automatic submission of forms

[grpmangr]

hi
Is ther anyway i can automatically fill out forms and submit them thru
java?
supposing i hav a normal txt file that contains all data that needs to
be filed out into the form, is there anyway i can fill out a form and
submit it automatically by providing only the URL of the form and the
txt file?
thanks
Najla

[Erwin Moller]

gr******@yahoo.com wrote:

hi
Is ther anyway i can automatically fill out forms and submit them thru
java?
Java?
Yes, you can make forms in Java, and by means of applets you can even show
them in a webpage. But I seriously doubt if that is what you want.
If so, visit a Java newsgroup, like comp.lang.java.help, it is good.

I think you mean Javascript. (In that case, this is the right newsgroup.)
supposing i hav a normal txt file that contains all data that needs to
be filed out into the form, is there anyway i can fill out a form and
submit it automatically by providing only the URL of the form and the
txt file?
Not by means of Javascript, because Javascript does not have access to your
textfile. Javascript is crippled intentionally when it come to local
fileaccess for securityreasons.

You better look at a serverside solution, using something like PHP.

Regards,
Erwin Moller
thanks
Najla

[AndrewTK]

Cases: Java : wrong news group. Also, Java cannot fill in forms of a
web page unless that page was generated by JSP, and that will be done
before the page is displayed, supposing your text file is on the
server. But that defeats the point, so I am supposing your file is on
your hard drive

javascript: AJAX
You can request a file from the server using XMLHttpRequest
This would mean your text file would already be on the server
In this case, you might as well provide a <input type="file" /> and
upload that. You can write then a PHP script to parse that file.

SO
solution in javascript: none
solution in Java: yes, via Applets (ref Erwin's post)
solution in PHP: probably, provided PHP is activated on your server and
depending on what you want to do with the data.

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

AndrewTK wrote:

[...]
javascript: AJAX
You can request a file from the server using XMLHttpRequest
True.
This would mean your text file would already be on the server
Not necessarily.
In this case, you might as well provide a <input type="file" /> and
upload that. You can write then a PHP script to parse that file.
True.
SO
solution in javascript: none

Nonsense.
PointedEars

[Erwin Moller]

Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:

<snip>

SO
solution in javascript: none
Nonsense.

Hey PointedEars,

Why do you say what Andrew wrote was nonsense?
I mean, how do you suggest the OP fills in his form using values from a
textfile somewhere, using only Javascript?
Or were you refering to an AJAX-like solution?

Me curious.

I saw you write lots of sensible stuff in here, so I guess you have some
trick up your sleeve. :P

Regards,
Erwin Moller


PointedEars

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

Erwin Moller wrote:

Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:

SO
solution in javascript: none Nonsense.

[...]
Why do you say what Andrew wrote was nonsense?

Well, whether this statement qualifies as nonsense (or being wrong) would
depend on what is meant by "solution in JavaScript". Certainly there is
a solution /with/ JavaScript (or another ECMAScript implementation) that
involves a host object (e.g. an implementation of IXMLHttpRequest), and
from someone who uses the AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) buzzword
I understand "in JavaScript" as "with JavaScript".

But even if I understood "in JavaScript" as "only with an ECMAScript
implementation and no other programming language involved" it would be
wrong, because the AndrewTK's preconception that the resource must be
accessible from a (HTTP) server is wrong. IXMLHttpRequest implementations
(and other host objects) can be used without XML and HTTP. The OP's
description is not clear enough to exclude anything here.
I mean, how do you suggest the OP fills in his form using
values from a textfile somewhere, using only Javascript?
Or were you refering to an AJAX-like solution?

The latter.
PointedEars

[Roman Ziak]

AndrewTK wrote:

Cases: Java : wrong news group. Also, Java cannot fill in forms of a
web page unless that page was generated by JSP, and that will be done
before the page is displayed, supposing your text file is on the
server. But that defeats the point, so I am supposing your file is on
your hard drive

javascript: AJAX
You can request a file from the server using XMLHttpRequest
This would mean your text file would already be on the server
In this case, you might as well provide a <input type="file" /> and
upload that. You can write then a PHP script to parse that file.
1. Text file on the server - will require a server side script to
return the file. This script can prefill the form withou the help of
JS.

2. Text file local by uploading to the server - again, JavaScript not
necessary

3. User pastes the content of text file into textarea - JavaScript can
parse it into appropriate fields. No server side script necessary.

SO
solution in javascript: none
solution in Java: yes, via Applets (ref Erwin's post)
solution in PHP: probably, provided PHP is activated on your server and
depending on what you want to do with the data.

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

Roman Ziak wrote:

1. Text file on the server - will require a server side script to
return the file. This script can prefill the form withou the help of
JS.

2. Text file local by uploading to the server - again, JavaScript not
necessary
But possible. J(ava)Script can be server-side.
3. User pastes the content of text file into textarea - JavaScript can
parse it into appropriate fields. No server side script necessary.

4. A host object is used to access the local text file. The ECMAScript
implementation can parse the content string it into appropriate fields.
No server-side script necessary.
PointedEars