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Using File Manager to Fiddle With Hit Counters
9/20/05
9/19/05
9/16/05
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9/16/05
9/13/05
9/10/05
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9/1/05
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
7:35:00 PM EDT
Hearing Beth Orton, God Song
Okay folks...as mentioned in my previous
post, we've got the new Web-based File
Manager. Obvious benefits
of having it include the ability to upload and manipulate your files
without having to use your AOL client (also the ability to upload
files
to one screen name's space while you're signed on with another), as well as
being a lot easier to use than the old
tool.
Now, I'm not sure if this is an unexpected benefit or an unintended consequence, but the new File Manager also allows you to change the count of your blog's hit counter. It will be most valuable to those who've had their hit counters reset (due to the write-lock problem I talked about last week), but it also means that you can have your hit counter read whatever you want it to say.
I will leave the moral and ethical implications for others to hash out.... other than to say that, sure, you can have a hit counter that reads 120,096 hits, but if you've got 3 entries and no comments, well, perhaps you would be better off interacting with other bloggers and telling your friends to read your blog.
So here's how it works (it's moderately involved):
1. Take the counter off your blog via the Edit Journal button. It'll make things easier.
2. Open the Web-based File Manager: http://hometown.aol.com/_fm
If you're not signed in, you'll be asked to sign in with your screen name and password.
3. Click "Browse My Files"
4. You will see a list of files that live in the top level of your storage space. Among them, you should see a list of files that begin with ".odometer" (notice the beginning period), and ending with the name of your Journal. (If you have multiple Journals with hit counters, you'll have multiple .odometer files.) [Please note: the filenames are case-sensitive -- if your blog has a mix of upper and lowercase letters, the filename will have to match; matching the capitalization, spelling, and punctuation is critical, or else this won't work.]
For example, if my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/MagicSmoke -- my blog's odometer file will be .odometer.MagicSmoke
(4b. If you just want to reset a counter that's not working, just delete the .odometer file and put your counter back on your blog. It will recreate itself automatically from zero.)
5. Right-click and save the odometer file you want to change to your computer. If you can save it as a plain text file with a .txt extension, that would be best. (Also, if you're using Mac OSX, you might have to delete the period in front of .odometer in order to save the file. You will need to add it back in step 14.)
6. Using Notepad or another text editor, open the .odometer file you downloaded. You'll see that it's just a plain text file with an eight-digit number (no commas). This is your number of hits: If you have 1,235 hits, the number in your .odometer file will read: 00001235
7. In your text editor, change the number to what you want it to show. Make sure you use just numbers, and include the zeroes in front to make it 8 digits. And make sure there aren't any spaces or anything after the number. I'm not sure how picky this is.
8. Then, save the file with the same name -- make sure you have it as a plain text file (.txt).
9. Looking back at File Manager, you should still be at the top level of your folders. Delete or rename the old .odometer file. (Click the blue Change button next to the old .odometer file, then click "Delete This File" in the right column. It will ask you if you really want to delete the file -- click OK.)
10. Click the "Add More Files" link in the upper right corner.
11. Upload the modified .odometer file you just made, by browsing to it, selecting it, and hitting the blue "OK" button to upload it.
12. In your file list, find the modified .odometer file you just uploaded. It will probably look like .odometer.yourjournalname.txt
13. Click the blue Change button next to your new .odometer file, and click "Rename This File."
14. Rename the file to remove any extensions at the end of the filename. For example, if my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/MagicSmoke, the .odometer file should be .odometer.MagicSmoke (with nothing after the blog name) -- make sure there's a period (no spaces) in front and behind the word "odometer"
15. Go back to "Edit Journal" and add your counter back onto your blog.
That's it, you should be done -- your hit counter should say whatever you said it should say.
(The reason why step #1 was "take off your hit counter" was because if people hit your blog while you were doing all this, it would just keep recreating your hit counter, which could make it tough to swap in the new one you made.)
Also, FYI, while I was writing these instructions, I tested putting in 99999999 as my number to see what would happen. After you hit 99,999,999, it'll just roll over to zero -- just like a regular odometer.
Whew, hope this helps. Let me know if you have any problems or if there's any way I can streamline these instructions.
[Update: If you've tried these instructions but it didn't work for you -- you need to be veeeery careful with the filenames -- it's very picky about matching the capitalization and spelling exactly.
If you look in your file list, you will probably see a few different versions of the .odometer file. As an example: If my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/TestJournal/
then my odometer file needs to be named .odometer.TestJournal
If I try to name it .odometer.testjournal (note the capitalization doesn't match), it's not going to work -- the .odometer file will be recreated, starting from zero.]
Thanks. -- Joe
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7:35:00 PM EDT
Hearing Beth Orton, God Song
Using File Manager to Fiddle With Hit Counters
Now, I'm not sure if this is an unexpected benefit or an unintended consequence, but the new File Manager also allows you to change the count of your blog's hit counter. It will be most valuable to those who've had their hit counters reset (due to the write-lock problem I talked about last week), but it also means that you can have your hit counter read whatever you want it to say.
