Multi-Step Screenshots: actions before capture

Multi-Step Screenshots

With the PagePixels Multi-Step screenshot functionality you can complete forms, navigate to different pages, click links and buttons, and login to websites prior to taking your screenshot.

To use the Multi-Step functionality, simply pass an array of actions using the multi_step_actions key.

Actions are completed in the order they are provided in the array.

Note: Want to use Multi-Step capabilities in the PagePixels web app, Zapier, or Make instead of directly through the API? See our Multi-Step Help Guide.

Available Actions

Action	Example
Click	`{"type": "click", "selector": "#your-selector"}`
Hover	`{"type": "hover", "selector": "#your-selector"}`
Change Notification Learn More	`{"type": "change", "selector": "#your-selector", "send_to": "webhook", url: "https://example.com/webhook-url"}`
Goto URL	`{"type": "redirect", "value": "https://example.com"}`
Run Javascript	`{"type": "javascript", "value": "console.log('my javascript');"}`
Evaluate Javascript	`{"type": "evaluateJs", "value": "console.log('my javascript');"}`
Insert CSS	`{"type": "css", "value": "#selector{ color: red }"}`
Text Field Input	`{"type": "text_field", "selector": "#the-text-field", "value": "your-value"}`
Dropdown Field Selection	`{"type": "select", "selector": "#the-dropdown-field", "value": "selected value"}`
Checkbox Field Input	`{"type": "checkbox", "selector": "#the-checkbox-field", "value":true}`
Press Enter (to submit hidden forms)	`{"type": "submit"}`
Wait X milliseconds	`{"type": "wait", "value": "5000"}`
Wait For Selector	`{"type": "wait_for_selector", "selector": "#your-selector"}`

Below is an example of the Multi-Step functionality using the Create Endpoint.

This example goes to https://wikipedia.org, fills in the search field with 'Perseverance Rover', and clicks the submit button before taking a screenshot.

POST REQUEST /screenshot_configs bash

curl -X POST "https://api.pagepixels.com/screenshot_configs" \
  -d url="https://wikipedia.org/" \
  -d multi_step_actions='[{"type": "text_field", "selector": "#searchInput", "value": "perseverance rover"}, {"type": "click", "selector": "#search-form button"}]' \
  -d access_token="your-api-key"

JSON RESPONSE

{
  "success": true,
  "screenshot_configuration_id":"screenshot_configuration_id",
  "embed_url":"https://pagepixels.com/app/screenshots/:screenshot_configuration_id/embed",
  "job_id": "job_id"
}

Change Notifications

Keep track of changes all across the web. For example, change notifications can alert you to when a competitor's prices have changed, or when new team members are added to their 'about us' page.

Notifications can be sent to any URL location as a POST request in JSON format. For example, you can process change notifications through Zapier and populate your favorite dashboards and backend systems with the latest information.

Below is an example screenshot with a change notification configured using the Create Endpoint.

This example goes to the Ingenuity Helicopter's wikipedia page every 10 minutes and sends a Change Notification to a webhook URL every time a change is detected on the total number of flights the helicopter has taken.

POST REQUEST /screenshot_configs bash

curl -X POST "https://api.pagepixels.com/screenshot_configs" \
  -d url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingenuity_(helicopter)" \
  -d scheduled_screenshot=true \
  -d scheduled_every=10 \
  -d scheduled_interval="minutes" \
  -d multi_step_actions='[{"type": "change", "selector": "#mw-content-text > div.mw-parser-output > table.infobox > tbody > tr:nth-child(24) > td", "send_to": "webhook", "url": "https://example.com/webhook"}]' \
  -d access_token="your-api-key"

JSON RESPONSE

{
  "success": true,
  "screenshot_configuration_id":"screenshot_configuration_id",
  "embed_url":"https://pagepixels.com/app/screenshots/:screenshot_configuration_id/embed",
  "job_id": "job_id"
}

Note: Once your screenshot has been running for awhile, you may want to see a list of all changes previously detected. You can do this using the List Change Notifications endpoint.

