Use browser automation as an web offline backup tool

Use browser automation as an web offline backup tool


Pro: Browser automation can be very insensitive to the technology of the web site -- if you can read it, you can save it.

---- To save text content: just “select all” and “copy” and then “paste” to another file.

---- To save pictures: for very short distance, right click it, if it is a picture, save it (then, do not save it until we have at least one non-picture to avoid save the same picture many times).


Con: It is very sensitive to the content/layout; so, it cannot be totally automated (therefore, not abused). You can use web testing automation for it; and just like web testing automation, you first need to “teach” it by recording and even some tweaking (especially for some looping).

Also, the result is not identical to the pages you want to backup. You only get what you did in the recording or custom tweaking. However, usually it is sufficient for saving materials referenced in your notes.

---- This is a good example of personalized browser/office automation.