How to simulate clicks on <a href="javascript:dosomething(12345)">text</a> using python?

Question

I want to simulate such clicks without controlling web browsers to do the job. I don't know much about javascript and actually don't know where to start. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Althoug I have no use it, I think that maybe twill is what you need:

• twill: a simple scripting language for Web browsing

Have a look at this too:

• Testing Web Applications with Python and Twill

Answer 2

You can use iMacros in combination with Python...

This isn't the most direct solution as it requires you to write an iMacros script to do that actual clicking, and then load the page and call the script from Python.

Refereces:

• iMacros CLICK command
• iMacros wiki

Answer 3

If you had control over the link (like adding an ID attribute) you could use javascript to simulate the click

var link = document.getElementById['yourLinksIdAttrbuteValue'];
link.click();

or you could use jQuery selectors as an easy way to better target the link without altering it...

<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.2/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script>
     $(function(){ $("a[href^='javascript']:contains('text')").click() });
</script>

With that code it'll load the JQuery library from google's server, wait for the dom to load, then execute the click.

for more info on jQuery selectors check out http://api.jquery.com/category/selectors/

Answer 4

I recommend you take a look at Selenium.