Advanced Search Reporting Service /click Protocol
An administrator enables advanced search reporting in the Admin Console’s Search > Search Features > Front Ends > Output Format page. The search appliance then modifies search result pages by inserting JavaScript on the page for tracking all links that a user clicks. When a user clicks a link in the search results, the JavaScript executes in the browser, requesting a URL from the search appliance. The URL starts with /click and contains information about the link. The arguments given in the URL are logged on the search appliance, and the search appliance returns a response to the browser. The browser then retrieves the URL on which the user clicked.
The /click URL is not visible to users. This URL has little effect on user-perceived latency because the processing is performed on the client side, and both the request and response are as minimal as possible.
This document enables advanced administrators to understand the /click URL information that is sent to the search appliance. Administrators who monitor network data may see this information. Programmers can also use this information in custom applications.
For information about configuring advanced search reporting in the Admin Console, see Gathering Information about the Search Experience in Creating the Search Experience. For information on search requests, Request Format.
The following describes how an advanced search reporting request is handled by the search appliance.
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The browser also sends a hidden /click URL to the search appliance containing advanced search reporting parameters about the link that the user clicked. For more information, see Request Parameters.
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The search appliance responds to the browser by sending an HTTP status code of 204 (no content) to acknowledge receipt of the /click URL. For more information, see Responses.
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The search appliance takes the /click URL information and uses the URL to write advanced search reporting information to a log file. Administrators view the log on the Admin Console. For more information on advanced search reporting and the Admin Console, see Gathering Information about the Search Experience in Creating the Search Experience.
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Request Parameters
Advanced search reporting requires the site parameter. Ensure that you include &site=collection in request URLs, where collection is the collection being queried.
The end user does not see a /click URL. If an administrator uses a program such as tcpdump to view data on the Internet connection, the /click information is visible. Administrators or programmers can use this information for debugging or in an application. The parameters in the /click URL are as follows.
The following is an example request for advanced search reporting parameters:
/click?ct=desk.news&r=7&url=http%3A//www.foo.com/bar.html&q=olympics&site=default_collection
The request URL contains the following parameters:
User clicked the News link at the top of the search page. |
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The search query the user entered that created the search page. |
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When a user clicks a cluster label the following example appears:
ct=cluster&cd=spanish+cuisine&q=spain&site=default_collection
This URL contains the following information:
The search query the user entered that created the search page. |
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Responses
In response to the /click URL, the search appliance always sends the same HTTP response back to the browser to acknowledge receipt. The response has a status code of 204 (no content) and a MIME type of image/gif.