What is this technique called?

17 replies
Hey Warriors,

As somebody who specializes in web apps, I don't know too much about languages like Java and C/C++ - But I'd like to.

Specifically I'd like to learn more about the technique that brings an IE browser into an application and then interacts with it.

I pick up languages pretty quickly - and know a modified version of C pretty well (for my robotics hobby) not to mention I've got quite a few books on Java laying around.

Anyway, I'd love to know what this is called.

Thanks in advance for your help!
#called #technique
  • Profile picture of the author imarketstuff
    back in the day, i think it was called OLE and/or DDE.

    alot of languages like VB, Visual C, etc..have hooks to let you use IE browser objects, drag n drop into your form and u have access to the object properties.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Ramsey
    So, OLE or DDE would allow me to create, let's say, an app that would fill out and submit forms? Forms would be the big thing, as they're one of the main interaction points on websites.

    Thanks for the help!
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    • Profile picture of the author imarketstuff
      Originally Posted by Chris Ramsey View Post

      So, OLE or DDE would allow me to create, let's say, an app that would fill out and submit forms? Forms would be the big thing, as they're one of the main interaction points on websites.

      Thanks for the help!
      yes, it is possible.. you can do a googly search such as "fill out HTML forms with VB" to get examples, or substitute VB for another programming language.

      peace
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      • Profile picture of the author jminkler
        Originally Posted by imarketstuff View Post

        yes, it is possible.. you can do a googly search such as "fill out HTML forms with VB" to get examples, or substitute VB for another programming language.

        peace

        If you looking to Automate stuff .. check out Selenium IDE and Selenium RC
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        • Profile picture of the author imarketstuff
          Originally Posted by jminkler View Post

          If you looking to Automate stuff .. check out Selenium IDE and Selenium RC
          yep, selenium is awesome and freeeeeeeeeee!
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    • Profile picture of the author jminkler
      Originally Posted by Chris Ramsey View Post

      So, OLE or DDE would allow me to create, let's say, an app that would fill out and submit forms? Forms would be the big thing, as they're one of the main interaction points on websites.

      Thanks for the help!
      Screw that ... check out Adobe Air ... transfer your HTML skills into "Apps"
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    • Profile picture of the author macfan182
      Originally Posted by TrafficMystic View Post

      You need to look at the mshtml classes..
      yeah.. the mshtml classes..
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      • Profile picture of the author jminkler
        Originally Posted by macfan182 View Post

        yeah.. the mshtml classes..
        umm why? you can use 1 line of js to get the elements you need INSIDE selenium by appending JS to ANY page...

        Need all the form elements .. no problem
        need all the links? again no problem ..

        need to add jquery to the site .. again no problem
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Ramsey
    I looked at it, and it looks cool - but what I'd ultimately like to do is sell the software I create. It doesn't sound like I can plug Selenium into a desktop app... Or can I?
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    • Profile picture of the author jminkler
      Originally Posted by Chris Ramsey View Post

      I looked at it, and it looks cool - but what I'd ultimately like to do is sell the software I create. It doesn't sound like I can plug Selenium into a desktop app... Or can I?

      Sure you can ... all you have to do is package the RC server, and exec Java command which will start the server in the background .. then you can use whatever lib you want to automate the browser through the RC server.

      Not sure of the license on it though ....

      Have you seen SocialMarker's site? Is this what you want to do or similar?
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Ramsey
        Originally Posted by jminkler View Post

        Sure you can ... all you have to do is package the RC server, and exec Java command which will start the server in the background .. then you can use whatever lib you want to automate the browser through the RC server.

        Not sure of the license on it though ....

        Have you seen SocialMarker's site? Is this what you want to do or similar?
        I'm not exactly sure just yet what I'll be doing with it SocialMarker's site is hit by some sort of a bug, or so Google tells me right now so I can't check it out.

        What I'd like to do though is have my software work like, let's say SENuke. Where it'll browse through websites and do, well, whatever I need it to rather than just using an API of some sort of web app.

        I figure having a skill like this will come in handy in many cases and automating things this way is pretty much fool proof, as long as the software keeps up with updates.
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        • Profile picture of the author jminkler
          Originally Posted by Chris Ramsey View Post

          I'm not exactly sure just yet what I'll be doing with it SocialMarker's site is hit by some sort of a bug, or so Google tells me right now so I can't check it out.

          What I'd like to do though is have my software work like, let's say SENuke. Where it'll browse through websites and do, well, whatever I need it to rather than just using an API of some sort of web app.

          I figure having a skill like this will come in handy in many cases and automating things this way is pretty much fool proof, as long as the software keeps up with updates.
          I'm working on something similar, and the way I'm doing it is with selenium. I'm not going to release the software though, just the data. What your going to run into posting articles in a way to read CAPTCHAS. Most sites have API's though, so maybe you don't even need to emulate a browser at all. What I'm working on actually analyzes the HTML of the page though.
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          • Profile picture of the author Chris Ramsey
            Originally Posted by jminkler View Post

            What I'm working on actually analyzes the HTML of the page though.
            This is actually what I'd like to do. This way I can get my software to work with any site, even if they don't have an API of some kind - plus I could get around API restrictions this way.

            The captcha's would probably have to get solved by hand, at least at first until I earned enough to purchase some sort of class that could do all that... but those don't run cheap.
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  • Profile picture of the author LynxSI
    Chris: Can you clarify you goal?

    Are you looking to making an application designed for user interaction or a fully automated webpage "robot" for filling out forms? OLE/DDE is kinda obsolete, or at least hanging on by a thread. ActiveX came next. And now many people are using .Net technologies which have built in support for many Microsoft classes including an IE control.

    This is all irrelevant if you are trying to make a robot of sorts.. As someone mentioned above many sites now use CAPTCHAs to prevent exactly this.
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  • Profile picture of the author garyk1968
    Yes its not strictly OLE that predates what you use to embed IE which is ActiveX and the IE browser is housed in COM DLL. However it only exposes certain properties and methods. If you have an environment like Visual Studio you can use the object browser to get a list of supported methods. As a COM dll it registers itself with windows so you dont have to hunt for it, it will appear in a list of registered controls on your machine.
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