List Change Notifications

GET /screenshot_configs/:screenshot_configuration_id/change_notifications

This endpoint provides an array of all Change Notifications for a specific screenshot configuration.

By default, the API will return 1000 records per request.

Paging Parameters

Key	Description
page	The page you would like to retrieve. Default: 1.
limit	The total number of records you would like to retrieve. Minimum: 1, Maximum: 1000, Default: 1000
after	A unix timestamp (with or without milliseconds). Only records created after this time will be returned in the request. Default: none
before	A unix timestamp (with or without milliseconds). Only records created before this time will be returned in the request. Default: none
order	Can be either 'ASC' or 'DESC'. Default: 'DESC'. Records returned in DESC (descending) order will return the most recent records first to the oldest records. Records returned in ASC (ascending) order will return the oldest records first to the newest records.

Here is a quick example of this functionality.

GET REQUEST /screenshot_configs/:screenshot_configuration_id/change_notifications http

https://api.pagepixels.com/screenshot_configs/:screenshot_configuration_id/change_notifications?access_token=your-api-key&page=1

JSON RESPONSE

{
  "success": true,
  "change_notifications": [
    {
      "id": "da4b9237bacccdf19c0760cab7aec4a8359010b0",
      "screenshot_configuration_id": "827b7f5d-da55-44aa-a2d5-236b75cb1a14",
      "previous_value": "18",
      "retrieved_value": "19",
      "config": {
        "type": "change",
        "selector": "#some-selector",
        "send_to": "webhook",
        "url": "http://example.com/webhook"
      },
      "sent_at": "1632624177263"
    },
    {
      "id": "356a192b7913b04c54574d18c28d46e6395428ab",
      "screenshot_configuration_id": "827b7f5d-da55-44aa-a2d5-236b75cb1a14",
      "previous_value": "17",
      "retrieved_value": "18",
      "config": {
        "type": "change",
        "selector": "#some-selector",
        "send_to": "webhook",
        "url": "http://example.com/webhook"
      },
      "sent_at": "1632624048330"
    }
  ]
}

List All Change Notifications

GET /change_notifications

This endpoint provides an array of all Change Notifications found on your account, for all screenshot configurations.

By default, the API will return 1000 records per request.

Paging Parameters

Key	Description
page	The page you would like to retrieve. Default: 1.
limit	The total number of records you would like to retrieve. Minimum: 1, Maximum: 1000, Default: 1000
after	A unix timestamp (with or without milliseconds). Only records created after this time will be returned in the request. Default: none
before	A unix timestamp (with or without milliseconds). Only records created before this time will be returned in the request. Default: none
order	Can be either 'ASC' or 'DESC'. Default: 'DESC'. Records returned in DESC (descending) order will return the most recent records first to the oldest records. Records returned in ASC (ascending) order will return the oldest records first to the newest records.

Here is a quick example of this functionality.

GET REQUEST /change_notifications http

https://api.pagepixels.com/change_notifications?access_token=your-api-key&page=1

JSON RESPONSE

{
  "success": true,
  "change_notifications": [
    {
      "id": "da4b9237bacccdf19c0760cab7aec4a8359010b0",
      "screenshot_configuration_id": "e2ac54a0-5332-451a-a63e-4ccdb3e3db32",
      "previous_value": "18",
      "retrieved_value": "19",
      "config": {
        "type": "change",
        "selector": "#some-selector",
        "send_to": "webhook",
        "url": "http://example.com/webhook"
      },
      "sent_at": "1632624177263"
    },
    {
      "id": "356a192b7913b04c54574d18c28d46e6395428ab",
      "screenshot_configuration_id": "827b7f5d-da55-44aa-a2d5-236b75cb1a14",
      "previous_value": "17",
      "retrieved_value": "18",
      "config": {
        "type": "change",
        "selector": "#some-selector",
        "send_to": "webhook",
        "url": "http://example.com/webhook"
      },
      "sent_at": "1632624048330"
    }
  ]
}

Support

Questions? Contact us anytime by email:

support-tickets@pagepixels.com

Or send us a message through our Support page.

Multi-Step Screenshots