tracking external links with AJAX
There was a bit of chat on the #linux chatroom about how Donncha’s linktracker used a method which could be misread as an attempt to spam google.
So, we had a bit of a brainstorm, and Stewie suggested that I try using XMLHTTPRequest to track the link before it is followed.
…which I did.
On the example page, I have three links – two external, and one internal. I guessed that it’s silly to record internal links, when your web logs already do that, so I deliberately told the script to ignore internal links.
The script automatically searches the document for links, and attaches an ‘onclick’ event which calls the link tracker before the link is followed.
Donncha says he’ll be using it in his WPMU WordPress enhancement. I’ll be writing it into a plugin probably tonight, if someone else doesn’t do it first 🙂
update 2005-09-23: noticed this fantastic example of how to avoid all the AJAX malarkey to do this trick. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it myself! I’m blinded by science, I suppose – applying new tricks to everything, when a simple gimmick will do the trick even better. Well done, Martin!