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URLDownloadToFile problems
I've gotten the URLDownloadtofile command to download webpages to text files no problem. But the problem exists on webpages that contain html code such as:
With Firefox, if I read the "source" of the page, I see that code. But if I save the page as a file, then I see the actual time on the timer (which is what I am trying to get). However, if I download via URLdownloadtofile, it gives me just the source, which just contains the code above. Is there a straightforward way to use C++ to download, not the source, but the page as it is such that it contains the actual timer, rather than a reference to the timer?
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With Firefox, if I read the "source" of the page, I see that code. But if I save the page as a file, then I see the actual time on the timer (which is what I am trying to get). However, if I download via URLdownloadtofile, it gives me just the source, which just contains the code above. Is there a straightforward way to use C++ to download, not the source, but the page as it is such that it contains the actual timer, rather than a reference to the timer?
Short answer: No.
What you see is the result of the web browser modifying the display of the webpage in response to a Javascript function. When you download the HTML page, you simply download the code of the page. It is up to the downloader to do with it whatever it wants, including interpreting and running Javascript.
What you see is the result of the web browser modifying the display of the webpage in response to a Javascript function. When you download the HTML page, you simply download the code of the page. It is up to the downloader to do with it whatever it wants, including interpreting and running Javascript.
Yeah, I guessed that was the explanation. Now you say "short answer: no". I'm guessing the only real other way is to create a macro with a macro program or make my C++ program act as a macro to do it through a browser? Or is there an actual way to have my C++ program format it before saving it?
The only true way of accomplishing what you want is to run all Javascript as a web browser would do. Up to the task? Yeah, me neither. I'd rather see if I could create a browser extension that grabs the current document as seen on the browser.
I'm up for whatever I need to do. I just don't know enough commands/etc to figure it out. What do you mean "a browser extension that grabs..."?
Firefox, Google Chrome and IE are all extensible browsers. You can create extensions (add-ins) that do whatever you need them to do. A browser extension can build additional functionality on top of the capabilities of the browser (like the ability to change the document based on a Javascript function call). Your scenario fits the bill.
Sounds good. How would I go about creating this "add-in" and or "extension"? (and I'm guessing this is separate from C++?)
If I were to be seeking a C++ method by which to download a web page (after it has been affected by Java) what would be the proper term for it? I've been using Mozilla (and a macro program) to download the webpages but it just takes too long. the URLdownloadtofile would be so much quicker (the delay is because each page has actively changing javascript on it, slowing down the browser. The actively changing java info isn't even what I need, I just need the html code for the webpage as it appears in a browser. Saving the web page in mozilla when on that page is more than sufficient in producing that result, but I need a much quicker method.
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