in reply to Re^3: WIN32::IE::Mechanize - can't follow link - JavaScript involved
in thread WIN32::IE::Mechanize - can't follow link - JavaScript involved

No, I'm not sure, but it seems like the correct object to me.

By way of background, this is a form that appears on the Securities and Exchange Commission's web site that investors can use to get information about investment advisors. The URL is http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Search/iapd_OrgSearch.aspx.

When I open this page up in a regular browser I fill in the field next to the label "CrdNumber" with a known value for an existing investment advisor (the value I use is 144549). To submit the form, I click on what looks like a "button" that is next to the field that I filled in. This process gets me to the page (information) that I really want. This is the process that I would like to automate over a large number of investment advisors

Although I have never worked with JS, I have worked a little with Java, so it seemed odd to me that there was no "onClick()" method in the underlying source code. There was an earlier thread that I read that had a similar issue and the advice was that the object is not, in fact, a button. That thread suggested using ie->follow_link() which is why I tried adding it to my code.

One other thing, although there are four (4) forms on the page, once I have filled in the CrdNumber field, if I click on ANY of the "submit" buttons (they all have different names) my submission works fine. The reasons for this are probably obvious to someone with more coding experience than myself, but it is a mystery to me.

I'm going to try to follow those (relative) URLs from the JS lines. I will get back on that. Thanks for you advice.

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Re^5: WIN32::IE::Mechanize - can't follow link - JavaScript involved
by psini (Deacon) on May 22, 2008 at 18:29 UTC

    You are right> I didn't notice that the image tag was inside a

    <a HREF="JavaScript:JSubmitForm()" onMouseOver="status='Perform Search'; return true" onMouseOut="status='';">

    tag. When you click the image, it its the HREF attribute that fires the jSubmitForm() sub from javascript.

    The "go" buttons are interchangeable because thet all call the same JS function.

    So we return to my previous post: if you get the linked javascript you'll find the source of the function:

    function JSubmitForm()
{
    document.Content.Name.value = document.Search1.Name.value;
    document.Content.CrdNumber.value = document.Search2.CrdNumber.valu
+e;        
    document.Content.SecNumber.value = document.Search3.SecNumber.valu
+e;
    
    if (eval("document.Search1.SearchType[0].checked") == true) 
    {
        document.Content.SearchType.value = 1;
    }
    if (eval("document.Search1.SearchType[1].checked") == true)
    {
        document.Content.SearchType.value = 2;
    }
    if (eval("document.Search1.SearchType[2].checked") == true)
    {
        document.Content.SearchType.value = 3;
    }
    
    if (eval("document.Search4.NumRows[0].selected") == true) 
    {
        document.Content.NumRows.value = document.Search4.NumRows[0].v
+alue;
    }
    if (eval("document.Search4.NumRows[1].selected") == true) 
    {
        document.Content.NumRows.value = document.Search4.NumRows[1].v
+alue;
    }
    if (eval("document.Search4.NumRows[2].selected") == true) 
    {
        document.Content.NumRows.value = document.Search4.NumRows[2].v
+alue;
    }
    if (eval("document.Search4.NumRows[3].selected") == true) 
    {
        document.Content.NumRows.value = document.Search4.NumRows[3].v
+alue;
    }
    
    document.Content.submit();
    return false;
}

    [download]

    As you can see, the function does nothing more than setting the hidden fields SearchType and NumRows to the appropriate values depending how the form was compiled and then submit the form.

    This means that you should be able to completely bypass the downloading of the form, and produce a simple GET with the correct parameters that retrieves directly the result you want.

    Rule One: Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man.

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]

      Okay, here is what I tried (see below). When I run this I just get the original web page that contains the form, but with the values filled in. The form never "fires" (i.e., I'm not getting through to the next page that I actually want).

      Here is my code.

      #!/usr/bin/perl -w

use LWP::UserAgent ;
use URI ;

my $url = URI->new( 'http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Searc
+h/iapd_OrgSearch.aspx' ) ;

$url->query_form(
   'CrdNumber' => "144549",
   'NumRows' => "25",
   'SearchType' => "1",
) ;

my $response = LWP::UserAgent->new->get($url) ;


print $response->content();

exit ;

      [download]

      And here is the HTML that I get back. 