I will leave the moral and ethical implications for others to hash out.... other than to say that, sure, you can have a hit counter that reads 120,096 hits, but if you've got 3 entries and no comments, well, perhaps you would be better off interacting with other bloggers and telling your friends to read your blog.
So here's how it works (it's moderately involved):
1. Take the counter off your blog via the Edit Journal button. It'll make things easier.
2. Open the Web-based File Manager: http://hometown.aol.com/_fm
If you're not signed in, you'll be asked to sign in with your screen name and password.
3. Click "Browse My Files"
4. You will see a list of files that live in the top level of your storage space. Among them, you should see a list of files that begin with ".odometer" (notice the beginning period), and ending with the name of your Journal. (If you have multiple Journals with hit counters, you'll have multiple .odometer files.) [Please note: the filenames are case-sensitive -- if your blog has a mix of upper and lowercase letters, the filename will have to match; matching the capitalization, spelling, and punctuation is critical, or else this won't work.]
For example, if my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/MagicSmoke -- my blog's odometer file will be .odometer.MagicSmoke
(4b. If you just want to reset a counter that's not working, just delete the .odometer file and put your counter back on your blog. It will recreate itself automatically from zero.)
5. Right-click and save the odometer file you want to change to your computer. If you can save it as a plain text file with a .txt extension, that would be best. (Also, if you're using Mac OSX, you might have to delete the period in front of .odometer in order to save the file. You will need to add it back in step 14.)
6. Using Notepad or another text editor, open the .odometer file you downloaded. You'll see that it's just a plain text file with an eight-digit number (no commas). This is your number of hits: If you have 1,235 hits, the number in your .odometer file will read: 00001235
7. In your text editor, change the number to what you want it to show. Make sure you use just numbers, and include the zeroes in front to make it 8 digits. And make sure there aren't any spaces or anything after the number. I'm not sure how picky this is.
8. Then, save the file with the same name -- make sure you have it as a plain text file (.txt).
9. Looking back at File Manager, you should still be at the top level of your folders. Delete or rename the old .odometer file. (Click the blue Change button next to the old .odometer file, then click "Delete This File" in the right column. It will ask you if you really want to delete the file -- click OK.)
10. Click the "Add More Files" link in the upper right corner.
11. Upload the modified .odometer file you just made, by browsing to it, selecting it, and hitting the blue "OK" button to upload it.
12. In your file list, find the modified .odometer file you just uploaded. It will probably look like .odometer.yourjournalname.txt
13. Click the blue Change button next to your new .odometer file, and click "Rename This File."
14. Rename the file to remove any extensions at the end of the filename. For example, if my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/MagicSmoke, the .odometer file should be .odometer.MagicSmoke (with nothing after the blog name) -- make sure there's a period (no spaces) in front and behind the word "odometer"
15. Go back to "Edit Journal" and add your counter back onto your blog.
That's it, you should be done -- your hit counter should say whatever you said it should say.
(The reason why step #1 was "take off your hit counter" was because if people hit your blog while you were doing all this, it would just keep recreating your hit counter, which could make it tough to swap in the new one you made.)
Also, FYI, while I was writing these instructions, I tested putting in 99999999 as my number to see what would happen. After you hit 99,999,999, it'll just roll over to zero -- just like a regular odometer.
Whew, hope this helps. Let me know if you have any problems or if there's any way I can streamline these instructions.
[Update: If you've tried these instructions but it didn't work for you -- you need to be veeeery careful with the filenames -- it's very picky about matching the capitalization and spelling exactly.
If you look in your file list, you will probably see a few different versions of the .odometer file. As an example: If my blog's address is http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/TestJournal/
then my odometer file needs to be named .odometer.TestJournal
If I try to name it .odometer.testjournal (note the capitalization doesn't match), it's not going to work -- the .odometer file will be recreated, starting from zero.]
Thanks. -- Joe
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This entry has 27 comments: (Add your own)
-
Your instructions are excellent, but as Kristen wrote, I, too, get an authentication error. What boggles my mind is that an aol program seems to snag itself on aol. I tried IE and wasn't able to do some of the things it needed done to access file (not real refined on computers yet).
Why does the error come up when you type in the address correctly or, when you get to the site and begin going throught the steps, sooner or later one step will cause the function to stop and report "unable to find site" or "error".
By the way, forget hometown or journals, they go nowhere. -
Quick addendum: I opened the FM in IE and it worked perfectly!
Your instructions were very clear and easy to follow, and I am grateful! I took my blog count back to where it was about a month ago before I lost it AGAIN for the 8th or so time!
I really appreciate all the info as to why that kept happening, too - I contacted AOL cust. service about it numerous times and no one could give me an answer! Thanks for being on top of it!
Best wishes, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Kristen, Cosmically FABULOUS! -
Thank you for the fabulous info. Unfortunately, I keep getting an "authentication error" when I try to add the new file. Up to that point, it's perfect.
Any suggestions on how I can correct that would be very welcome - I've been plagued by blog count resets for the last YEAR, and it's MADDENING!
Thanks again!
Kristen
http://journals.aol.com/talentmatterslv/KristensCosmicFabul osity/ -
I recommend impressing people who don't think that hard with a 540,000 hit contrived figure.
3/30/08 9:54 PM