From: Aaron Patterson <aaron@...>
Date: 2008-03-22T05:31:07+09:00
Subject: Re: Mechanize confusion

On Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 03:06:00AM +0900, Glen Holcomb wrote:
> I will admit I've never used Mechanize before and if I am asking painfully
> obvious feel free to push me out in traffic, however...
> 
> I have an odd issue.  I have grabbed a form off of CDW's site and am trying
> to fill out the proper info.  The form shows the select list I want "_ct19"
> but when I try to manipulate it mechanize acts like it doesn't exist
> 
> Here is the form:
> 
> #<WWW::Mechanize::Form
>  {name "HubPage"}
>  {method "POST"}
>  {action "default.aspx?hubpage=%2fhardware%2fprinters.html"}
>  {fields
>   #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Field:0x33f0054
>    @name="__VIEWSTATE",
>    @value=
> 
> "/wEPDwUJODExNjM3MjQ1D2QWBAIBDxYCHgRUZXh0BRY8ZGl2IGlkPSdjLWNvbnRhaW5lcic+ZAI
> DD2QWCgIBDw8WAh4HVmlzaWJsZWdkZAICDw8WAh8BZ2RkAgUPDxYCHwFnZBYCAgEPZBYCAgEPZBYCZg9
> kFgJmD2QWCGYPZBYCZg8QZGQWAWZkAgEPZBYCZg8QZGQWAGQCAg9kFgJmDxBkZBYAZAIDD2QWAmYPDxY
> CHwFoZGQCBg8PFgIfAWdkZAIHDw8WAh8BZ2RkZIrvUv5EI5fPxvnmGvx9951XbRWm">
>   #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0
>    @name="_ctl9",
>    @options=
>     [#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Option:0x33844e4
>       @select_list=#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0 ...>,
>       @selected=true,
>       @text="Select Brand",
>       @value="">,
>      #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Option:0x3383ef4
>       @select_list=#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0 ...>,
>       @selected=false,
>       @text="Brady Industries",
>       @value="7633">,
>      #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Option:0x33835f8
>       @select_list=#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0 ...>,
>       @selected=false,
>       @text="Brother International",
>       @value="5074">,
>                                               .
>                                               .
>                                               .               Options
> redacted for sanity's sake.
>                                               .
>                                               .
>      #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Option:0x2d60d9c
>       @select_list=#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0 ...>,
>       @selected=false,
>       @text="Xerox Printers",
>       @value="6177">,
>      #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::Option:0x2d608ec
>       @select_list=#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x3390af0 ...>,
>       @selected=false,
>       @text="Zebra Technologies",
>       @value="6186">],
>    @value=[]>
>   #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x2d5f76c
>    @name="_ctl12",
>    @options=[],
>    @value=[]>
>   #<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x2d5ddcc
>    @name="_ctl15",
>    @options=[],
>    @value=[]>}
>  {radiobuttons}
>  {checkboxes}
>  {file_uploads}
>  {buttons}>
> => nil
> irb(main):050:0>
> 
> 
> 
> When I try to get details on either _ct19 or _VIEWSTATE I get an empty array
> back:
> 
> toner_form.fields.name('_ct19')
> => []
> 
> toner_form.fields.name('_VIEWSTATE')
> => []
> 
> However with _ctl12 and _ctl15 everything appears to be happy:
> 
> toner_form.fields.name('_ctl15')
> => [#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x2d5ddcc @value=[], @options=[],
> @name="_ctl15">]
> 
> toner_form.fields.name('_ctl12')
> => [#<WWW::Mechanize::Form::SelectList:0x2d5f76c @value=[], @options=[],
> @name="_ctl12">]
> 
> 
> Does anyone have any idea how I can get to the select field I need?

It looks like you have a typo.

  toner_form.fields.name('_VIEWSTATE')

should probably be:

  toner_form.fields.name('__VIEWSTATE')

Note the two underscores.

Hope that helps.

-- 
Aaron Patterson
http://tenderlovemaking.com/