HitMan tutorial - Static counters

 
     
  Page Views - Visible Counter  
     
     
 

In the previous chapter we've seen how to embed a Blind Counter. A blind Counter is one which is not visible to the visitor. We will now learn how to create a visible counter.

HitMan let you use any of three types of visible counters. Two of them are made up of text typos and the last from graphic images.

To create a visible counter you need to open the
Digits Editor

The faster and easier way to add a visible counter is by selecting the
Simple button found atop of the editor.
From there you must select any one of 7 styles. Watch the Sample display to have a look of how they will look on a page.

If you want a little more flexibility in the counter's look select the
Extended button.
On this pane you can set every possible parameter to customize your display. You can also add a text legend that will print next to the counter. A text legend can be anything you like or a legend that describes what the counter is counting such as visitors.

If you prefer using a graphic counter press the arrow button to rise the screen then select
Graphical. That part of the editor requires an Internet connection for the available styles to be loaded. Then find on the display the counter style you like and then chose it from the pull down list. If you want you can type some text for the optional text tag which is printed as text. The color button sets the background color of the counter. Changes to the fore and background of the text tag can be changed manually only but off the editor. You can tweak the values to fit, You can also add the parameter "dig" to get a more professional look. dig will add digits to the display. By default the counter displays as many digits as it is necessary to show the real hits. If you have 6 hits, only one digit will appear. Including the dig parameter with a value adds digits to the display. For example &dig=3 makes your 6 hits print as 006.

Don't worry if you add hits to your counter while experimenting. HitMan let you remove those unwanted hits from the console. More about this later.

Once you have finished press the
Accept button to close the editor and return to HitMan Counters Management screen.

When you press the Digits button the code needed to display the counter you have just designed are printed on the screen. Paste that code in your page and you are done.

You can also include both pieces of code in your page. This is the code to add to the counter and the code to display the counter to the visitor.

Hint: The code to display the counter to the visitor is generated by pressing the Digits button and the code to make the page add up when displayed is generated by pressing the Page View button.

Try not to be confused by this because they both have different functions and one does not replaces the other.
If you only add the code generated by the Page View button then the counter is not visible to the visitor but the page load is accrued normally. In the other hand if you put a visible counter generated by the Digits button the counter will display to the visitor the last number that was accrued (if any) by the other code but it will not add up to that hit.

"The Digits code displays but it does not add hits"

 
     
     
  Lets use this counter to demonstrate it. This page has embedded a Digits code but no blind code then this counter will not add up when you refresh this page but it will if you refresh the page after loading the page that holds the previous chapter.
This link opens the previous chapter in a new window.

Try refreshing this page as many times as you like and see the counter holding the value. Then open
this link and then refresh this one again.
 
     
 

 
     
     
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