Recognize Innactivity between data time stamps

[H0MELY]

Thank you all for looking. I have been struggling trying to put together a
query that would keep track of innactivity between "requests." Here is the
situation...

I have inherited the task of analyzing and reporting web statistics to my
manager. In the past what they would receive once a month is a collection of
data from "Webilizer" that gave them generic web statistics. Now what is
happening is each month I am delivered a file (.csv file kinda) with web
statistics coming from an apache server. What they used to do with this
information is create a couple of slides about how many users are accessing
the site and how many times they "visit."

Users is easy, that is just a unique IP addresses. The difficult thing is
the visits. Webilizer uses a method of calculating inactivity, if an IP has
been inactive for 30 minutes, the next request from the IP is treated as a
new visit. In actuality, the system timout is longer than that...what that
means is that this method is gereating a higher number of visits than reality
(each visit actually has a session ID which is easily tracked).

Anyway...my manager likes the webilizer method because it makes it appear
that there is "more activity" than tracking by session ID. Here is where I
really need help. Any suggestions on writing a query that will count the
number of visits using the webilizer method? Below is a excerpt from the
webilizer guide about how visits are calculated. For ease of the answer,
pretend that there are 2 fields, [IP] and [Time Stamp]. I am just having
problems with the logic behind accomplishing this.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who looks at this. Any
suggestions are VERY MUCH appreciated.

-John

Visits

Whenever a request is made to the server from a given IP address
(site), the amount of time since a previous request by the address
is calculated (if any). If the time difference is greater than a
pre-configured 'visit timeout' value (or has never made a request before),
it is considered a 'new visit', and this total is incremented (both
for the site, and the IP address). The default timeout value is 30
minutes (can be changed), so if a user visits your site at 1:00 in
the afternoon, and then returns at 3:00, two visits would be registered.
Note: in the 'Top Sites' table, the visits total should be discounted
on 'Grouped' records, and thought of as the "Minimum number of visits"
that came from that grouping instead. Note: Visits only occur on
PageType requests, that is, for any request whose URL is one of the
'page' types defined with the PageType and PagePrefix option, and not
excluded by the OmitPage option. Due to the limitation of the HTTP
protocol, log rotations and other factors, this number should not be
taken as absolutely accurate, rather, it should be considered a pretty
close "guess".

 

[KARL DEWEY]

Any suggestions on writing a query that will count the number of visits
using the webilizer method?
My first read of your post was that you wanted someting different to show
the boss but then you cite the Webilizer literature. Why not just buy the
software?
--
KARL DEWEY
Build a little - Test a little

Thank you all for looking. I have been struggling trying to put together a
query that would keep track of innactivity between "requests." Here is the
situation...

I have inherited the task of analyzing and reporting web statistics to my
manager. In the past what they would receive once a month is a collection of
data from "Webilizer" that gave them generic web statistics. Now what is
happening is each month I am delivered a file (.csv file kinda) with web
statistics coming from an apache server. What they used to do with this
information is create a couple of slides about how many users are accessing
the site and how many times they "visit."

Users is easy, that is just a unique IP addresses. The difficult thing is
the visits. Webilizer uses a method of calculating inactivity, if an IP has
been inactive for 30 minutes, the next request from the IP is treated as a
new visit. In actuality, the system timout is longer than that...what that
means is that this method is gereating a higher number of visits than reality
(each visit actually has a session ID which is easily tracked).

Anyway...my manager likes the webilizer method because it makes it appear
that there is "more activity" than tracking by session ID. Here is where I
really need help. Any suggestions on writing a query that will count the
number of visits using the webilizer method? Below is a excerpt from the
webilizer guide about how visits are calculated. For ease of the answer,
pretend that there are 2 fields, [IP] and [Time Stamp]. I am just having
problems with the logic behind accomplishing this.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who looks at this. Any
suggestions are VERY MUCH appreciated.

