Combined synchronous and asynchronous tag deployment
A tag management system can implement a combined synchronous and asynchronous tag-loading scheme. In an embodiment of this scheme, a synchronous tag may be included at the top of or near the top of a content page. This synchronous tag can hide one or more page elements that are to be modified by a subsequent asynchronous personalization tag. Subsequently, the asynchronous personalization tag can update the page element and then cause the page element to be displayed. As a result, flicker between the old and new page elements can be reduced or avoided.
1 . A method of avoiding flicker between versions of a page element of a content page, the method comprising:
under control of a physical computing device:
storing, in one or more memory devices, a content page comprising a first section and a second section different from the first section, the second section including a first version of a page element;
prior to loading the second section for display in an application, synchronously executing a first script so that loading of the second section for display in the application is prevented until execution of the first script is completed and the first version of the page element is hidden from display upon loading of the second section for display;
loading the second section for display in the application, wherein the first version of the page element is loaded and hidden from display; and
subsequent to synchronously executing the first script:
retrieving a second script from a server via a computer network according to request instructions of the content page; and
executing the second script so that a second version of the page element is loaded and presented as visible in place of the first version of the page element that was loaded and hidden.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first section comprises the request instructions.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second section comprises the request instructions.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first section is positioned before the second section in the content page.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said executing the first script comprises modifying a Document Object Model (DOM) of the content page to assign a hidden visibility attribute to the first version of the page element.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said loading the second section comprises loading the second section so that, according to the first script, the first version of the page element is hidden from display by the application without removing the first version of the page element from a display layout of the content page.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said loading the second section comprises loading the second section so that, according to the first script, the first version of the page element is hidden from display by the application by removing the first version of the page element from a display layout of the content page.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said loading the second section comprises loading the second section so that, according to the first script, the first version of the page element is hidden from display by the application by deleting content of the first version of the page element from the content page.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said loading the second section comprises loading the second section so that, according to the first script, the first version of the page element is hidden from display by the application by overlaying another element on the first version of the page element.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said executing the second script comprises assigning a reveal visibility attribute to the second version of the page element.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said executing the second script comprises calling a function of the first script.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the page element comprises an image.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting the content page via the computer network; and
receiving the content page from a second server via the computer network.
14 . A system for avoiding flicker between versions of a page element of a content page, the system comprising one or more memory devices and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
store, in the one or more memory devices, a content page comprising a first section and a second section different from the first section, the second section including a first version of a page element;
prior to loading the second section for display in an application, synchronously execute a first script so that loading of the second section for display in the application is prevented until execution of the first script is completed and the first version of the page element is hidden from display upon loading of the second section for display;
load the second section for display in the application, wherein the first version of the page element is loaded and hidden from display; and
subsequent to synchronously executing the first script:
retrieve a second script from a server via a computer network according to request instructions of the content page; and
execute the second script so that a second version of the page element is loaded and presented as visible in place of the first version of the page element that was loaded and hidden.
15 . Non-transitory physical computer storage comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, are configured to implement a process of executing a first script and a second script that are referenced by a content page, the content page comprising a first section and a second section different from the first section, the second section including a first version of a first page element and a second page element, wherein the process comprises:
storing, in one or more memory devices, a content page comprising a first section and a second section different from the first section, the second section including a first version of a page element;
prior to loading the second section for display in an application, synchronously executing a first script so that loading of the second section for display in the application is prevented until execution of the first script is completed and the first version of the page element is hidden from display upon loading of the second section for display;
loading the second section for display in the application, wherein the first version of the page element is loaded and hidden from display; and
subsequent to synchronously executing the first script:
retrieving a second script from a server via a computer network according to request instructions of the content page; and
executing the second script so that a second version of the page element is loaded and presented as visible in place of the first version of the page element that was loaded and hidden.
16 . The non-transitory physical computer storage of claim 15 , wherein the first section comprises first request instructions.
17 . The non-transitory physical computer storage of claim 15 , wherein the second section comprises the request instructions.
18 . The non-transitory physical computer storage of claim 15 , wherein said executing the first script comprises modifying a Document Object Model (DOM) of the content page to assign a hidden visibility attribute to the first version of the first page element.
19 . The non-transitory physical computer storage of claim 15 , wherein said loading the second section comprises loading the second section so that, according to the first script, the first version of the page element is hidden from display by the application without removing the first version of the page element from a display layout of the content page.
20 . The non-transitory physical computer storage of claim 15 , wherein said executing the second script comprises assigning a reveal visibility attribute to the second version of the page element.