WP Manifestindependent plugin directory
manifest / analytics / pretty-links-dynamic-variables

Pretty Links Dynamic Variables

Records every Pretty Link click with full context (click ID, page, list position, operator and more) and injects an encrypted dynamic-variable token into the outbound affiliate URL based on the link's selected software.

by StatsDrone · github.com/joehatch/pretty-links-dynamic-variables

★ 0stars
0forks

Install

No release zip yet. The repository archive installs, but the folder name will carry the branch suffix and updates will not flow:

wp plugin install https://github.com/joehatch/pretty-links-dynamic-variables/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Readme github.com/joehatch/pretty-links-dynamic-variables ↗

Pretty Links Dynamic Variables (v2)

Records every Pretty Link click with full context — click ID, page, list position, operator, placement — and injects an encrypted dynamic-variable token into the outbound affiliate URL based on the link's selected software.

What it does

When a visitor clicks a Pretty Link, this plugin:

  1. Captures click context client-side (page, the list position the visitor actually saw after any geo reordering, operator, placement) and passes it along.
  2. Generates a unique 128-bit click ID and wraps it in an encrypted, opaque token (libsodium secretbox).
  3. Records the click — always, even when the link has no software mapping — in a dedicated wp_pldv_clicks table with a mapping_status so no data is lost.
  4. Injects the token into the correct dynamic-variable parameter for the link's selected affiliate software (so the value surfaces in that platform's own report and can be reconciled later).
  5. Lets Pretty Links perform its normal redirect — its native click tracking stays intact (no early interception).
  • Reports — clicks by link / page / list position / operator, a DV-coverage view (which links are losing mapping), drill-down, and CSV export.
  • Settings — capture scope, token/encryption, key source + rotation, IP/privacy mode, retention. Fully managed; no code edits.
  • Mappings — per-platform dynamic-variable parameter config, seeded from the StatsDrone DV sheet and editable, with platform value constraints (numeric-only, etc.).
  • Test — pick a link, dry-run the whole pipeline to see the generated URL, token, decrypted payload, and the exact row that would be written — or send a tagged live test click.

Architecture

Single-responsibility classes under the PrettyLinksDV\ namespace in includes/:

File Role
pretty-links-dv.php Bootstrap, autoloader, activation
class-pldv-db.php Clicks table + inserts
class-pldv-click-id.php Click ID generation
class-pldv-crypto.php Token encryption + key management
class-pldv-mappings.php Software → DV-parameter resolution
class-pldv-settings.php Settings option + defaults
class-pldv-recorder.php prli_redirect_url record/inject + simulate()
class-pldv-capture.php + assets/js/pldv-capture.js Click-time DOM capture
class-pldv-admin.php Reports / Settings / Mappings / Test UI
class-pldv-reports.php Reporting queries
class-pldv-meta-box.php Per-link software selection
data/dv-mappings.json DV parameter mappings (from the sheet)

Configuration

  • Encryption key (recommended): add to wp-config.php
    define( 'PLDV_SECRET_KEY', '...32-byte-base64-key...' );
// optional during rotation:
define( 'PLDV_SECRET_KEY_OLD', '...previous-key...' );

    If unset, a key is generated and stored in the options table on activation.

  • Drop click history on uninstall (off by default):
    define( 'PLDV_DROP_DATA_ON_UNINSTALL', true );

Requirements

  • WordPress 5.0+
  • Pretty Links plugin
  • PHP 7.4+ (libsodium, bundled since PHP 7.2, recommended for encryption)

Status

  • v2.0.0. P1 (data + redirect core), P2 (capture), and P3 (managed admin) are implemented and tested, with the sent_value reconciliation column in place. P4 (network postback/conversion loop) is planned — see BUILD-PLAN.md.
  • The legacy single-file plugin pldv-main.php is superseded and must not be active at the same time as this plugin.

License

GPLv2 or later — see LICENSE. GPL only requires sharing changes if you distribute the plugin to third parties; internal use and private modifications carry no such obligation. © 2025–2026 StatsDrone