Procedure 5.1. Excluding files and inline scripts

Using the following code as example, this article will demonstrate how to use the Exclude JavaScript settings on the JavaScript tab on the Options page.

<script src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-XXXXXXX-XX"></script>
<script>
	window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
	function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
	gtag('js', new Date());

	gtag('config', 'UA-XXXXXXX-XX');
</script> 
                        

Here we have a JavaScript file and a declaration block of inline script. This particular one is for adding Google Analytics to your site. Google Analytics must always be excluded to work well so this example may prove useful for most people.

1. Choose one or more of the following steps depending on what you are trying to exclude.

   • Excluding files

     1. To exclude a file, use the setting(s) called Exclude JavaScript files.

     2. Click in the text-box then select the url of the file you want to exclude. If the file name is too long it will appear truncated in the drop-down list with three dots preceding the truncated file url. In this particular case you'll probably see .../gtag/js.

        • If you're not seeing this you can add it by typing any part of the url, for eg., googletagmanager.com/gtag/js , googletag, or gtag, then click the Add item button. Do NOT type the three dots.

          

          Add Item To Exclude

     3. When the item is selected or added, you'll see options to 'Ignore execution order' and/or 'Don't move to bottom'. Since in this particular case we're sure the file has no dependency on other files, and that the location of the file in the document is important, we select both.

        

        Exclude JavaScript While Ignoring Execution Order

   • Excluding files from a particular extension

     1. To exclude all the files from a particular extension, use the setting called Exclude JavaScript files from these extensions.

     2. You'll see the folder name of the extensions in the drop-down list here, or the domains of external files. In this example you should see www.googletagmanager.com. Select the extensions or domains of files that you want to exclude. The folder name of the extension is that part of the url between two successive slashes that corresponds to the folder that all the files from this extension is stored under.

        	Tip
        	Typically you can add any part of the file name that occurs between two successive slashes, representing a folder in the hierarchy of that file, to the drop-down list. Any file with this folder in their url will be excluded.

   • Excluding inline declaration blocks

     1. To exclude a block of inlined code, use the setting(s) called Exclude individual internal SCRIPTS declarations.

     2. Each item in the drop-down list will be the first few words occurring in the declaration block, for eg., window.dataLayer=window.dataLayer||[.... The code will be shown minified and truncated following by three dots. Select the scripts you want to exclude.

        	Tip
        	To add an inline script that is not shown in the drop-down list, you can type any substring that occurs in the script, for eg., function gtag(), dataLayer.push, or gtag('js' etc. Be sure that whatever substring you choose to use only occur in the scripts(s) you're trying to exclude. Try to avoid including any part of the code that would probably change on the next page load.

2. Save your settings. Items that were added will no longer appear in the list on the next page load if your settings were not saved.