The unique id is generated by standard vbulletin, iirc it's based on ip and useragent - you will see them in the vb session table if you look.

Basically what this does is create a record for each unigue visitor, as determined by vb, and update that record each time that visitor loads a new page (exactly as happens for a member).

If spider detection is enabled then each time a visitor record is updated it loads vb's spider list (as used on the WOL) and uses this to check if the visitor is a known spider, if it is recognised then the record is updated with the spider name as well as the new lastactive time. (That means if it was off, and you turn it on, you will not see an instant change, visitors will only be updated as they visit).

The count is simply built by loading all the records where the lastactive time is greater than the cutoff (either 24 hours ago, or midnight, depending on the setting).

The cleanup does not use a seperate cron job, it's via a hook in the hourly cleanup job.

Thanks Paul! That does make things a little clearer.
I understand now why spiders that come from the same IP will only be counted once, even if they come back multiple times within 24 hours.

I still have a little bit of a puzzle with spiders though: About an hour ago 6 Slurp spiders were showing on my board. They were all from different IPs. Yet the guest stats show that only 3 Slurp spiders have visited in the past 24 hours. So, is this because vBulletin classifies some of these (despite the unique IPs) as 'the same' guest? No way around this I suppose?

-Rob-

Actually, what is happening is that the slurp spiders are from a similar subset of ips - e.g. 74.6.71.x

By default, vbulletin builds the unique id using just the first three bits of the ip address - so 74.6.71.1 will be seen the same as 74.6.71.2, 74.6.71.3 etc. You can change this in the vBulletin Options > Server Settings and Optimization Options > Session IP Octet Length Check - change it from '255.255.255.0' to '255.255.255.255' and vb (and hence this mod) will see them all as unique.

I think I might add my own option for this in the next update, or maybe just build the guest id seperately from vb so that setting does not cause a problem.

Thanks Paul! Perfectly clear now!
I was going to change the Session IP Octet Length Check to use the full IP address, but the notes that go with it gave me pause. Seems that using the full IP for session IDs can cause trouble for users behind transparent proxies (and there are many of those). So, I'll leave things as they are now, and live with it. Of course, you have my vote to use your own guest ID solution for the mod. It would make a great add-on even better! :)

-Rob-

It doesn't really affect transparent Proxies - it's mostly AOL users whose proxy IP can change mid session.

How can I reposition the output? I want to place the content in a different position on my FORUMHOME, but I don't see any "call" to it within that template?

Is it elsewhere or can I turn off the display and use the contents of the 'Display_Guests' template and place within FORUMHOME in my desired location?

Thanks, awesome product as usual Paul M.

To answer my own question! Well, yes I can place the contents of 'Display Guests' into the position I would like it to appear, but with the display turned off, of course, it's content is empty!

So to my original question, is there way of postioning this wherever I would like on FORUMHOME, as I can't seem to find where the relevant code is, other than what I have mentioned.

If it's not possible right now, can you add the ability for folks like me who would like a little more layout possibilities.

Thanks again.

Awaiting this one, since I still seem to have a problem with it keeping the spiders info, a conflict I assume is with another mod I have installed, has anyone checked this with the Inferno RPG, or the IBpro Arcade as those are the only new mods that have been added to the site recently.

_V

Answering my own question again :) But for the benefit of others, in case it's needed...

You need to edit the .xml and replace the CDATA value in the "text_trg" section of the "<options>" section towards the end of the file. The default value is "<![CDATA[<!-- end logged-in users -->]]>" - simply change the string to the appropriate end string that is defined in your FORUMHOME template, where you would like things positioned.

Sure would be nice to have this as an admincp option though ;)

Thanks.

It's already an ACP option.

vBulletin Options > Auto-Template Settings

:D