Access to Web Stats outside CPanel

LJHarper · #1 02-04-2008, 05:17 PM

We recently moved our company site to a shared hosting account. I've had no complaints until today, when I discovered I can't provide a direct link to our web site statistics. For obvious reasons I don't wish to give our CPanel login to my entire staff. There should be a way to set up separate authentication to the statistics.

The only alternative I was given was to use a 3rd party tracking service. This seems not only redundant, but is alot of work to integrate and maintain tracking code in the site when I have a perfectly good statistics program running right here.

GvilleRick · #2 02-04-2008, 05:21 PM

There are a few posts describing how to allow access to AWStats without the cPanel info. One thread can be found here.

slapshotw · #3 02-04-2008, 06:03 PM

I'd like to also recommend just using Google Analytics; it's far more accurate than Awstats and webalizer (and it's free and easy to setup).

gtgeorge · #4 02-04-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapshotw

I'd like to also recommend just using Google Analytics; it's far more accurate than Awstats and webalizer (and it's free and easy to setup).

Doesn't google analytics require adding code to every page? If so many would find that less than easy! We added it to a site that had thousands of pages. If it wasn't for find and replace

But then there was the fact that the designer put double closing html tags in many different places on quite a few pages that still made a mess out of the search and replace.

kmaw · #5 02-04-2008, 06:41 PM

*cough cough... templates... *cough cough

slapshotw · #6 02-04-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtgeorge

Doesn't google analytics require adding code to every page? If so many would find that less than easy! We added it to a site that had thousands of pages. If it wasn't for find and replace

I agree with kmaw-- you have a site with thousands of pages and don't use includes for the header or footer?

TonyB · #7 02-04-2008, 07:03 PM

Why don't they just add this function to cpanel already? Not like it hasn't been requested for years.

I mean, how hard can it be to add limited users with their own passwords?

kmaw · #8 02-04-2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapshotw

I'd like to also recommend just using Google Analytics; it's far more accurate than Awstats and webalizer (and it's free and easy to setup).

Amen

and it will also email out daily, weekly and monthly reports in a nice PDF which I find far more valuable, because few people would go to the effort of logging in.

eLIANT · #9 02-04-2008, 07:34 PM

On the other hand, if...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmaw

few people would go to the effort of logging in.

then they must not be that interested in their stats.

Target2019 · #10 02-04-2008, 07:49 PM

On another host, I set up a cron to copy the changed files in a webalizer folder to a password protected directory.

Then I gave the name and pass for that folder to the client.

From what I recall, you can't do that with awstats, as it runs as a process when you call it. Webalizer leaves it trail in html files and graphics, so you can copy them elsewhere.

kmaw · #11 02-04-2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eLIANT

On the other hand, if...then they must not be that interested in their stats.

somewhat true... I've got many organizations where this is the case... they would never go to the effort of logging in and looking them up, but if you stick them under their nose, they become important...

gtgeorge · #12 02-05-2008, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapshotw

I agree with kmaw-- you have a site with thousands of pages and don't use includes for the header or footer?

It wasn't our site but one that a customer had butchered after several different designers had been involved in. We made many recommendations for change and repair, but unfortunately they chose to only keep doing little patches here and there.

LJHarper · #13 02-05-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GvilleRick

There are a few posts describing how to allow access to AWStats without the cPanel info. One thread can be found here.

Thank you! The scripts in the referenced post worked fine, I set them up in a password-protected directory for my staff to access.

And yes, I understand we could use Google Analytics, and we may eventually do so, but the point ultimately is that the hosting setup is not as multi-user friendly as it needs to be. Some people manage web sites, some people analyze the numbers... you don't always want to mix the two environments unless you don't mind things imploding.

The obvious solution is CPanel sub-user management.

slapshotw · #14 02-05-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJHarper

The obvious solution is CPanel sub-user management.

To me, the more obvious solution is to leave each tool to somebody who needs it. Leave cPanel to the people who need to manage websites, and leave a quality analytics tool to the numbers people. Most people who are serious about their web numbers don't trust the highly, highly inaccurate Awstats/Webalizer numbers.

Serra · #15 02-05-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJHarper

The obvious solution is CPanel sub-user management.

The obvious solution is actually a proper stat program and not something in cPanel, Google is the best choice for that as it has users and sub users. Making cpanel more complex, isn't the solution.

You can also access Webalizer externally as well. I have this as the default for my server so users can check stats without going into cpanel.

kingtech · #16 02-08-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmaw

Amen

and it will also email out daily, weekly and monthly reports in a nice PDF which I find far more valuable, because few people would go to the effort of logging in.

Wow, I have been using google analytics for years and didn't know that! Thanks for the tip, I definitely will be sending my customers PDFs to show usage from here on out. Most of my customers never log in to see the stats - they need something simple like a pdf document to view, and if google will auto mail it on a schedule, excellent!

kmaw · #17 02-08-2008, 03:36 PM

Works beautifully

anpnas · #18 07-29-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapshotw

I'd like to also recommend just using Google Analytics; it's far more accurate than Awstats and webalizer (and it's free and easy to setup).

Hello, this is my first time using this system. I want to install google analytics
and a site map for google. I have both scripts. My question is where do I
put them???

I have come from a different company and they had an extensive knowledge
base with precise "how to's".

Any help would be appreciated.

anpnas

gwyneth · #19 07-29-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anpnas

Hello, this is my first time using this system. I want to install google analytics
and a site map for google. I have both scripts. My question is where do I
put them???

I have come from a different company and they had an extensive knowledge
base with precise "how to's".

Any help would be appreciated.

anpnas

Do you have access yet to the 11 forum categories that are not public? There is extensive info there about using analytics, and many other useful things.

anpnas · #20 07-29-2008, 03:46 PM

Gwenth are you talking about the page that begins General Announcements and ends with Site Promotion? If so, yes. I have "searched" using Google Analytics, How to install Google Analytics, Google Site Map, etc.

I know that it goes at the end of the "Content" of my page and just before the </body>, but where in my control panel do I find this? I have looked under "files" Html,

Thanks
anpnas

GvilleRick · #21 07-29-2008, 03:48 PM

You can add the code in your main page using any editor. To do it through your cPanel you would need to use the File Manager. Go to the file you want to add the code to (such as index.html) and click on the file and choose Edit. Copy the code before the </body> tag and then save it.

anpnas · #22 07-29-2008, 03:54 PM

GvilleRick

Thanks for replying, on more quick question before I try this, will the
index.html be a "blanket" that will apply the code to the entire site?

Anpnas

striddy · #23 07-29-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anpnas

will the index.html be a "blanket" that will apply the code to the entire site?

No, you will need to do it in each file (web page) that you want stats on.

Junior · #24 07-29-2008, 08:13 PM

You could also make a php page and in a section of your site include the code. When I mean a section like the footer that displays on every page..

anpnas · #25 08-11-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapshotw

I'd like to also recommend just using Google Analytics; it's far more accurate than Awstats and webalizer (and it's free and easy to setup).

Trying to find the right place to ask this question....

I have installed the Google Analytics Code just before the </body> on all the pages I wanted to track; Twice!!

It keeps disappearing. I looked for the code today and it's completely gone. Why???

Thanks for your help
anpnas