Safari and form data

[dishusa]

I have a script that uses data from a Filemaker database and submits it to a website as Form Data in IE5. It does not look like this is supported in Safari. does anybody have a solution to this?
Please… I HATE Internet Exploder.

[jonn8]

You can bypass the browsers all together and use cURL.

property allowed_URL_chars : (characters of “$-_.+!*'(),1234567890abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz”)
property hex_list : (characters of “0123456789ABCDEF”)

copy {“field 1”, “field 2”, “submit”} to the_fields
copy {“field 1”, “field 2”, “submit”} to the_values –get these from FMP
set the_URL to “http://www.formpost.com/getthis/post.cgi”
return post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)

on post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)
set field_count to count of the_fields
if field_count is not (count of the_values) then return “error: field count is not value count.”
set encoded_values to “”
repeat with i from 1 to field_count
set URL_addition to (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_fields)) & “=” & (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_values))
set encoded_values to my combine_URL_values(encoded_values, URL_addition)
end repeat
return do shell script "cURL -d " & (quoted form of encoded_values) & " " & (quoted form of the_URL)
end post_form_data

on [color=green]encode_URL_string/color
set character_list to (characters of this_item)
repeat with i from 1 to number of items in character_list
set this_char to item i of character_list
if this_char is not in allowed_URL_chars then set item i of character_list to my [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
end repeat
return character_list as string
end encode_URL_string

on [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
set ASCII_num to (ASCII number this_char)
return (“%” & (item ((ASCII_num div 16) + 1) of hex_list) & (item ((ASCII_num mod 16) + 1) of hex_list)) as string
end encode_URL_char

on combine_URL_values(base_URL, URL_addition)
if base_URL = “” or base_URL ends with “?” then
set the_amp to “”
else
set the_amp to “&”
end if
return base_URL & the_amp & URL_addition
end combine_URL_values

–this script was automatically tagged for
–color coded syntax by Script to Markup Code
–written by Jonathan Nathan

For more info, see:

return do shell script “man curl”

Jon

[dishusa]

I believe I need to use a browser because upon submission, it returns a generated form that i have to extract data from and copy it back to filmaker pro.

I think I would need another college semester to figure out the script you gave me.

[jonn8]

Ok, try this:

property allowed_URL_chars : (characters of “$-_.+!*'(),1234567890abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz”)
property hex_list : (characters of “0123456789ABCDEF”)
property search_term : “applescript & safari”

repeat
set search_term to text returned of (display dialog “Search Yahoo! for:” default answer search_term buttons {“Cancel”, “OK”} default button 2 with icon 1)
if search_term is not “” then exit repeat
end repeat
copy {“p”, “ei”, “vm”, “n”, “fl”, “x”} to the_fields
copy {search_term, “UTF-8”, “i”, “20”, “0”, “wrt”} to the_values
set the_URL to “http://search.yahoo.com/search?”
return safari_post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)

on safari_post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)
set field_count to count of the_fields
if field_count is not (count of the_values) then return “error: field count is not value count.”
set encoded_values to “”
repeat with i from 1 to field_count
set URL_addition to (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_fields)) & “=” & (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_values))
set encoded_values to my combine_URL_values(encoded_values, URL_addition)
end repeat
tell application “Safari”
activate
open location the_URL & encoded_values
end tell
end safari_post_form_data

on [color=green]encode_URL_string/color
set character_list to (characters of this_item)
repeat with i from 1 to number of items in character_list
set this_char to item i of character_list
if this_char is not in allowed_URL_chars then set item i of character_list to my [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
end repeat
return character_list as string
end encode_URL_string

on [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
set ASCII_num to (ASCII number this_char)
return (“%” & (item ((ASCII_num div 16) + 1) of hex_list) & (item ((ASCII_num mod 16) + 1) of hex_list)) as string
end encode_URL_char

on combine_URL_values(base_URL, URL_addition)
if base_URL = “” or base_URL ends with “?” then
set the_amp to “”
else
set the_amp to “&”
end if
return base_URL & the_amp & URL_addition
end combine_URL_values

–this script was automatically tagged for
–color coded syntax by Script to Markup Code
–written by Jonathan Nathan

Just copy and paste it into the Script Editor, no degree required.

