Retrieve random number of staff ID from table in IBM Notes

wasd · November 27, 2020, 3:50am

Hi guys, so i am trying to scrape data on an application called IBM Notes. So what i am trying to get is the Staff ID from a table. However, depending on the request, the number of staff ID changes. Someone recommended using data scraping and i’ve tried it. However, there seems to be nothing in the preview data even though i clicked on the correct field.

I was wondering if there is any other alternative to retrieve the random number of Staff ID that may appear in the table other than Data Scraping as it does seem to be working…

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 4:38am

@wasd Can you try using Find Children Activity. An explanation on using it is given in the below post. Can you check it and see if it is able to Solve your problem ?

wasd · November 27, 2020, 5:15am

Hi thanks for the reply, but i cannot even use Ui Explorer due to company’s Group Policy… That aside, when trying to select the entire table as stated in the post, i am unable to… I can only choose the individual cell no matter where i point to.

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 5:33am

@wasd UI Explorer is really needed when you work on UI Automations, you should request to change the Group’s policy. If it really cannot be changed, then we can try using another method.

The other method involves Element Exists and Get Attribute activity combination inside a Do While activity.

Element exists is used to identify if the row exists and then Get Attribute activity gets the value that you need from that UI Element. So this should be done for all the rows present in the table, and hence you will need to loop using a While/ Do While loop.

But however, we would need to Check the Selectors that you would get in the Element Exists Activity. Based on that we can be sure if it is able to get the required data.

Can you use Get Attribute or Element Exists Activity on the Staff ID element and send a Screenshot of the Selector

wasd · November 27, 2020, 5:39am

Hi the machine does not even have internet access but hopefully this pic i took using my phone is fine

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 5:42am

@wasd What is the Staff ID value that you have selected ?

Give a try with Get Attribute activity for the same UI element or Staff ID that you have selected with attribute as aaname and check what is the output it provides.

wasd · November 27, 2020, 5:45am

so for the input attribute field i put it as “aaname” with the double quotation right? and for the Result field what do i put to see the output it provides?

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 5:49am

@wasd You can just provide a String variable there, and check it’s value in a Message Box.

wasd · November 27, 2020, 5:51am

Just to confirm again, i put “aaname” with the double quotation in the inpute-> Attribute field and the variable called “test” in the result field and print the result in a message box.

What i get is a text box with the text “Computer Application Access”.

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 5:55am

@wasd If that’s not the Staff ID, then you cannot use that selector , you’ll have to tweak the Selectors to get the Staff ID. Is it possible to show us the Table where the Staff ID is present. Also make sure you have selected a Single Staff ID as the UI element.

wasd · November 27, 2020, 5:59am

I am sure that i selected only one staff ID and as u can see from the 2 pics, depending on which request i click the number of staff ID differs. I’m sorry but i have to blur out the ID as they are sensitive information

supermanPunch · November 27, 2020, 6:08am

@wasd I think the UI Explorer is needed here in order to identify the correct attribute that you would need to pick up.

wasd · November 27, 2020, 6:09am

I see… still, thank you so much for your time!