Your Expert Advice Appreciated

[Craka]

MY PROBLEM

First of all I'm no tech genius or even that savvy that said

The issue i have is that there is a database that i can only access online through a portal.

What i want to do is get a full copy of this database so i can use for marketing.

As i can't get one given to me the only option i have is to enter the parameters get the result copying paste to another file.

To do this manually will be around 35,000 entries

What I need to do if you look at the image downloaded is

Copy post code from Excel / Sheets etc
Paste into Postcode field
Select from drop down box titled division
Click search
Copy Results
Paste Results to excel

Repeat around 35,000 times

Any ideas how i may do this

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Unfortunately, if you are not the owner of the database, and you cannot acquire a copy from them directly, then what you are asking is actually not legal. Because of this, we cannot help you.

Sorry,

C

 

[Craka]

Hi Cory,

It is Legal i am entitled to access the database.

My issues is the arcaic nature i must go through to do this,

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK, thanks for the additional information.

If you are entitled to access the data, then I would work with the company's IT department to acquire the database by another means. Trying to extract each of the ~35K records via a web interface script would be a long, tedious, and quite complex undertaking. Not to mention any website/database overload issues, and/or possibility of triggering some form of website/server security measures.

Please know that I am not trying to be accusatory or negative in my responses, I just have to protect myself, Mac Help, and you from any legal ramifications for any suggestions given. As you stated, it is an archaic method to access data, and it would require scripting that is beyond the capabilities of many folks, including myself.

Hopefully you can work with them to acquire a copy of the database, even though you stated "As i can't get one given to me" in your initial post.

Again, sorry we can't be of more help to you, and I hope you will understand my/our position.

C

 

[Craka]

thanks