Jon

[dishusa]

Ok, this is very nice. It works. Although Im not enterning in search data I’m submitting customer data, SSN, Credit card info etc to a secure site.

Is there any documentation on this script? I have no real idea how this works. I can guess, but would likely be wrong.

Is all the “encode url” stuff to take care of non-standard asci characters?

You should write a book on applescript. I have never found a good one that goes beyond the syntax.

[dishusa]

Jon, can what I’m trying to do here be done with the Safari “do Javascript” on another site’s form submission? The script example you gave me is too complicated.

Chris

an example of the script I wrote with IE:

tell application "FileMaker Pro"
	
	
	set lastname to cell "SubLastEncode" in current record
	
	set firstname to cell "SubFirstEncode" in current record
	
	set streetAddress to cell "SubAddressEncode" in current record
	
	set city to cell "SubCityEncode" in current record
	
	set stat to cell "Subscriber State" in current record
	
	set zip to cell "Subscriber Zip" in current record
	set txtPhoneAreaCodeField to cell "AreaCode" in current record
	set phprefix to cell "phprefix" in current record
	set suffex to cell "phsufex" in current record
	set txtCardNumberField to cell "Account" in current record
	set txtExpMonthField to cell "CCMonth" in current record
	set txtExpYearField to cell "CCYEAR" in current record
	set txtSubscriberSSN to cell "SSN" in current record
	set txtCertificateNo to cell "clubdish" in current record
end tell

tell application "Internet Explorer"
	Activate
	
	
	OpenURL "https://retailer.echostar.com/claims/claimcreate.asp" FormData ("txtSubscriberFName=" & firstname & "&txtSubscriberLName=" & lastname & "&txtSubscriberAddress=" & streetAddress & "&txtSubscriberCity=" & city & "&txtSubscriberState=" & stat & "&txtSubscriberZip5=" & zip & "&optSingleStory=" & "1" & "&optBillingAddress=" & "1" & "&txtSubscriberPhoneArea=" & txtPhoneAreaCodeField & "&txtSubscriberPhonePrefix=" & phprefix & "&txtSubscriberPhoneSuffix=" & suffex & "&txtSubscriberCardNo=" & txtCardNumberField & "&cboSubscriberCreditCardExpMth=" & txtExpMonthField & "&cboSubscriberCreditCardExpYear=" & txtExpYearField & "&txtSubscriberSSN=" & txtSubscriberSSN & "&txtCertificateNo=" & txtCertificateNo & "&hidPromo=" & promocode & "&hidFormAction=" & "VALIDATEFORM" & "&hidFormIteration=" & "0" & "&hidExistingSub=" & "" & "&hidPromoAppCode=" & "" & "&hidCertUsed=" & "") ----format of form data is: FormData ( "field=" & variable & "&field2=" & "data")
	
end tell

[jonn8]

I can’t test this because I don’t have an account but this should work:

property allowed_URL_chars : (characters of “$-_.+!*'(),1234567890abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz”)
property hex_list : (characters of “0123456789ABCDEF”)

tell application “FileMaker Pro”
set lastname to cell “SubLastEncode” in current record
set firstname to cell “SubFirstEncode” in current record
set streetAddress to cell “SubAddressEncode” in current record
set city to cell “SubCityEncode” in current record
set stat to cell “Subscriber State” in current record
set zip to cell “Subscriber Zip” in current record
set txtPhoneAreaCodeField to cell “AreaCode” in current record
set phprefix to cell “phprefix” in current record
set suffex to cell “phsufex” in current record
set txtCardNumberField to cell “Account” in current record
set txtExpMonthField to cell “CCMonth” in current record
set txtExpYearField to cell “CCYEAR” in current record
set txtSubscriberSSN to cell “SSN” in current record
set txtCertificateNo to cell “clubdish” in current record
end tell

