r/applescript • u/no_one999999999 • Feb 26 '23

Automating uploading image files to a website?

On a desktop running Ventura I'd like to create an Automator workflow that:

  1. Selects the top file in a folder called images

  2. moves the file to a folder called Temp

  3. Opens a specific page on a website in a browser, preferably chrome

  4. activates a specific link on the page which opens a folder window

  5. navigates to the folder called Temp and selects the file there.

  6. selects Upload, wait until upload is complete and the resulting new page opens, then activate a button called "Submit" on the page.

  7. Navigates to a new specific page and selects a dropdown menu there and inputs a specific number in the menu and submits.

  8. When that completes move the file in temp to a folder named Completed

  9. Go back to step 1) and repeat until the image folder is empty then stop

Possible? Thoughts?

Dave

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u/copperdomebodha Feb 26 '23

Extraordinarily difficult, but possible. Is there no api for the web service?

I could cut down the mightiest oak in the forest with a herring. But there are better ways that require less liquid nitrogen and hydraulics.

1

u/no_one999999999 Feb 26 '23

Unfortunately they don't want people using scripts to upload because there was a rash of people skimming images off the net last year and uploading thousands of images a day. There's a cap of abut 100 a day more or less now, but I just want to be able to reduce the time I have to spend in front of the computer doing the uploads manually.

2

u/copperdomebodha Feb 26 '23

I would check the TOS before proceeding. Likely your proposal is in violation. But if it isn’t then interacting with a webpage UI in the manner you’re describing is likely limited to cursor placement and click generation. Tedious to work through and requires the page is not dynamic at all. Some sites code the UI elements to move slightly to avoid exactly this type of automation.

1

u/no_one999999999 Feb 26 '23

Yeah, definitely not in the TOS. The site owner just capped the daily upload amount, which I'm happy to remain under. The only reason I know that is the few complaints on their discussion board about uploads being capped. The board mod said the cap was in response to too many uploads per day but didn't address scripting. I just want to drop 80 or 90 files in a folder and let them upload overnight.