Best Method to Track Image Downloads?

[jlaretto]

Hello,

I'm trying to figure out how best to track image downloads from a web server in a database. By best, I mean most efficient. I've come up with 2 possible solutions: (I've purposely ommited just using web server log files - I need this stuff to go into MySql)

 

1. Using the GD library to load and write an image to the page after updating my database, changing the mime content of the page to an image format. The client would use a tag such as <img src="mypage.php" />

 

2. Using a header re-direct to download the image after mypage.php stores the request.

 

Are there any obvious solutions i've missed?

 

Thanks...