[2005] a Webpage Manipulation Class for using the AxWebBrowser Control

[RickyH]

I'm trying to build a reusable class for WebPage Manipulation in Vb.NET. I've used Kleinmas great code to base the class I'm posting here. My goal is to show you the class and allow you to build on it so you can simply copy/paste the class into your own project to use. As well, hopefully get some ideas from others on the functions/procedures available in the class.

If you think I should add a function/procedure, please just post here and I will try to edit the code below to reflect those changes.

This work was derived from Kleinma's work located in this thread:
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=416275

You will need to add a few references before using the classes. Here are the steps to add the references:

In your Visual Studio 2005 Solution, we need to add the WebBrowser 
control to the Toolbox, in Windows Forms, right click and select "Add 
new item...", and select "COM components" tab. Here select "Microsoft 
Web Browser". This will add this control to the Toolbox and generate two 
Interop in your references: AxSHDocVw and SHDocVw. 

You will also need to add a reference to Microsoft.mshtml.  In your 
vb.net project right-click the references folder and choose to add a 
new reference. Choose the Microsoft.mshtml and add the reference.

Here is a couple of examples to use the class to get the source of a webpage and to fill out a simple webform. After adding a AxWebBrowser control and navigating to a page, you can do this: (make sure you rplace the Username, Password, SubmitButton names with their real names on the webpage you are trying to submit to.)

'declaration
dim wpM as new clsWebPageManipulation
 
Private Sub Form1_Load(byval yadadada) handles mybase.load
      AxWebBrowser1.Navigate("http://www.vbforums.com")     
Exit Sub
 
Private Sub AxWebBrowser1_DocumentComplete(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As AxSHDocVw.DWebBrowserEvents2_DocumentCompleteEvent) Handles AxWebBrowser1.DocumentComplete
     dim strSource as string = wpM.GetSource(AxWebBrowser1)
     console.writeLine(strSource)
End Sub
 
Private Sub FillFormAndClickSubmit
     wpM.SetTextboxText(AxWebBrowser1, "loginform", "RickyH", "txtUserName")
     wpM.SetTextboxText(AxWebBrowser1, "loginform", "myStrongPassword", "txtPassword")
     wpM.ClickSubmitButton(AxWebBrowser1, "loginform", "LoginButtonName")
End Sub

See attached picture of the current functions available in the class.

Here is the class that you can store separately in your project:

Public Class clsWebPageManipulation
 
    Friend Function GetCurrentWebDoc(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser) As mshtml.HTMLDocument
        Try
            Return DirectCast(wb.Document, mshtml.HTMLDocument)
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetCurrentWebForm(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal formName As String) As mshtml.HTMLFormElement
        Try
            If GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).forms.length > 0 Then
                Return DirectCast(GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).forms.item(formName), mshtml.HTMLFormElement)
            Else
                Return Nothing
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function TextExists(ByVal Text As String, ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser) As Boolean
        Dim mydoc As mshtml.HTMLDocument = GetCurrentWebDoc(wb)
        Dim MyRange As mshtml.IHTMLTxtRange = Nothing
        MyRange = DirectCast(mydoc.selection().createRange, mshtml.IHTMLTxtRange)
        If MyRange.findText(Text) Then
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function
 
    Friend Function ShowText(ByVal Text As String, ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser) As Boolean
        Dim mydoc As mshtml.HTMLDocument = GetCurrentWebDoc(wb)
        Dim MyRange As mshtml.IHTMLTxtRange = Nothing
        MyRange = DirectCast(mydoc.selection().createRange, mshtml.IHTMLTxtRange)
        If MyRange.findText(Text) Then
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function
 
    Friend Sub SetTextboxText(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal TextToType As String, ByVal txtBoxName As String)
        DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wb, strFormName).item(txtBoxName), mshtml.HTMLInputElement).value = TextToType
    End Sub
 
    'CLICKS THE REGULAR HTML BUTTON (WHICH CALLS A JAVASCRIPT IN THE HTML PAGE TO SHOW THAT IT WORKED)
    Friend Sub ClickNormalButton(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal strButtonName As String)
        DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wB, strFormName).item(strButtonName), mshtml.HTMLButtonElement).click()
    End Sub
 
    'THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO SUBMIT A FORM
    Friend Sub ClickSubmitButton(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal strButtonName As String)
 
        DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wB, strFormName).item(strButtonName), mshtml.HTMLButtonElement).click()
 
