Menu
I've created an automation where it will allow me to enter details on a website (though I cannot share it as it is internal). My code below is working only until it enters a text on "received from". However, this "received from" field has an autocomplete list and I need to select it in order to populate other fields such as TIN and Address.
The autocomplete list is quite similar with the one in https://jqueryui.com/autocomplete/ or http://demos.codexworld.com/autocomplete-textbox-using-jquery-php-mysql/
Below is my code:
Sub Automate_IE_Enter_Data()
'This will load a webpage in IE
Dim i As Long
Dim Url As String
Dim IE As InternetExplorer
Dim objElement As Object
Dim objCollection As Object
Dim HWNDSrc As Long
Dim wsTemplate As Worksheet
Dim objEvent As Object
Dim li_arr As Variant
Dim NodeList As Object
Dim x As Long
Set wsTemplate = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Template")
'Create InternetExplorer Object
Set IE = New InternetExplorerMedium
'Set IE.Visible = True to make IE visible, or False for IE to run in the background
IE.Visible = True
'Define URL by getting the value in rngURL; can be found in the main sheet
Url = "http://URL Path"
'Navigate to URL
IE.Navigate Url
' Statusbar let's user know website is loading
Application.StatusBar = Url & " is loading. Please wait..."
Do
DoEvents
Loop Until IE.ReadyState = READYSTATE_COMPLETE
'Webpage Loaded
Application.StatusBar = Url & " Loaded"
'Get Window ID for IE so we can set it as activate window
HWNDSrc = IE.hwnd
'Set IE as Active Window
SetForegroundWindow HWNDSrc
ShowWindow IE.hwnd, SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED
Dim Doc As HTMLDocument
Set Doc = IE.document
inputString = "Nuevo"
With Doc.getElementById("supName")
.Focus
SendKeys inputString 'Trigger the field to show autocomplete list
End With
'----THIS IS WHERE I AM TRYING TO CLICK THE AUTOCOMPLETE LIST THAT IS BEING DISPLAYED-----
'-----HOWEVER, CLICKING DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK.-----
Set NodeList = Doc.querySelectorAll(".ui-active-menuitem[role=""menuitem""]")
For x = 0 To NodeList.Length - 1
'Debug.Print NodeList.Item(x).Click '<==this way
NodeList.Item(x).Focus
NodeList(x).Click '<==Or this method
Next x
MsgBox "Done"
'Unload IE
endmacro:
Set IE = Nothing
Set objElement = Nothing
Set objCollection = Nothing
End Sub
Below is the HTML which I think would be helpful to understand my issue:
'----- NAME OF THE FIELD THAT HAS AN AUTOCOMPLETE LIST----
<INPUT name=supName class="required-placeholder simple-placeholder ui-autocomplete-input placeholding" id=supName role=textbox aria-haspopup=true aria-autocomplete=list type=text value=Required jQuery17102032699680461189="39" placeholder="Required" autocomplete="off">
<UL class="ui-autocomplete ui-menu ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-all" role=listbox aria-activedescendant=ui-active-menuitem style="WIDTH: 400px; LEFT: 751px; Z-INDEX: 1; DISPLAY: none; TOP: 287px" jQuery17102032699680461189="42"><LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="104"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="114">List 0</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="105"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="115">List 1</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="106"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="116">List 2</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="107"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="117">List 3</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="108"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="118">List 4</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="109"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="119">List 5</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="110"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="120">List 6</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="111"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="121">List 7</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="112"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="122">List 8</A></LI>
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17102032699680461189="113"><A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17102032699680461189="123">List 9</A></LI></UL>
A sample screenshot of autocomplete list:
More of the HTML:
<DIV class="ui-tabs-panel ui-widget-content ui-corner-bottom" id=ui-tabs-1 jQuery17109198838813964318="12">
<FORM id=receiptEntryForm action=/ReceiptEntry/SaveReceipt method=post jQuery17109198838813964318="40">
<DIV id=receipt-entry>
<DIV class=receipt-content>
<DIV class=content-label>
<LABEL>OR No:</LABEL>
<LABEL>Date:</LABEL>
<LABEL>Received From:</LABEL>
<LABEL>TIN:</LABEL>
<LABEL>Address:</LABEL> </DIV>
<DIV class=content-input>
