Automate IE navigation works when stepping through code but does not work when runnin

**osuejm** · 12-10-2013, 01:06 PM

So I have been trying to automate some actions on a intranet website we have to upload and download files the user wants.

When I step into the logic I created and press F8 to go line by line, the code works, it extracts the hyperlink that I want.

But when I run the code, it gives no error, but it does not find what I am looking for either.

Here is the code I have been using: '''PortalValue is defined from user and just not included in this excerpt of code
strURL = "http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&folderID=" & PortalValue & ""

'view to go straight to upload
Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objIE.Visible = True

objIE.Navigate strURL

'wait to page comes up
While objIE.Busy
DoEvents
Wend

Set LinkCollection = objIE.Document.links

i = 1

'this code below works but still stops at 7 instead of 35
Debug.Print LinkCollection.length
For Each link In LinkCollection
' While i < LinkCollection.Length
'If InStr(LinkCollection.Item(i).href, "download") > 0 Then
If InStr(link, "download") > 0 Then
Debug.Print link 'successful hit if I reach here
End If
'i = i + 1
Next

Set LinkCollection = Nothing
Set objIE = Nothing

So as you see in the code, i started down the path of figuring out what is occurring and when I am in debug mode, it tells me there is 35 links. But when I run the code it only returns 7 links total (none of which are what i want).

The site itself is a mix of html tables and javascript, but I am just not sure how to get the running code to equal what I get in debug mode. I read that sometimes you need to code a little different when javascript is present, but I am not an expert when it comes to this stuff. Can anyone help me figure out next steps and how to resolve this issue?

**ItsMe** · 12-10-2013, 01:16 PM

The other links are probably nested within another node. For instance, 7 hrefs are at the document body level while others are within another element such as TABLE.

Did you look at the entire source code to see if the HREF's you are looking for are within other open and close tags?

**osuejm** · 12-10-2013, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by ItsMe

The other links are probably nested within another node. For instance, 7 hrefs are at the document body level while others are within another element such as TABLE.

Did you look at the entire source code to see if the HREF's you are looking for are within other open and close tags?

There are several tables but I do not know how to jump to the next sequence. The webpage itself has a header area across the top, then a left column and a right column (its a internal built document repository).

I can find where in the source code it stops but when I tried to get elements by tagname and look for tables, it does the same thing, in debug mode shows 47 tables but when it runs it only returns 5 tables. So I am still stumped.

**ItsMe** · 12-10-2013, 01:49 PM

So LinkCollection.Length has all of the HREF you are looking for? Maybe it is the instr "Download" that is limiting your result to 7.

Specifically, what has the value of 35 in the code you posted?

**osuejm** · 12-10-2013, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by ItsMe

So LinkCollection.Length has all of the HREF you are looking for? Maybe it is the instr "Download" that is limiting your result to 7.

Specifically, what has the value of 35 in the code you posted?

The 35 refers to the LinkCollection.Length when in debug mode. the instr "Download" in debug mode will eliminate the 35 down to 1 answer, which is what I want. So when I run the code, the LinkCollection.length only returns 7 before it even gets to the instr code.

**ItsMe** · 12-10-2013, 02:13 PM

Try declaring link

Dim link as HTMlLinkelement

Then comment out the instr lines

put in
Debug.Print link.innertext

**osuejm** · 12-10-2013, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by ItsMe

Try declaring link

Dim link as HTMlLinkelement

Then comment out the instr lines

put in
Debug.Print link.innertext

I currently have LInkCollection as Object and Dim link and thats it. Dim link as HTMLLinkelement is not understood by Access when I put it in.

**ItsMe** · 12-10-2013, 02:32 PM

Reference Microsoft HTML Object Library

**osuejm** · 12-10-2013, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by ItsMe

Reference Microsoft HTML Object Library

Ok got the reference set, ran in debug mode and I get 11 innertext fields back. When I run it, i get 2 back.

**ItsMe** · 12-10-2013, 03:53 PM

Try this code. If it is a link it will have an HREF tag. This should go after all of the HREF's in the Document Body Node. Forget step debug for now. Use Control + G and look at what prints in your immediate window. The code should be bug free. Not tested.. You will need to get your URL adjusted.

Code:

Private Sub Command0_Click()

Dim strURL As String
strURL = "http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&folderID=" & PortalValue & ""
Dim objIE As InternetExplorer
Dim htmlDoc As HTMLDocument
Dim LinkCollection As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim htmlElement As HTMLHtmlElement
Dim intCount As Integer
'view to go straight to upload
Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objIE.Visible = True
objIE.navigate strURL
'wait to page comes up
While objIE.ReadyState <> 4 Or objIE.Busy = True: Wend
Set htmlDoc = objIE.Document
While htmlDoc.ReadyState <> "complete": Wend
Set LinkCollection = htmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("HREF")
intCount = 0
For Each htmlElement In LinkCollection
Debug.Print "HREF element Index " & intCount
Debug.Print "outerHTML = " & htmlElement.outerHTML
Debug.Print "innerText = " & htmlElement.innerText
intCount = intCount + 1
Next

Set htmlElement = Nothing
Set LinkCollection = Nothing
Set htmlDoc = Nothing
Set objIE = Nothing
End Sub

**osuejm** · 12-11-2013, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by ItsMe

Try this code. If it is a link it will have an HREF tag. This should go after all of the HREF's in the Document Body Node. Forget step debug for now. Use Control + G and look at what prints in your immediate window. The code should be bug free. Not tested.. You will need to get your URL adjusted.

