Description
XTractor is a desktop software allowing
to setup and automate all kind of AT Internet
Data extractions without writing a single line of code. With one
call, it iterates all Data Queries pages over a set of Sites and
Periods, and consolidates extracted results even when they contains
Custom Dimensions.
XTractor belongs to XTagManager
suite, but it is free and always will be. It is made of two
modules available for download:
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The core engine, called Command Line module: it
performs all operations from instructions provided in configuration
files (Dataset and Sites group).
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The UI module: an assistant to create and maintain these
configuration files.
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XTractor works with ATI Data Query URLs
provided by ATI Data Query Designer or XTag AT Internet, then
imported in Queries list.
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It allows defining reusables Sites
groups for which these Queries will be executed, even when they
contain custom dimensions or segments based on them.
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It extends data extraction thanks to a list of fixed or relative
Periods, optionally
merged.
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It generates CSV files (tab delimited), then allows opening them as
tables for instant Assessments.
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Features
Full extractor, without
development nor limit
XTractor can iterate all results pages of
each Data Query, for each given site and periods.
When you reach
Data Query’s rows limits, just split in several Periods and ask
XTractor to Merge Periods.
When you reach
Data Query’s filters limits, just split in several Queries with the
same root name (differentiated by hashtags), it will be used by
XTractor to merge the Result Files.
There’s one limitation however:
XTractor doesn’t support Data Query with comparison periods. By
design, this must be achieved by declaring the two different
periods.
As a result, the comparison is not
provided in additional columns, but additional rows.
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Flexible consolidator,
without development nor limit
At any moment,
you can create your own sites group and extract any data
history.
Custom Dimensions (source
types, metrics, site/page variables) are automatically mapped for
each site, then consolidated in the same column with their
understandable name. Segments
based on them can also be used in queries, when they have been
declared for each Site.
Schedulable
Can work
silently in command line, with Windows Task Scheduler, Mac
Automator or Linux Cron or any scheduling tool, thanks to operation
control based on configuration files.
Multi-platforms
Command line
module is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Prerequisites
UI Module
This executable
is an Office application: Excel 2010 or further must be
installed.
XTractorUI32
must be used with Excel 32 bits versions, XTractorUI64 with Excel
64 bits versions: Windows
Installer installs the proper one, but if you’ve done a manual
installation and that you have a doubt, just run one of them, it
will warn if you don’t use the proper version.
Command Line Module
You must
provide a valid AT Internet account
for all data extractions.
Operations
1.
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Enter the name of your
Dataset configuration and its Result Folder
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2.
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Import at least one Data Query
URL in the Queries
tab
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3.
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Select a Site group in
Sites tab.
If there’s still no group
created, download one provided by Web Analytics Team in
XTractor installation directory.
If there’s none provided, enter
the list of sites ID you want to address in the first column, then
click on Update, wait for Sites data completion and click on
Save As to
give this group a name.
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4.
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Select at least one period type in the Periods tab, then enter it
or adjust the proposed one.
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5.
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Click on Run
XTractor
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6.
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Once data extraction achieved successfully, you can optionally
click on Open Results
Files, then open one or several generated file(s).
If XTractor warned an error, fix it and relaunch your
data extraction.
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See Assessment for a complete
illustrated example.
Manage

New
After
confirmation, discard all current changes and start a blank Dataset
configuration.
Open
After
confirmation, open an existing Dataset configuration.
Save
After
confirmations, save all changes in [DatasetName].json. To Save As,
just change the dataset name before saving.
Dataset name
Enter the
dataset name. That will be the name of the JSON file where dataset
configuration will be saved.
AT Internet Credentials
Enter you AT Internet credentials, then click
on OK. There’s no verification of credential validity.

Your credentials are stored in
computer’s registry, and ten reused for
each Dataset
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Configure

Results Files Folder
Enter the
relative or absolute directory path used as root directory for
results files generation. If this directory doesn’t exist, it will
be created. See here for
more details.
Periods Subfolders
Select to
create period(s) subfolder(s) under Results Folders specified
above. Let unselected to create results files directly in this
folder. See here for
more details.
Site Name To ID
When selected,
Site Name is replaced by the corresponding Site ID in all Result
Files (d_site column).
It’s useful when results are embedded in a database where Site ID
is the primary key (keeping in mind that Site Name can be sometimes
changed). Let unselected to keep Site Name. Si here for more details.
Overwrite Files
If Selected,
when result file already exists, it is overwritten. When
Periods SubFolders is not
selected with more than one period measured, result file name is
appended with the begin date month to avoid each period to be
overwritten by the subsequent one.
If not
selected, result file name is completed with an unused index to
avoid overwriting: …_01.csv, or …_02.csv, etc… See here for more details.
Merge Periods
Select to
create only one Result File per
Data Query, whatever the number of periods. If Periods SubFolders above is selected too,
this unique file will be created in a subfolder.
When not
selected, a new file is generated for each period and each query
(one sub-directory per period when Periods SubFolders is selected). See
here for more
details.
Get Results

