HTML /slash/ Referrer code question for you tech guys - GoFuckYourself.com

The Truth · 08-07-2001, 09:48 PM

I have been unable to get a honest, straight answer about this from a couple sponsors.

Let's say your link code is http://www.xyzprogram.com&site=teen&refcode=12345
If you then use FrontPage to build your galleries or sites, it adds something very strange to the code......
It adds the following after the & symbol - amp; - now I know that is the code for a space or something like that but I don't get why it adds it... and I can't get an honest answer as to wether or not it effects your signups.

Now I have had a million galleries with this in it and they do get sign ups... but I have heard that it may not be 100% accurate.

P.S. I don't want to hear any bullshit about using FP... I like it and it is what I have used since day one so I can turn shit out with it fast as hell and will Never switch.

Gemini · 08-07-2001, 09:54 PM

It is writing more code specific for IE to read... in other words so the code is junky in Netscape and other pure html browsers. Another Gates trick to force ppl to stick with all MS software. Just like the webbot insertion junk.

Juicy D. Links · 08-07-2001, 09:55 PM

Dreamweaver is better..give it a try :-)

Yeah it will affect some of your signups..so change to dreamweaver and do it right :-)

The Truth · 08-07-2001, 10:16 PM

Thanks for the info... I was really hoping that someone would say I was just being paranoid and not to worry about it. I have been changing the code by hand for a while now and it's no big deal. I can't help but wonder how many sign ups I have missed out on tho..

08-07-2001, 10:27 PM

Another phenomenon that occurs frequently is that certain symbols like "%", "$" or "&" get replaced by their hex equivalents. Best example is paypal, alias x.com
http://www.%58.com/

See ? You can basically express every page in hex... and http will interpret it correctly.

Another example (for Lens & Wizzo

):
http://www.%61%64%75%6C%74.com

Enjoy !

------------------
need Equicare ?

Rivux · 08-07-2001, 10:29 PM

You havent missed out on any signups, so dont worry about it

theWatsonian · 08-07-2001, 10:32 PM

Frontpage has a command to let you insert html that the program will not "correct" for you. I had a job last year designing a large site for a local medical group and the owner wanted it done entirely in FP2000 so they could update it easily.
Anyway, I believe you can just use the Insert|HTML command and FP will leave it alone. Your ref code will remain untouched and MS will add a nice webbot comment to your html.

------------------
"Jack of all trades, master of some."
PornShare reviewer - I look at dirty pictures

ICQ four2four0four928

pimplink · 08-07-2001, 10:35 PM

I had the same problem and basically just wasted a shit load of pages and traffic.

Most sponsors give you a PRECISE code to link to, if these codes are messed up on your end via FrontPage [try DreamWeaver--it does not change the code], the code will still go to the site but instead of being tracked for your account, a "Generic" account will be given credit by the site.

Basically, you lost the sales. I know, its a hard lesson, but better to know it now than never. Also you may want to test your pages before submitting them.

Quote:

Originally posted by The Truth:
I have been unable to get a honest, straight answer about this from a couple sponsors.

Let's say your link code is http://www.xyzprogram.com&site=teen&refcode=12345
If you then use FrontPage to build your galleries or sites, it adds something very strange to the code......
It adds the following after the & symbol - amp; - now I know that is the code for a space or something like that but I don't get why it adds it... and I can't get an honest answer as to wether or not it effects your signups.

Now I have had a million galleries with this in it and they do get sign ups... but I have heard that it may not be 100% accurate.

P.S. I don't want to hear any bullshit about using FP... I like it and it is what I have used since day one so I can turn shit out with it fast as hell and will Never switch.

08-07-2001, 10:35 PM

Yeah, FP often tends to screw around with custom mods in the code... often it leads to fatalities and bad errors.... just do what theWatsonian suggested.

------------------
need Equicare ?

Gemini · 08-07-2001, 10:37 PM

And that lil cute webbot comment will screw alot of scripts up as well as other fun things. We use FP2000 alot but he edits the code to remove all the junk.

The Truth · 08-07-2001, 10:45 PM

Watsonian - I use that command when I insert counters but that's about all I use it for. I don't trust that webbot code around my ref links anymore than I trust the extra code FP adds when I don't use it. I guess it's a Catch 22.
I am really set in my ways and have so many things set up in FP that I really don't want to switch but I may look at Dreamweaver. This one problem doesn't seem reason enough to learn a new piece of software. I can make FP dance for me like Ricky Martin on XTC.

Thanks again everyone for the useful info.