Code:

Private Sub Command0_Click()

Dim strURL As String
strURL = "http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&folderID=" & PortalValue & ""
Dim objIE As InternetExplorer
Dim htmlDoc As HTMLDocument
Dim LinkCollection As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim htmlElement As HTMLHtmlElement
Dim intCount As Integer
'view to go straight to upload
Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objIE.Visible = True
objIE.navigate strURL
'wait to page comes up
While objIE.ReadyState <> 4 Or objIE.Busy = True: Wend
Set htmlDoc = objIE.Document
While htmlDoc.ReadyState <> "complete": Wend
Set LinkCollection = htmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("HREF")
intCount = 0
For Each htmlElement In LinkCollection
Debug.Print "HREF element Index " & intCount
Debug.Print "outerHTML = " & htmlElement.outerHTML
Debug.Print "innerText = " & htmlElement.innerText
intCount = intCount + 1
Next

Set htmlElement = Nothing
Set LinkCollection = Nothing
Set htmlDoc = Nothing
Set objIE = Nothing
End Sub

I entered it all and I get the same 7 as I did with the before code.

So here is a snippet of the source webpage code (taking out the web address) on where it stops highlighted in blue:

<a href="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/overview?projID=57454" style="font-weight:bold; font-size:105%">
Overview
</a>

</td>
<td class="banHeaderBg" width="0%" style="padding:0">
<img src="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/private/img/clear.gif" height="1" width="2" align="absmiddle" border="0" />
</td>

<td width="0%" class="collabTabOn actionbarText" align="center" noWrap style="padding-left:15; padding-right:15; color:black">

<img src="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/img/genericFileIcon.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

<a style="font-weight:bold; font-size:105%">
Documents
</a>

</td>
<td class="banHeaderBg" width="0%" style="padding:0">
<img src="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/private/img/clear.gif" height="1" width="2" align="absmiddle" border="0" />
</td>

<td width="100%"> </td>
</tr>
</table>



</td></tr>
<tr><td height="4"></td></tr>
<tr height="100%"><td>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" height="100%" >
<tr><td valign="top">

<script type="text/javascript">
//the script here is for the detail

The part I need is after this javascript in the middle of the page. Here is what I am looking for (highlighted in green):

<isFolder class="Boolean">false</isFolder>
<canCheckOut class="Boolean">true</canCheckOut>
<canCheckIn class="Boolean">false</canCheckIn>
<canCreateShortcut class="Boolean">true</canCreateShortcut>
<canNotify class="Boolean">true</canNotify>
<canPublish class="Boolean">true</canPublish>
<canSubmitToWorkflow class="Boolean">true</canSubmitToWorkflow>
<canCopy class="Boolean">true</canCopy>
<canMove class="Boolean">true</canMove>
<canWebEdit class="Boolean">false</canWebEdit>
<canOverrideCheckOut class="Boolean">false</canOverrideCheckOut>
<canModerate class="Boolean">false</canModerate>
<type>d</type>
<canEdit class="Boolean">true</canEdit>
<canDelete class="Boolean">true</canDelete>
<id>161831</id><columnValues class="Array">
<columnValue index="0" class="PTTextColumnValue">
<value><![CDATA[<html-frag><nobr><img src="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/private/img/clear.gif" height="6" width="6" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><img src="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/private/img/iconDocPDF16.gif" height="16" width="16" align="absmiddle" border="0" /> <a href="http://portal.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/collab/docman/download/161831/0/0/0/Service Desk.pdf" target="_blank" class="collabAnchorText" title="Service Desk.pdf">Service Desk.pdf</a>

**ItsMe** · 12-11-2013, 10:35 AM

This seems to be working....

Code:

Private Sub Command0_Click()
Dim strURL As String
strURL = "C:\Test\Internet\Sample.htm"
Dim objIE As InternetExplorer
Dim htmlDoc As HTMLDocument
Dim LinkCollection As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim linkElement As HTMLLinkElement
Dim strLink As String
Dim strOuter As String
Dim intCount As Integer
Dim strFindMid As String
strFindMid = "href=" & """"
'view to go straight to upload
Set objIE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objIE.Visible = True
objIE.navigate strURL
'wait to page comes up
While objIE.ReadyState <> 4 Or objIE.Busy = True: Wend
Set htmlDoc = objIE.Document
While htmlDoc.ReadyState <> "complete": Wend
Set LinkCollection = htmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("A")
intCount = 0
For Each linkElement In LinkCollection
Debug.Print "A element Index " & intCount
strOuter = linkElement.outerHTML
    If InStr(strOuter, strFindMid) Then
        strOuter = Left(strOuter, InStrRev(strOuter, """" & ">") - 1)
        strLink = Mid(strOuter, InStrRev(strOuter, strFindMid) + 6)
    End If
    
Debug.Print "strOuter = " & strOuter
Debug.Print "strLink = " & strLink
intCount = intCount + 1
Next
Set htmlElement = Nothing
Set LinkCollection = Nothing
Set htmlDoc = Nothing
Set objIE = Nothing
End Sub

Automate IE navigation works when stepping through code but does not work when runnin

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Automate IE navigation works when stepping through code but does not work when runnin

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