<INPUT name=ReceiptNumber disabled id=ReceiptNumber type=text data-val-required="The ReceiptNumber field is required." data-val-number="The field ReceiptNumber must be a number." data-val="true">
<INPUT name=printDate class="datepicker hasDatepicker" id=printDate type=text jQuery17109198838813964318="38">
<INPUT name=supName class="required-placeholder simple-placeholder ui-autocomplete-input placeholding" id=supName role=textbox aria-haspopup=true aria-autocomplete=list type=text value=Required jQuery17109198838813964318="39" placeholder="Required" autocomplete="off">
<INPUT name=SupplierCode id=SupplierCode type=hidden data-val-required="The SupplierCode field is required." data-val="true" data-val-length-max="20" data-val-length="You&#39;ve reached the maximum length allowed.">
<INPUT name=SupTIN class="required-placeholder placeholding simple-placeholder" id=SupTIN type=text value=Required jQuery17109198838813964318="41" placeholder="Required" ,>
<TEXTAREA name=SupAdd class="textarea-wide required-placeholder" id=SupAdd rows=3 cols=48 placeholder="Required"></TEXTAREA>
</DIV>
</DIV>
<DIV class=editor-label>
<LABEL id=sum-label>The sum of ****:</LABEL>
<LABEL class=grayed-out id=total-amount-words></LABEL>
<LABEL class=right id=total-amount></LABEL>
</DIV>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<DIV id=receipt-selection>
<DIV class=content-label>
<LABEL id=receipt-type-label>Receipt Type:</LABEL>
<LABEL for=chk-vatable>VATable Receipt:</LABEL>
<H5>IN PAYMENT OF</H5>
<BR>
</DIV>
<DIV class=content-iput>
<SELECT id=receiptentry-type jQuery17109198838813964318="36">
<OPTION value=cr selected>Collection Receipt</OPTION>
<OPTION value=or>Official Receipt</OPTION>
</SELECT>
<BR>
<INPUT disabled id=chk-vatable type=checkbox jQuery17109198838813964318="37"> </DIV>
<DIV id=receiptentry-receipt-table>
<DIV>
<TABLE>
<THEAD>
<TR>
<TH>INVOICE NO.</TH>
<TH>AMOUNT</TH>
<TH colSpan=3>FORM OF PAYMENT</TH>
<TH>AMOUNT</TH>
</TR>
</THEAD>
<TBODY id=receipt-entry-table1>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice0 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount0 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="44"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD class="bold left-align" colSpan=3>CASH</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=table1-cash-amount contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="53"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice1 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount1 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="45"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TH>BANK</TH>
<TH>CHECK NO.</TH>
<TH>DATE</TH>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" jQuery17109198838813964318="54"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice2 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount2 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="46"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname0 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck0 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate0 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount0 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="55"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice3 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount3 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="47"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname1 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck1 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate1 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount1 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="56"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice4 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount4 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="48"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname2 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck2 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate2 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount2 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="57"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice5 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount5 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="49"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname3 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck3 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate3 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount3 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="58"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice6 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount6 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="50"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname4 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck4 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate4 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount4 