the page showing the number of downloads.

OR

Setup the counter using a database, each time the link is clicked it adds one to the counter for that item in the database.

Depends what floats your boat, either one will get the desired outcome.
 
If you arent up on server technologies Id be tempted to go with reporting on the logs, as its useful anyway to get statistics. Do you know if you have access to the logs for your website/application?

Alternatively find out is your hosting company supports ASP or PHP and then post back here and Im sure someone will knock something up quicky.
 
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