Software Automation tool - automation

Question

At my company, we have to fill out a daily timecard, and I want to automate it.
I want to use some sort of tool that will allow me to write something like this:
Launch Firefox
go to www.example.com/timecard
Wait for page load complete
In UserName box: put username
In Password box: put password
Press enter
Wait for page load complete
if login failed
email me#example.com that unable to automatically do timecard, please check password
return;
Get today's date
if today is Saturday or Sunday
close firefox
return;
find the timecard column that matches today's date
find the row with the right charge number
put in 8.0 hours
click "Save" link
close firefox
return;
It would be really nice if the software solution will also execute itself daily at a given time.

Answer 1

Since you are asking about UI automation you might want to check out AutoHotKey.
It's a macro language and you can compile the code into executable binaries (.exe).
However, sending web request could be done better without a browser by sending the necessary HTTP requests. Such an approach is more light-weight, more flexible and probably easier to maintain as well.

Answer 2

Check out the Chickenfoot extension for Firefox. I believe it may help you a long the way.
Chickenfoot is a Firefox extension that puts a programming environment in the browser's sidebar so you can write scripts to manipulate web pages and automate web browsing.
It also provides a basic record feature, and you can then fine-tune the interactiosn with the web page(s).

Answer 3

If all you need to automatize is related to browsers, then you may try out Selenium Remote Control which provides libraries in different languages.
For browser automation, there are a couple more experimental libraries in javascript (you should search for web app testing tools as these are imo your best bet for now)
./alex

Answer 4

For decision making, you might have to write some code.
iMacros for firefox has the ability to record/playback.

Answer 5

I have not used it myself but I have heard good things about Selenium. This is a Web UI testing tool that can be scripted in a number of different languages.

Answer 6

I would try to accomplish this with twill.

Answer 7

If by "some sort of tool" do you mean something like a programming language or environment that will allow you to automate what FireFox does? If so, I recommend learning how to write a FireFox extension. Extensions are written in Javascript. See https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Extensions
--
bmb

Answer 8

You could use selenium or watin on a simple .net console program. Then configure a task on window to call it at a given time of day.

Answer 9

If you are using Linux you could easily do this with a bash script of some kind. Have a look at the CURL library.http://curl.haxx.se/. You could then schedule the script to run with cron.
This is why I love Linux, the above is simple to do. I windows I suppose you could use the windows shell. I think the curl library runs on windows.

Answer 10

Selenium (www.openqa.org) tools will work for you. Install the Selenium IDE and record the macro. The "code" is simple JavaScript/HTML.
Selenium RC provides a very strong solution for automated testing from a variety of languages and tools.