Tag installation



The steps are the following : extract the tag package, insert a tag in your webpages, install w3perl locally and build a configuration file to customize your stats.
W3Perl installation directory
Your Cgi-bin directory

1.1 - Extract on the server

Download the W3Perl Tag package. Extract it on your web server root, it will create a /w3perl/ directory.

1.2 - Permission

Once uncompressed in your server root, the following files are available.

/w3perl/resources/Readme-tag.txt the tag to be inserted in your web pages
/w3perl/resources/tag_log.php the php script which will create logfiles
/w3perl/resources/js/w3perl_tag.js the javascript script to be inserted in your webpages
/w3perl/logs/htaccess.dist htpassword example to password protect your log directory (Apache)

The /w3perl/logs/ directory shoud be writeable by the server so chmod 777 if not. Password protect this directory.

1.3 - Insert javascript tag

Edit each file you want to monitor and add the following tag just before </body> :
<script type="text/javascript" src="/<w3perl_install_dir>/resources/js/w3perl_tag.js"></script>
where <w3perl_install_dir> is the directory where w3perl have been installed. Default value is /w3perl/

PHP should be enabled

 Remotely 
If you want to run the stats on the server, use the whole w3perl package (which include the w3perl-tag files).

1.4 - Installation on the server

  • Automatic
    If you are running an Apache server, you can use 'install.pl -a' to install the package without editing anything. The 'a' flag will install w3perl on the main server found in the apache configuration file (Apache configuration file should be readable by the script). In fact, the script is just looking for the ScriptAlias directive to find where the cgi-bin is located.

  • Manually
    Edit the install.pl script. Modify if needed the perl location in the first line. Then change $pathcgi and $pathw3perl according to your system. $pathcgi is the location where the scripts will be installed, default is /path_to_your_cgi-bin/cgi-bin/w3perl/. $pathw3perl is the directory where the package have been extracted : /path_to_your_server_root/w3perl/
    Run install.pl. If your cgi-bin is root owner, you'll have to run the script as root.

  • Windows
    Windows user can use the binary available.

1.5 - Configuration file

Use your favourite browser and go to http://localhost/w3perl/admin/ . You'll see the w3perl administration interface.
Select 'Make configuration file' and fill the different forms. Use default config filename. If you don't have a web server running, you could also fill the configuration file manually. The configuration file have to be copied (not moved !) into your /path_to_your_cgi-bin/cgi-bin/w3perl/ (because server owner can't write to /cgi-bin/ due to security restriction)

1.6 - Compute stats

Wait a day so logfile won't be empty.
You can use the 'Launch scripts' in the administration interface and click on the different scripts to launch them or use the command line to run the scripts. It's up to you. Avoid using both launch as web user and login user have different file access permission.

1.6 - Crontab

If everything is right, edit cron-w3perl.pl, choose when you want to launch the different scripts and finally add it in your crontab. When launch with the -a flag, cron-w3perl will update all stats for you.

 Locally 

Installing W3Perl locally is safer as most provider doesn't allow too much CPU to be used on their server.

1.4 - Extract locally

Download the W3Perl package. Extract it locally.

1.5 - Installation locally

  • Automatic
    If you are running an Apache server, you can use 'install.pl -a' to install the package without editing anything. The 'a' flag will install w3perl on the main server found in the apache configuration file (Apache configuration file should be readable by the script). In fact, the script is just looking for the ScriptAlias directive to find where the cgi-bin is located.

  • Manually
    Edit the install.pl script. Modify if needed the perl location in the first line. Then change $pathcgi and $pathw3perl according to your system. $pathcgi is the location where the scripts will be installed, default is /path_to_your_cgi-bin/cgi-bin/w3perl/. $pathw3perl is the directory where the package have been extracted : /path_to_your_server_root/w3perl/
    Run install.pl. If your cgi-bin is root owner, you'll have to run the script as root.

  • Windows
    Windows user can use the binary available.

1.6 - Configuration file

Use your favourite browser and go to http://localhost/w3perl/admin/ . You'll see the w3perl administration interface.
Select 'Make configuration file' and fill the different forms. Use default config filename. If you get into trouble, you could also fill the configuration file by hand. The configuration file have to be copied (not moved !) into your /path_to_your_cgi-bin/cgi-bin/w3perl/ (because server owner can't write to /cgi-bin/ due to security restriction).
Be sure to activate the option to retrieve remotely logfiles. Fill the server name, password and directories. W3Perl will download your logfiles before processing.

1.7 - Compute stats

Wait a day so logfile won't be empty.
You can use the 'Launch scripts' in the administration interface and click on the different scripts to launch them or use the command line to run the scripts. It's up to you. Avoid using both launch as web user and login user have different file access permission.

1.8 - Crontab

If everything is right, edit cron-w3perl.pl, choose when you want to launch the different scripts and finally add it in your crontab. When launch with the -a flag, cron-w3perl will update all stats for you.