copy {“txtSubscriberFName”, “txtSubscriberLName”, “txtSubscriberAddress”, “txtSubscriberCity”, “txtSubscriberState”, “txtSubscriberZip5”, “optSingleStory”, “optBillingAddress”, “txtSubscriberPhoneArea”, “txtSubscriberPhonePrefix”, “txtSubscriberPhoneSuffix”, “txtSubscriberCardNo”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpMth”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpYear”, “txtSubscriberSSN”, “txtCertificateNo”, “hidPromo”, “hidFormAction”, “hidFormIteration”, “hidExistingSub”, “hidPromoAppCode”, “hidCertUsed”} to the_fields
copy {firstname, lastname, streetAddress, city, stat, zip, “1”, “1”, txtPhoneAreaCodeField, phprefix, suffex, txtCardNumberField, txtExpMonthField, txtExpYearField, txtSubscriberSSN, txtCertificateNo, promocode, “VALIDATEFORM”, “0”, “”, “”, “”} to the_values
set the_URL to “https://retailer.echostar.com/claims/claimcreate.asp?”
return safari_post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)

on safari_post_form_data(the_fields, the_values, the_URL)
set field_count to count of the_fields
if field_count is not (count of the_values) then return “error: field count is not value count.”
set encoded_values to “”
repeat with i from 1 to field_count
set URL_addition to (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_fields)) & “=” & (my encode_URL_string(item i of the_values))
set encoded_values to my combine_URL_values(encoded_values, URL_addition)
end repeat
tell application “Safari”
activate
open location the_URL & encoded_values
end tell
end safari_post_form_data

on [color=green]encode_URL_string/color
set character_list to (characters of this_item)
repeat with i from 1 to number of items in character_list
set this_char to item i of character_list
if this_char is not in allowed_URL_chars then set item i of character_list to my [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
end repeat
return character_list as string
end encode_URL_string

on [color=green]encode_URL_char/color
set ASCII_num to (ASCII number this_char)
return (“%” & (item ((ASCII_num div 16) + 1) of hex_list) & (item ((ASCII_num mod 16) + 1) of hex_list)) as string
end encode_URL_char

on combine_URL_values(base_URL, URL_addition)
if base_URL = “” or base_URL ends with “?” then
set the_amp to “”
else
set the_amp to “&”
end if
return base_URL & the_amp & URL_addition
end combine_URL_values

–this script was automatically tagged for
–color coded syntax by Script to Markup Code
–written by Jonathan Nathan

Jon

[dishusa]

after a day of reading your previous scripts, cross referencing variables and handlers and looking up systax in my boods, I was nearly at the same conclusion. I was just about to start writing modules to test.

This is very nice. I’ll make my changes in this and start testing it. I now think I see what you are doing. Assembling the form data from the variables and values, encoding the ascii text in the %XX scheme, then submitting the completed URL in post or get format.

THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT!

You work fast.

[dishusa]

I have created a test page for a simple login to a site which uses 3 fields using the POST method. It seems that the script is formating the data in the GET method by generating name-value pairs and adding them to the end of the URL and will not log in.

What am I missing here? The fields are just a login, pswd and one hidden.

[jonn8]

What I would do is use the first CURL script and then write the results to a text file that Safari opens. Do you have a URL for the test form you created that I could test with?

Jon

[dishusa]

http://retailer.echostar.com/login/login.asp

Unfortunatly, I cannot give the password in this forum as it contains very sensitive data. Let me know If there is anything else I could do.

Am I to understand that It will not support POST method?

Chris

[jonn8]

This doesn’t help me very much as I don’t have an account. You mentioned that you wrote a quick page with a three field form. Is that URL private?

[dishusa]

Sorry, that was my test page to the site I need access to. I don’t know how to create the cgi that authenticates a form that I create. I tried to use forms on my website, but the cgii scripts will not allow direct access.

I now understand your script. Worked on it all day, about the equivalent of a college semester, but could not get it to do a POST method. I suppose that’s what the “FormData” script command in IE5 does.

I’m running into dead-ends. Trying everything.
Could your script along with a Java script to post the data work via the DoJavascript in the Safari Dictionary?

If you have any suggestions, I’m listening…

thanks,
Chris

[jonn8]

This is about as far as I can go. The following script will take data from your FMP database, format into a JavaScript to “autofill” the form on the page (adjust the_URL to the actual page where the form resides if it is not correct in the script below). If the form is not the first, adjust it below (remember JavaScript starts at 0 not 1). It will still be up to you to click the submit button but this should make it a bit easier. This is very difficult to troubleshoot without seeing the actual page. If it doesn’t work, perhaps you could bring up the page, copy the source, remove any private or sensitive data (passwords, usernames, etc.) and let me see that. Then I’d know for certain what the form and fields are. Right now, I’m guessing about the field types.

