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Web Form Automation

Automate web form interactions including login, file upload, text input, and form submission using P

Rating: 5 (26 reviews)
Downloads: 5,775 downloads
Version: 1.0.0

Overview

Automate web form interactions including login, file upload, text input, and form submission using Playwright.

Complete Documentation

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Web Form Automation

Automate web form interactions reliably using Playwright with best practices for session management, file uploads, and form submission.

Quick Start

javascript

const { chromium } = require('playwright');

// Basic form automation
const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com/form');

// Upload compressed images
await page.locator('input[type="file"]').setInputFiles('/path/to/image.webp');

// Type text (triggers events properly)
await page.locator('textarea').pressSequentially('Your text', { delay: 30 });

// Submit form
await page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click({ force: true });

Session Management

Using Browser Session Data

When user provides a JSON file with session data:

javascript

const sessionData = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('session.json', 'utf8'));

// Set cookies before navigating
for (const cookie of sessionData.cookies || []) {
  await context.addCookies([cookie]);
}

// Set localStorage/sessionStorage
await page.evaluate((data) => {
  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(data.localStorage || {})) {
    localStorage.setItem(k, v);
  }
}, sessionData);

File Upload Best Practices

Image Compression

Always compress images before upload for reliability:

bash

# Convert to webp for best compression
convert input.png output.webp

# Or resize if needed
convert input.png -resize 1024x1024 output.webp

Size comparison:

Original PNG: ~4MB
Compressed PNG: ~1MB
WebP: ~30-50KB (99% smaller)

Upload Sequence

javascript

// 1. Find file inputs
const fileInputs = await page.locator('input[type="file"]').all();

// 2. Upload with waiting time
await fileInputs[0].setInputFiles('/path/to/start.webp');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000); // Wait for upload to process

await fileInputs[1].setInputFiles('/path/to/end.webp');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

Text Input Best Practices

Use pressSequentially, not fill()

❌ Don't use fill() - doesn't trigger input events:

javascript

await textInput.fill('text'); // May not activate submit button

✅ Use pressSequentially() - simulates real typing:

javascript

await textInput.pressSequentially('text', { delay: 30 });

Trigger Events Manually (if needed)

javascript

await page.evaluate(() => {
  const el = document.querySelector('textarea');
  el.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
  el.dispatchEvent(new Event('change', { bubbles: true }));
});

Button Clicking

Force Click When Disabled

If button appears disabled but should be clickable:

javascript

await button.click({ force: true });

Check Button State

javascript

const isEnabled = await button.isEnabled();
const isVisible = await button.isVisible();

Complete Example: Video Generation Form

javascript

const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const fs = require('fs');

async function submitVideoForm(sessionFile, startImage, endImage, prompt) {
  const browser = await chromium.launch({ 
    headless: true, 
    args: ['--no-sandbox'] 
  });
  const context = await browser.newContext();
  const page = await context.newPage();
  
  // Load session if provided
  if (fs.existsSync(sessionFile)) {
    const session = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(sessionFile, 'utf8'));
    // Set cookies, localStorage...
  }
  
  // Navigate
  await page.goto('https://example.com/video', { 
    waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' 
  });
  await page.waitForTimeout(3000);
  
  // Upload images (webp compressed)
  const inputs = await page.locator('input[type="file"]').all();
  await inputs[0].setInputFiles(startImage);
  await page.waitForTimeout(3000);
  await inputs[1].setInputFiles(endImage);
  await page.waitForTimeout(3000);
  
  // Select options
  await page.click('text=Seedance 2.0 Fast');
  await page.click('text=15s');
  
  // Type prompt
  const textarea = page.locator('textarea').first();
  await textarea.pressSequentially(prompt, { delay: 30 });
  await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
  
  // Submit
  await page.locator('button[class*="submit"]').click({ force: true });
  
  // Wait and screenshot
  await page.waitForTimeout(5000);
  await page.screenshot({ path: 'result.png' });
  
  await browser.close();
}

Scripts

The scripts/ directory contains reusable automation scripts:

webp-compress.sh - Convert images to webp format
form-submit.js - Generic form submission template

Troubleshooting

Button stays gray/disabled

Wait longer after file upload (3+ seconds)
Ensure text input triggers events (use pressSequentially)
Check if images are still uploading

Upload times out

Compress images to webp format first
Reduce image dimensions if very large

Form doesn't submit

Use force: true for click
Check button selector is correct
Verify all required fields are filled

Installation

Terminal bash


openclaw install web-form-automation

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💻Code Examples

await page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click({ force: true });

await-pagelocatorbuttontypesubmitclick-force-true-.txt

## Session Management

### Using Browser Session Data

When user provides a JSON file with session data:

}, sessionData);

-sessiondata.txt

## File Upload Best Practices

### Image Compression

Always compress images before upload for reliability:

convert input.png -resize 1024x1024 output.webp

convert-inputpng--resize-1024x1024-outputwebp.txt

**Size comparison:**
- Original PNG: ~4MB
- Compressed PNG: ~1MB  
- WebP: ~30-50KB (99% smaller)

### Upload Sequence

await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

await-pagewaitfortimeout3000.txt

## Text Input Best Practices

### Use pressSequentially, not fill()

❌ **Don't use fill()** - doesn't trigger input events:

});

.txt

## Button Clicking

### Force Click When Disabled

If button appears disabled but should be clickable:

example.js

const { chromium } = require('playwright');

// Basic form automation
const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com/form');

// Upload compressed images
await page.locator('input[type="file"]').setInputFiles('/path/to/image.webp');

// Type text (triggers events properly)
await page.locator('textarea').pressSequentially('Your text', { delay: 30 });

// Submit form
await page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click({ force: true });

example.js

const sessionData = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('session.json', 'utf8'));

// Set cookies before navigating
for (const cookie of sessionData.cookies || []) {
  await context.addCookies([cookie]);
}

// Set localStorage/sessionStorage
await page.evaluate((data) => {
  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(data.localStorage || {})) {
    localStorage.setItem(k, v);
  }
}, sessionData);

example.sh

# Convert to webp for best compression
convert input.png output.webp

# Or resize if needed
convert input.png -resize 1024x1024 output.webp

example.js

// 1. Find file inputs
const fileInputs = await page.locator('input[type="file"]').all();

// 2. Upload with waiting time
await fileInputs[0].setInputFiles('/path/to/start.webp');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000); // Wait for upload to process

await fileInputs[1].setInputFiles('/path/to/end.webp');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

example.js

await page.evaluate(() => {
  const el = document.querySelector('textarea');
  el.dispatchEvent(new Event('input', { bubbles: true }));
  el.dispatchEvent(new Event('change', { bubbles: true }));
});