Will this URL variable disrupt an ad showing?

austenozzy · Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Posts: 5

Hi there

I have several zones on several site pages, and all but one works perfectly.

I have a small banner zone which shows one particular ad at all times. Only, it is sporadic only when the currency switcher link is clicked. The URL changes with a variable: ?currency=

Will this disrupt the ad?

Otherwise there's no reason for it!

Thanks

Austen

PHPWebScripts · Richard - Admin Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 5691

Hi Austen,

When someone clicks to the ad, does it show nothing? Or can you see some kind of error message? Please specify it as exactly as possible.

austenozzy · Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Posts: 5

Hi

Sorry, my message was a bit garbled!

I have a page on a site with ads in 3 zones. One of the zones has only one ad and is essentially fixed for that advertiser. Advertisers can upload ads for campaigns targeting the other two zones, but not this one.

It shows at all times, as configured in the admin. The only time it doesn't show - leaving an empty white div - is when there's a specific variable in the URL querystring ('currency') - eg /index.php?currency=EUR

But that only happens sometimes! Sometimes, when currency is in the URL, the ad will show. But this sporadic behaviour only happens when that variable is in the url.

Is that clearer?

Thanks

Austen

PHPWebScripts · Richard - Admin Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 5691

You say that it shows an empty div. I presume that the ad code shows nothing. For example if the ad code contains 2 ads, it doesn't show a single ad but just a blank space. If it's correct, the most likely explanation is that when you tested it, you reloaded the page with the ad code multiple times and your browser cached the ad. It wanted to show the same ads block when you reloaded it after a while but this ad block was no more valid, so it showed nothing.
This explanation is correct only if it shows nothing. If it shows a lower number of ads than required (for example if the ads block contains 3 positions and only 1 or 2 ads are displayed), the reason is that other ads can't be displayed, for example because there are not available impressions.
I can test it for you if you are interested.