CardioLog Client-Side API
The CardioLog Tracking Agent allows for a client-side API to send events, and easily monitor button and banner clicks or interactions with other UI components. On any monitored page, you can call the following JavaScript functions:
The SendEvent JavaScript Function
The SendEvent function allows you to send events via the client browser. Using this function you can monitor clicks on UI elements such as buttons, banners, navigation menu entries, links, etc.
The Tracking Agent uses AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) to send the event to the CardioLog server, and will not affect the user interaction with the page in any way.
The SendEvent function accepts the following parameters:
- Event Type - Required. The event type title (eg., 'Visit' or custom event types).
- Event Title - Required. This can be any text that represents the event or action. We recommend defining a unique prefix for each logical group of objects for streamlined reports. This string is limited to 1000 characters.
- Param 1 - Optional. Used to store additional information about the event, typically for custom event types. This string is limited to 1000 characters. Built-in events reserve this string for the system.
- Param 2 - Optional. Used to store additional information about the event, typically for custom event types. This string is limited to 50 characters. Built-in events reserve this string for the system.
Notes:
- When calling the "SendEvent" function within a different frame from where it is defined, make sure to reference the frame object containing it. For example, by using parent.document.__Page.SendEvent().
- In order to capture a click on a banner that links to an external site, make a call to the CardioLog SendEvent function before redirecting the user to the external destination page.
Code Samples
Send a click event on a DOWNLOAD button:
www.intlock.com main page DOWNLOAD button
In this example, when a user clicks on the DOWNLOAD button CardioLog will send an event of type 'Visit' to the server, specifying which button has been clicked by the user (ie., 'Main Page Buttons > DOWNLOAD'). We recommend defining a unique prefix for each group of UI components that will be displayed in reports (in this case, 'Main Page Buttons').
To see how many times the button was clicked, use the Events report (chart or table), and type 'Main Page Buttons' in the Website Item field.
To see who clicked on the button, use the Visitors by Events report (chart or table), and type 'Main Page Buttons' in the Website Item field.Send a click event on a banner that links to an external site:
support.intlock.com main page Intlock logo
In this example, when a user clicks on the banner CardioLog will send an event of type "Visit" to the server, specifying which banner has been clicked by the user before redirecting to "www.intlock.com" (ie., "Banners > Intlock website"). We recommend defining a unique prefix for each group of UI components that will be displayed in reports (in this case, "Banners").
To see how many times the banner was clicked, use the Events report (chart or table), and type 'Banners' in the Website Item field.
To see who clicked on the banner, use the Visitors by Events report (chart or table), and type 'Banners' in the Website Item field.
Note: CardioLog automatically tracks outbound links from SharePoint sites to external destinations. To see how many times your links were clicked, use the External Destinations report.
The SendGoal JavaScript Function
The SendGoal function allows you to send JavaScript based goals via the client browser. The Tracking Agent uses AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) to send the goal event to the server, and does not affect the user's experience with the page in any way.
The SendGoal function accepts the following parameter:
- Goal ID - Required. Goals are created in CardioLog under Settings > Goals. After creating a goal, the Goal ID can be found in the ID column.
Settings - Goals
Code Sample
Send a goal event on a Register to a Webinar button:
Create the goal, and make a call to the CardioLog SendGoal function with the proper Goal ID.
www.intlock.com main page REGISTER NOW button
To monitor your goal progress, use the Goal reports, and select the relevant goal in the Visitor Segments > Goal filter of the widget preferences.
Visitor Segments > Goal
Monitoring Internal E-Mail Campaigns using the __referrer Parameter
The CardioLog Client-Side API supports identifying and monitoring external locations. You can use the _referrer parameter whenever you publish a link to your monitored environment and you wish to track the source of the referring page.
This is most commonly used in email or social media. For example, if you have included an internal link in a promotional email add the __referrer parameter to track the number of users who visited your site via this link. Define a unique referrer name that will be displayed in reports, such as __referrer=email_promotion_Dec_2016 in order to display the link accordingly:
To see how many visitors arrived on your page through your email campaign, use the Internal Traffic Sources report, and select the relevant page in the Website Item URL field.
CardioLog Server-Side API
By using the CardioLog Server-Side API, /CardioLogAPI/Events.asmx web service, and the SendEvent method, you can send view, duration and search events, custom events, and track the URL of the referrer page.
The SendEvent Method
The SendEvent method in the /CardioLogAPI/Events.asmx web service accepts the following parameters:
- UserName - Optional. The user associated with the event. If not passed, the method will use the current user credentials.
- SessionID - Required. The unique session ID associated with the event.
- Event Type - Required. The event type ID number
- URL - Required. The URL of the page where the event occurred.
- UserAgent - Optional. The user details including browser type and OS version.
- ClientIP - Optional. The user IP address.
- Param1 - Optional. Used to store additional information about the event, typically for custom event types. This string is limited to 1000 characters. Built-in events reserve this string for the system. For example, in a "Visit" event it stores the referrer information; in a "Search" event it stores the search term.
