Re: Script for Auto-login to websites
Re: Script for Auto-login to websites
- Subject: Re: Script for Auto-login to websites
- From: Doug McNutt <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 12:42:41 -0600
If you're attempting anything other than merchant's web sites - banks and brokers come to mind - you'll find that login requires passing some information that is buried inside the first page back to the web site in the form of a POST or GET request using HTTPS. That means one needs to look at the HTML text on the page to get the correct strings. It can be a PITA. You will surely need to include at least a session-ID cookie for each downloaded page.
Firefox add-ons can be useful. the Live HTTP headers add-on allows you to see what is actually sent out to accomplish the log in. GreaseMonkey is an addin that allows you to use JavaScript commands to fill named form elements on a page before it is displayed. There is still a problem with automating a login though because JavaScripting a submit cell in an HTML form is considered a security risk. The iCab browser can be asked for header and cookie information using its log file.
You can use curl to download pages and then open and read them to format data for a POST type login but be prepared for whatever you do to fail in a month or two because web designers keep changing things. My broker now loads over 100 pages from divers sites before finishing a login. Some pages are disguised as images but really just set a cookie that varies. They're proud of their "super secure" site!
--
Applescript syntax is like English spelling:
Roughly, though not thoroughly, thought through.
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