Automating webpage interaction - Internet Explorer

[wildest_jjk]

Hi all,

At work there is an internal web page that constructs tables based on data that a VB script is pulling. I'm looking at ways of automatically accessing this webpage, selecting the necessary filters in a couple of drop downs and then submitting this to create a table of data.

What would be ideal is if I could then store this information somewhere (preferably excel) and then schedule this to run daily. Are there any relatively simple ways of approaching this?

Thanks

 

[wildest_jjk]

Thanks guys for your help. A couple of things to mention as I might not have been clear/fully understand...

I don't have access to the code that is used and really I think it is best that I don't (due to potential responsibility etc.) In terms of the webpage I think what happens is a separate VB script pulls data and stores this in a large table/database. The webpage then allows you to interface with the database and filter into smaller tables.

I'm assuming the excel option wouldn't work as the table needs to be generate via the webpage first of all?

Cheers

 

[wildest_jjk]

If the web page has the data on it in a table from the start, the Excel approach will work. If you can only get the web page to put the table up by selecting options on the page then you'll need to find a way to do that first. The page might do it via AJAX (dynamic calls without a page load) or it might do it by submitting a form (refreshing the entire page). In either case, you can probably capture the request that is going to the server and send it yourself (unless the page is using a form token which it shouldn't be for a GET request).

Really, nobody here can give you answers much beyond what we have without actually seeing the site or else giving you an entire free course on web design and how the web works via this forum.

Go to the page - is the data there in a table ready? If so, just do the Excel import I suggest. If the data isn't there because it's waiting for you to select things from a drop down menu then open the Developer mode of your browser (either hit F12 in IE or Edge, or install Firebug in Firefox and use that). Switch to the network tab and see what happens when you do whatever it is you do to get the table to display. You should see a web request go over to the server containing some parameters. That's the page request you want - use that.

Really, I'm at my limit on this now and if the above isn't enough, you need to go away and learn web design properly because if you don't understand form submissions and / or AJAX, you're likely out of your depth (though you can still learn).

Also, we're not all guys, just FYI.

Thanks for your response. Apologies if I offended you with my use of the word 'guys'. I understand not everyone is male on the forums but it's just a word I use to encompass everyone, it's a bad habit.

In terms of web design I do have a basic knowledge but that is about it. I will spend time getting it working and learning how to do this but just needed to be pointed in the right direction

Will give it a go...