- Param2 - Optional. Used to store additional information about the event, typically for custom event types. This string is limited to 50 characters. Built-in events reserve this string for the system. For example, in a "Search" event it is used to store the number of results.
After the event is sent, the web service XML response will include the event identifier for future use, which you can later use to send events related to this event accordingly:
In case of an error, the XML response will include the error description:
Event Types
The SendEvent method supports four event types. The ID number is used in the Server-Side API. The Event Type Title is used in the Client-Side API.
View - Individual page request, or element clicked
- Event Type ID - 0
- Event Type Title - "Visit"
To set the page referrer, use the following optional parameters to track the source of the page:
Param1 -The related view event ID or a string representing referrer types such as navigation toolbars, campaigns, banners, etc.
Param2 -The referrer page URL
Referrer pages can be retrieved in CardioLog with the "Navigation" visual controls.
Duration - Time spent on a page or element (in seconds).
- Event Type ID - 1
- Event Type Title - "Leave"
- URL - The related view event URL.
- Param1 - Duration in seconds.
- Param2 - The related view event ID.
Search - Onsite (internal) search
- Event Type ID - 2
- Event Type Title - "Search"
- URL - The related view event URL.
- Param1 - Search keyword/phrase.
- Param2 - Number of search results.
Search events can be viewed in CardioLog in the Onsite Searches report, popular search terms are displayed in the Onsite Search Phrases report.
Search Result Click -
- Event Type ID - 5
- Event Type Title - "SearchResultClick"
- URL - The search result URL.
- Param1 - The search result position within search results.
- Param2 - The related search event ID.
Creating Custom Event Types
You can create custom event types and build custom reports using the CardioLog SDK. The custom event types can be used in the SendEvent function, for both Client-Side and Server-Side APIs. For example, if your website is a sales site and you wish to track each product sold, and then you can create a report on the number of items sold, and create a custom event type in CardioLog named "Items-Sold."
1. Add the custom event type to the CardioLog database by executing the following query against the CardioLog database:
ID - must be 100 or higher
Description - event type title
2. Add the custom event type to the CardioLog tracking agent events array - edit the __eEvents array and add the custom event type in:
For MOSS 2007 only:
[CardioLog installation directory]\CardioLogAgent\MOSS2007_1.2.js
For SharePoint 2010 only:
[CardioLog installation directory]\CardioLogAgent\SP2010_1.2.js
For SharePoint 2013 only:
[CardioLog installation directory]\CardioLogAgent\SP2013_1.2.js
Note: If you have implemented the Tracking Agent using the CardioLog Analytics SharePoint Feature on your WFE (Web Front End), edit the __eEvents array and add the custom event type accordingly:
For MOSS 2007 only:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\CardioLogAgent\MOSS2007_1.2.js
For SharePoint 2010 only:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\CardioLogAgent\SP2010_1.2.js
For SharePoint 2013 only:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\CardioLogAgent\SP2013_1.2.js
3. Implement the call to the SendEvent function when an item is sold (using our Client-Side API or Server-Side API).
4. Create a custom report to display the number of items sold using the CardioLog SDK.
The REST API
In order to track visitor actions for non-browser apps, developers must send usage event objects to the CardioLogAgent web application through HTTP POST requests in JSON format. The JSON string must be embedded in the request body. The POST response is provided in JSON format as well.
- The request must include a "Content-Type: application/json" header
- The request may optionally include an "Accept: application/json" header
The Event Object
CardioLog Analytics usage event objects have the following properties:
- u - URL of the page the event is related to. For example, the URL of a "View" event will be the current page; the URL of a search result will be the clicked link.
- X - Holds the following event dependent information:
- Search event - The search term
- View event:
- If __Referrer parameter was passed to this page, __Referrervalue
- If there is a Referrer cookie, sends the ReferrerReason cookie value
- If this is the first page the user views in this session, sends "First In Session" and appends the data from __Referreragent
- Duration event - Time on page in seconds
- Y - Holds the following information:
- In Search event - Number of total results
- In Visit event - If there is a Referrer cookie, sends its content
- In Duration event - Last visit event ID
- Z - In Search event - First result on page (number of results)
- RI - Last event ID
- et - Event type code (eg., Goal event is 20, Leave event is 1, etc.)
- events - The event can have sub events sent with it. Typically, this is used when a search event is sent or with saved events.
In addition to event objects, the request body may include the following properties:
- browserType - The user-agent information
- sessionid - Any string format accepted.
- un - User ID. Any string format accepted.
The JSON Request Format
The full JSON request format is as follows:
{ "events": { "event": [ { "u": "http://www.intlock.com/", "X": "|referral|blog.intlock.com|/about/||", "et": 0, "RI": 564940 }, { "X": "1", "Y": "7", "et": 23, "RI": 0 } ] }, "browserType": "Apple-iPhone5C2/1001.525", "sessionid": "861529144.325047542", "un": "INTLOCK\\tomj" }
The API URL
The default API URL for a SharePoint site is:
https://[SharePoint WFE]/_layouts/CardioLogAgent/tunnel.aspx?random=895.3324414324015
- Replace [SharePoint WFE] with your SharePoint URL address
- The random param is used as a cache buster