Change page counter to count only unique visits? Not ever single hit.

[ned4spd8874]

One thing that I would like to change is the counter so that it counts unique views and not merely hits. My counter is way off. In a way, it's nice to see so many hits, but it's not nearly accurate.

[Michael Daly]

The counter is cached with the rest of the page, so it only changes occasionally.

If you want the counter to work differently, you'd have to write an extension to do so.

[Emufarmers]

Unless you have a great attachment to the counter appearing on every page (or to Special:PopularPages), I would suggest that you disable the counter in favor of either webserver log analysis software or a third-party analytics service.

[gryzor]

By the way, what should be added to a skin to make the counter show? I'm trying out a skin that doesn't have it in its php...

[Subfader]

the counter works most effictivly. could be worse. atm F5 doesn't raise it, that's better than nothing.

[Emufarmers]

By the way, what should be added to a skin to make the counter show? I'm trying out a skin that doesn't have it in its php...

It really depends on the skin. The relevant portion from MonoBook.php is:

			<div class="visualClear"></div>
			<div id="footer">
<?php
		if($this->data['poweredbyico']) { ?>
				<div id="f-poweredbyico"><?php $this->html('poweredbyico') ?></div>
<?php 	}
		if($this->data['copyrightico']) { ?>
				<div id="f-copyrightico"><?php $this->html('copyrightico') ?></div>
<?php	}

		// Generate additional footer links
		$footerlinks = array(
			'lastmod', 'viewcount', 'numberofwatchingusers', 'credits', 'copyright',
			'privacy', 'about', 'disclaimer', 'tagline',
		);
		$validFooterLinks = array();
		foreach( $footerlinks as $aLink ) {
			if( isset( $this->data[$aLink] ) && $this->data[$aLink] ) {
				$validFooterLinks[] = $aLink;
			}
		}
		if ( count( $validFooterLinks ) > 0 ) {
?>			<ul id="f-list">
<?php
			foreach( $validFooterLinks as $aLink ) {
				if( isset( $this->data[$aLink] ) && $this->data[$aLink] ) {
?>					<li id="<?php echo$aLink?>"><?php $this->html($aLink) ?></li>
<?php 			}
			}
?>
			</ul>
<?php	}
?>
		</div>
</div>

the counter works most effictivly. could be worse. atm F5 doesn't raise it, that's better than nothing.

I suspect that's only because your browser caches the page and F5 doesn't generally bypass the cache. If you tried ctrl-F5/ctrl-shift-R instead, I imagine the counter would rise.

[gryzor]

Thanks, mate, I just logged back in the say I found it:

$footerlinks = array(
						'viewcount',

etc. So the variable is 'viewcount', as you have highlighted!

Is there a complete list of all the variables one can use in the arrays?

Thanks for your trouble

[Emufarmers]

Is there a complete list of all the variables one can use in the arrays?

I believe MonoBook uses all of them, but they're generated in includes/Skin.php and includes/SkinTemplate.php.

[Subfader]

If you tried ctrl-F5/ctrl-shift-R instead, I imagine the counter would rise.

Well that purges the cache But you're right, other browsers purge the cache with F5 like Chrome(?).