macOS Applescript: execute Javascript in Safari in the background

[sergiobaschi]

I have an Applescript that works flawlessly. It opens a Safari window, goes to a specific URL. Then I use this code to log in:

set loginForm to "document.getElementById('username').value = '" & login1 & "'; document.getElementById('password').value = '" & login2 & "'; document.getElementById('commonlogin').submit();"
do JavaScript loginForm in current tab of first window

(login1 and login2 are declared earlier)

On the inside, I search for a numeric value in the source code using som other Javascript. Then I close the Safari window.

This works just fine – but I would like it to run without me seeing it. I need it to run like every 30 minute, and if I'm using the computer at the time, it would be really annoying to have a Safari window opening up twice every hour.

Any solutions?

Thanks.

 

[iSee]

I don't know how to get Safari to run like that.

But if I were doing something like what you're doing I'd try using a headless browser -- like PhantomJS. It runs from the command line and doesn't popup a app window so you can automate it various standard ways. You control the browser using Javascript, not Applescript.

 

[960design]

Applescript probably not the best choice for your needs.

Not knowing the full details, I could guess that a cron job posting form data; retrieving the results to a database or emailing / texting a notification if what you were looking was or wasn't found would be a better choice.

 

[Alrescha]

But if I were doing something like what you're doing I'd try using a headless browser

Another possibility would be to use wget (or curl, which comes with OS X) to do the fetch and avoid using a GUI solution for a non-GUI problem.

A.

Addendum: In my enthusiasm, I ignored the title of the thread which clearly says 'Javascript', which is not supported by wget or curl as far as I know. Mea Culpa.