HTTP_REFERER Log
 

Ever wonder where your new registrants came from? I do.

The HTTP_REFERER will be logged to a custom profile field at registration.

Instructions

1. Add a custom profile field. Make it private so the user can't edit it.
2. Upload the product
3. Go to vBulletin Options -> User Profile Options
4. Set the "HTTP REFERER Profile Field" to the custom profile field you just added. (i.e. field5)

Sounds ideal. I'll install this later today

Ok so i imported it, went to the options, put 'field5' without the quotes, and nothing happened. Where do you go to view the log or whatever this is?

A user needs to register coming in to your site from another domain. To test it, you need to clear the domain cookies, close the browser, go to another site (or search engine) to click to your site from, and register a new user.

The http_referer shows up in the user profile field. Of course it's only going to work for new registrants.

A better way to view the data would probably be ideal. I'll put some thought into that and ideas are welcome. The important thing for now is that the data is getting written to the user profile for now.

Nice, Good work.

Ok I understand. So say someone comes from www.domainx.com and your on www.domainy.com where would it say that they are from domainx ?

Does it only print in the memberinfo IF they have registered from another domain?

Whatever is in the PHP HTTP_REFERER variable when they enter your site is what will get logged upon registration. Some browsers supress this info (not many), and if they go directly to your site, it will be empty.

It's not meant for public viewing ( that would make people mad ) but rather just for your own knowledge of where new registrants are coming from.

So then where does it get logged/posted for me to view? Or at least where is the default location in the PHP HTTP_REFERER variable?

In the user profile, where all the other user profile variables are. So practical use might be to go to 'search users', and view the most recent members, then go to edit their profile to view.

This is why I need to put more thought into the presentation of it. A quick template mod will probably do wonders for the consumption of this info.

Definately a nifty hack -- working great over here so far. I do have one idea, perhaps when it shows in the users' profile it could have the URL within a textarea field.

I've got some referrers that are very long on the newly registered users and it just completely destroys the profile page of the user. I realize only admins can see it but it would be good if we could just have it in the textarea box. This way it would word wrap nicely and be contained for copy/paste etc..

Definately a great start on it, very clever and thanks for your time making it.

displaying that info publically might not be a good idea. it's possible that they were referred from their webmail, or a site that they don't want people to know they were on. more of a privacy issue. it was more meant for me to know where my new users were coming from. but how you use it isn't my choice :)

i definately need a better way to display the data in the admincp, .. or maybe modify some templates so only administrators can see that info on their profile age.

Sorry for any confusion, but I didn't mean to sound like I wanted it public. I think the way it is setup is fine.

I just have a small issue when a referrer URL is very long it completely throws off the profile page that i'm viewing. I just wanted it to be displayed inside a text area box so it could be contained and easily able to be copied.

I didn't intend to have anything for anyone other than an admin to see, just a different way of showing it in the profile other than just text line, but rather text in an defined textarea field.

are you saying on their public profile page, an admin can see the field, but not anyone else? if so, how do you set the profile field to display like that? or is it a mod?

i don't think you are talking about in the control panel because when i look at a user in there, the link is already in a text field which doesn't expand.

i opt to get emails for new users and notice that the link does not show up in the emails. i think it's added just after the membership is created. i want to try to update it so the link will show in the 'new member' emails when a user signs up.

I've got it setup where i can view the public profile of a user but only the Referrer: section is shown to administrators.

I do not use the control panel to view their option i just click their name and go to their member profile on the front end of the site.

I've tested with non-registered and registered users not in administrator groups and they cannot see the referrer fields.

You can't beat that old horse dead, it is still working on 3.7.2. ;-)

Ingress

Not working with 3.8 RC1