tell application “FileMaker Pro”
set lastname to cell “SubLastEncode” in current record
set firstname to cell “SubFirstEncode” in current record
set streetAddress to cell “SubAddressEncode” in current record
set city to cell “SubCityEncode” in current record
set stat to cell “Subscriber State” in current record
set zip to cell “Subscriber Zip” in current record
set txtPhoneAreaCodeField to cell “AreaCode” in current record
set phprefix to cell “phprefix” in current record
set suffex to cell “phsufex” in current record
set txtCardNumberField to cell “Account” in current record
set txtExpMonthField to cell “CCMonth” in current record
set txtExpYearField to cell “CCYEAR” in current record
set txtSubscriberSSN to cell “SSN” in current record
set txtCertificateNo to cell “clubdish” in current record
end tell

copy {“txtSubscriberFName”, “txtSubscriberLName”, “txtSubscriberAddress”, “txtSubscriberCity”, “txtSubscriberState”, “txtSubscriberZip5”, “optSingleStory”, “optBillingAddress”, “txtSubscriberPhoneArea”, “txtSubscriberPhonePrefix”, “txtSubscriberPhoneSuffix”, “txtSubscriberCardNo”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpMth”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpYear”, “txtSubscriberSSN”, “txtCertificateNo”, “hidPromo”, “hidFormAction”, “hidFormIteration”, “hidExistingSub”, “hidPromoAppCode”, “hidCertUsed”} to the_fields
copy {firstname, lastname, streetAddress, city, stat, zip, “1”, “1”, txtPhoneAreaCodeField, phprefix, suffex, txtCardNumberField, txtExpMonthField, txtExpYearField, txtSubscriberSSN, txtCertificateNo, promocode, “VALIDATEFORM”, “0”, “”, “”, “”} to the_values
copy {“text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “option”, “option”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “combo”, “combo”, “text”, “text”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”} to the_field_types
set the_URL to “https://retailer.echostar.com/claims/claimcreate.asp”

set the_js to "F = document.forms[0];
"
repeat with i from 1 to count of the_fields
set field_type to (item i of the_field_types)
if field_type = “text” or field_type = “hidden” then
set the_js_add to “F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.value='” & (item i of the_values) & “';”
else if field_type = “combo” then
set the_js_add to “k=0; for(k=0; k<F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.length; k++) {
if(F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.options[k].text=='” & (item i of the_values) & “') {
F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.selectedIndex=k; break;
}
}”
else if field_type = “option” then
set the_js_add to “k=0; for(k=0; k<F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.length; k++) {
if(F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “[k].value=='” & (item i of the_values) & “') {
F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “[k].checked=true; break;
}
}”
end if
set the_js to the_js & the_js_add & return
end repeat

tell application “Safari”
activate
open location the_URL
delay 5 – in seconds (adjust for length of time it takes to load the page)
do JavaScript the the_js in document 1
end tell

–this script was automatically tagged for
–color coded syntax by Script to Markup Code
–written by Jonathan Nathan

Jon

[dishusa]

I really appreciate your help.

This kinda brings be back to square one. With IE5, applescript would “push” the submit button with the “OpenURL & FormData”. This is the automation I am trying to accomplish with Safari, but it appears apple did not put that kind of scripting ability in it.

I fiind it ironic that a Microsoft product has better applescript support than Safari.

Thanks again for your help. sorry to take up so much time on this, but I hope it can be good for others too.

Chris

[jonn8]

Please note that I edited the aboved script to account for various form input types.

Jon

[dishusa]

Jon, Are you aware of any 3rd party scripting additions that will add the “post” method to Safari? (still working on this problem)… And is there a way to contact Apple and “suggest” that they provide additional applescript for Safari to make it at least as good as explorer, mozilla, omniweb etc?

[jonn8]

I don’t know of any third-party Scripting Additions for Safari. As far as letting Apple know about your request, in Safari, under the View menu, check “Bug” then click on the bug button at the top far right of the browser window. While this is mostly for posting bugs, I imagine they take general suggestions too…

Just curious, did the autofill script work for you? I know it doesn’t actually post the data (although it could by simply adding one more JavaScript line to actually submit the filled-in form). Is this really not a feasible solution for you?

