How To Use Query Strings with Commerce Server Web Server Log Import DTS Task

Visit requests for many commerce sites are being generated dynamically through ASP or Java script applications. These applications function by using query string arguments added after a question mark separator attached to the URL. The analysis of these query string arguments can provide a more detailed indication of product and customer trends, or both. By using query string analysis with Commerce Server, you can produce reports on these trends.

The purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step procedure on how to configure the Commerce Server Web Server Log Import DTS task to use query strings and obtain information about the query string arguments included within a server Web log.

NOTES:

�	The Data Warehouse can import a combined maximum of 256 single- and multi-valued query strings.
�	Imported query strings can consist of a maximum of 150 single-valued query strings or a maximum of 256 multi-valued query strings. Importing too many query strings may cause the Web log import process to fail.
�	The Data Warehouse limits the length of imported multi-valued strings (including query strings) to 512 characters. Any multi-valued query string consisting of more than 512 characters is truncated to 512 characters when it is imported.

You must obtain a list of query strings that you want to analyze. With this list, you can enable reporting on the content associated with these query strings.

You must configure the Web Server Log Import DTS task to recognize your desired query string. Follow these steps to enable the import of query strings:

1.	Open the Commerce Server Manager.
2.	Expand Microsoft SQL Server - SQL Server Group - <your server name> - Data Transformation Services.
3.	Right-click Local Packages, and then click New Package on the shortcut menu.
4.	On the Task menu, click Web Server Log Import (Commerce Server).
5.	Select the correct site name.
6.	Ensure that the Log File Path is specified correctly. You can use the ... button to browse to the correct location of the Web logs.
7.	If you have specified a correct Log File Path, all of your logs will appear when you click View Log Files (in Commerce Server 2000) or Log Files (in Commerce Server 2002).
8.	Select the type of Web log import that you are performing. Click either Import all logs since last import or Import log files based on date/time range. If you click Import log files based on date/time range, you must provide a start and end date/time. NOTE: In Commerce Server 2002, click the Import Criteria tab to see this option.
9.	Click Advanced.
10.	Click the Query Strings tab.
11.	If you want to save the URI along with the query strings, ensure that you click to select the Save query string with URI check box.
12.	Click Add.
13.	Supply the name of the query string value that you want to analyze (for example, catalog_name, category_name, product_id, and so on).
14.	Select the site that you want to analyze.
15.	Select the appropriate data type (String/Integer/Date-Time/Real).
16.	If the query string value is Multivalue, click to select the check box to enable this option.
17.	Click OK.
18.	Your query string will now appear in the query string section in the Import Web Server Log dialog box. Either click Add to enter additional query string values, or click OK if you are finished.
19.	Click OK in the Import Web Server Log dialog box.

The Web Server Log Import Task will appear in the DTS Package window.

NOTE: You must ensure that you also perform the Report Preparation DTS task to successfully import your data into the Data Warehouse (see Commerce Server Documentation - "Importing Data into the Data Warehouse").

After you have added all the DTS packages that you need to the DTS Package window, execute the package. To do this, click the green right-arrow button on the menu bar. After the package has completed successfully, you can close the DTS Package window. You do not have to save the package.

You will now be able to execute the following dynamic reports to see the results of your query string analysis through the Business Desk Analysis Reports module:

�	Query Strings (multi value)
�	Query Strings (single value)

These reports will provide you the number of request received for each query string. Careful analysis of this information can help determine site-user preferences and trends.

For additional information, see the following topics in the Commerce Server documentation: