Automating database web search

Phyrexicaid · 04-09-2008, 02:39 AM

I run weekly reports on an online database (I don't have full access to the database) where I need to generate states based on a certain field. Currently the only way to do this is to select each option from a drop down list, perform the search and copy the number I need from the search results. I then hit back, select the next option from the drop down list and repeat.

Quite tedious and time consuming. The database maintainers won't add the search option I need.

I was thinking that if I could see what query is being sent, I could then write a script that automatically sends the query, picks out the string I need from the result and save that.
What I need therefore is:

Ability to log into the site
Create query
Strip info I need out of result
Save result
Rinse and repeat

Any suggestions /help would be appreciated!

blacky_5251 · 04-09-2008, 03:00 AM

It all depends on the interface to the database. If the web-address that displays the search results contains the search parameters - e.g. in the way a google search does - then you can copy this address and use "wget" to repeat that search from the command line or a script.

wget can be instructed to save the results to a file and you can then use grep/sed/whatever to interrogate the search results (which is now an HTML file on your disk) for the data you need.

If you need to login to the database, wget can do this too.

Phyrexicaid · 04-09-2008, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacky_5251

It all depends on the interface to the database. If the web-address that displays the search results contains the search parameters - e.g. in the way a google search does - then you can copy this address and use "wget" to repeat that search from the command line or a script.

wget can be instructed to save the results to a file and you can then use grep/sed/whatever to interrogate the search results (which is now an HTML file on your disk) for the data you need.

If you need to login to the database, wget can do this too.

No, that's the problem, I opened the frame that the search is being performed in to see what the web-address is and all it gives is:

Code:

www.some.site/admin_customers.asp?mode=search&ID=

No matter what search is being performed.

blacky_5251 · 04-09-2008, 03:25 AM

Can you get an address by holding the mouse over the "search" button?

Phyrexicaid · 04-09-2008, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacky_5251

Can you get an address by holding the mouse over the "search" button?

No, it just gives the address posted above. I'm looking at the page source and it seems the variables are hidden:

Code:

<form  action="admin_customers.asp?mode=search&ID="
			
			method="post" id="searchForm" name="searchForm" onsubmit="return validateForm()">
		

	<input type="hidden" id="mode" name="mode" value="search">
	<input type="hidden" id="ID" name="ID" value="">			
		
	<input type="hidden" id="startpos" name="startpos" value="">					
	<input type="hidden" id="sort" name="sort" value="">
	<input type="hidden" id="sortorder" name="sortorder" value="">
	<input type="hidden" id="checkedItems" name="checkedItems">
	<input type="hidden" id="uncheckedItems" name="uncheckedItems">
	<input type="hidden" id="selectAll" name="selectAll">
	<input type="hidden" id="deSelectAll" name="deSelectAll">
	<input type="hidden" id="recordselected" name="recordselected">
	<input type="hidden" id="resultsPerPage" name="resultsPerPage">
	<input type="hidden" id="candidateActivity" name="candidateActivity">
	<input type="hidden" id="queryID" name="queryID">
	<input type="hidden" id="AdminQueryID" name="AdminQueryID" value="" />
	<input type="hidden" id="AdminQueryName" name="AdminQueryName" value="" />

blacky_5251 · 04-09-2008, 03:44 AM

All I can suggest is that you try to "guess" the address by creating the URL yourself using info from the hidden fields you found. Assign them values, separate them properly, and see how you get on.

Phyrexicaid · 04-09-2008, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacky_5251

All I can suggest is that you try to "guess" the address by creating the URL yourself using info from the hidden fields you found. Assign them values, separate them properly, and see how you get on.

I've found an easier way to go about it. I'm using iMacros for Firefox, so now I can automate the process.

What I'm doing at the moment is letting the script run and writing down the numbers I need on each page (only one number, so not too bad), but what I'd like to do is save each page using:

Code:

SAVEAS TYPE=MHT FOLDER=* FILE=EasternCape

But then the file with the info I need is saved in the EasternCape_files folder. What I would need to do is write a script to descend into that folder, grep the portion of the file I need and dump the info into a text file so it has

Code:

EasternCape, info