Remove query string after logging it.

[deansatch]

I have added a little query string to some of my links for tracking e.g. mysite.com/page2.php?track1

 

For fear of damaging SEO and for vanity, I want that query string to disappear when the user lands on the page. BUT, I want to echo the query string on that page. (don't ask why)

 

I tried using a rewrite in htaccess:

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} .

RewriteRule ^(.*)page2.php$ http://mysite.com/page2.php$1? [R=301,L]

 

This removes it fine but it doesn't echo it out since it removes it before it gets to: echo $_SERVER["QUERY_STRING"];

 

Is there any way to achieve this without affecting my usually 'un-query_stringed' urls with regards to SEO?

 

[schilly]

use php and add it to the user's session then redirect them?

[deansatch]

Would that not affect my internal link SEO in a negative way though?

[roopurt18]

Why use the query string for tracking at all?  Why not just store the value in the user's session.

[deansatch]

Why use the query string for tracking at all?  Why not just store the value in the user's session.

 

Because I am trying to see which link was clicked on on a page which may have a few different links to the same page e.g. click here, sign up, and an image - I want to know which one is clicked on.

[roopurt18]

$_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']

[schilly]

$_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']

 

+1

[deansatch]

That will only tell me which page I am coming from, not which link I used. I would still need the query string

[crabfinger]

this is my .htaccess file

 

RewriteEngine 	on
RewriteCond 	%{REQUEST_URI} 		!=/index.php
RewriteRule 	^(.+?)\.php$ 		index.php?page=$1 	[QSA]

 

so

 

http://www.example.com/hello-world.php?say=something
http://www.example.com/example/hello-world.php?say=something
http://www.example.com/index.php?page=hello-world&say=something

 

Turns into

 

http://www.example.com/index.php?page=hello-world&say=something
http://www.example.com/index.php?page=example/hello-world&say=something
http://www.example.com/index.php?page=hello-world&say=something

[roopurt18]

Apparently 2 1/2 cups of coffee is not enough for me today because I'm making bad suggestions.

 

Instead of:

mysite.com/page2.php?track1

Create the URL as:

mysite.com/track1/page2.php

 

Then you can use this as a rewrite:

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} /track[^/]+/.*
RewriteRule /(track[^/]+)/(.*) /$2?__track=$1 [QSA,L]

 

Then in the page, you should be able to use:

<?php echo array_key_exists( '__track', $_GET ) ? $_GET['__track'] : 'Tracking not set'; ?>