making counters

[TheGoldenShogun]

I have a counter made right now but I'm wondering if it is the most effecient way of making one.

Should I be making the counter table based or should I just keep incrementing from a text file? What is the best, most effecient way of doing it? I'm using a table now but that table will get so huge.

[The Hobo]

If you're just storing the number of times the page has been viewed, use a flat (.txt) file to save the number.

Open it, get the value, increment it, write the new value, print the value to the page.

I wouldn't use a MySQL database for it.

[cpradio]

man!! If I hadnt cleared off my server I would have a nice zip file that you could view to see how I wrote mine.

I used a database that would make a new table every month so I could easily track the referer, the ip, browser, the page they were viewing, etc. etc. etc.

I also had a really nice admin side to it too. I have a copy of it at my home, but I wont be there until August 8th.

What a bummer!

-Matt

[TheGoldenShogun]

thats cool but you didn't run into any lag because your db got so big? I got counters made from tables and its pretty helpful, I track time/date, event they're viewing and can make nice reports from it but I'm just concerned that its going to get too massive in the future.

[cpradio]

i never ran into a size problem. And I would find it more annoying to have to open a file read it, write to it and then close it.

[The Hobo]

I thought he wanted a simple counter, not a monthly statistic thing. In which case I would still stand on my case that a file would be better. But okay...

[cpradio]

Yeah, I dont mind flat files and all but they are just a waste of time (or so I think). Why would you bother worrying about opening, grabing the text, exploding it to place the data into the correct variables, then displaying, all so you can then write it back so the most recent data is on top, and close up the file?

It just seems like too much work for a counter, but maybe its not.

[The Hobo]

$f = fopen('file.txt', 'a+');
$c = fread($f, filesize($f));
$c++;
fwrite($f, $c);
fclose($f)

echo $c; 

Seems alot easier to me than:

$db = mysql_connect("host", "user", "pass");
mysql_select_db("main",$db);
$c = mysql_fetch_array(mysql_query("SELECT * FROM count LIMIT",$db));
$c++;
mysql_query("Update count SET num='$c' WHERE id='0'");

echo $c; 

I guess it's just me, though.

[cpradio]

im pretty sure you can shorten that to:

$db = mysql_connect("host", "user", "pass");
mysql_select_db("main",$db);
$query = mysql_query("Update count SET num=num+1");

// Read new value and display it after that 

[The Hobo]

You shortened it by one line and also neglected two lines I had in there at are needed. I still think it's far easier to use a flat file. Don't go into overkill over something so simple.

[cpradio]

Originally posted by The Hobo
You shortened it by one line and also neglected two lines I had in there at are needed. I still think it's far easier to use a flat file. Don't go into overkill over something so simple.

Just out of curiousity what two lines are needed?

[The Hobo]

// Read new value and display it after that

[The Hobo]

If we want to shorten things, we could get rid of a line here too:

$f = fopen('file.txt', 'a+');
$c = fread($f, filesize($f)) + 1;
fwrite($f, $c);
fclose($f)

echo $c; 

So compact it fits in your purse!

[cpradio]

lol, i know. I was just too lazy to write that line of code. If you want me to all it is, is this:

echo mysql_result(mysql_query("select num from count order by id desc limit"),0,"num"); 

-Matt

[The Hobo]

It may only be one line longer, but mine is plenty columns shorter

[cpradio]

lol, you win.

[The Hobo]

what do I win? free pass to hooters or the likes, eh?

[cpradio]

Your prize is nothing of sentimental value but the knowledge you have exchanged over this thread along with the many others you have started, posted in, and solved.

[The Hobo]

Oh. Not even a certificate or anything?

[cpradio]

If I had fireworks installed on my computer I would give you one, but im on a laptop in Texas 1300 miles away from my own computer ()