Jon

[jonn8]

Here is the complete script with the submit line, a better routine for checking if the page has actually loaded, and support for a username and password to open the original URL. Again, I guessed on the input types and values for the various fields and they may need to be tweaked for the actual types and values but that is a relatively simple matter.

tell application “FileMaker Pro”
set lastname to cell “SubLastEncode” in current record
set firstname to cell “SubFirstEncode” in current record
set streetAddress to cell “SubAddressEncode” in current record
set city to cell “SubCityEncode” in current record
set stat to cell “Subscriber State” in current record
set zip to cell “Subscriber Zip” in current record
set txtPhoneAreaCodeField to cell “AreaCode” in current record
set phprefix to cell “phprefix” in current record
set suffex to cell “phsufex” in current record
set txtCardNumberField to cell “Account” in current record
set txtExpMonthField to cell “CCMonth” in current record
set txtExpYearField to cell “CCYEAR” in current record
set txtSubscriberSSN to cell “SSN” in current record
set txtCertificateNo to cell “clubdish” in current record
end tell

copy {“txtSubscriberFName”, “txtSubscriberLName”, “txtSubscriberAddress”, “txtSubscriberCity”, “txtSubscriberState”, “txtSubscriberZip5”, “optSingleStory”, “optBillingAddress”, “txtSubscriberPhoneArea”, “txtSubscriberPhonePrefix”, “txtSubscriberPhoneSuffix”, “txtSubscriberCardNo”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpMth”, “cboSubscriberCreditCardExpYear”, “txtSubscriberSSN”, “txtCertificateNo”, “hidPromo”, “hidFormAction”, “hidFormIteration”, “hidExistingSub”, “hidPromoAppCode”, “hidCertUsed”} to the_fields
copy {firstname, lastname, streetAddress, city, stat, zip, “1”, “1”, txtPhoneAreaCodeField, phprefix, suffex, txtCardNumberField, txtExpMonthField, txtExpYearField, txtSubscriberSSN, txtCertificateNo, promocode, “VALIDATEFORM”, “0”, “”, “”, “”} to the_values
copy {“text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “option”, “option”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “text”, “combo”, “combo”, “text”, “text”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”, “hidden”} to the_field_types

set user_name to “user”
set user_password to “password”
set the_URL to “https://” & user_name & “:” & user_password & “@retailer.echostar.com/claims/claimcreate.asp”

set the_js to "F = document.forms[0];
"
repeat with i from 1 to count of the_fields
set field_type to (item i of the_field_types)
if field_type = “text” or field_type = “hidden” then
set the_js_add to “F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.value='” & (item i of the_values) & “';”
else if field_type = “combo” then
set the_js_add to “k=0; for(k=0; k<F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.length; k++) {
if(F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.options[k].text=='” & (item i of the_values) & “') {
F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.selectedIndex=k; break;
}
}”
else if field_type = “option” then
set the_js_add to “k=0; for(k=0; k<F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “.length; k++) {
if(F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “[k].value=='” & (item i of the_values) & “') {
F.” & (item i of the_fields) & “[k].checked=true; break;
}
}”
end if
set the_js to the_js & the_js_add & return
end repeat

tell application “Safari”
activate
open location the_URL
if my [color=green]page_loaded/color = false then error number -128 –give it a minute to load
do JavaScript the_js in document 1
set the_button to button returned of (display dialog “Is this form correct?” buttons {“Yes - Submit”, “No”} default button 2 with icon 1)
if the_button = “Yes - Submit” then do JavaScript “document.forms[0].submit();” in document 1
end tell

on [color=green]page_loaded/color
repeat with i from 1 to timeout_value
tell application “Safari”
if (do JavaScript “document.readyState” in document 1) = “complete” then
return true
else if i = timeout_value then
return false
else
delay 1
end if
end tell
end repeat
return false
end page_loaded

–this script was automatically tagged for
–color coded syntax by Script to Markup Code
–written by Jonathan Nathan

Jon

[dishusa]

So far my original script for explorer is more elegant and gets the job done very well. I will incorporate the code you sent into it to make it handle the encoding better. Although the JS solution you provided will most likely work, It is not exactly the solution I’m looking for. I started working on this because I wanted to use a standard browser on my machine and get away from Explorer since microlimp has stopped support for it.

During the beta test, I sent numerious bug reports to apple concerning the applescript support.