Question

trying to capture entire page html using javascript

Asked by: jrb1

Is there a way with Javascript to capture the complete HTML for a web page?  I have a function and I'm grabbing some of the HTML with:

<script language='JavaScript'>
if (document.getElementById("myvariable").value == "")
   document.getElementById("myvariable").value = escape(document.all[0].outerHTML);
</script>

But I'm not getting all of the HTML.  I also tried innerHTML.

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Asked On
2007-03-02 at 17:34:26ID22425476
Tags

capture

,

page

,

html

,

javascript

,

using

Topic

JavaScript

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: b0lsc0ttPosted on 2007-03-02 at 18:08:07ID: 18645655

The DOM will give you access to all of the HTML.  However since browser don't always handle it the same the results can be different.  If you wanted to try innerHTML then you should use.

var body = document.getElementsByTagName('body');
body[0].innerHTML;

I don't know how well supported that will be but that would be the correct way to get the "contents" (including html) of the body tag.  You could even use html instead of body if you wanted the head section too.

Let me know how this helps.  If you want to clarify what you need this for then there may be a better way to do it, especially if it will be more reliable in different browsers.  Let me know if you have a question or need more information.

bol

 

by: jrb1Posted on 2007-03-02 at 18:10:39ID: 18645662

I'll give it a try.  FYI, I only care about IE6+.

 

by: jrb1Posted on 2007-03-02 at 18:18:38ID: 18645687

That doesn't seem to produce anything different.  Under the body, there are tables, divs, etc.  It seems like I'm getting the main part of the body, but none of the structures under the body.

 

by: DinitSoftwaresPosted on 2007-03-03 at 01:57:10ID: 18646623

Hi,
I tried the following code, it works in IE7 but not in Firefox:

<html><head>
<title>Your Title</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function GetBodySource()
{
var TestedVariable = document.body.outerHTML;
alert(TestedVariable);
}
</script>
</head>
<body onLoad="GetBodySource()">
<h1>Your Page Source Here</h1>
</body></html>

But, if you change "var TestedVariable = document.body.outerHTML;" to var TestedVariable = document.body.innerHTML;" it works in Firefox also. Hope this helps :)

PS - I have tried it on more complex pages also, but there seems to be not problem at all!

 

by: mplungjanPosted on 2007-03-03 at 03:03:50ID: 18646758

document.getElementsByTagName('HTML')[0].innerHTML
Assuming a well formed page

 

by: b0lsc0ttPosted on 2007-03-03 at 14:53:30ID: 18648514

What do you mean "structures under the body"?  The result should be everything in between the body tags.  What did you get?  What did you need?  If you need it in some "format" (i.e. structure??) then what are you trying to access?  InnerHTML won't be the best way to access elements (i.e. tags and contents) inside the body.  There are better ways to access specific elements, if that is what you need.

bol

 

by: mplungjanPosted on 2007-03-04 at 01:14:03ID: 18649638

If the page has html tags, then  document.getElementsByTagName('HTML')[0].innerHTML
will give it all

Michel

 

by: DinitSoftwaresPosted on 2007-03-05 at 14:45:48ID: 18658039

Did anything work?

 

by: jrb1Posted on 2007-03-05 at 16:06:42ID: 18658513

I just got back to this.  The way that the page was being generated, the javascript was firing before the entire page was loaded, so only the HTML that had loaded at that time was included in my variable.  It's now firing after the whole page has loaded and it is capturing all of the HTML.  Thanks.

 

by: b0lsc0ttPosted on 2007-03-05 at 16:10:22ID: 18658536

Your welcome!  I'm glad that I could help.  Thanks for the fun question, the grade and the points.

bol

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