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="59"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice7 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount7 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="51"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname5 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck5 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate5 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount5 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="60"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-invoice left-align" id=invoice8 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount1 right-align" id=invamount8 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="52"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-bank left-align" id=bankname6 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-check left-align" id=bankcheck6 contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-date center-align" id=bankdate6 contentEditable=true name="date"></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class="table1-amount2 right-align" id=bankamount6 contentEditable=true jQuery17109198838813964318="61"></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD class=td-title>TOTAL</TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class=right-align id=table1-amount1-total contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
<TD colSpan=3></TD>
<TD>
<SPAN class=right-align id=table1-amount2-total contentEditable=true></SPAN>
</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY>
</TABLE>
</DIV>
</DIV>
</DIV>
<BR>
<LABEL>THIS CANCELS OUR P.R.#</LABEL>
<INPUT name=CancelPrNo id=CancelPrNo type=text data-val="true" data-val-length-max="50" data-val-length="You&#39;ve reached the maximum length allowed.">
<INPUT class="right button-style" id=add-receipt type=button value=Add jQuery17109198838813964318="43"> </DIV>
</FORM>
</DIV>
Chrome Console:
Inspect element of autocomplete list:
<UL class="ui-autocomplete ui-menu ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-all" role=listbox aria-activedescendant=ui-active-menuitem style="WIDTH: 400px; LEFT: 559px; Z-INDEX: 1; DISPLAY: block; TOP: 287px" jQuery17100985129077826366="42">
<LI class=ui-menu-item role=menuitem jQuery17100985129077826366="62" sizcache02782874225672333="1" sizset="0">
<A tabIndex=-1 class=ui-corner-all jQuery17100985129077826366="63">
*TEXT RESULT OF THE AUTOCOMPLETE LIST*
</A>
</LI></UL>
644
Good question!
Internet Explorer can be very tricky to automate using built in methods when working with jQuery custom controls. Thankfully, there is a way to inject JavaScript into the browser to use the existing methods of these controls, or, jQuery itself (when loaded on the page) to make life a fair bit easier.
What I've done below is used this page as a stand in for testing, which has an autocomplete control on it.
You will likely need to make alterations to the CSS selectors to point to the correct elements on your page, but the methods used below should work to programmatically control the element you want.
Code
Option Explicit
#If Win64 Then
Public Declare PtrSafe Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As LongPtr)
#Else
Public Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
#End If
Sub AutoCompleteExamples()
Dim ie As Object: Set ie = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
ie.Visible = True
LoadPage ie, "https://jqueryui.com/resources/demos/autocomplete/default.html"
'Trigger autocomplete with jQuery. This select the first ui-autocomplete-input, you may need -
'to adjust this, if this isn't the first autocomplete control on page
ie.document.parentWindow.execScript "$('.ui-autocomplete-input').first().val('A').autocomplete('search')"
'Select first item with jQuery, the UL updates in response to the click event
'Result should be it selected 'ActionScript'
ie.document.parentWindow.execScript "$('ul.ui-menu').children().first().click()"
'Alternatively if you want to pick an item from the drop down with a specific value
'You can look inside the ul-menu-items that are created and use Contains. The contains method is case sensitive
ie.document.parentWindow.execScript "$('ul.ui-menu').children().find('.ui-menu-item-wrapper:contains(""ActionScript"")').click()"
End Sub
Public Sub LoadPage(ByRef ie As Object, ByVal URL As String)
With ie
.Navigate URL
Sleep 500 'Add a built in delay
Do While .busy And .readystate <> 4: DoEvents: Loop
Sleep 500 'Add a built in delay
End With
End Sub
I hope the example page is real quite similar to your page. I used it to show how you can deal with those things. What you need to have in your head is thinking about the dynamik of a page. I have commented on the macro in detail. Please read everything carefully to understand it. The solution consists of the following 3 parts. Copy all into one module.
