Good log analyzer software.

October 2, 2005 10:33 AM

What's the best, free, easy-to-install web statistics/server log analyzer?

We recently redesigned and upgraded our web site and want something better than the clunky web tools our host provides.

I've personally downloaded and tried to install AWStats, but this is just way out of my ken. However, I love the functionality and data that AWStats provides, just without the setup hassle.

Any suggestions?

posted by Captaintripps to computers & internet (10 comments total)

What are you having trouble with as far as installing AWStats? I found it very easy to get running, and was going to suggest it to you before seeing the [more inside] where you mentioned it :-)
posted by twiggy at 11:45 AM on October 2, 2005

I've downloaded the latest release, but I don't know how to get it operating on my hosting company's server. I've loaded up all the files, but I'm not sure how or what to do with any of the config files (my knowledge of Perl is non-existent and the instructions are full of jargon). I spent about six hours with the instructions and niet.
posted by Captaintripps at 11:47 AM on October 2, 2005

Ahhhh, your hosting company...

I run my own colocated server.. so.. I installed myself and could put things in whatever path I wanted, etc... I imagine your hosting company HAS some sort of web stats software already.. most offer it..

You're going to have trouble no matter what you find if you don't have access to install new software yourself...

Contact your hosting company - they should be willing and able to help you... they may already have awstats installed for you and you just don't know it!
posted by twiggy at 1:48 PM on October 2, 2005

i used statcounter for a long time until I changed servers that uses AWStats. If you are unable to get AWStats working for you I recommend statcounter. It has some cool features for free.
posted by freudianslipper at 2:30 PM on October 2, 2005

I did find wonderful tutorial on how to get it set up on my hosting company. However, I go through all of the steps (and actually seem to understand most of them) and I throw a 404 error when I try to check out the stats. I'm giving it a few more shots, then I'm through.
posted by Captaintripps at 3:59 PM on October 2, 2005

Not really answering your question, but this Google Mashup is a lot of fun. It shows points on a zoomable world map the last visitors on your site.
posted by qwip at 4:51 PM on October 2, 2005

Not free but cheap and looks supercool: Mint.
posted by softlord at 6:32 PM on October 2, 2005

Installing a web stats log analyzer on a shared/hosted system is going to depend on if you have direct access to the log files. If you can find the path to the location of the logs themselves on the server, then you're probably okay. You will need to upload the files to the server and edit the config to point it to this location where the log files live. Finally you will have to set up some method to run it regularly - usually through cron.

If your host does not let you have direct access to the logs (if, for example, you have to use some awkward web form to download them) or doesn't give you access to cron, then it's probably not going to be possible.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:45 PM on October 2, 2005

Thanks Rhomboid. I can access the files through FTP or SSH. I've actually installed this program via SSH (which I've never used before) created the crontabs, etc. However, it just doesn't work.

I think part of the problem may be that it's not publically viewable for some reason. I got one step further last night in that I got it to ask me for authentication before proceeding, but then I got a 404 error again. This was after moving the files around into different folders and changing the config file to reflect those new paths. The guy who wrote the instructions I posted above had no clue why this would be happening.

None of the domains are forwarded and no matter which URL I ssh into, it's still the same path to that installation. I really have no clue at this point.
posted by Captaintripps at 9:05 AM on October 3, 2005

Well, finally got it working tonight. I reinstalled it in a specific root folder of one of my sites. Should be redirected to my log files just fine and everything seems to be working great!
posted by Captaintripps at 6:08 PM on October 4, 2005