-John

Visits

Whenever a request is made to the server from a given IP address
(site), the amount of time since a previous request by the address
is calculated (if any). If the time difference is greater than a
pre-configured 'visit timeout' value (or has never made a request before),
it is considered a 'new visit', and this total is incremented (both
for the site, and the IP address). The default timeout value is 30
minutes (can be changed), so if a user visits your site at 1:00 in
the afternoon, and then returns at 3:00, two visits would be registered.
Note: in the 'Top Sites' table, the visits total should be discounted
on 'Grouped' records, and thought of as the "Minimum number of visits"
that came from that grouping instead. Note: Visits only occur on
PageType requests, that is, for any request whose URL is one of the
'page' types defined with the PageType and PagePrefix option, and not
excluded by the OmitPage option. Due to the limitation of the HTTP
protocol, log rotations and other factors, this number should not be
taken as absolutely accurate, rather, it should be considered a pretty
close "guess".

 

[H0MELY]

Thank you for the response, it isn't a matter of buying the software (it is
free) it is actually the access to the server. I don't have it and can't get
it. The only option for me right now is to take the data I am given and try
and figure out a query that gives my manager what he wants.

-John

using the webilizer method?
My first read of your post was that you wanted someting different to show
the boss but then you cite the Webilizer literature. Why not just buy the
software?
--
KARL DEWEY
Build a little - Test a little

Thank you all for looking. I have been struggling trying to put together a
query that would keep track of innactivity between "requests." Here is the
situation...

I have inherited the task of analyzing and reporting web statistics to my
manager. In the past what they would receive once a month is a collection of
data from "Webilizer" that gave them generic web statistics. Now what is
happening is each month I am delivered a file (.csv file kinda) with web
statistics coming from an apache server. What they used to do with this
information is create a couple of slides about how many users are accessing
the site and how many times they "visit."

Users is easy, that is just a unique IP addresses. The difficult thing is
the visits. Webilizer uses a method of calculating inactivity, if an IP has
been inactive for 30 minutes, the next request from the IP is treated as a
new visit. In actuality, the system timout is longer than that...what that
means is that this method is gereating a higher number of visits than reality
(each visit actually has a session ID which is easily tracked).

Anyway...my manager likes the webilizer method because it makes it appear
that there is "more activity" than tracking by session ID. Here is where I
really need help. Any suggestions on writing a query that will count the
number of visits using the webilizer method? Below is a excerpt from the
webilizer guide about how visits are calculated. For ease of the answer,
pretend that there are 2 fields, [IP] and [Time Stamp]. I am just having
problems with the logic behind accomplishing this.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who looks at this. Any
suggestions are VERY MUCH appreciated.

-John

Visits

Whenever a request is made to the server from a given IP address
(site), the amount of time since a previous request by the address
is calculated (if any). If the time difference is greater than a
pre-configured 'visit timeout' value (or has never made a request before),
it is considered a 'new visit', and this total is incremented (both
for the site, and the IP address). The default timeout value is 30
minutes (can be changed), so if a user visits your site at 1:00 in
the afternoon, and then returns at 3:00, two visits would be registered.
Note: in the 'Top Sites' table, the visits total should be discounted
on 'Grouped' records, and thought of as the "Minimum number of visits"
that came from that grouping instead. Note: Visits only occur on
PageType requests, that is, for any request whose URL is one of the
'page' types defined with the PageType and PagePrefix option, and not
excluded by the OmitPage option. Due to the limitation of the HTTP
protocol, log rotations and other factors, this number should not be
taken as absolutely accurate, rather, it should be considered a pretty
close "guess".

 

[Lord Kelvan]

well what about dial up because they change their ips as much as you
change your undies ... i do hope you change them........

and just because you see the same ip twice it dosnt mean that that ip
is the same person/computer. some internet providers even share ip
addresses accross many different people using internal routing. the
question come down to how defined you want the data.

the reason i make these notes is we as people can see (well at least
the people with half a brain) that this ip is most likly the same
person regardless but it also has to be noted that a computer cannot
reason so if you want to write a query you have to tell it what you
believe the constraints should be and it will do it to the letter.

if you want more help to do this please post the table structure you
are using for the webilizer thingy me bob in access and a list of
constraints you want to put on the data and what you want to get out
of the data and we will have a look

(please define it clearly)

Regards
Kelvan