From: Rob Biedenharn <Rob@...>
Date: 2008-03-22T05:47:43+09:00
Subject: Re: Mechanize confusion

On Mar 21, 2008, at 4:31 PM, Aaron Patterson wrote:
> 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/

And its _ctl9 not _ct19.  (or '_CTL9'.downcase not '_ct'+ 19.to_s)

-Rob

Rob Biedenharn		http://agileconsultingllc.com
Rob@AgileConsultingLLC.com