      

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">



<html>

    <head>

        <META content="text/html; charset=windows-1252" http-equiv=Con
+tent-Type>

        <title>Investment Adviser Search</title>

        <LINK href='/IAPD/Stylesheets/iapd.css' rel=stylesheet type=te
+xt/css media='screen'/>

        <LINK href='/IAPD/Stylesheets/iapd_print.css' rel=stylesheet t
+ype=text/css media='print'/>

        

    <script type="text/javascript" language='Javascript' src='/IAPD/In
+cludes/Validation/Search/iapd_OrgSearch.js'></script> 

      <script type="text/javascript" language='Javascript' src='/Iapd/
+Includes/iapd_WindowManagement.js'></script> 

    <script type="text/javascript" language='Javascript' src='/Iapd/In
+cludes/iapd_SetAndSub.js'></script> 

    <script language=javascript>

       function init() 

       {

            if(document.Content.Name != null)

                document.Content.Name.value = "";

            if(document.Content.CrdNumber != null)

                document.Content.CrdNumber.value = "";

            if(document.Content.SecNumber != null)

                document.Content.SecNumber.value = "";

       }

       window.onload = init; 

    </script>



    </head>



    <body bgColor=#ffffff leftmargin="0" topmargin="0">

        <a NAME="PageTop"></a>

        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"
+ class="noprint">

            <tbody>

            <tr valign="top">

                <td height="92" rowSpan="5" nowrap><img alt="SEC Seal"
+ border="0" height="92" src="/IAPD/Images/SEC_bannerSealTop2.gif" wid
+th="95"><img alt="SEC Seal" border="0" height="92" src="/IAPD/Images/
+SEC_bannerSealTopRt.gif" width="26"></td>

                <td background="/IAPD/Images/SEC_stripedbgMain.gif" he
+ight="39" width="171"><img alt="" border="0" height="39" src="/IAPD/I
+mages/SEC_bannerFlagMain.gif" width="171"></td>

                <td align="right" background="/IAPD/Images/SEC_striped
+bgMain.gif" class="gray" valign="bottom" width="100%"></td>

                <td rowspan="4" width="126">

                    <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">

                        <tbody>

                        <tr>

                            <td rowspan="3"><img alt="" height="90" sr
+c="/IAPD/Images/flag_lt.gif" width="7"></td>

                            <td><img alt="" height=12 src="/IAPD/Image
+s/flag_top.gif" width="112"></td>

                            <td rowspan=3><img alt="" height="90" src=
+"/IAPD/Images/flag_rt.gif" width="7"></td>

                        </tr>

                        <tr>

                            <td><img id="_ctl0_imgFlag" src="/IAPD/Ima
+ges/State_Regulation.gif" alt="State Regulation" border="0" height="7
+2" width="112" /></td>

                        </tr>

                        <tr>

                            <td><img alt="" height="6" src="/IAPD/Imag
+es/flag_bot.gif" width="112"></td>

                        </tr>

                        </tbody>

                    </table>

                </td>

            </tr>

            <tr valign="top">

                <td bgcolor="black"><img alt="" height="1" src="/IAPD/
+Images/pixel.gif" width="1"></td>

                <td bgcolor="black" height="34"><img alt="Investment A
+dviser Public Disclosure" border="0" height="34" src="/IAPD/Images/IA
+PDtitle.gif" width="391"></td>

            </tr>

            <tr>

                <td bgcolor="white" height="2"><img alt="" height="2" 
+src="/IAPD/Images/pixel.gif"></td>

                <td bgcolor="white" height="2"><img alt="" height="1" 
+src="/IAPD/Images/pixel.gif" width="1"></td>

            </tr>

            <tr>

                <td bgcolor="#324395" colspan="2" height="15"><img alt
+="" border="0" height="15" src="/IAPD/Images/SEC_bannerFlagBot.gif" w
+idth="50"></td>

            </tr>

            <tr>

                <td bgcolor="white" colspan="5" height="2"><img alt=""
+ height="2" src="/IAPD/Images/pixel.gif"></td>

                <td bgcolor="white" height="2"></td>

            </tr>

            </tbody>

        </table>

        

        <table id="_ctl0_tblMain" border="0" cellpadding="0" height="1
+00%" cellspacing="0" width="100%">

    <tr valign="top">

        <td bgcolor="#e1e1d6" colspan="3" valign="top" width="1%">

                    <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" 
+width="150" class="noprint">

                        <tbody>

                        <tr>

                            <td><img src="/IAPD/Images/SEC_SealBotFron
+tB.gif" alt="SEC Seal"></td>

                        </tr>

                        <tr>

                            <td><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src=
+"/IAPD/Images/pixel.gif" width="5"></td>

                        </tr>

                        </tbody>

                    </table>

                    <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" 
+width="130" class="noprint">

                        <tbody>

                        <tr>

                            <td>

                                <!-- Left Navigation -->

                                

                                    <table border="0" width="130" cell
+spacing="5" cellpadding="0">

  <tr>

    <td>

      <img src="/IAPD/images/IAPDhome2.jpg" alt="IAPD Main">

    </td>

  </tr>

  <tr>

    <td>

      <table border="0" width="130" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0">

