Cookie Functions

utag.loader.RC

The method utag.loader.RC reads and returns all accessible cookies and groups cookies in the utag_ namespace into objects.

> utag.loader.RC()
< {
    "trace_id": "123456",
    "utagdb": "true",
    "utag_main": {
        "_sn": "1",
        "ses_id": "1686564817915",
        "persist_data_value": "1686564817918",
        "_se": "2",
        "_ss": "0",
        "_st": "1686566634755",
        "_pn": "2"
    },
    "utag_custom": {
        "testval1": "abc123",
        "testval2": "bcd234"
    },
    "some_other_cookie": "someval"
}

The optional first argument returns the specified cookie if it exists, or an empty object if it doesn’t.

> utag.loader.RC("trace_id")
< "123456"

> utag.loader.RC("some_other_cookie")
< "someval"

> utag.loader.RC("utag_custom")
< {
    "testval1": "abc123",
    "testval2": "bcd234"
}

> utag.loader.RC("this_cookie_does_not_exist")
< {}

utag.loader.SC

The utag.loader.SC method sets and deletes cookies within the utag_ namespace.

When set to use multi-value cookies, the utag.js script creates and manages a single cookie called utag_main. This cookie contains multiple values that keep track of the visitor session. Standalone cookies split this multi-value cookie into individual cookies that are easier to explain, audit and understand.

Regardless of the utag.js version or the split_cookie setting, the changes take place behind the scenes in these cookie functions - all existing behavior is preserved, except for the way cookies are stored.

Migration to utag 4.50 doesn’t require a technical update of existing implementations, but any cookie notices that inform your users about specific cookies should be updated.

The following format demonstrates how to set a cookie by identifying the cookie’s namespace, name, value, optional expiration time, and optional flag for specifying additional functionality:

utag.loader.SC(namespace, {"name": "value;exp-expiry"}, flag);

This is the same function used by the Persist Data Value extension.

Expiry Options

The following cookie expiry options are available:

Timestamp-based expiration, such as "exp-1549271521u", has a trailing u indicates Unix timestamp. Do not confuse it with the value set in the cookie itself such as "exp-1549271521"

If no expiry option is set, then the default behavior is based on the version of utag.js:

• 4.27+ - default expiry is 1 year after the creation of the cookie.
• 4.26 or older - default expiry is the year 2099.

Set a Cookie

To set a cookie, pass an object of key-value pairs to the value parameter as shown below:

utag.loader.SC("utag_cookie", {
    "uid"      : "012345689",      // default expiry
    "test_seg" : "groupA;exp-12h", // 12 hour expiry
    "aff"      : "SiteAff1;exp-7d" // 7 day expiry
});

Standalone Cookies (recommended)

If the split_cookie setting is set to true (the default value in utag version 4.50 or later), the example above creates the following standalone cookies:

• utag_cookie_uid
• utag_cookie_test_seg
• utag_cookie_aff

Multi-value Cookie

If the split_cookie setting is set to false or the utag version is 4.49 or earlier, the example above creates a multi-value cookie named utag_cookie with three built-in values uid, test_seg, and aff.

Delete a Cookie

To delete one or more cookie values, use the optional flag parameter.

Delete one or more values from a utag_ cookie namespace. Each key-value pair specified is deleted:

utag.loader.SC("utag_cookie", {"test_seg":"", "aff":""}, "d");

Delete all values in a utag_ cookie namespace or a specified standalone cookie:

utag.loader.SC("utag_cookie", {}, "da");