Thread

Hi,
I want to know how to automically submit a SAEF using hidden fields. Why? I want to track what files a registered user is downloading, so I have created a weblog called “user_downloads” with two custom fields, “user” and “download_file”. When one of my registered users accesses a members only page I want to submit the relevant data into my “user_downloads” weblog, I dont want the user to know that this is happening.

The only way that I can think of doing this is by creating a SAEF that contains hidden fields and submitting it using some JavaScript i.e.

The template code:

{exp:weblog:entry_form weblog="user_downloads"}
      <input type="hidden" name="user" id="user" value="{username}" />
      <input type="hidden" name="download_file" id="user" value="name of download file" />
{/exp:weblog:entry_form}

The JQuery:

$("#entryform").submit();

Is this the best/only way of achieving this?

Thanks in advance
Gary

This looks like a rather roundabout way of doing this. Have you looked into other solutions, like the Linklocker module or something like that? As far as I know it keeps records of downloads as well.

I have looked Linklocker and seems a little heavy duty for what I am trying to do… ideally I dont want to install a module when I only need about 10% of its functionality

you can do this easily using jquery and google analytics events.

http://www.carronmedia.com/extend-google-analytics-with-jquery/ has good sample code for this.

as far as your original question goes… you’d need to swap your .submit() call for something like the jquery form plugin.  this would allow you to post your form to the server as an ajax call that the user is much less likely to notice (because it doesn’t cause a page refresh).  really though, don’t do it this way, it’s huge overkill.