Firefox Save File Dialog

[jtucker]

Hi all,

I am new to the forums so bear with me. I have tried searching around for quite a while for a solution to my problem but, I couldn't find any so I registered here to ask for help.

I am trying to automate the download of a file from a website using Ruby and FireWatir plus the WIN32OLE AutoItX3 Control. My script works fine if I am logged in, but fails if I run it as a scheduled task (with username/password) while noone is logged in. After doing some research it is now obvious that the win commands and the mouse move and click commands won't work without a user logged in.

I need a way to have the 'Save File' button pressed on the dialog that pops up when I try to download the file. I have tried using the ControlSend command to send an {ENTER} key press but that fails. Using the AutoIt window inspector I can see that the dialog box does not have a control ID. It seems my script will just skip over the AutoIt commands like WinWaitClose when I am not logged in.

Can anyone help me solve this problem? I have seen others with similar problems and the solution seems to be ControlSend, but that is not working for me. If AutoIt cannot perform what I want it to do, does anyone have an alternative program or solution I can try?

(I also have another script that needs to be able to log into a webpage using the windows authentication popup, and AutoIt isnt working there either when I am not logged in.)

Thanks,

jtucker

[jtucker]

--UPDATE---

Tried to do this:

autoit.ControlSend("Opening #{db_name}.EXE", "", "[CLASS:MozillaWindowClass; INSTANCE:1]", "{ENTER}")

...doesn't work when not logged in. Works fine if i'm logged in.

[Richard Robertson]

It's because each user has his/her/its own desktop. I include "it" because the system account isn't a person and thus doesn't have a gender. The system account has its own set of windows that it is allowed to interact with. It cannot interact with another user's desktop. Not without weird tweaks anyways.

[jtucker]

It's because each user has his/her/its own desktop. I include "it" because the system account isn't a person and thus doesn't have a gender. The system account has its own set of windows that it is allowed to interact with. It cannot interact with another user's desktop. Not without weird tweaks anyways.

I have my scheduled task running as an admin on the remote machine for that reason. There still seems to be a problem interacting with the desktop. I need some "wierd tweaks" right about now! : )

[Richard Robertson]

The admin account has the admin's desktop. It's separate from the logged in user unless the logged in user is on the admin account.

I'm afraid I can't help you with those tweaks. I've never messed with that kind of thing, I only know it's possible.

[jtucker]

Well, the user my script runs under just happens to be part of the administrators group... but anyway. I didn't think this would be possible for the reasons you have stated and based on my research.

Would you be able to recommend any other way to pull a file from a webpage without using something that needs to be logged in or clicked to work?

[Richard Robertson]

I suppose you could use the HTTP UDF and read the html code, then download the file yourself. It's a little bit more work but you don't have to worry about user accounts.

[jtucker]

I was hopeing I wouldn't have to do something like that. : ( Thank you for your help though!