Microsoft Word documents (.doc) will not download, they are
going to be displayed within the body of IE unless archived as a
..zip file format which is the preferred archive file format.
I have yet to see any server log that counted and organized file
downloads in any maner other than dumping the data into the
log in a serialized ad hoc manner (one record after another) where
the data is difficult to read.
That said, to count the number of downloads by reviewing the
server logs would be time consuming and prone to misinterpretation
and error. Furthermore, how would you determine and track what
has been previously counted? No, server logs is not the answer.
Server logs are good for what they are: a big shoe box with data
dumped inside that is only really useful when another application is
developed to access, aggregate, and report the data in a meaningful
way. Most hosting companies provide customers with a stats
application that reads server logs and *may* aggregate and report file
downloads still leaving you to make notes somehow to determine
when counts were last manually reviewed and which counts were
counted.
If this objective is an important business objective the best choice
demands using script to count and track downloads. The count is
stored in a database or an XML file where the count can be accessed
for reporting. There are freebie scripts that can be found for part of
this functionality but modifying and integrating would be your next
objective...which is where I may be helpful...
--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
A/E/C Consulting, Web Design, e-Commerce Software Development
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin USA
NET csgallagher@ REMOVETHISTEXT metromilwaukee.com
URL
http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/