Adobe plug-in: getAndPersistValue

The getAndPersistValue plug-in allows you to store a value in a cookie that can be retrieved later during a visit. It serves a similar role to the Storage duration feature using tags in Adobe Experience Platform. Adobe recommends using this plug-in if you want to automatically persist an Analytics variable to the same value in subsequent hits after the variable was set. This plug-in is not necessary if the Storage duration feature in the Data Collection UI is sufficient. It is also not necessary to use this plug-in if you do not need to set and persist variables to the same value in subsequent hits. The built-in persistence of eVars does not require the use of this plug-in, since eVars persist server-side by Adobe.

Install the plug-in using tags in Adobe Experience Platform

Adobe offers an extension that allows you to use most commonly-used plug-ins.

1. Log in to the Data Collection UI using your AdobeID credentials.
2. Click the desired property.
3. Go to the Extensions tab, then click on the Catalog button
4. Install and publish the Common Analytics Plugins extension
5. If you haven’t already, create a rule labeled “Initialize Plug-ins” with the following configuration:
   • Condition: None
   • Event: Core – Library Loaded (Page Top)
6. Add an action to the above rule with the following configuration:
   • Extension: Common Analytics Plugins
   • Action Type: Initialize getAndPersistValue
7. Save and publish the changes to the rule.

Install the plug-in using custom code editor

If you do not want to use the plug-in extension, you can use the custom code editor.

1. Log in to the Data Collection UI using your AdobeID credentials.
2. Click on the desired property.
3. Go to the Extensions tab, then click the Configure button under the Adobe Analytics extension.
4. Expand the Configure tracking using custom code accordion, which reveals the Open Editor button.
5. Open the custom code editor and paste the plug-in code provided below into the edit window.
6. Save and publish the changes to the Analytics extension.

Install the plug-in using AppMeasurement

Copy and paste the following code anywhere in the AppMeasurement file after the Analytics tracking object is instantiated (using s_gi). Preserving comments and version numbers of the code in your implementation helps Adobe with troubleshooting any potential issues.

/******************************************* BEGIN CODE TO DEPLOY *******************************************/
/* Adobe Consulting Plugin: getAndPersistValue v3.0 (Requires AppMeasurement) */
function getAndPersistValue(vtp,cn,ex){var d=vtp,k=cn,l=ex;if("undefined"!==typeof d&&"-v"===d)return{plugin:"getAndPersistValue",version:"3.0"};var a=function(){if("undefined"!==typeof window.s_c_il)for(var c=0,b;c<window.s_c_il.length;c++)if(b=window.s_c_il[c],b._c&&"s_c"===b._c)return b}();"undefined"!==typeof a&&(a.contextData.getAndPersistValue="3.0");window.cookieWrite=window.cookieWrite||function(c,b,f){if("string"===typeof c){var h=window.location.hostname,a=window.location.hostname.split(".").length-1;if(h&&!/^[0-9.]+$/.test(h)){a=2<a?a:2;var e=h.lastIndexOf(".");if(0<=e){for(;0<=e&&1<a;)e=h.lastIndexOf(".",e-1),a--;e=0<e?h.substring(e):h}}g=e;b="undefined"!==typeof b?""+b:"";if(f||""===b)if(""===b&&(f=-60),"number"===typeof f){var d=new Date;d.setTime(d.getTime()+6E4*f)}else d=f;return c&&(document.cookie=encodeURIComponent(c)+"="+encodeURIComponent(b)+"; path=/;"+(f?" expires="+d.toUTCString()+";":"")+(g?" domain="+g+";":""),"undefined"!==typeof cookieRead)?cookieRead(c)===b:!1}};window.cookieRead=window.cookieRead||function(c){if("string"===typeof c)c=encodeURIComponent(c);else return"";var b=" "+document.cookie,a=b.indexOf(" "+c+"="),d=0>a?a:b.indexOf(";",a);return(c=0>a?"":decodeURIComponent(b.substring(a+2+c.length,0>d?b.length:d)))?c:""};a=new Date;k=k?k:"s_gapv";(l=l?l:0)?a.setTime(a.getTime()+864E5*l):a.setTime(a.getTime()+18E5);"undefined"!==typeof d&&d||(d=cookieRead(k));cookieWrite(k,d,a);return d};
/******************************************** END CODE TO DEPLOY ********************************************/

Use the plug-in

The getAndPersist function uses the following arguments:

• vtp (required): The value to persist from page to page
• cn (optional): The name of the cookie to store the value. If this argument is not set, The cookie is named "s_gapv"
• ex (optional): The number of days before the cookie expires. If this argument is 0 or is not set, the cookie expires at the end of the visit (30 minutes of inactivity).

If the variable in the vtp argument is set, then the plug-in sets the cookie then returns the cookie value. If the variable in the vtp argument is not set, then the plug-in only returns the cookie value.

Examples

// Sets eVar21 to "raccoon", and sets the ev21gapv cookie to "raccoon" (which expires in 28 days).
s.eVar21 = "raccoon";
s.eVar21 = getAndPersistValue(s.eVar21,"ev21gapv",28);

// Checks the "ev21gapv" cookie for a value and assigns it to eVar21. It does not set a cookie value or reset an existing cookie's expiration since the value is not set on the page.
// If there is a cookie, assigns eVar21 to that value. Otherwise, eVar21 is blank.
s.eVar21 = getAndPersistValue(s.eVar21,"ev21gapv",28);

// Checks the "ev21gapv" cookie for a value and assigns it to prop35. It does not set a cookie value or reset an existing cookie's expiration since eVar21 is not set on the page.
s.prop35 = getAndPersistValue(s.eVar21,"ev21gapv",28);

// Sets eVar21 to "panda", and sets the ev21gapv cookie to "panda" (which expires in 14 days). It then sets prop35 to the value contained in the ev21gapv cookie.
// Ultimately both eVar21 and prop35 contain the value "panda".
s.eVar21 = "panda";
s.prop35 = getAndPersistValue(s.eVar21,"ev21gapv",14);

// Sets eVar30 to "shopping", and sets the s_gapv cookie to "shopping" (which expires at the end of the browser session).
s.eVar30 = "shopping";
s.eVar30 = getAndPersistValue(s.eVar30);

Version History

3.0 (March 19, 2021)

• Added version number as context data.

2.0 (April 16, 2018)

• Point release (smaller code size)
• Passing 0 into the ex argument now forces expiration after 30 minutes of inactivity rather than expiration at the end of the browser session.

1.0 (January 18, 2016)

• Initial release.