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Extracting Links from a webpage

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Posted on by KNash

I am attempting to use the desktop recorder to copy an excel value from an excel sheet, paste the value into a microsoft edge search bar, grab the first link that appears after pressing search, and then paste this link next to the name found on the original excel sheet. I have unsuccessfully been able to extract the links from this page. Would anyone know an efficient way of extracting the first link of a search page and pasting this link back into an excel cell using the desktop recorder or any other suggested methods?

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Power Automate Desktop

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VJR 7,635 on at

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After Launching the browser, use "Extract data from webpage"

Once you drag "Extract data from webpage" action to the PAD editor -> Double click and open it (do not close it) -> While keeping this action open, go to the website -> You will automatically get a "Live web helper" -> Right click on the first link and select the href link element -> Then Ctrl left click. The first link should be added to the Live Web helper box -> Click Finish

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KNash 6 on at

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Thank you that does seem to help with grabbing the link itself and having it inputted. Would you know how I can make this a loop though using the names on the excel sheet I am referencing as the search criteria then cycling through this so that each name may have a link found next to it just like you had explained.

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VJR 7,635 on at

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This is how your Pseudo logic would look like. Feel free to make amends where necessary.

1. Launch Excel

2. Find First free row/column.

3. Launch browser

4. Loop (Start from 2 if headers row is 1. End To FirstFreeRow minus 1)

"Read from Excel worksheet" (Value of single cell. Start Column A assuming it contains your search criteria. Start Row will be LoopIndex variable coming from output of Step 4 action.) This is will give you the TextToSearch

"Go to web page" to navigate to the home page of bing search

Search for TextToSearch

"Get details of element on webpage" to read the href value of the 1st link element

"Write to Excel worksheet" the value returned from previous step. (Column B and Row is LoopIndex)

End loop

5. Saving of Excel

6. Close web browser

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KNash 6 on at

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I was able to get up to a certain point until I am asked to reference the variable 'browser' which is made on your step 3. For example when I get to "Get details of element on webpage" I get an error that reads "Argument 'BrowserInstance' must be 'Web browser instance." I do not believe it is asking me to rename the variable as I have already tried that, but what else do you think could be causing this?

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VJR 7,635 on at

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Another forum member got the issue resolved after re-installing the Microsoft Power Automate browser extension.

And in the same thread (link below) it is said to be occurring only in IE and Automation browser. Are you also getting it when you use any of the latest ones like Edge, Chrome, etc?

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Desktop/Argument-BrowserInstance-must-be-Web-browser-instance/td-p/1399294

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KNash 6 on at

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Yes I am primarily using Edge for any web interaction. Would reinstalling the application help?

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VJR 7,635 on at

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Not the application, at first did you try re-installing the extension as per the other forum member who got the issue resolved by doing so?

Also what are your observations on - Are you also getting it when you use any of the latest ones like Edge, Chrome, etc?

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Asim_Jibran 2 on at

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Hi Were you able to get links using Power Automate. I a unable to run the loop as it gets failed on UI element as UI elements change with each search

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