why doesn't 'do javascript' call in Applescript execute when the same code typed into browser does?

Question

I'm trying to figure out why my Applescript does nothing when the same javascript code typed into a Safari location bar works.

Go to a search results page, such as: http://www.google.com/search?q=test . For the correct behavior, type this into the location bar and hit enter:

javascript: document.getElementsByClassName('vspib')[0].click();

You'll see that it selects the magnifier for the first search result.

This is what I want to make happen via javascript. So I typed up the following:

tell application "Safari"
    activate
    do JavaScript "document.getElementsByClassName('vspib')[0].click();" in document 1
end tell

However, it does nothing. Any ideas?

sakra · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-03 14:22:23Z

16

The problem is that do JavaScript has to correctly address a tab in a Safari window.

The following script works for me, if the search results page is the current tab in the frontmost Safari window:

tell application "Safari"
    activate
    set theScript to "document.getElementsByClassName('vspib')[0].click();"
    do JavaScript theScript in current tab of first window
end tell

answered Jul 3, 2011 at 14:22

sakra

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1 Comment

mix Over a year ago

thanks so much. for some reason your code wasn't working every time for me, but this modification ended up doing the trick: execute front window's active tab javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('vspib')[0].click();"

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