        <tr>

          <td>

            <a onMouseOver="status='Link To the SEC';return true" onMo
+useOut="status='';" class="Nav" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Content
+/IAPDMain/iapd_SECRedirect.aspx');">Return to the SEC</a>

          </td>

        </tr>

        <tr>

          <td>

            <a onMouseOver="status='Link To the SEC IARD Page';return 
+true" onMouseOut="status='';" class="Nav" href="javascript: JSub('/IA
+PD/Content/IAPDMain/iapd_SECRedirect.aspx?dir=IARD');">Return to SEC 
+IARD Page</a>

          </td>

        </tr>

        <tr>

          <td>

            <a onMouseOver="status='Link To Sitemap';return true" onMo
+useOut="status='';" class="Nav" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Content
+/IAPDMain/iapd_SiteMap.aspx');">Return to Sitemap</a>

          </td>

        </tr>

        <tr>

          <td>

            <a onMouseOver="status='Link To Investment Adviser Search'
+;return true" onMouseOut="status='';" class="NavSelected" href="javas
+cript: JSub('/IAPD/Content/Search/iapd_OrgSearch.aspx');">Investment 
+Adviser Search</a>

          </td>

        </tr>

      </table>

    </td>

  </tr>

</table>

<BR>

<BR>

                                

                                <!-- Left Nav Control Goes Here -->

                            </td>

                        </tr>

                        </tbody>

                    </table>

                </td>

        <td>

                    <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" 
+width="100%">

                        <tr>

                            <td id="_ctl0_tdBackground" background="/I
+APD/Images/iapd-wmk2.jpg">

                                <img alt="" height="10" src="/IAPD/Ima
+ges/pixel.gif" width="540"><br />

                                <table border="0" cellPadding="0" cell
+Spacing="0" width="100%">

                                    <tbody>

                                    <tr>

                                        <td>

                                            <!-- Main Content -->

                                             

    <script language="Javascript">

        var bDoneLoading = "N"

    </script>

<table Border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" height="100%" width=
+"100%">

  <tr valign="top" height="96%">

    <td width="100%" colspan="3">

      <DIV id="content">

        <div class="PageTitle">Investment Adviser Search</div>

        <input name="Save" type="Hidden" value="IAPDSearch">

        <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"
+>

          <tr>

            <td class="QueryTableTitle" colspan="5">Search for an Inve
+stment Adviser Firm:</td>

          </tr>

          <form name="Search1" method="Post" onSubmit="return JSubmitF
+orm();">

            <tr>

              <td colspan="5">

                <table border="0" cellPadding="3" cellSpacing="0" widt
+h="100%">

                  <tbody>

                    <tr>

                      <td class="QueryTableLabel" colspan="1" width="3
+0%">Firm Name:</td>

                      <td class="QueryTableLabel" colspan="1">

                        <input type="text" name="Name" value="" size="
+30" maxlength="64">

                        <a HREF="JavaScript:JSubmitForm()" onMouseOver
+="status='Perform Search'; return true" onMouseOut="status='';">

                          <img SRC="/IAPD/Images/go_off.gif" alt="Go" 
+name="go" onMouseover="JImgAct('go')" onMouseout="JImgInact('go')" BO
+RDER="0" align="top">

                        </a>

                      </td>

                    </tr>

                    <tr>

                      <td class="QueryTableLabel" width="30%" valign="
+top">Type of Firm Search:</td>

                      <td class="QueryTableLabel">

                        <input type="radio" name="SearchType" value="1
+" checked="true">Starts With<br><input type="radio" name="SearchType"
+ value="2">Contains<br><input type="radio" name="SearchType" value="3
+">Sounds Like</td>

                    </tr>

                  </tbody>

                </table>

              </td>

            </tr>

          </form>

          <tr>

            <td colSpan="5">

              <hr>

            </td>

          </tr>

          <form name="Search2" method="Post" onSubmit="return JSubmitF
+orm();">

            <tr>

              <td colspan="5">

                <table border="0" cellPadding="3" cellSpacing="0" widt
+h="100%">

                  <tbody>

                    <tr>

                      <td width="30%" class="BoldTD" colspan="2">Firm 
+IARD/CRD Number:</td>

                      <td colspan="3">

                        <input type="text" name="CrdNumber" value="144
+549" size="16" maxlength="12">

                        <a HREF="JavaScript:JSubmitForm()" onMouseOver
+="status='Perform Search'; return true" onMouseOut="status='';">

                          <img SRC="/IAPD/Images/go_off.gif" alt="Go" 
+name="go2" onMouseover="JImgAct('go2')" onMouseout="JImgInact('go2')"
+ BORDER="0" align="top">