First: A method to make breaks less than a second. We can do that with a Windows api function:
'With the following Windows api function we can do breaks less than 1 second
'It works with Excel 32 bit an Excel 64 bit
#If Win64 Then
'For 64 Bit Systems
Public Declare PtrSafe Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As LongPtr)
#Else
'For 32 Bit Systems
Public Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
#End If
Second: The main part which clicks through the pop-up menu
Sub JQueryAutocomplete()
Dim url As String
Dim browser As Object
Dim nodeInput As Object
Dim nodeUi As Object
Dim nodeLi As Object
Dim countOfLi As Long
Dim controlValue As Long
Dim searchString As String
Dim countOfLiDone As Boolean
Dim result As String
'Initializing variables and load page
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Part of the string to autocomplete
searchString = "h"
'The controlValue shows the number of next li-tag in pop-up menu to pass through
controlValue = 1
'We use the iFrame document from the JQuery sample page directly
'So we have less code overhead to reach the point we need in the HTML code
url = "https://jqueryui.com/resources/demos/autocomplete/default.html"
'Initialize Internet Explorer, set visibility,
'call URL and wait until page is fully loaded
Set browser = CreateObject("internetexplorer.application")
browser.Visible = True 'You can set this to False because this macro don't use sendkeys()
browser.navigate url
Do Until browser.ReadyState = 4: DoEvents: Loop
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Try to get textbox for input
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Error Resume Next
Set nodeInput = browser.document.getElementByID("tags")
On Error GoTo 0
'Check if nodeInput could be created
If Not nodeInput Is Nothing Then
'Loop over all auto completed strings in the pop-up menu
'Yes, we start the loop before we know anything obout the pop-up menu
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do
'Insert part of search string
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Everytime we want to place text into the textbox, we must prepare it to react with the
'pop-up menu. We do this by triggering the input HTML event of the textbox
'(You do this with sendkeys in your macro. But sendkeys should be avoided if possible)
Call TriggerEvent(browser.document, nodeInput, "input")
'Insert text
nodeInput.Value = searchString
'Wait briefly to open the pop-up menu
'It may be that with your computer speed and your internet speed (ping) it must be a
'larger value or it may be a smaller value. 1 counts 1 millisecond. So 100 is a tenth
'of a second and 1000 is one second
Sleep (500)
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Count generated li tags if not done in the past
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If countOfLiDone = False Then
'Try to get pop-up menu
'It may be that there is no pop-up menu if the string does not provide auto-completion
'It is important to know this to be able to exit the loop
On Error Resume Next
Set nodeUi = browser.document.getElementByID("ui-id-1")
On Error GoTo 0
'Check if nodeUi could be created
'If nodeUi couldn't be created, no pop-up menu. The variable countOfLi is 0 by default
'and less than controlValue, which is 1 by initializing. The termination condition of
'the loop is thus reached immediately
If Not nodeUi Is Nothing Then
'Count li tags in the pop-up
countOfLi = nodeUi.getElementsByTagName("li").Length
countOfLiDone = True
End If
End If
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Go on if there is a pop-up menu
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If countOfLi > 0 Then
'To get the text from the next li tag into the input textbox we must click the li tag
nodeUi.getElementsByTagName("li")(controlValue - 1).Click
'Here you can do what you want with the new situation of the page
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'If there come up new contents you need at first a short break after the click for the
'same reason we wait earlier in the macro, after inserting our searchString
Sleep (500)
'I don't know what you want to da but on the example page nothing hapen than the
'clicked text is now in the input textbox. So we gather all clicks in a string
'to show something at the end of macro runtime
result = result & nodeInput.Value & Chr(13)
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End If
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Prepare next loop pass
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
controlValue = controlValue + 1
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loop Until controlValue > countOfLi
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Else
'nodeInput couldn't be created
result = "Textbox to insert search string not found"
End If
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Clean up
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
browser.Quit
Set browser = Nothing
Set nodeInput = Nothing
Set nodeUi = Nothing
Set nodeLi = Nothing
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Show the result of this demo
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MsgBox result
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Sub
Third: The function to trigger the HTML event. So you don't need sendkeys()
Private Sub TriggerEvent(htmlDocument As Object, htmlElementWithEvent As Object, eventType As String)
Dim theEvent As Object
htmlElementWithEvent.Focus
Set theEvent = htmlDocument.createEvent("HTMLEvents")
theEvent.initEvent eventType, True, False
htmlElementWithEvent.dispatchEvent theEvent
End Sub
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With
