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#91
PVD Python Scripts / Python scripts documentation a...
Last post by Ivek23 - 7 24 May, 2026, 07:17:49 AMDocumentation and instructions for using Python scripts
The script is intended to automate access to IMDb websites, where it:
Requirements
Environmental preparation
Installing libraries: Install the Selenium library using the command:
pip install selenium
Downloading Geckodriver (or other driver for other browser, if available):
Download geckodriver from the official site: Geckodriver Releases.
Unzip the file and save the path to the geckodriver.exe program.
Adjusting the path in the script:
Set the correct paths in the script:
gecko_path: Path to the geckodriver.exe file.
pvd_path: Path to your PVD folder.
log_path: Path to the log file.
How to use the script
Calling the script from the command line:
You run the script with the following command:
python script_name.py (for example "selenium_aka_script.py")
Replace "https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234567/" with the actual URL of the IMDb page (or the script will use the URL from the database if the URL already exists there).
Script functionalities:
When loading the page, it first checks if the "Select Your Preferences" window appears, and closes it by clicking the "Accept" button.
Clicks all visible "More" buttons to expand additional information (e.g., a list of actors or similar movies).
After clicking all buttons, it saves the entire page to the file downpage-UTF8_NO_BOM.htm, which is located in the Scripts/Tmp folder.
Results:
The entire page is saved as an HTML file in the folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Personal Video Database/Scripts/Tmp/ (or wherever your PVD folder with the installed program is)
The log file that records all events is located in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Personal Video Database/Scripts/python_script.log (or wherever your PVD folder with the installed program is)
A more detailed explanation of the functionality
Closing the pop-up window:
The script waits up to 10 seconds for the "Select Your Preferences" window to appear.
It looks for the "Accept" button and clicks it.
If the window is not displayed, it continues without error.
Clicking "More" buttons:
The script continuously searches for "More" buttons on the page.
When it finds them, it clicks them one by one and waits for additional content to load.
This process is repeated until all "More" buttons have been clicked.
Saving the page:
Saves the entire page to a file in UTF-8 format after clicking all buttons.
Logging:
The log file records all important events, such as a successful button click, any errors, or the unavailability of a pop-up window.
Common Problems and Solutions
Geckodriver not found:
Check if the gecko_path is set correctly.
Make sure geckodriver.exe is compatible with your version of Firefox.
Pop-up window does not close:
Check if the "Accept" button attributes have been changed on the IMDb page.
Update the XPath for the button if there have been any changes.
Log file not created:
Check the write permissions on the Scripts folder.
Example of a log file
The script is intended to automate access to IMDb websites, where it:
- Clicks on the "Select Your Preferences" pop-up window so that the page can continue loading.
- Clicks on all "More" buttons to expand all hidden information on the page.
- Saves the entire source code (HTML) of the page to a file for further processing.
Requirements
- Python: Python 3.x installed on your computer.
- Selenium: Browser automation library.
- Geckodriver: Driver for using Firefox browser with Selenium(or other driver for other browser, if available).
- Firefox browser: Firefox browser installed(or other browser).
Environmental preparation
Installing libraries: Install the Selenium library using the command:
pip install selenium
Downloading Geckodriver (or other driver for other browser, if available):
Download geckodriver from the official site: Geckodriver Releases.
Unzip the file and save the path to the geckodriver.exe program.
Adjusting the path in the script:
Set the correct paths in the script:
gecko_path: Path to the geckodriver.exe file.
pvd_path: Path to your PVD folder.
log_path: Path to the log file.
How to use the script
Calling the script from the command line:
You run the script with the following command:
python script_name.py (for example "selenium_aka_script.py")
Replace "https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234567/" with the actual URL of the IMDb page (or the script will use the URL from the database if the URL already exists there).
Script functionalities:
When loading the page, it first checks if the "Select Your Preferences" window appears, and closes it by clicking the "Accept" button.
Clicks all visible "More" buttons to expand additional information (e.g., a list of actors or similar movies).
After clicking all buttons, it saves the entire page to the file downpage-UTF8_NO_BOM.htm, which is located in the Scripts/Tmp folder.
Results:
The entire page is saved as an HTML file in the folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Personal Video Database/Scripts/Tmp/ (or wherever your PVD folder with the installed program is)
The log file that records all events is located in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Personal Video Database/Scripts/python_script.log (or wherever your PVD folder with the installed program is)
A more detailed explanation of the functionality
Closing the pop-up window:
The script waits up to 10 seconds for the "Select Your Preferences" window to appear.
It looks for the "Accept" button and clicks it.
If the window is not displayed, it continues without error.
Clicking "More" buttons:
The script continuously searches for "More" buttons on the page.
When it finds them, it clicks them one by one and waits for additional content to load.
This process is repeated until all "More" buttons have been clicked.
Saving the page:
Saves the entire page to a file in UTF-8 format after clicking all buttons.
Logging:
The log file records all important events, such as a successful button click, any errors, or the unavailability of a pop-up window.
Common Problems and Solutions
Geckodriver not found:
Check if the gecko_path is set correctly.
Make sure geckodriver.exe is compatible with your version of Firefox.
Pop-up window does not close:
Check if the "Accept" button attributes have been changed on the IMDb page.
Update the XPath for the button if there have been any changes.