Chris R · 08-08-2001, 01:06 AM

There IS A WAY for you to check for yourself. Simply look at the source code on the join page - you will see (ARS EXAMPLE):

(INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="REF1" VALUE="C")
(INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="REF2" VALUE="169293")

the 169293 is the referrer code - if it is there - you should get credit

I changed the brackets to () as I was not sure if the board would mess it up.

Gemini · 08-08-2001, 01:09 AM

The Truth... just edit the BS out in FP on the code view. Only takes a sec to do. Webbot and all that extra ; etc.

Rivux · 08-08-2001, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pimplink:
I had the same problem and basically just wasted a shit load of pages and traffic.

Most sponsors give you a PRECISE code to link to, if these codes are messed up on your end via FrontPage [try DreamWeaver--it does not change the code], the code will still go to the site but instead of being tracked for your account, a "Generic" account will be given credit by the site.

Basically, you lost the sales. I know, its a hard lesson, but better to know it now than never. Also you may want to test your pages before submitting them.

I hate to break it to you, but you are completely full of shit. Nearly every line that you wrote was complete and utter crap. He didnt lose any sales just because of the &amp so dont get him all scared for nothing.

The Truth · 08-08-2001, 03:13 AM

Gemini -
that is what I have been doing - editing out the bad code in the HTML view of FP.

Rivux -
why do you say that it doesn't effect signups..?? I believe you but everyone else had reasons why they thought otherwise. You just said it was bullshit... back it up !!! I want "The Truth" Some sponsors have admitted to me that it may effect my stats but they were real vague about it which is why I came here with the question.

The Truth · 08-08-2001, 03:27 AM

How about a reply on this topic from Lensman or someone else who runs their own program. They are the most likely ones to know the real answer to this question.

Chris R · 08-08-2001, 03:46 AM

Does anyone read? Check what I posted - if it is there - it gets counted, if not it doesn't. This is simple - check it for yourself - Rivux is right.

Your sponsors probably haven't given you a straight answer, because they probably don't know. Half of the sponsors can't even spell right.

Pimplink is full of crap. This stuff does not work by magic - it is pretty simple. There is a hidden field on the join page - this contains your sponsor code and ip, and other crap. This is how they give you credit for your sale.

Check it for yourself and don't rely on people who have no clue what they are talking about. I do not think it would even be possible for you NOT to get credit - as I believe the way the encoding works - the other computer can't tell the difference. I am not 100% sure about that, but use my test - and you will know.

The Truth · 08-08-2001, 04:16 AM

Chris R -

It is people like you that make me want to jump through my computer and beat the living shit out of somebody. I saw your post and I read it... but it doesn't mean any more to me than anyone elses post. What makes you the fuckin' authority..?? Why should I trust your theory anymore than anyone elses..?? First of all.. not all sponsors display the code after you click the link. Sometimes all that displays is the basic url, and if the code does show up, what's to say there isn't something else that could go wrong. Why is it that half the time the referrer stats for ARS don't work. The surfer always comes from a link but it doesn't always record it. I just wanted to hear a sponsors opinion on the whole thing.

Now that I got that off my chest, let me say that I am sorry. I just hate when people are assholes for no reason. Go flex your muscles someplace else.

Chris R · 08-08-2001, 04:41 AM

I don't have any muscles and I was trying to be helpful unlike everyone else here.

I was simply pointing out the fool proof method to tell. Again, you are not reading what I stated - the join page is not ARS - it is iBill - this is how ARS can say that signups are being recorded while stats are not.

You are getting angry at the wrong people - but hey I am used to it. Has anyone else been helpful to you - NO. I told you a way you could learn for yourself. You aren't interested and that is fine. You will never get anywhere listening to ther people's OPINIONS on this board.

Oh and I am no authority, but I understand how forms work. I also gave you a way to test it yourself, did the other people with their conspiuracy theories do this? NO. Did they provide one piece of evidence to back up their claim? NO.

Maybe that is why you should trust me and not them. In fact you mentioned you DO GET signups and the guy telling you you lost ALL your sales, was obviously wrong, wasn't he?

But yet, you yell at Rivux and me. I was merely pointing out I had spent time laying this out for you and it apparently wan't sinking in. If you just thought about it - it might make sense. If the computer catches is right one time, there is no reason to believe it won't every time. It is part of the url - not some crappy php script for counting clicks and the referer.

The referer is not built into the url - there are lots of things that can go wrong there. The url itself will never have that problem - if it goes to the site - it got your code.

Chris R · 08-08-2001, 04:44 AM

Oh, and you are right, the code is not always in the url - that is why you check the source code - which is what I was saying in my first post. This way you can be sure it got it.

