Internet Clicks using Python Module - python-3.x

Question

PROBLEM:
Power BI, under the pro-license, only allows data sources to be refreshed at most 8 times in a day and in 30 minute increments (using AM/PM timing).
This takes away my ability to make near real time decisions. So currently, my visualization is only updating every hour starting at 9:30 and the update happens 8 times, i.e. the total update times are 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30.
WORK AROUND:
So in order to bypass the pro license limitation on refreshes, I created code using PYAUTOGUI that will login to my Power BI server and click on that refresh button for me and I run this every 5 minutes.
WORK AROUND ISSUE:
The problem, is that this PYAUTOGUI will only work if the computer is active, i.e. I am logged in.
REQUEST:
What modules exist so that I can perform this same functionality in the background (without needing to have computer logged in or awake)?
NOTE:
I have done a search for packages from the command prompt using the code pip search mouse, pip search click, etc. but this is not the best use of time.

Answer 1

This is very much possible using selenium.
Firstly, ensure you have selenium installed in your environment. Run the following command:
pip install selenium
Then you'll need to make sure you have the correct chrome executable installed either in your PATH variable or explicitly written in your code (the latter option implies that you may use a config file as I have below, to avoid posting credentials). You can download the chrome executable for your version of Chrome here:
https://chromedriver.chromium.org/downloads
(You can do this with any browser, my choice is Chrome, though you will have to adjust the code as necessary)
Now the below code should work for you:
NOTE: The time module is essential here because if your code executes faster than the DOM loads, then selenium/python will return an error usually that error is saying it cannot find the elements you are looking for (because they haven't loaded yet)
'''REQUIRED PACKAGES'''
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.action_chains import ActionChains
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
import time
'''CONFIG FILE FOR CHROME EXECUTABLE & LOGIN INFO'''
from _config import chrome_executable, user_name, user_pass
'''LINK TO SIGN IN PAGE FOR POWER BI'''
powerbi = 'https://app.powerbi.com/home?redirectedFromSignup=1&noSignUpCheck=1&response=AlreadyAssignedLicense'
'''SET CHROME OPTIONS TO RUN IN INCOGNITO AND HEADLESS(no browser window)'''
option = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
option.headless = True
option.incognito = True
'''CREATE BROWSER OBJECT / NAVIGATE TO POWER BI / MAXIMIZE WINDOW'''
browser = webdriver.Chrome(executable_path=chrome_executable, options=option)
browser.get(powerbi)
browser.maximize_window()
'''WAIT / FIND AND FILL IN EMAIL FIELD / FIND AND CLICK NEXT BUTTON'''
time.sleep(4)
bi_email = WebDriverWait(browser, 5).until(EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, 'i0116')))
bi_email.send_keys(user_name)
bi_email.send_keys(Keys.ENTER)
'''WAIT / FIND AND FILL IN PASSWORD FIELD / FIND AND CLICK ON LOGIN BUTTON'''
time.sleep(4)
bi_pass = WebDriverWait(browser, 5).until(EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, 'i0118')))
bi_pass.send_keys(user_pass)
bi_pass.send_keys(Keys.ENTER)
'''THIS IS THE PROMPT THAT ASKS IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN LOGGED IN'''
'''WAIT / STAY ON CURRENT SELECTION / MOVE AND CLICK ON ADJACENT SELECTION'''
time.sleep(4)
yes_choice = browser.find_element_by_id('idSIButton9')
yes_choice.send_keys(Keys.SHIFT, Keys.TAB, Keys.ENTER)
'''WAIT / FIND AND CLICK ON MY WORKSPACE'''
time.sleep(7)
my_workspace_button = browser.find_element_by_class_name('workspaceName')
my_workspace_button.click()
'''CREATE MOUSE OBJECT'''
action = ActionChains(browser)
'''WAIT / FIND CORRECT ROW / CLICK ON REFRESH'''
time.sleep(4)
stock_alerts = browser.find_elements_by_xpath("//*[ text() = 'NAME OF YOUR DATA SOURCE' ]")
action.move_to_element(stock_alerts[-1]).click().send_keys(Keys.TAB).send_keys(Keys.ENTER).perform()
'''WAIT / CLOSE BROWSER'''
time.sleep(3)
browser.close()
This is the poor mans way of bypassing Power BIs strict 8 refreshes for a basic account. It also helps avoid having to buy a costly plan just to increase the number of data source scheduled updates.
Hope it helps