Favorite browser for Web automation

[mnaeem]

Hello Experts,

I know lots of seniors and experts are hanging around in this forum. Just being a newbie in world of automation specially using Macro Scheduler, can you please share you experience in the light of this simple question.

For web automation which browser you recommend and why ?

• Microsoft Edge

• Microsoft Internet Explorer

• Google Chrome

• Firefox

Will look forward for your valuable input.

Regards,

[Dorian (MJT support)]

I don't think there's a simple answer to this, as it depends on what you're automating. Macro Scheduler 15 has functions for Chrome, Edge, and IE. So that narrows the choice to those three. MS14 didn't have the Chrome and Edge functions.

But it largely relies on the site in question, and what you want to do. When MS15 was launched I still tended to go for IE because it was what I was used to and I was familiar with all the functions. A handful of sites not working in IE forced me to investigate the new Chrome functions more for those particular sites, and I enjoy them now I'm more comfortable with them.

[mightycpa]

I've actually had some very recent success with Firefox. At first, it didn't seem to be the best choice, but I was having trouble with Edge, even just manually, and the Chrome functions weren't working for me either. So I was kind of forced into using Firefox, and it turned out pretty good. So far, I have managed to automate two web processes on pages that are fairly tricky to use.

That said, my automation relies heavily on image recognition and sending the right keystrokes. At one frustrating point, I even had to enlist the assistance of on-screen keyboard to make it work, but at the end of the day, it works reliably and it's pretty fast. As a precaution, when I start up, I take a screenshot of the entire web page and compare it to a saved image. If it's the same, then I'm golden, and if it isn't, I send myself an email so that I know to investigate.

[Dorian (MJT support)]

I've actually had some very recent success with Firefox. At first, it didn't seem to be the best choice, but I was having trouble with Edge, even just manually, and the Chrome functions weren't working for me either. So I was kind of forced into using Firefox, and it turned out pretty good. So far, I have managed to automate two web processes on pages that are fairly tricky to use.

That said, my automation relies heavily on image recognition and sending the right keystrokes. At one frustrating point, I even had to enlist the assistance of on-screen keyboard to make it work, but at the end of the day, it works reliably and it's pretty fast. As a precaution, when I start up, I take a screenshot of the entire web page and compare it to a saved image. If it's the same, then I'm golden, and if it isn't, I send myself an email so that I know to investigate.

I guess you can automate virtually anything using Image Recognition and keyboard/mouse, even if MS doesn't have functions specifically for that browser. IR/kb/mouse is usually only a last resort for me though. If the "normal" functions aren't behaving as expected. And as we all know, so much of automation is trial and error.