Screen Scraper

Screen Scraper

A technique for reading the context of a screen (or form) into an application. A screen scraper allows an application to read data from a second application where the second application would not otherwise provide a mechanism to supply that data.

For example, screen scrapers provide one means of interfacing to old legacy systems and might be used in place of a dumb terminal. They can also be used with modern systems, for example a screen scraper could be used to read information from an on-line banking form - a secure application that would not otherwise permit information to be obtained by an application.

Screen scrapers normally provide some means to control the application/form that they are scraping. They are normally customised for a specific application or form.

cf Web Scraper.