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In my browser cookies are creating by name __utma,__utmb and so on if i reject cookie creation.I think this cookie is for google analytics.Anybody know how google creating this cookie even browser not supporting cookie creaton.Thanks

2 Answers 2

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Yes, those are Google Analytics' cookies.

Here's how GA sets/updates them:

when a browser requests a web page that contains the GA tracking code (GATC), the GATC sets/updates the cookies in browser. The GATC then sends the data held in the cookies back to the GA servers via an HTTP Request for __utm.gif (aka, the "tracking pixel"). The data held in the cookies are appended to that Request along with other information. You can identify which of that information was taken from the cookies by checking this Request " utmcc"--the cookie values are everything on the right side, e.g.:

utmcc=__utma%3D117243.1695285.22%3B%2B __utmz%3D117945243.1202416366.21.10. utmcsr%3Db%7C utmccn%3D(referral)%7C utmcmd%3Dreferral%7C utmcct%3D%252Fissue%3B%2B

In the basic implementation, Google Analytics creates/sets/updates three first-party cookies:

__utma: Visitor ID, which persists for two years;

__utmb: Session ID, which persists for 30 minutes of inactivity

__utmc : also Session ID, which persists until the user quits the browser;

These aren't the only cookies GA uses, these are just the standard set; for instance, __utmz is used to store values of GA-account-owner-defined campaign variables; __utmv is used to create custom visitor segments, and __utmx is for the Google Website Optimizer (split-path testing).

The Visitor Identifier, __utma, is comprised of four components: a domain hash, a random unique ID, timestamps (marking initial visit, previous session, current session), and a session counter (just a single integer); i.e., (domain hash).(random).(time initial).(time previous).(time current).(session count)

The Session Identifiers, __utmb and __utmc, are comprised of a domain hash + time, and domain hash, respectively; i.e., __utmb = (domain hash).4.10.(time); __utmc = (domain hash)

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In __utmb, the 2nd and 3rd parameters (4 and 10 in your example) appear to be related to event tracking.

When a track event is sent off, the 2nd parameter increments. The 3rd parameter will also decrement, but it not clear what correlation the decrease has with the 2nd parameter.

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