The trouble is, a form is more than the visible fields - you need to make sure you post back any hidden fields as well, because these are generally used for maintaining state. There may also be JavaScript postback functions that pre-process a form before it's submitted (certainly the case in ASP.Net for client-side validation). In other words, it's a pretty big task to make this work for many different types of form, because just POSTing the field values is usually only half the story.
Jim > -----Original Message----- > From: Marc Mertens [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: 16 May 2002 13:14 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [DOTNET] Using HttpWebRequest to fill in a webform > > > Because I want to write a client which can interact not only with > a IIS server with dotnet but with som general webforms (using PHP, > CGI, ASP , JSP ..) and I'm assuming that I have no control over the > server side. By the way I thought viewstate is specific for ASP.NET > so how do you proceed if the other side is not using ASP.NET > > Thanks a lot in advance > > Marc > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jim Arnold [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 2:00 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [DOTNET] Using HttpWebRequest to fill in a webform > > > You'd need to post the viewstate back as well, but why bother > with any of > that? Couldn't you write a web service or other > remote-callable interface > of faking a browser? > > Jim > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Marc Mertens [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: 16 May 2002 12:55 > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: [DOTNET] Using HttpWebRequest to fill in a webform > > > > > > Hallo, > > > > I'm trying to write a application that automaticall > fills in the > > input fields of a webform and let the webform process this request. > > More concreat suppose that you have a webform with two input > > fields and > > a submit button. If you fill in the fields and press the > submit button > > some processing is done at the webserver, I want to make a > application > > that replace the browser and automate the filling in of the > > form. I use > > HttpWebRequest to send a POST request to the webform and get > > the response > > back. The webform seems to receive the request with the correct date > > (verified with the Page.Request property on the Page_Load > > delegate, but it > > will not issue a click event for the button, so no processing > > is done at > > the webserver, how can I ensure that my client application > > force the 'click' > > on the submit button. > > You can read messages from the DOTNET archive, unsubscribe > from DOTNET, or > subscribe to other DevelopMentor lists at http://discuss.develop.com. > > You can read messages from the DOTNET archive, unsubscribe > from DOTNET, or > subscribe to other DevelopMentor lists at http://discuss.develop.com. > You can read messages from the DOTNET archive, unsubscribe from DOTNET, or subscribe to other DevelopMentor lists at http://discuss.develop.com.
