Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Support => SMF 1.1.x Support => Topic started by: AstroDynamite on August 08, 2018, 01:56:47 PM

Title: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: AstroDynamite on August 08, 2018, 01:56:47 PM
Hey everyone,

I've spent the majority of my morning trying to get Google Analytics implemented on the forum I'm managing.  I've downloaded the Global Headers Mod, and pasted the GA tracking code there, and Google Tag Assistant can see the code on the page, but there's no information being passed back to GA.  When I check the script, a few / have been added to the script, and continue to add themselves whenever I remove them and re-save.

While googling about for some better insights, I've found a mod that would give me a GA field, but it isn't compatible with my version.  I'm hoping someone can point me in the direction of a mod that I can't seem to find or give me some better direction on how I can implement the GA tracking code.

Just to make sure it's covered- I'm pushing for an upgrade with the owner of the company, but I'm not sure how likely that is to happen in the near future.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: vbgamer45 on August 08, 2018, 02:01:45 PM
Attach your themes index.template.php I can place manually inside that file.

Generally added in the head tag but the data 's have to be escaped
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: Kindred on August 08, 2018, 03:40:08 PM
you really should update to 2.0.15

1.1.x is at end of life and is only receiving the barest amount of support - additionally, there are security and functional updates which were never patched down to 1.1.21 since it is at EoL.
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: AstroDynamite on August 08, 2018, 11:54:55 PM
Quote from: vbgamer45 on August 08, 2018, 02:01:45 PM
Attach your themes index.template.php I can place manually inside that file.

Generally added in the head tag but the data 's have to be escaped

Hey thanks!  I'll get this ready for you

Quote from: Kindred on August 08, 2018, 03:40:08 PM
you really should update to 2.0.15

1.1.x is at end of life and is only receiving the barest amount of support - additionally, there are security and functional updates which were never patched down to 1.1.21 since it is at EoL.

That is absolutely the goal.  I'm (and I cannot stress this enough) VERY new to this, and am not a developer by any extent of the word.  I've been checking out as many posts around here as I can about the process to upgrade and what I'll need to learn to do so myself, or what I need to look for in a developer to have them assist me.  Our forum is (obviously) pretty old, and we don't want to lose anything in the process of upgrading.  If you have any recommendations for materials for a true novice, I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks to both of you for your quick replies!
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: Kindred on August 09, 2018, 12:00:19 AM
Read the faq
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on August 09, 2018, 12:57:26 AM

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on August 09, 2018, 12:59:14 AM
Quote from: AstroDynamite on August 08, 2018, 11:54:55 PM
That is absolutely the goal.  I'm (and I cannot stress this enough) VERY new to this, and am not a developer by any extent of the word.  I've been checking out as many posts around here as I can about the process to upgrade and what I'll need to learn to do so myself, or what I need to look for in a developer to have them assist me.  Our forum is (obviously) pretty old, and we don't want to lose anything in the process of upgrading.  If you have any recommendations for materials for a true novice, I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks to both of you for your quick replies!
What are you most concerned of? Custom code, theme, users and posts?

The upgrade should be safe (with some precautions) for all userbase and usercontents, but any custom code and themes will be lost.
Many mods that were popular on 1.1 have made their way to 2.0 though, either as built in functionality or as new mods.

Upgrading SMF (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading)
How do I backup my SMF forum? (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_do_I_save_my_SMF_board)
How do I backup my database? (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_do_I_save_the_database_data)
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: AstroDynamite on August 09, 2018, 02:27:56 PM
Quote from: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on August 09, 2018, 12:59:14 AM
Quote from: AstroDynamite on August 08, 2018, 11:54:55 PM
That is absolutely the goal.  I'm (and I cannot stress this enough) VERY new to this, and am not a developer by any extent of the word.  I've been checking out as many posts around here as I can about the process to upgrade and what I'll need to learn to do so myself, or what I need to look for in a developer to have them assist me.  Our forum is (obviously) pretty old, and we don't want to lose anything in the process of upgrading.  If you have any recommendations for materials for a true novice, I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks to both of you for your quick replies!
What are you most concerned of? Custom code, theme, users and posts?

The upgrade should be safe (with some precautions) for all userbase and usercontents, but any custom code and themes will be lost.
Many mods that were popular on 1.1 have made their way to 2.0 though, either as built in functionality or as new mods.

Upgrading SMF (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading)
How do I backup my SMF forum? (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_do_I_save_my_SMF_board)
How do I backup my database? (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_do_I_save_the_database_data)

Those three links were exactly what I was looking for. 

My biggest concern in upgrading was breaking any of our existing functionality.  I don't believe there's a "staging" or offline test environment for me to apply an update to as a test, so any upgrades would be happening to a live site that has hundreds of users on it at all times.  If anything breaks in the process or even after, I'm pretty helpless (seriously, I can't stress how out of my element I am here).

That said, I don't believe we're using anything too custom, but this was all set up LONG before I came along.   I'm equally concerned about the loss of any posts, accounts, etc.  Any change in any functionality is low on my list of concerns because I can just learn any of that, but I can't restore anything that's lost in the process of an upgrade.

Quote from: Kindred on August 09, 2018, 12:00:19 AM
Read the faq

Well, yes, I think that goes without saying (but thanks for the direction all the same).  I spent some time digging through the FAQ and it had tons of helpful information, but part of being so absolutely novice at this is that sometimes I just don't know what questions I need to be asking.  There's a level of knowledge that is reasonably expected for a person to be utilizing the guides and help found there, and the holes in my knowledge make it a bit harder for me to find what I'm looking for.

Thanks again for all the help
Title: Re: Google Analytics on 1.1.21
Post by: GigaWatt on August 10, 2018, 08:05:36 PM
Quote from: AstroDynamite on August 09, 2018, 02:27:56 PM
I don't believe there's a "staging" or offline test environment for me to apply an update to as a test, so any upgrades would be happening to a live site that has hundreds of users on it at all times.  If anything breaks in the process or even after, I'm pretty helpless (seriously, I can't stress how out of my element I am here).

Make a forum and database backup, make a subdomain. Link the subdomain to a new directory in your webspace. Upload the backup files from the forum in that directory and upload the backup to a new database. Link the backed up forum in the subdomain with the database you just created with repair_settings.php (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Repair_settings.php). Upgrade per the the instructions posted by Lex and see if everything is working as it should ;). Share the subdomain with your staff, maybe a few other trusted users and tell them to test it out and report problems ;).

If you don't want bots or spiders crawling your test site, you can lock it via .htaccess ;). Like when you access your router's web GUI (it asks you for a username and a password ;)).