Type

Type: type

Request that the browser enter a specific piece of text into a field.

Tips for using type action

• Typing doesn't submit the form. Add a click for the submit button afterwards.
• Add a wait for the input before typing if the form loads after the page does.
• Point the selector at the input itself, not the div around it.
• Use single quotes inside attribute selectors so your JSON stays valid: "input[name='email']". You can also escape double quotes with backslashes.
• Close any cookie banner or modal first. An overlay can block the field even when your selector is correct.
• Gaffa types character by character rather than pasting the whole string, which suits sites that watch for unusual input.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
selector	string		The selector that defines the page element that the browser should click on.
text	string		The text the browser should enter into the text field.

See universal parameters.

Sites that use more advanced bot detection often use keyboard events to detect unusual activity on their site, rather than immediately dropping all characters of the text into a field, our platform types the text in a human-like manner.

Usage

Type into a text box

The following action will type into a particular text field.

"actions": [
      {
            "type": "type",
            "selector": "#postform-text",
            "text": "Hello world!"
      }
]

FAQs

When do I use the type action?

Use it to enter text into a field — a search box, a login form, a filter. For checkboxes, radio buttons and dropdowns, use click instead.

How do I fill in a form field with Gaffa?

Add a type action with a selector for the input and the text you want entered. Gaffa types the characters one at a time, as a person would.

Does the type action submit the form?

No. It only enters the text. Add a click for the submit button afterwards, then a wait for something on the next page before you capture anything.

How do I fill in more than one field?

Add one type action per field, in the order someone would fill them in. Finish with a click on the submit button and a wait for the result.

Why isn't my type action working?

Usually the selector points at the wrapper rather than the input, the field hasn't loaded yet, or a cookie banner or modal is sitting over it. Target the input directly, add a wait for slow forms, and close any overlay first.

How do I write an attribute selector inside JSON?

Use single quotes inside the selector, like "input[name='email']", or escape the double quotes with backslashes: "input[name=\"email\"]". Unescaped double quotes will break the request.

Does Gaffa's typing avoid bot detection?

Gaffa types character by character with real keyboard events instead of dropping the whole string in at once, which handles sites that watch for that. It won't defeat every detection method.