IE hidden window - JavaScript event not firing

[mpower]

Hi,

I'm filling out a form in a hidden IE window which has an onblur="" event for input fields. It works perfectly fine in a non-hidden IE window, however the event fails to fire in a hidden IE window.

I've tried the following:

_IEAction($field, "focus")

_IEAction($field, "blur")

But neither of these trigger the event.

Can someone please assist?

Cheers

Edited August 7, 2013 by mpower

[DaleHohm]

Can't think of a reason this would be true for the DOM, but an app can certainly check for attributes of the window so that it can try to prevent you from doing it (like trying to prevent you from automating a game).

I'd suggest you create a test htm file that performs a JavaScript alert onblur and test with it to see If the issue is unique to the page you are trying to automate now.

Dale

Edited August 7, 2013 by DaleHohm

[mpower]

Can't think of a reason this would be true for the DOM, but an app can certainly check for attributes of the window so that it can try to prevent you from doing it (like trying to prevent you from automating a game).

I'd suggest you create a test htm file that performs a JavaScript alert onblur and test with it to see If the issue is unique to the page you are trying to automate now.

Dale

 

Hi Dale,

Thanks for your response.

I've attached an example HTML file with an "onblur" event which changes input text to CAPS.

Below is an example reproducer script which tests 3 different ways of achieving the result in Visible mode and the same methods in Hidden mode:

expandcollapse popup

#include <IE.au3>

;Visible METHOD 1: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using _IEFormElementSetValue and then _IEAction blur to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html")
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")
_IEFormElementSetValue($oIE_Input, "test")

_IEAction($oIE_Input, "blur")

ConsoleWrite("Visible mode result 1: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Sleep(500)

;Visible METHOD 2: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using ControlSend and then _IEAction blur to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html")
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")

$hIE = _IEPropertyGet($oIE, "hwnd")
ControlSend($hIE, "", "[CLASS:Internet Explorer_Server; INSTANCE:1]", "test")

_IEAction($oIE_Input, "blur")

ConsoleWrite("Visible mode result 2: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Sleep(500)

;Visible METHOD 3: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using _IEFormElementSetValue and then ControlSend {TAB} to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html")
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")

_IEFormElementSetValue($oIE_Input, "test")

$hIE = _IEPropertyGet($oIE, "hwnd")
ControlSend($hIE, "", "[CLASS:Internet Explorer_Server; INSTANCE:1]", "{TAB}")

ConsoleWrite("Visible mode result 3: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Sleep(500)

;Hidden METHOD 1: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using _IEFormElementSetValue and then _IEAction blur to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html", 0, 0, 1, 0)
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")

_IEFormElementSetValue($oIE_Input, "test")

_IEAction($oIE_Input, "blur")

ConsoleWrite("Hidden mode result 1: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Sleep(500)

;Hidden METHOD 2: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using ControlSend and then _IEAction blur to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html", 0, 0, 1, 0)
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")

$hIE = _IEPropertyGet($oIE, "hwnd")
ControlSend($hIE, "", "[CLASS:Internet Explorer_Server; INSTANCE:1]", "test")

_IEAction($oIE_Input, "blur")

ConsoleWrite("Hidden mode result 2: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Sleep(500)

;Hidden METHOD 3: Using _IEAction to focus on input, enter "test" using _IEFormElementSetValue and then ControlSend {TAB} to simulate loss of focus to trigger the "onblur" event

$oIE = _IECreate(@ScriptDir & "/example.html", 0, 0, 1, 0)
$oIE_Form = _IEGetObjByName($oIE, "form")
$oIE_Input = _IEFormElementGetObjByName($oIE_Form, "fname")
_IEAction($oIE_Input, "focus")

_IEFormElementSetValue($oIE_Input, "test")

$hIE = _IEPropertyGet($oIE, "hwnd")
ControlSend($hIE, "", "[CLASS:Internet Explorer_Server; INSTANCE:1]", "{TAB}")

ConsoleWrite("Hidden mode result 3: "&_IEFormElementGetValue($oIE_Input)&@CRLF)

_IEQuit($oIE)

Results look like this in the Console:

 

Visible mode result 1: TEST

Visible mode result 2: TEST

Visible mode result 3: TEST

Hidden mode result 1: test

Hidden mode result 2: test

Hidden mode result 3: test

 

NOTE: You may need to adjust Internet Explorer settings to allow ActiveX content in local files for JavaScript to work correctly:

 

 

 

Source of attachment (in case you are not comfortable downloading the file):

 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<script>
function myFunction()
{
var x=document.getElementById("fname");
x.value=x.value.toUpperCase();
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<form name="form">
Enter text: <input type="text" id="fname" onblur="myFunction()">
</form>
<p>When you leave the input field, a function is triggered which transforms the input text to upper case.</p>

</body>
</html>

example.html

Edited August 7, 2013 by mpower

[DaleHohm]

Wow.  Someone who actually understands what a reproducer is.  How refreshing to be able to focus on solving a problem instead of repeatedly dragging people through the troubleshooting process.  Unfortunately, in this case, it just results n me telling you that I have never seen this before and I am surprised at the results that you obtained.

What I have done when faced with surprising results like this is 1) rewrite your AutoIt reproducer in VBscript and insure that the behavior is the same and 2) take your VBscript reproducer to the appropriate Microsoft Community forum and ask about it there where the population of DOM experts and Microsoft DOM developers is much higher and 3) come back here and report the results of that investigation.

Dale

[mpower]

Thanks Dale, I'll see if I can come up with a VBScript and post it on the Microsoft forums. Will report back if it get's resolved (or doesn't).

[Bert]

is a possible workaround (If Dale can't get a solution) is to use greasemonkey for IE and tweak the web page so it will display as you need it first (when it loads) and then send what you need to the web page with AutoIt?

[mpower]

is a possible workaround (If Dale can't get a solution) is to use greasemonkey for IE and tweak the web page so it will display as you need it first (when it loads) and then send what you need to the web page with AutoIt?

 

Hi YogiBear, whilst that may work for some simple events, in my case the onblur event actually triggers complex calculations based on input values so it may not be a viable solution. I do see however how it could work in some cases. Of course you would need to assume that a user is able to install greasemonkey which may need Administrative rights?

Just my 2c.

Cheers