Unsure about how to handle JavaScript and mechanize in this particular situation

My task involves accessing multiple accounts on Amazon's KDP platform, which can be found at

To login to each account and check their earnings, I rely on Mechanize for handling the cookies. However, the page displaying the earnings uses Javascript to populate dynamically.

I've discovered that the Javascript sends out a specific request:

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/reports/transactionSummary?_=1326419839161&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Each time I view the results, the numerical part of the URL changes, even if it's the same link. This poses a challenge in extracting the required information from the response.

The browser receives a lengthy response to the request, containing relevant data such as earnings and book titles. Analyzing the source code reveals intricate scripts running on the page, making it difficult to decipher how these requests are generated.

Is there a way to track and emulate these requests using Mechanize while bypassing the complexities of the Javascripts?

Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Note: To ensure efficiency, Watir is not considered suitable for this task due to its limitations when handling large volumes of accounts.

Answer №1

This timestamp is essential for cache busting purposes. You can generate it using the following code snippet:

Time.now.to_i.to_s

Answer №2

When using Mechanize, keep in mind that it does not execute JavaScript code embedded on a page. Instead, it focuses on retrieving the HTML content.

If the webpage contains JavaScript, Mechanize can still detect it, and you have the option to utilize Nokogiri (which is used internally by Mechanize) to extract the contents within <script> tags. However, any functionality dependent on dynamic loading via JavaScript won't be triggered in Mechanize. In such cases, Watir is recommended as it simulates browser behavior, allowing the execution of JavaScript on the page.

To understand the operations performed by JavaScript on a webpage, consider inspecting the source code while browsing with tools like FireBug. This insight can guide your use of Mechanize and Nokogiri for data extraction purposes, albeit with potentially significant manual effort involved.

If you're seeking additional insights or solutions related to this issue, explore similar discussions on Stack Overflow:

  • Mechanize and JavaScript
  • Ruby Mechanize not returning Javascript built page correctly

You may also benefit from conducting a broader search on Stack Overflow for inquiries surrounding Ruby, JavaScript, and Mechanize for further assistance.

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