LightBox click detection in PHP

Question

I need to count the number of times a user activates a LightBox -- how do you do that?

Here's a LightBox Example:

http://www.webbytedd.com/c2/lightbox/

All the javascript is there (jQuery et al).

Ideally, I would like to have a php/javascript combination that would:

1. Detect when a user clicked the LightBox;
2. Pass that value to PHP so I can keep count.

Answer 1

$('.lightbox-image-class').click(function(){
 $.post('ajax.php', {click: true});
});

and do your DB work in ajax.php http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.post/

Answer 2

If you're using Google Analytics, you can use click tracking:

I recently setup click tracking on lightbox open, close and various other modal window bits/pieces for a metered pay wall system.

For example, within the lightbox/modal window "open" method:

// Track this lightbox instance:
window._gaq.push([
 '_trackEvent', // Method.
 'Paymeter Lightbox', // Group.
 'Lightbox OPEN group ' + count_txt, // Append count to "action" text.
 count_txt + ' OPEN event' // Prepend count to "label" text.
]);

The advantage to using a common tool like analytics is that it's got a ton of powerful ways to analyze the data. Not sure the goal of your project, but I thought I would mention.