Progress is being made when it comes to "Catholic Portal" VuFind statistics reporting.

Yesterday I broke down and re-wrote my log file import application. Instead of parsing the log, ingesting the results, and then post processing, I re-wrote the application so it does all of this in one pass. I also enhanced the program so it could take command line input. Specifically, if no arguments are supplied, then it will import yesterday's log data. Otherwise it expects two inputs: 1) a beginning date, and 2) an ending date. If given these inputs, then I can drop the entire database and re-create it almost effortlessly. The script is called log-load.pl, and it is now running under cron so the database gets updated daily.

The next step is to create and automate reporting functions. I have already created a number of SQL queries. They are designed to be run from a shell script which outputs results to plain text files. These plain text files are presently put on the Web in a temporary location. This process is rather brain-dead. The next steps will include creating some sort of Web-based front-end allowing readers (increasingly I don't use the word "users") to complete some sort of form and get real-time results.

Wish me luck.