[SOLVED] instead of hits, i want unique hits (php counter)

[ted_chou12]

below is a counter php script:
[code]
<?php
$counter = ("$category/topic$number-counter.php");
$hits = file($counter);
$hits[0] ++;
$fp = fopen($counter , "w");
fputs($fp , "$hits[0]");
fclose($fp); ?>
[/code]
but it only records the hits, so the number gets very big, and not very practical at all...Can anyone suggest me how to change it to unique hits, so it only records 1 hit per IP Adress? thanks Ted

[chriscloyd]

use a database it would help a lot more

[ted_chou12]

but i dont have one. in fact, i dont use db at all...all my records are in txt files

[ted_chou12]

actually, session count would be much better, does anyone know how that works?

[ted_chou12]

okay, ive done it.
here
[code]
<?php
if ($_SESSION["forumtopic$number"] != "counted") {
$counter = ("$category/topic$number-counter.php");
$hits = file($counter);
$hits[0] ++;
$fp = fopen($counter , "w");
fputs($fp , "$hits[0]");
fclose($fp);
$_SESSION["forumtopic$number"] = "counted";}
?>
[/code]
Experts please check if i had done correctly,
begginers please dont hesitate to put them on your site, but remember *this is session counter, so same ip address can still be counted again after the session expires, however, i personally believe this is better than either simple counter, or unique counter, because session counter is my new invention...haha ;D
thanks

[taith]

yes... that does seem to be done right... but if you were wanting to further improve it... you may want to try using cookies instead of sessions......

[ted_chou12]

oh, you can do this with cookies as well? could you please teach me how it works? really want to learn more :P
Thanks Ted.

[taith]

not tested... but this should work

[code]
<?php
if($_COOKIE["forumtopic$number"] != "counted"){
$counter = ("$category/topic$number-counter.php");
$hits = file($counter);
$hits[0] ++;
$fp = fopen($counter , "w");
fputs($fp , "$hits[0]");
fclose($fp);
$inTwoMonths = 60 * 60 * 24 * 60 + time();
setcookie("forumtopic$number","counted",$inTwoMonths);
}
?>
[/code]

[ted_chou12]

thats so cool
Thanks by the way.
Just learnt a new stuff today :D