The Truth · 08-08-2001, 04:54 AM

Chris

Hahahaha - What can I say - you do have a damn good point. but I did read the post and I checked a few of my sponsors and it isn't always there. I realize you are saying to check the "join" page, and it is clear as day with ARS which you use as an example, but some of my other sponsors don't work the same way. That is why I wanted a definitive answer from some actual sponsors.

..and for the record, I wasn't yelling at Rivux.. I just wanted him to backup what he said. I was however, yelling at you and as I said, I am sorry. I try not to do that but my fingers always start typing before my brain can process the info.

Chris R · 08-08-2001, 04:58 AM

Yeah, I don't know about all sponsors, but I have used that for some of them - the major ones I use it works with.

In fact one sponsor did not have it there on one site (but did with their other sites) - I wrote them about it and they fixed it.

08-07-2001, 09:48 PM	#1
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	HTML /slash/ Referrer code question for you tech guys I have been unable to get a honest, straight answer about this from a couple sponsors. Let's say your link code is http://www.xyzprogram.com&site=teen&refcode=12345 If you then use FrontPage to build your galleries or sites, it adds something very strange to the code...... It adds the following after the & symbol - amp; - now I know that is the code for a space or something like that but I don't get why it adds it... and I can't get an honest answer as to wether or not it effects your signups. Now I have had a million galleries with this in it and they do get sign ups... but I have heard that it may not be 100% accurate. P.S. I don't want to hear any bullshit about using FP... I like it and it is what I have used since day one so I can turn shit out with it fast as hell and will Never switch.

08-07-2001, 09:54 PM	#2
Gemini Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: o-HI-o Posts: 7,183	It is writing more code specific for IE to read... in other words so the code is junky in Netscape and other pure html browsers. Another Gates trick to force ppl to stick with all MS software. Just like the webbot insertion junk.

08-07-2001, 09:55 PM	#3
Juicy D. Links So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: N.Y. -Long Island -- Posts: 122,992	Dreamweaver is better..give it a try :-) Yeah it will affect some of your signups..so change to dreamweaver and do it right :-)

08-07-2001, 10:16 PM	#4
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	Thanks for the info... I was really hoping that someone would say I was just being paranoid and not to worry about it. I have been changing the code by hand for a while now and it's no big deal. I can't help but wonder how many sign ups I have missed out on tho..

08-07-2001, 10:27 PM	#5
X37375787 Guest Posts: n/a	Another phenomenon that occurs frequently is that certain symbols like "%", "$" or "&" get replaced by their hex equivalents. Best example is paypal, alias x.com http://www.%58.com/ See ? You can basically express every page in hex... and http will interpret it correctly. Another example (for Lens & Wizzo ): http://www.%61%64%75%6C%74.com Enjoy ! ------------------ need Equicare ?

08-07-2001, 10:29 PM	#6
Rivux Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,026	You havent missed out on any signups, so dont worry about it

08-07-2001, 10:32 PM	#7
theWatsonian Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: PB4L HQ Posts: 1,737	Frontpage has a command to let you insert html that the program will not "correct" for you. I had a job last year designing a large site for a local medical group and the owner wanted it done entirely in FP2000 so they could update it easily. Anyway, I believe you can just use the Insert\|HTML command and FP will leave it alone. Your ref code will remain untouched and MS will add a nice webbot comment to your html. ------------------ "Jack of all trades, master of some." PornShare reviewer - I look at dirty pictures ICQ four2four0four928

08-07-2001, 10:35 PM	#9
X37375787 Guest Posts: n/a	Yeah, FP often tends to screw around with custom mods in the code... often it leads to fatalities and bad errors.... just do what theWatsonian suggested. ------------------ need Equicare ?

08-07-2001, 10:37 PM	#10
Gemini Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: o-HI-o Posts: 7,183	And that lil cute webbot comment will screw alot of scripts up as well as other fun things. We use FP2000 alot but he edits the code to remove all the junk.

08-07-2001, 10:45 PM	#11
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	Watsonian - I use that command when I insert counters but that's about all I use it for. I don't trust that webbot code around my ref links anymore than I trust the extra code FP adds when I don't use it. I guess it's a Catch 22. I am really set in my ways and have so many things set up in FP that I really don't want to switch but I may look at Dreamweaver. This one problem doesn't seem reason enough to learn a new piece of software. I can make FP dance for me like Ricky Martin on XTC. Thanks again everyone for the useful info.

08-08-2001, 01:06 AM	#12
Chris R Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 1,151	There IS A WAY for you to check for yourself. Simply look at the source code on the join page - you will see (ARS EXAMPLE): (INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="REF1" VALUE="C") (INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="REF2" VALUE="169293") the 169293 is the referrer code - if it is there - you should get credit I changed the brackets to () as I was not sure if the board would mess it up.

