NYSDOS Real Estate License Search (phantomjs)

searchDOS.js

/*
*  Description: New York Dept. of State Real Estate License Search
*  
*  Usage: phantomjs searchDOS.js 1234567890
*
*  Returns a JSON object with the following keys:
*    licName - Full Name
*    licNum  - License Number (aka the number you passed in)
*    licType - E.G. Salesperson or Broker
*    licStat - Current/Expired
*    licExp  - License Expiration Date
*/

    // Equivalent to creating a tab in a browser
var page = require('webpage').create(),
    
    // This module is necessary to read the command line argument(s)
    system = require('system'),
    
    // The page with the search by number form
    site = 'https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/nydos/searchByLicNumber.do',
    
    // Get the license number passed in from the command line
    licenseNumber = system.args[1];
    
    // The data (body) of the form
    formData = 'licNumber=' + licenseNumber + '&search=Search';

// Since we are just mining data we can filter out and abort 
// unnecessary requests to speed things up, so here we add 
// the event listener to do so.
page.onResourceRequested = function (requestData, request) {
  if (
    /\.css/.test(requestData.url) === true ||
    /\.js/.test(requestData.url) === true ||
    /\.jpg/.test(requestData.url) === true ||
    /\.png/.test(requestData.url) === true ||
    /\.gif/.test(requestData.url) === true
  ) {
    request.abort();
  }
};

// Load the page and run the automation.  If things go ok, you get the object
// described above back.  Otherwise, you get the same object with null values.
page.open(site, 'post', formData, function (status) {
    var licItems;
    if (status !== 'success') {
      licItems = {licName: null, licNum: null, licType: null, licStat: null, licExp: null}
      console.log(JSON.stringify(licItems));
      phantom.exit();
    } else {
      var licItems = page.evaluate(function () {
        if (document.querySelectorAll('span.item').length === 5) {
          var items = document.querySelectorAll('span.item');
          var licName = items[0].textContent.trim();
          var licNum = items[1].textContent.trim();
          var licType = items[2].textContent.trim();
          var licStat = items[3].textContent.trim();
          var licExp = items[4].textContent.trim();
          return {licName: licName, licNum: licNum, licType: licType, licStat: licStat, licExp: licExp};
        } else {
          return {licName: null, licNum: null, licType: null, licStat: null, licExp: null};
        }
      });
    console.log(JSON.stringify(licItems));
    phantom.exit();
    }
});