        Return 'so we don't call the below method
 
        'THE OTHER WAY IS HERE, HOWEVER IT WILL BYPASS ANY JAVASCRIPT OR OTHER FUNCTIONALITY
        'THAT MAY BE ATTACHED TO THE BUTTON'S CLICK, WHICH IS WHY THE ABOVE METHOS IS BETTER
        'FOR ALMOST ALL SITUATIONS
        GetCurrentWebForm(wB, strFormName).submit()
    End Sub
 
    Friend Sub ClickImageButton(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strImageButtonName As String)
        Dim MyImageElement As mshtml.HTMLInputElement = _
            DirectCast(GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).all.item(strImageButtonName), mshtml.HTMLInputElement)
        MyImageElement.click()
    End Sub
 
    Friend Function TextSourceExists(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal TextToFind As String) As Boolean
        Try
            TextToFind = TextToFind.ToLower
            If GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).documentElement.outerHTML.ToString.ToLower.Contains(TextToFind) = True Then
                Return True
            Else
                Return False
 
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function TextExistsInUrl(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal TextToFind As String) As Boolean
        Try
            If GetCurrentWebDoc(wB).url.ToString.Contains(TextToFind) = True Then
                Return True
            Else
                Return False
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetSource(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser) As String
        Try
            Dim str As String = ""
            str = GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).documentElement.outerHTML.ToString
            Return str
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return ""
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Sub SetTextareaText(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal strTextAreaName As String, ByVal strTextToType As String)
        DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wB, strFormName).item(strTextAreaName), mshtml.HTMLTextAreaElement).value = strTextToType
    End Sub
 
    Friend Function GetTextAreaData(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal strTextAreaBoxName As String)
        Try
            If DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wb, strFormName).item(strTextAreaBoxName), mshtml.HTMLTextAreaElement).value <> "" Then
                Return True
            Else
                Return False
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetTextBoxData(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal strFormName As String, ByVal strTextBoxName As String)
        Try
            If DirectCast(GetCurrentWebForm(wb, strFormName).item(strTextBoxName), mshtml.HTMLInputElement).value <> "" Then
                Return True
            Else
                Return False
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetUrl(ByVal wb As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser) As String
        Try
            Return GetCurrentWebDoc(wb).url.ToString
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return ""
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetWebFrameObject(ByVal PassDocumentObject As Object) As mshtml.HTMLWindow2
        Try
            Return DirectCast(PassDocumentObject, mshtml.HTMLWindow2)
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Function GetWebForm(ByVal objDoc As mshtml.HTMLDocument) As mshtml.HTMLFormElement
        Try
            Return DirectCast(objDoc.forms.item(0), mshtml.HTMLFormElement)
 
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
 
    Friend Sub SetFrameTextBox(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal FrameNumber As Integer, ByVal ValueToSendToBox As String, ByVal FieldToFill As String)
        DirectCast(GetWebForm(GetWebFrameObject(GetCurrentWebDoc(wB).frames.item(FrameNumber)).document).item(FieldToFill, 0), mshtml.HTMLInputElement).value = ValueToSendToBox
    End Sub
 
    Friend Sub clickSubmitButtonFrames(ByVal wB As AxSHDocVw.AxWebBrowser, ByVal FrameNumber As Integer, ByVal FieldToFill As String)
        DirectCast(GetWebForm(GetWebFrameObject(GetCurrentWebDoc(wB).frames.item(FrameNumber)).document).item(FieldToFill, 0), mshtml.HTMLButtonElement).click()
    End Sub
 
End Class

[stanav]

Good idea... I have a little suggestion though. Since most of your methods require to pass in an axwebbrowser object, why don't you just create a constructor that take an axwebbrowser as the argument? Also have a property to set axwebbrowser?

[RickyH]

Good idea... I have a little suggestion though. Since most of your methods require to pass in an axwebbrowser object, why don't you just create a constructor that take an axwebbrowser as the argument? Also have a property to set axwebbrowser?

On some forms, you might have more than one AxWebBrowser to perform the same task, do you think I should keep the web browser parameter to the procedure level for these cases?

[stanav]

On some forms, you might have more than one AxWebBrowser to perform the same task, do you think I should keep the web browser parameter to the procedure level for these cases?

The code can simply Dim a new clsWebPageMannipulation instance for each AxWebBrowser he/she wishes to manipulate should he/she has more than 1 webbrowser on the form