Run XTractor
Save the
current Dataset and run data extraction.
Ensure before
that you have entered your ATI Credentials, otherwise you’ll be
warned.
Ensure also
there’s at least one Query selected, with at least one Site defined
in selected group, and at least one Period setup. If it’s not the
case, you’ll be warned.
If everything’s
OK, data extraction is started:

If no error
happens during extraction, XTractor blue console is closed and you
can Open Results
Files or use them for your needs.
In case of
error, it remains displayed to show you what’s wrong (see how to solve processing
errors).
Open Results Files
Once measurement successfully achieved, select the corresponding
file name:

The file is open as table, taking benefit of Table Tools Design and
Data features:

You can work on it and save the Excel Workbook (original CSV file
will be kept as it is).
You can select
another one, it will be open in the same workbook, so that you’ll
be able to create instant relationships.
Help

Input Helpers
Displays Input
tips for fulfilling columns fields:

It is useful
for XTractor beginners and deactivated by default. You can activate
it permanently until you feel comfortable with required fields, and
then deactivate it when you’re bored to see those messages.
Online Guide
Open this guide
at the proper section, depending on activated tab.
Access rights

>> Ensure you have entered correct
credentials, and that you are granted on the sites you want to
extract.
Malformed Queries

>> Your query has been probably
modified manually, and a mistake has been made. Rebuild it with AT
Internet Data Query Designer.
Undefined custom
variable

>> Ensure that your Sites Group
defines the corresponding custom variable. If you’re not sure,
click on Update.
>> If it still doesn’t work, it
means that the Site used to build this query is no longer present
in Sites group, so consider one of these actions:
1.
If removing this Site was a mistake, re-add it in the group (just
its ID), then click on Update.
If it was voluntary:
2.
Pick one cl_xxx value with the same name in Sites group (custom
variable columns), then edit manually the query to replace the one
indicated in error message (cl_27610 in example above) with picked
value.
3.
Replace the faulted value (cl_27610 in example above) by the
corresponding variable name defined in Sites group (custom variable
columns), for example: origin.
Query
errors
1.
Click on Open Results Files.
2.
Navigate into _logs subfolder.

3.
Open the file named the same than your Dataset, suffixed with
_Errors.

4.
You will see all errors detailed:

Status
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See status code
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ATI Code
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See AT Internet error
codes.
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Error Level
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See Error Level
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Message
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When available, an understandable
explanation of issue.
In case of connectivity issue
(starting by Failed to establish a new
connection:...) it also contains a system error code, like
[WinError 10060].
Advanced users can interpret it with Windows socket error
codes. Most common ones
are:
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11001
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Most of time, this is an issue with
your internet connection.
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10060
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You are connected behind a proxy
server or through a VPN which faces some congestion: retry later,
and if it still fails, use a direct connection.
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5.
If you still don’t figure out what happens, copy the Url provided,
try to import it in ATI Data Query Designer, then play it.
Other errors
1.
Click on Open Results Files.
2.
Navigate into _logs subfolder.

3.
Open the file named the same than your Dataset.

4.
Filter second column on ERROR

I get an error, how can I
fix it?
First consult
the errors section. If
this is related to your credentials, queries or periods settings,
you can fix it by yourself. Otherwise, copy your logs files and
send them to XTractor
support with your configuration files.
Can I get XTractor sources
to embed in my IT project?
No,
XTractor sources are not provided nor for
sale. But basically, that would be a design error: XTractor is a control layer component,
embedding an evolutive added value.
When you take
component sources instead of the component itself, and above all
when you adapt them, you make them yours: you will no longer
benefit of further evolutions and fixes.
In IT
architecture, this is a violation of the Reuse release Equivalence Principle (REP).
XTractor command line module can be
installed on a server (Windows or Linux), and its periodic runs can
be scheduled: your IT system or BI tool can be directly linked on
result files. If it requires REST API connection, it’s really easy
to create the web service just to download them, or to iterate them
by pages.
How to use a provided Sites
group?
If your company
provides ready-to-use Sites Group, for example mySites.csv, just copy it in your
XTractor installation directory. If UI
module was already open, it’s not necessary to relaunch it: just go
to the Sites tab, you will see
mySites in the proposed list. If
you were already on Sites, move to another tab, then go back to
Sites.
How to copy a configuration
on another machine?
One
XTractor configuration is made of one
.json file (Dataset: settings,
queries and periods) and one .csv file (Sites group), all stored in
XTractor installation directory.
For example, if
you want to copy the configuration below, you must copy
WebExperienceD.json and
SitesWED.csv on XTractor installation directory of the
target machine.

Can Linux version use
configurations generated by Windows UI module?
Basically yes,
just ensure that both are at the same version level.
Can I run simultaneous data
extractions?
Yes, several
XTractor command line module instances can be run in parallel, but
not more than five with the same credentials (AT Internet
limitation to avoid Denial Of Services).