Code version H.22.1 released

Today is an exciting day, with the release of SiteCatalyst v14.9. The latest and greatest version of SiteCatalyst includes a number of awesome features, including the highly anticipated 25 additional Custom Traffic variables, 25 additional Custom Conversion variables, and 20 additional custom events. This release also includes a new version of JavaScript data collection code, version H.22.1. As I have been doing for the last little while, here’s a quick post explaining the new features. Now you can decide whether or not to upgrade your own SiteCatalyst implementation. So, here we go.

• The big one is the ability to capture data in the new variables mentioned above. If you are going to use s.eVar51 or up or s.prop51 or up, use H.22.1 code. (Technically this was possible in H.22 code, released in September 2010, but of course the reports themselves weren’t available at that time.) Once again, just to be clear, you need to upgrade to H.22 or H.22.1 if you are going to use s.eVar51 through s.eVar75, or s.prop51 through s.prop75. Setting these variables in previous versions of code will not work—data for the variables will not be collected.
• You know that IE behavior where the browser has a maximum URL limit of 2,083 characters? Previously, if you were capturing more than 2,083 characters of data in your SiteCatalyst image request, IE simply would not send the request, and no data would be captured from that page view. That doesn’t happen very often—as it happens, 2,083 bytes leaves room for a LOT of data collection—but it did happen from time to time, and it was very hard to detect manually (although DigitalPulse does it automatically for you). Anyway, code version H.22.1 introduces automatic truncation of the image request in IE if the request is longer than 2,047 bytes (note the path limit in the Microsoft KB article linked above) so that SiteCatalyst will always capture basic traffic data if your request is crazy long. Everything up to the last complete variable value under the 2,047 limit will be captured and reported. In other words, if truncation cuts off a variable value in the middle of it, that value will be discarded to avoid filling your reports with garbage. Note that Adobe has never imposed a total character/byte limit on image requests, and data collected in browsers that do not apply their own character limits will continue to be complete and untruncated; this applies only to IE.

So, in short, you want to upgrade to H.22 if. . .

• You want to use the new variables introduced in SiteCatalyst v14.9.
• You have long image requests that might exceed 2,083 characters.

There you have it. As always, please feel free to submit JavaScript code suggestions at the Idea Exchange; we’re listening! And if you have any questions about this code release or anything else related to the Adobe Online Marketing Suite, leave me a comment or send me a tweet (@benjamingaines).