Advice on web integration

[Sinky]

Hi!

I hope someone can shed some light on the following issue. I am looking for the way how I could fill out web form using data from several FM fields, submit the form and copy/paste the resultant image to a container field. While URL of the web page that shows the form is always the same, URL of the resultant image changes every time the image is generated (therefore Insert from URL function is not really applicable or I don't now how to use its full potential)

I did some research and found various ways how this could be possibly done:

1. Export fields to CSV and use Imacros or similar macro recorder to finish the job

2. Use various plug-ins like Troi URL plug in

3. Somehow interact with Web viewer inside FM

4. Use API integration

However, since I'm truly a rookie when it comes to web integration, I don't really know what to pick or even is there a better way. I would appreciate if I could get some advice on this issue. I'm not really looking for the simplest solution since I'm ready to devote myself and learn how to properly apply the solution,  but the most elegant one. In my ideal world, a click of a button and the picture is in the field, would be perfect.

Thanks in advance!

[comment]

Using an API is always preferable - however, what you describe is not an API. So the first question would be, does the site provide an actual API that you can interact with programmatically (the P in API), instead of trying to emulate a human user working through a web page?

If not, you need to look at the web page's code to see how it works and what can be done with it. Some pages will allow you to submit your own form data directly to their handler, some will block it. 

31 minutes ago, Sinky said:

URL of the resultant image changes every time the image is generated

That may not be a problem if you're working in a web viewer.

Note also that some sites place legal restrictions on automated access. In short, the devil is in the details.

 

[Wim Decorte]

#4 is only relevant if the web site you are interacting with has an API that you can talk to, to send data and get the result.

Checking to see if they do, is what I would strongly suggest because it is going to be infinitely more robust than trying to manipulate the entry form itself

[Sinky]

Hi!

Thanks for the reply. Yes the page has an API but they charge it a lot so I decided to look for an alternative solution. In the end I found workaround that surprisingly functions but is far from the simple solution I was hoping for.

In short: FM exports omitted record as csv, starts the Imacro which fills out the web form using the csv, extracts URL of the resultant image and copies it, FM Paste function pastes URL to particular filed and Insert from URL function takes over the URL and transfers the image into the container field. All this on the click of a button but the procedure is a bit messy and definitely not bulletproof.

As far as I could see the Paste function works only if the target field is present on the layout and this I would like to avoid but obviously it is not possible in this case.