Re: Automating programs

From: Bit Twister (BitTwister_at_mouse-potato.com)
Date: 09/26/05 

Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:34:15 -0500

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 16:03:11 -0400, wd10 wrote:
> What is the best way to automate programs in Linux?

Write a script or program.

> I use Lynx to extract text from web sites and save to a file and then I
> want to rename the output files and do things for them. I know there must
> be a way to avoid all the typing.
> Is is possible to automate programs, for example:
> * start Firefox
> * go to my web page
> * save my web page, or take a screenshot
> * save file and maybe manipulate it, shrink, output as jpg, or whatever --
> append to HTML file and FTP it to a remote server?
>
> The previous example is just a random idea... the
> purpose is to learn how to automate my programs.
>
> What should I learn to do this? Should I figure out how to do it in Perl,
> or is there another way?

http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/index.htm

All sorts of ways. You can use wget or curl to fetch pages and use
image/sound apps to do your jpg/gif/wav work. You can use for loops to pickup
filenames and use basename to call whatever based on extension.

man basename
man cat
man -k convert | grep \(1

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Automating programs
    ... > want to rename the output files and do things for them. ... > Is is possible to automate programs, ... Try using wget to download the web pageyou are interested in. ...
    (alt.linux)
  • Automating programs
    ... What is the best way to automate programs in Linux? ... I use Lynx to extract text from web sites and save to a file and then I ... want to rename the output files and do things for them. ...
    (alt.linux)
  • Re: Automating programs
    ... >> What is the best way to automate programs in Linux? ... > All sorts of ways. ... > filenames and use basename to call whatever based on extension. ... the Perl collection is the next toy ...
    (alt.linux)