Automatic Extraction of Information Behind Web Forms Based on Application Ontologies

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Automatic Extraction of Information Behind
Web Forms Based on Application Ontologies

• by
• Sai Ho Yau
• Brigham Young University

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Introduction

• There are enormous amounts of information
  available from the Web, but it is difficult to
  extract the data automatically due to several
  reasons

• Dynamically generated Web pages
• Form interfaces

• Relevant information can be obtained only after a
  Web form is filled out and submitted

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Problems Dealing with Forms

• No general Web form design

• Required text fields

• One form may lead to another

• Resulting information embedded within forms

• Returned error messages versus valid data

• Elimination of possible duplicate data

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The Framework
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Tools

• Language and Internet browser used
• JavaScript, Java, PHP3., MySQL
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Platform
• Solaris Intel (Unix), with Sun Java 1.1.6.

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Method Construct the Query String
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The Goal

• Deal with as many Web forms as possible.
• Retrieve all relevant information.
• Automate the extraction process.

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Returned Web Page
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Suggested Solution
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Conclusions
We can automatically

• Fill in Web forms.

• Extract information behind forms.

• Screen out error messages and inapplicable Web
  pages.

• Eliminate duplicate data.

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Thank You