# Internet robot--are share ware versions available?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-robot-are-share-ware-versions-available/489878>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 18, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-robot-are-share-ware-versions-available/489878 "2009-03-18T13:20:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-robot-are-share-ware-versions-available/489878/1 "2009-03-18T13:20:25Z")

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I need a simple program that will put a string in a field on a Web page and then check the result. Let’s say I’m looking for a particular item on eBay. I just want to check once a day to see if that item exists.

Is there such a thing at low or no cost? I’m just tired of checking several places every morning for stuff that doesn’t exist.

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**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-robot-are-share-ware-versions-available/489878/2 "2009-03-18T13:52:01Z")

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> [@NoCoolUserName](#):
>
> I need a simple program that will put a string in a field on a Web page and then check the result. Let’s say I’m looking for a particular item on eBay. I just want to check once a day to see if that item exists.
> 
> Is there such a thing at low or no cost? I’m just tired of checking several places every morning for stuff that doesn’t exist.

Ebay actually has a tool called “saved searches” that will email you if an item is posted. I get mine once a week, not daily, but I think that accomplishes what you’re looking for.

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**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/internet-robot-are-share-ware-versions-available/489878/3 "2009-03-18T14:31:14Z")

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> [@NoCoolUserName](#):
>
> I need a simple program that will put a string in a field on a Web page and then check the result. Let’s say I’m looking for a particular item on eBay. I just want to check once a day to see if that item exists.
> 
> Is there such a thing at low or no cost? I’m just tired of checking several places every morning for stuff that doesn’t exist.

You could write a little script in PHP, PERL, or VB to do this. Your script could use [curl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CURL) to retrieve the desired page and then scrape the page looking for the answer to your question. I don’t know of any general purpose, readily available software that does this.