Counting visits and page views

Another example where I use Application variables is to implement the fun count of active users seen in the top right corner of every page.

This involved a file not discussed yet on this site - global.asa. This file contains four functions that are called by the server at specific times, as documented in the file shown below.

global.asa <script language=JavaScript runat=server> // ============================================ // this function is called when the first user visits the page after the server // has been rebooted. also called when this file is changed. // ============================================ function Application_OnStart ( ) {    // you dont need to lock the Application object    // in this function - but remember to do it elsewhere...    //   Application.Lock ( );    // number of users currently on the site    Application ( 'ActiveUsers' ) = 0;    // number of users on the site today    Application ( 'UsersToday' ) = 0;    // number of pages viewed today    Application ( 'PagesToday' ) = 0;    // has the count been restarted today?    Application ( 'NewToday' ) = 1;    // number of headers viewed ever    Application ( 'HeadersViewed' ) = 0;    // number of footers viewed ever    Application ( 'FootersViewed' ) = 0;    // initialize new stuff in utils/Init.asp    Application ( 'BrandNewDay' ) = 1;    // a list of IP addresses that have clicked an ad    Application ( 'ClickFromIP' ) = '';    // counters for rotating banners    Application ( 'CurrentTopBanner' ) = 0;    Application ( 'CurrentSideBanner' ) = 0;    Application ( 'CurrentAffiliate' ) = 0;    // remember todays date    var d = new Date;    Application ( 'Today' ) = d.getDate ( );    // Application.Unlock ( ); } // ============================================ // this function is called when the server shuts down // ============================================ function Application_OnEnd ( ) { } // ============================================ // this function gets called whenever a new user visits the site. note that // session variables require the client browser to accept cookies // ============================================ function Session_OnStart ( ) {    // you must lock the global Application object    // when writing to it - ok to read without lock    Application.Lock ( );    // one more active user    Application ( 'ActiveUsers' )++;    // is it a new day?    var d = new Date;    var nDate = d.getDate ( );    if ( Application ( 'Today' ) == nDate )    {       // same day, so increment users today       Application ( 'UsersToday' )++;    }    else    {       // new day, so restart count       Application ( 'Today' ) = nDate;       Application ( 'UsersToday' ) = 1;       Application ( 'PagesToday' ) = 1;       Application ( 'BrandNewDay' ) = 1;       // and say I havent restarted today       Application ( 'NewToday' ) = 0;    }    Application.Unlock ( ); } // ============================================ // this function gets called after a user session times out - by default // after 20 minutes. or you can call Session.Abandon ( ) // ============================================ function Session_OnEnd ( ) {    // you must lock the global Application object    // when writing to it - ok to read without lock    Application.Lock ( );    // one less active user    Application ( 'ActiveUsers' )--;    Application.Unlock ( ); } </script>

Part 4: Displaying visits and page views...