Master Chrome Browser Automation with Axiom.ai - 10 Essential Tips
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Top Tip 1: Select button clicks using just text
- Top Tip 2: Handling buttons that aren't always present on a page
- Top Tip 3: Continuing automation despite errors
- Top Tip 4: Speeding up web scraping in Chrome
- Top Tip 5: Using key presses to solve automation problems
- Top Tip 6: Getting the last day of the previous month
- Top Tip 7: Uploading and downloading files in the cloud
- Top Tip 8: Switching to a new window or pop-up
- Top Tip 9: Joining separate pieces of data in Axiom
- Top Tip 10: Combining multiple axioms into one
- Conclusion
Top Tip 1: Select button clicks using just text
When automating the Chrome browser, it's essential to know how to select button clicks using just text. While the default method is to select buttons using the "Select" option in Axiom and clicking on them, there are situations where this may not work. In such cases, You can use the text selector method. Instead of using selectors, you can click the "Select" button, choose the "Custom" option, and tick the "Use element text instead of HTML" box. Then, you enter the text of the button you want to select and complete the text selection. This method is particularly useful when automating platforms like Instagram, where pop-ups with specific text appear during runtime.
Top Tip 2: Handling buttons that aren't always present on a page
When automating the Chrome browser and interacting with buttons, you may encounter situations where a button is not always present on a page. By default, if Axiom cannot find a button specified in an automation, it throws an error and stops the automation. However, if you want the automation to Continue even if a button is not found, you can use the optional click feature. When adding a click element step, simply tick the "Optional click" box. This way, if the button is not found on a page, Axiom will continue running the automation without throwing an error.
Top Tip 3: Continuing automation despite errors
In the process of automation, errors can occur due to missing content on a page or misconfigured steps. By default, Axiom stops and displays an error message when it encounters an error. However, there may be instances where you want to force Axiom to continue running despite the error. To do this, you can enable the "Continue on error" setting in Axiom. Go to the top-right corner menu, click on "Settings," and tick the "Continue on error" box. This setting allows Axiom to ignore errors and keep running the automation smoothly.
Top Tip 4: Speeding up web scraping in Chrome
Web scraping is a common task in browser automation. To speed up the web scraping process, you can adjust the scroll time and retries settings in Axiom. The scroll time setting determines how quickly Axiom scrolls down a page, allowing time for content to load dynamically. By reducing the scroll time, you can make the scraping process faster. Additionally, the retries setting helps Axiom check if all the content on a page has finished loading. By reducing the number of retries or eliminating them altogether, you can speed up the scraping process even further. However, it's important to test these adjustments to ensure you're not missing any data due to the speed changes.
Top Tip 5: Using key presses to solve automation problems
Key presses are a valuable tool for solving automation problems that don't have straightforward solutions. The key press step in Axiom allows you to Record your key presses or keystrokes and use them in your automation. For example, if you encounter a pop-up that you need to close but don't know how to click the button programmatically, you can record a series of tabs to select the button and press "Return" to close the pop-up. Key presses can also be used to scroll a window or a box by recording up or down arrows. By exploring different applications and their shortcuts, you can find creative ways to use key presses in your automation.
Top Tip 6: Getting the last day of the previous month
Automating the generation of reports often requires retrieving dates and manipulating them. Axiom provides a step that allows you to get the last day of the previous month easily. Using the "Date and Time" step, select the "Custom" option and choose "Last day of the previous month." You can also select the desired date format for the output. This feature comes in handy when dealing with date-related operations during report generation.
Top Tip 7: Uploading and downloading files in the cloud
Axiom now supports file management in the cloud using Google Drive. You can upload files directly to Google Drive or download files from Google Drive during your automation. This feature enhances the flexibility and accessibility of your automation workflows. By integrating with Google Drive, you can store and retrieve files seamlessly from your automated processes.
Top Tip 8: Switching to a new window or pop-up
When automating the Chrome browser, you may encounter scenarios where a link or action opens a new window or pop-up. To continue the automation in the new tab or pop-up, you need to instruct Axiom to switch to that specific tab or window. Axiom provides a "Tab Switch Browser Tab" step that allows you to specify which tab or pop-up to switch to. By default, selecting "Last Opened" will switch to the most recently opened tab or pop-up. Alternatively, you can specify the tab number to switch to a specific tab or pop-up. This feature ensures that your automation seamlessly navigates between different windows and pop-ups.
Top Tip 9: Joining separate pieces of data in Axiom
When working with multiple data sources in Axiom, you may need to combine separate pieces of data into a single entity. For instance, you might have data from a Google Sheet and data scraped from a Website that you want to merge and append to a new sheet. Axiom provides an "Append Set" step that allows you to join these separate pieces of data together. By selecting the appropriate data sources and configuration options, you can append and consolidate the data horizontally or vertically. This capability streamlines data processing and facilitates efficient automation workflows.
Top Tip 10: Combining multiple axioms into one
Axiom offers the ability to combine multiple axioms into a single, more extensive automation. This feature is particularly useful when working on complex automation tasks that require breaking down the automation into smaller components. By architecturing separate axioms and then combining them into one control axiom, you can simplify debugging and manage the automation flow more effectively. This approach allows for modularity and scalability in your automation projects.
Conclusion
Automating the Chrome browser using Axiom can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity. These top tips cover various aspects of browser automation, including button selection, error handling, speed optimization, key presses, date manipulation, cloud file management, window switching, data joining, and axiom combination. By implementing these tips, you can take your browser automation skills from novice to pro and unlock the full potential of Axiom.
Highlights:
- Learn how to select button clicks using just text in Axiom.
- Handle buttons that aren't always present on a page.
- Continuously automate despite encountering errors.
- Speed up web scraping in Chrome using scroll time and retries adjustments.
- Utilize key presses to solve automation problems and perform specific actions.
- Get the last day of the previous month easily in Axiom.
- Take AdVantage of Axiom's cloud file management capabilities with Google Drive.
- Switch between different windows or pop-ups in your automation seamlessly.
- Join separate pieces of data in Axiom for improved data processing.
- Combine multiple axioms into one to streamline complex automation tasks.
FAQ:
Q: Can I select buttons in Axiom using just the text on the button?
A: Yes, Axiom provides a text selector method to select buttons based on their text content. This feature is particularly useful when dealing with dynamic elements or when the default selector method doesn't work.
Q: How can I ensure that my automation continues running despite encountering errors?
A: Axiom has a "Continue on error" setting that allows you to ignore errors and keep the automation running smoothly. By enabling this setting, you can handle errors gracefully and ensure uninterrupted automation.
Q: Is it possible to speed up web scraping in Chrome using Axiom?
A: Yes, Axiom provides options to adjust the scroll time and retries settings, which can significantly speed up web scraping. By optimizing these settings, you can reduce the time taken for content to load and improve overall scraping efficiency.
Q: Can I combine multiple axioms into one for complex automation tasks?
A: Yes, Axiom allows you to combine multiple axioms into a single, more extensive automation. This feature is useful for managing complex automation tasks and enhancing modularity and scalability in your workflows.
