How to Automatically fill out web forms

[SlumberMachine]

I need to make a project that automatically connects to an internal server that has a web interface, fill out specific information, including picking items from a drop down list, textboxes, and then pressing the enter button.

Is this something I can handle in Vb 2005? or should I do it in Perl?

I believe the form is done in asp. Unfortunately the team that handles the service and servers are too busy to help me, so I need to access it from a user standpoint.

Even if you don't know how to do this, if you can point me in what direction I need to look for information that would be helpfull.

Thanks!

[tamjap]

Kleinma has a good example on how to do this in the code bank here. He uses a COM object named SHDocVW. I have tried to do this in the past, and it works well, though frames appear to be inaccessible in .NET (from my experience) and now that my new program is hosted on a new Windows Server 2003 server, the Navigate command finishes loading the site. My code has worked on other systems, though, so I would be interested in learning what results you get.

[SomethinCool]

I don't know if this can help you or not but...

This is some of my code on how I retrieve data from a SQL Database and then input the data into a ListBox:

Private Sub refreshGroupList()
        lstEmailGroups.Items.Clear()
 
        Dim sqlConn As New OleDb.OleDbConnection(sqlConnString)
        Dim sqlStatement As String = "SELECT GroupName FROM EmailGroups ORDER BY GroupName"
        Dim sqlCmdGroups As New OleDb.OleDbCommand(sqlStatement, sqlConn)
        Dim groupDS As New DataSet
        Dim groupDT As New DataTable
        Dim sqlDA As New OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter
 
        Try
            sqlConn.Open()
 
            sqlDA.SelectCommand = sqlCmdGroups
 
            groupDS.Tables.Add(groupDT)
            sqlDA.Fill(groupDT)
        Catch ex As Exception
            Response.Write("Error connecting to database! Please contact your administrator. " & vbNewLine & ex.Message)
        Finally
            sqlConn.Close()
        End Try
 
        For Each row As DataRow In groupDS.Tables(0).Rows
            lstEmailGroups.Items.Add(Trim(row("GroupName")))
        Next
    End Sub

And here is code that adds data retrieved from a SQL Database to textboxes and drop down menus:

Private Sub btnEditData_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnEditData.Click
 
        lstBranch.ClearSelection()
        lstDepartment.ClearSelection()
 
        Dim counter As Integer
        Dim userID As Integer
 
        userID = lstUsers.SelectedItem.Value
 
        Dim sqlConn As New OleDb.OleDbConnection(sqlConnString)
        Dim sqlStatement As String = "SELECT * FROM Directory WHERE UserID = " & UserID
        Dim sqlDA As New OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter
        Dim sqlCommand As New OleDb.OleDbCommand(sqlStatement, sqlConn)
 
        Try
            sqlConn.Open()
 
            sqlDA.SelectCommand = sqlCommand
 
            DS.Tables.Add(DT)
            sqlDA.Fill(DT)
 
            txtFirstName.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("First_Name").ToString
            txtLastName.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Last_Name").ToString
            txtNickname.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Nickname").ToString
            txtNickname2.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Nickname2").ToString
            txtNickname3.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Nickname3").ToString
            txtExtension.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Extension").ToString
            txtDID.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Direct_Dial").ToString
            txtCellNum.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Cell_Number").ToString
            txtDC.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("DirectConnect").ToString
            txtSalesNum.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Sales_Number").ToString
            txtEmailAddress.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Email").ToString
            txtSignOn.Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Sign_On").ToString
 
            counter = 0
 
            For counter = 0 To lstBranch.Items.Count - 1
                If lstBranch.Items(counter).Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Branch").ToString Then
                    lstBranch.Items(counter).Selected = True
                End If
 
            Next
 
            counter = 0
 
            For counter = 0 To lstDepartment.Items.Count - 1
                If lstDepartment.Items(counter).Text = DS.Tables(0).Rows(0)("Department").ToString Then
                    lstDepartment.Items(counter).Selected = True
                End If
            Next
 
            sqlCommand.Dispose()
            DS.Dispose()
            DT.Dispose()
 
        Catch ex As Exception
            Response.Write("<script>alert(""Error connecting to the database. Please contact your administrator." & vbNewLine & ex.Message & """);</script>")
        Finally
            sqlConn.Close()
        End Try
    End Sub