Log file not created:
Check the write permissions on the Scripts folder.
Example of a log file
Quote2024-12-19 12:00:00 - INFO - Starting the Python script.
2024-12-19 12:00:01 - INFO - Using IMDb URL: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234567/
2024-12-19 12:00:05 - INFO - Page https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234567/ loaded successfully.
2024-12-19 12:00:06 - INFO - 'Select Your Preferences' popup detected.
2024-12-19 12:00:07 - INFO - Clicked on the 'Accept' button to close the popup.
2024-12-19 12:00:10 - INFO - Clicked a 'More' button.
2024-12-19 12:00:12 - INFO - HTML saved to file: D:/MyPVD/PVD_0.9.9.21_MOD-Simple AllMovies/Scripts/Tmp/downpage-UTF8_NO_BOM.htm
2024-12-19 12:00:15 - INFO - Browser closed.
#92
Notice to old registered users of Personal Video Database (videodb.info)
All old registered users of Personal Video Database (videodb.info) should register on this forum with the same username and password and a valid email address, so that the moderators know that you were really registered there before.
Others who try to register with some strange usernames will be treated as spam or fake users who write and send spam mail or messages. Also, everyone who has unusual email addresses will be treated the same, especially those who use mainly Russian and similar spam or temporary email extensions for their email addresses.
All old registered users of Personal Video Database (videodb.info) should register on this forum with the same username and password and a valid email address, so that the moderators know that you were really registered there before.
Others who try to register with some strange usernames will be treated as spam or fake users who write and send spam mail or messages. Also, everyone who has unusual email addresses will be treated the same, especially those who use mainly Russian and similar spam or temporary email extensions for their email addresses.
#93
Hilfe / Scripting manual
Last post by afrocuban - 11 17 May, 2026, 11:14:21 AMThis is my local backup of a scripting manual from the wayback machine. I am not sure how we could recreate a wiki on this forum...
#94
Brainstorm / Re: What makes PVD slow?
Last post by afrocuban01 - 1 16 May, 2026, 01:59:01 PMI think PVD is essentially slow because it's a 32-bit app and it cannot work with more than 2GB of memory, so at the very end it will crash when the task needs more than that: for example if you want to change the way images are stored - in or out of PVD, no matter how small images are.
Also, it'll get painfully slow if the amount of characters to a field is huge. Try to import 50k characters into any "memo" field for any movie (and there are cases on IMDb that has huge amount of chars, synopsis page for example), and you'll know what I mean.
So, at some point nothing can help with the slowness, not even converting to some other DB...
Also, it'll get painfully slow if the amount of characters to a field is huge. Try to import 50k characters into any "memo" field for any movie (and there are cases on IMDb that has huge amount of chars, synopsis page for example), and you'll know what I mean.
So, at some point nothing can help with the slowness, not even converting to some other DB...
#96
Talk / Hello again
Last post by afrocuban01 - 1 16 May, 2026, 01:24:20 PMIt looks I am back too, but with this username. But, it seems I cannot reply to some topics, so that's why I had to create this new topic instead...
#97
Talk / Re: Personal Video Database al...
Last post by Ivek23 - 10 16 May, 2026, 10:52:19 AMI have now updated your username. I hope you received the change (username and new password) to your email address.
#98
Talk / Re: Personal Video Database al...
Last post by Ivek23 - 8 16 May, 2026, 08:16:50 AMI have changed your email address for your old account "afrocuban" on the alternative PVD forum to your rmail address, where you can receive emails. I will also send a notification to this email address about the change of your email address for your old account.
At the moment I cannot send you the change of user account and password to this email. But if this is done as soon as I can, I will let you know here and to your email address.
At the moment I cannot send you the change of user account and password to this email. But if this is done as soon as I can, I will let you know here and to your email address.
#99
Talk / Personal Video Database altern...
Last post by Ivek23 - 1 15 May, 2026, 01:53:00 PMFirst, check if you can already log in, maybe the account has been approved.
Since you registered with a temporary email address, I cannot reset your password. If you sent me your valid email address, I would change the email address and correct the username in your profile, which would reset or change your password as well. You would receive a new username and password to your valid email address as stated below.
If you don't send me your valid email address, you will have to register with a new username and password. This should be your current username plus an extension (like @back or something similar) so that I know it's you for account approval.
And besides, without a valid email address, it's not possible to reset your password by changing your username.
Then the name in your profile that other users or guests of this forum will see can be changed.
Since you registered with a temporary email address, I cannot reset your password. If you sent me your valid email address, I would change the email address and correct the username in your profile, which would reset or change your password as well. You would receive a new username and password to your valid email address as stated below.
QuoteTo change this member's username, the forum must also reset their password, which will be emailed to the member with their new username.
If you don't send me your valid email address, you will have to register with a new username and password. This should be your current username plus an extension (like @back or something similar) so that I know it's you for account approval.
And besides, without a valid email address, it's not possible to reset your password by changing your username.
Then the name in your profile that other users or guests of this forum will see can be changed.
#100
Talk / Re: Videodb.info news
Last post by Ivek23 - 4 14 May, 2026, 04:40:39 PMThanks, now only the afrocuban user has to come back, and maybe the Python (+Selenium) scripts will come back to life, because he made them obsolete. I myself don't know what and how and with what he made and fixed the Python (+Selenium) scripts.