                        </a>

                      </td>

                    </tr>

                  </tbody>

                </table>

              </td>

            </tr>

          </form>

          <tr>

            <td colSpan="5">

              <hr>

            </td>

          </tr>

          <form name="Search3" method="Post" onSubmit="return JSubmitF
+orm();">

            <tr>

              <td colspan="5">

                <table border="0" cellPadding="3" cellSpacing="0" widt
+h="100%">

                  <tbody>

                    <tr>

                      <td width="20%" class="BoldTD" colspan="1">Firm 
+SEC Number:</td>

                      <td class="BoldRightTD" width="10%">801-</td>

                      <td colspan="3">

                        <input type="text" name="SecNumber" value="" s
+ize="16" maxlength="16">

                        <a HREF="JavaScript:JSubmitForm()" onMouseOver
+="status='Perform Search'; return true" onMouseOut="status='';">

                          <img SRC="/IAPD/Images/go_off.gif" alt="Go" 
+name="go3" onMouseover="JImgAct('go3')" onMouseout="JImgInact('go3')"
+ BORDER="0" align="top">

                        </a>

                      </td>

                    </tr>

                  </tbody>

                </table>

              </td>

            </tr>

          </form>

          <tr>

            <td colSpan="5">

              <hr>

            </td>

          </tr>

          <form name="Search4">

            <tr>

              <td colspan="5">

                <table border="0" cellPadding="3" cellSpacing="0" widt
+h="100%">

                  <tbody>

                    <tr>

                      <td width="30%" colspan="2" class="BoldTD">Recor
+ds displayed per Page:</td>

                      <td colspan="3">

                        <select name="NumRows">

                          <option value="25">25</option>

                          <option value="50">50</option>

                          <option value="75">75</option>

                          <option value="100">100</option>

                        </select>

                      </td>

                    </tr>

                  </tbody>

                </table>

              </td>

            </tr>

          </form>

        </table>

        <br>

        <br>

        <br>

        <br>

        <form name="Content" method="Post">

          <input type="hidden" name="LinkPage" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="PageType" value="Search">

          <input type="hidden" name="ORG_PK" value="000">

          <input type="hidden" name="STATE_CD" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="Name" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="SearchType" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="CrdNumber" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="SecNumber" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="NumRows" value="">

          <input type="hidden" name="Save" value="IAPDSearch">

        </form>

      </DIV>

    </td>

  </tr>

</table>

<script language="Javascript">

        bDoneLoading = "Y"

    </script> 



                                        </td>

                                    </tr>

                                    </tbody>

                                </table>

                            </td>

        

                        </tr>

                    </table>

                </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

        <td colspan="4" class="FooterMenuItem noprint">

                    

                        <!-- Navigation Footer -->

                        <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing=
+"0" width="100%">

  <tr class="noprint" align="top">

    <TD colspan="3" align="center" valign="top" width="150" Class="Bac
+kToTop">

      <a HREF="#PageTop" Class="FooterMenuItem" onMouseOver="status='S
+croll Back to Top of this Page';return true" onMouseOut="status=''">B
+ack to Top</a>

    </TD>

    <td Class="FooterMenuItem" align="Center">

      <div align="center">

        <b>IAPD Main</b>

      </div>

      <a class="FooterMenuItem" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Content/
+IAPDMain/iapd_SECRedirect.aspx');" onMouseOver="status='Link To the S
+EC'; return true" onMouseOut="status=''">Return to the SEC</a>
           | 
       <a class="FooterMenuItem" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Content
+/IAPDMain/iapd_SECRedirect.aspx?dir=IARD');" onMouseOver="status='Lin
+k To the SEC IARD Page'; return true" onMouseOut="status=''">Return t
+o SEC IARD Page</a>
           | 
       <a class="FooterMenuItem" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Content
+/IAPDMain/iapd_SiteMap.aspx');" onMouseOver="status='Link To Sitemap'
+; return true" onMouseOut="status=''">Return to Sitemap</a>
           | 
       <a class="FooterItemSelected" href="javascript: JSub('/IAPD/Con
+tent/Search/iapd_OrgSearch.aspx');" onMouseOver="status='Link To Inve
+stment Adviser Search'; return true" onMouseOut="status=''">Investmen
+t Adviser Search</a> 
    
 </td>

  </tr>

</table>

                    

                </td>

    </tr>

</table>



    </body>

</html>

      [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
[select]

        It is because you make a GET and not a POST and you don't valorized some field.

        Replace this in your code:

        $url->query_form(
   'CrdNumber' => "144549",
   'NumRows' => "25",
   'SearchType' => "2",
   'ORG_PK' => "000",
   'Save' => "IAPDSearch",
) ;

my $response = LWP::UserAgent->new->post($url) ;

        [download]

        and it will work.

        Rule One: Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man.

[reply]
[d/l]

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