Can processing rules be applied to concatenate merchandising evar to context data?

Hmmm, that's quite unfortunate :-(. I can't really set the concatenated value of evar63 and the current date into s.products. It will break all s.products & image request character limits. And i absolutely need these ids be processed with the dates because it will be used for the date-specific classifications.

OK, one more workaround theory (and a question). If i pass the incrementor event to s.events, set merchandising evar63 into s.products, pass another empty evar64 on the same call and then - copy the merchandising evar's value to the new evar64 concatenated with the current date - will the event allocation be saved?

Something like this:

s.events="prodView, event85=1"

s.products="Category;SKU;;;;evar63=id_1"

s.evar64="[null or dummy value]"

Also - if i set event85=1 in s.events, it will be applied to all products in the s.products string. And i'd like to avoid it. What would be the best way to have event85 in s.events and not applicable to all products?

s.events="prodView, event85=1"

s.products="Category;SKU;;;;evar63=id_1,

                   Category;SKU_2;;;event85=0"

or

s.events="prodView, event85=1"

s.products="Category;SKU;;;;evar63=id_1,

                   Category;SKU_2;;;event85=-1"

Does event85=0 passed in s.products overwrite event85=1 passed in s.events? 

Or - can negative numbers be passed as numeric events? Will event85=-1 (passed into s.products) zero out event85=1 (passed in s.events)? 

What is the best way to zero out the total value of a numeric event per certain evar?

Thanks!

irina

Hi Irina,

It is less an issue with merchandising eVars and more the current limitation with processing rules to alter the product string. You are right to be concerned with the workaround as it will not work in the manner you intend since eVar64 will be outside the product string and the event allocation will be off. The only course I see forward is setting the eVar63 value to the exact value you want it to be within the product string from the start.

Best,

Brian

Brian, thank you

I wish merchandising evars could me manipulated via processing rules.

Well, i'm testing the workaround with an additional variable. I assumed that the value of a merchandising evar can still be copied to another evar via processing rules. Is my assumption correct? 

So, we are passing the merchandising evar in the s.products on s.t() call together with a context data variable:

s.products="Category;SKU;;;event85=1;evar63=id_1"

s.contextData["currdate"]=new Date();

Then, i copy the value of evar63 to a new evar64 concatenated with context 'currdate' via processing rule:

- If evar63 is set, then Overwrite value of evar64 to Concatenated Value of evar63, currdate(Context Data) using a pipe (|) delimiter.

I'm concerned about the events allocation though.... Will the incrementing events (event85 in the s.products string) allocate to evar63 be still allocated to the new evar64?

Thanks!

irina

Hi Irina,

Processing rules cannot alter any part of the product string. The outlined approach will not work at this time through processing rules. The below statement is correct form the Help site:

http://microsite.omniture.com/t2/help/en_US/reference/processing_rules_about.html

The product string, referrer, and user agent cannot be changed.

Referrer and user agent are read-only. The product string is not available.

Best,

Brian