08-08-2001, 01:09 AM	#13
Gemini Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: o-HI-o Posts: 7,183	The Truth... just edit the BS out in FP on the code view. Only takes a sec to do. Webbot and all that extra ; etc.

08-08-2001, 03:13 AM	#15
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	Gemini - that is what I have been doing - editing out the bad code in the HTML view of FP. Rivux - why do you say that it doesn't effect signups..?? I believe you but everyone else had reasons why they thought otherwise. You just said it was bullshit... back it up !!! I want "The Truth" Some sponsors have admitted to me that it may effect my stats but they were real vague about it which is why I came here with the question.

08-08-2001, 03:27 AM	#16
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	How about a reply on this topic from Lensman or someone else who runs their own program. They are the most likely ones to know the real answer to this question.

08-08-2001, 03:46 AM	#17
Chris R Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 1,151	Does anyone read? Check what I posted - if it is there - it gets counted, if not it doesn't. This is simple - check it for yourself - Rivux is right. Your sponsors probably haven't given you a straight answer, because they probably don't know. Half of the sponsors can't even spell right. Pimplink is full of crap. This stuff does not work by magic - it is pretty simple. There is a hidden field on the join page - this contains your sponsor code and ip, and other crap. This is how they give you credit for your sale. Check it for yourself and don't rely on people who have no clue what they are talking about. I do not think it would even be possible for you NOT to get credit - as I believe the way the encoding works - the other computer can't tell the difference. I am not 100% sure about that, but use my test - and you will know.

08-08-2001, 04:16 AM	#18
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	Chris R - It is people like you that make me want to jump through my computer and beat the living shit out of somebody. I saw your post and I read it... but it doesn't mean any more to me than anyone elses post. What makes you the fuckin' authority..?? Why should I trust your theory anymore than anyone elses..?? First of all.. not all sponsors display the code after you click the link. Sometimes all that displays is the basic url, and if the code does show up, what's to say there isn't something else that could go wrong. Why is it that half the time the referrer stats for ARS don't work. The surfer always comes from a link but it doesn't always record it. I just wanted to hear a sponsors opinion on the whole thing. Now that I got that off my chest, let me say that I am sorry. I just hate when people are assholes for no reason. Go flex your muscles someplace else.

08-08-2001, 04:41 AM	#19
Chris R Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 1,151	I don't have any muscles and I was trying to be helpful unlike everyone else here. I was simply pointing out the fool proof method to tell. Again, you are not reading what I stated - the join page is not ARS - it is iBill - this is how ARS can say that signups are being recorded while stats are not. You are getting angry at the wrong people - but hey I am used to it. Has anyone else been helpful to you - NO. I told you a way you could learn for yourself. You aren't interested and that is fine. You will never get anywhere listening to ther people's OPINIONS on this board. Oh and I am no authority, but I understand how forms work. I also gave you a way to test it yourself, did the other people with their conspiuracy theories do this? NO. Did they provide one piece of evidence to back up their claim? NO. Maybe that is why you should trust me and not them. In fact you mentioned you DO GET signups and the guy telling you you lost ALL your sales, was obviously wrong, wasn't he? But yet, you yell at Rivux and me. I was merely pointing out I had spent time laying this out for you and it apparently wan't sinking in. If you just thought about it - it might make sense. If the computer catches is right one time, there is no reason to believe it won't every time. It is part of the url - not some crappy php script for counting clicks and the referer. The referer is not built into the url - there are lots of things that can go wrong there. The url itself will never have that problem - if it goes to the site - it got your code.

08-08-2001, 04:44 AM	#20
Chris R Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 1,151	Oh, and you are right, the code is not always in the url - that is why you check the source code - which is what I was saying in my first post. This way you can be sure it got it.

08-08-2001, 04:54 AM	#21
The Truth Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 920	Chris Hahahaha - What can I say - you do have a damn good point. but I did read the post and I checked a few of my sponsors and it isn't always there. I realize you are saying to check the "join" page, and it is clear as day with ARS which you use as an example, but some of my other sponsors don't work the same way. That is why I wanted a definitive answer from some actual sponsors. ..and for the record, I wasn't yelling at Rivux.. I just wanted him to backup what he said. I was however, yelling at you and as I said, I am sorry. I try not to do that but my fingers always start typing before my brain can process the info.

08-08-2001, 04:58 AM	#22
Chris R Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 1,151	Yeah, I don't know about all sponsors, but I have used that for some of them - the major ones I use it works with. In fact one sponsor did not have it there on one site (but did with their other sites) - I wrote them about it and they fixed it.