The renewal maintenance has officially ended for Progress iMacros effective November 30, 2023.
This Wiki site will also no longer be moderated from the Progress side.
Thank you again for your business and support.
Sincerely, The Progress Team
Difference between revisions of "Custom Solutions"
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+ | In case you want us at iMacros to develop a solution for you, here's some hints on how to get the project going quickly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Getting in touch == | ||
+ | |||
+ | Getting a free quote is easy: just send us a mail at http://iopus.com/service/consulting/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | However, the more information we get right from the start, and the more detailed the description is, the quicker we can work on estimating complexity (and thus: costs) of the project. | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Project description == | ||
+ | |||
+ | What, then, is relevant information? | ||
+ | |||
+ | We will illustrate the necessary parts with a sample project: downloading the latest release of the iMacros plugin for Firefox. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === URLs to access === | ||
+ | |||
+ | As all macros work on web pages, we need to know the URLs of all relevant sites. | ||
+ | |||
+ | If these are accessible with a login only, '''please provide a (test) login'''. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Sample project ==== | ||
+ | The following URLs are relevant for the project: | ||
+ | * http://iopus.com/download/, no login necessary | ||
+ | |||
+ | (image missing due to temporary server problems: initial_url.png) | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Steps to be automated === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Keep in mind that we are not as familiar with the site you want to automate, as you are. That's why we need detailed information about | ||
+ | * what links to follow | ||
+ | * to enter what text into what fields | ||
+ | * what checkboxes to check, what radiobuttons to select | ||
+ | * what, exactly, to extract, if extraction is part of the macro (e.g. "extract last name, city and ZIP", and not "get address") | ||
+ | * ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Sample project ==== | ||
+ | The following steps are to be taken each time the solution is started: | ||
+ | # Visit http://iopus.com/download/ | ||
+ | # Select "Download" link that follows the line "iMacros for Firefox (Freeware, more info)" | ||
+ | (image missing due to temporary server problems: save_ff_download.png) | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Input-/Output samples === | ||
+ | |||
+ | If the project relies on e.g. web queries or on forms to fill, we need a sample of input files that | ||
+ | * tell us about the input layout (i.e. how many columns, what kind of data in what column) | ||
+ | * lets us test the site using this input data. Note that '''we need valid input data''' for testing the site! | ||
+ | |||
+ | With respect to the output, we need a sample, too, as it | ||
+ | * gives us more information about what exactly to extract | ||
+ | * tells us how much "formatting" the "raw" extracted data will need | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''The default format for input/output is CSV files''' that Excel / OpenOffice.Org et al. can import/export. | ||
+ | However, almost every other format is possible, too. Just tell us what you need: | ||
+ | * XML | ||
+ | * SQL datbases | ||
+ | * custom text files | ||
+ | * ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Sample project ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Neither input nor output is needed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === What programming/scripting language to use === | ||
+ | |||
+ | In most cases of automation, VBS scripts are sufficient. | ||
+ | |||
+ | But (e.g. in case you need a "real" user interface) other scripting/programming languages are possible, too, like: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * C# | ||
+ | * Java | ||
+ | * ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | In case you want a user interface, please specify what elements of input/output (e.g. free text input, dropdown boxes, information about progress) the interface should show. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Sample project ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Script will be run by cron job during the night. No user interaction needed. Please code in VBS. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Error handling === | ||
+ | |||
+ | When automating websites, several kinds of errors may occur: | ||
+ | * Disconnection | ||
+ | * Server error | ||
+ | * Invalid actions | ||
+ | * "Empty" query results | ||
+ | |||
+ | Please specify how to handle them, e.g. | ||
+ | * Restart script on disconnection | ||
+ | * Check whether actions were performed correctly | ||
+ | * What to do with empty result: ignore? Save as "empty"? ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Sample project ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Restart script on disconnection. Write progress to logfile. | ||
+ | Do not overwrite already downloaded files. If file to download has same name as already present file, rename the new one to filename.1 (filename.2, ...). |
Revision as of 09:36, 28 March 2008
In case you want us at iMacros to develop a solution for you, here's some hints on how to get the project going quickly.
Getting in touch
Getting a free quote is easy: just send us a mail at http://iopus.com/service/consulting/
However, the more information we get right from the start, and the more detailed the description is, the quicker we can work on estimating complexity (and thus: costs) of the project.
Project description
What, then, is relevant information?
We will illustrate the necessary parts with a sample project: downloading the latest release of the iMacros plugin for Firefox.
URLs to access
As all macros work on web pages, we need to know the URLs of all relevant sites.
If these are accessible with a login only, please provide a (test) login.
Sample project
The following URLs are relevant for the project:
- http://iopus.com/download/, no login necessary
(image missing due to temporary server problems: initial_url.png)
Steps to be automated
Keep in mind that we are not as familiar with the site you want to automate, as you are. That's why we need detailed information about
- what links to follow
- to enter what text into what fields
- what checkboxes to check, what radiobuttons to select
- what, exactly, to extract, if extraction is part of the macro (e.g. "extract last name, city and ZIP", and not "get address")
- ...
Sample project
The following steps are to be taken each time the solution is started:
- Visit http://iopus.com/download/
- Select "Download" link that follows the line "iMacros for Firefox (Freeware, more info)"
(image missing due to temporary server problems: save_ff_download.png)
Input-/Output samples
If the project relies on e.g. web queries or on forms to fill, we need a sample of input files that
- tell us about the input layout (i.e. how many columns, what kind of data in what column)
- lets us test the site using this input data. Note that we need valid input data for testing the site!
With respect to the output, we need a sample, too, as it
- gives us more information about what exactly to extract
- tells us how much "formatting" the "raw" extracted data will need
The default format for input/output is CSV files that Excel / OpenOffice.Org et al. can import/export. However, almost every other format is possible, too. Just tell us what you need:
- XML
- SQL datbases
- custom text files
- ...
Sample project
Neither input nor output is needed.
What programming/scripting language to use
In most cases of automation, VBS scripts are sufficient.
But (e.g. in case you need a "real" user interface) other scripting/programming languages are possible, too, like:
- C#
- Java
- ...
In case you want a user interface, please specify what elements of input/output (e.g. free text input, dropdown boxes, information about progress) the interface should show.
Sample project
Script will be run by cron job during the night. No user interaction needed. Please code in VBS.
Error handling
When automating websites, several kinds of errors may occur:
- Disconnection
- Server error
- Invalid actions
- "Empty" query results
Please specify how to handle them, e.g.
- Restart script on disconnection
- Check whether actions were performed correctly
- What to do with empty result: ignore? Save as "empty"? ...
Sample project
Restart script on disconnection. Write progress to logfile. Do not overwrite already downloaded files. If file to download has same name as already present file, rename the new one to filename.1 (filename.2, ...).