html object error in powershell

Question

So I'm doing a little bit of IE automation in powershell.

Here is my code:

$text = "ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$Login1`$UserName"
$ie = New-Object -ComObject internetexplorer.application
$ie.visible = $true
$ie.navigate($url);
while ($ie.Busy -eq $true)
{

Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 1000;
} 

Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Attemptin to login to website."
$ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$Login1`$UserName").value = $username
$ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$Login1`$Password").value = $password
$ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$Login1`$LoginButton").Click()

#while ($ie.Busy -eq $true) 
#{ 
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 5000; 
#}
$ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$txtAgentID").value = "BKR00822"

The issue I'm having is with this line:

$ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$ddlAgentID").value = "BKR00822"

That line is referring to a drop down list.

For some reason it's not accepting any property, nor value, nor selected.

here is the source of the html:

        <div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_pnlOverrideAgentIDEnter">

            <div class="override_agent_text_container">
                Please override the Agent ID below to view policies of another agent.
            </div>
            <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" class="override_agent_controls_container">
                <tr>
                    <td width="10px">Agent&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;
                    </td>
                    <td>
                        <select name="ctl00$ContentPlaceHolder1$ddlAgentID" onchange="javascript:setTimeout(&#39;__doPostBack(\&#39;ctl00$ContentPlaceHolder1$ddlAgentID\&#39;,\&#39;\&#39;)&#39;, 0)" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ddlAgentID">
                        <option selected="selected" value="">[Select...]</option>
                        <option value="BKR00372">1st National Bank</option>
                        <option value="BKR00012">21ST CENTURY INSURANCE &amp; REINSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00613">21ST CENTURY INSURANCE &amp; REINSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00824">345-815-2126</option>
                        <option value="BKR00022">ACE INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00783">Agostini Insurance Brokers (St. Lucia) Ltd</option>
                        <option value="BKR00032">AGOSTINI INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00623">AGOSTINI INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00633">AGOSTINI INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00042">AMALGAMATED INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>
                        <option value="BKR00643">AMALGAMATED INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED</option>

This is the error that I am getting. There are about 200 drop down items. The item that I'm looking for is in there, I didn't copy it over:

The property 'value' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists and can be set.
At C:\Users\Sabrin\Desktop\massy-test-web-prog.ps1:25 char:1
+ $ie.Document.getElementById("ctl00`$ContentPlaceHolder1`$ddlAgentID").value = "1 ...
+    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (:) [], RuntimeException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PropertyNotFound

Thank you for your help!

Jan Chrbolka · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-15 03:02:11Z

1

I think your issue is timing. Had plenty of those in my experience with IE automation.

This code ended up working best for me, when waiting for IE page to be loaded:

While ($ie.ReadyState -ne 4)
{
    write-host "Session State: $($ie.ReadyState)"
    Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 100
}
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 200 # extra buffer

$ie.Busy is not reliable.

Also,

To select an item in the drop down list you should probably use the selectedIndex property:

$ie.Document.getElementById("list").selectedIndex = 69 
$ie.Document.getElementById("list").FireEvent("onchange")

edited Mar 15, 2016 at 3:02

answered Mar 15, 2016 at 2:49

Jan Chrbolka

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3 Comments

Sabrin Alexander Over a year ago

Nope, still get the same error. Property not found on object

Jan Chrbolka Over a year ago

Just out of curiosity, do you get property " selectedIndex" not found?

Jan Chrbolka Over a year ago

Just reread your html... The actual ID you looking for is " ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_ddlAgentID". What you have at the moment is the object name not ID.

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