FMiner Basic is a no-code, visual web scraping software that allows you to extract structured data from websites through an intuitive point-and-click interface. It eliminates the need for writing complex Python or C++ scripts by utilizing an integrated visual diagram designer and macro recorder to map out data extraction steps. Core Components of the FMiner Interface
When you first open a project in the application, the working environment is divided into four main functional panels:
Flowchart Process Map (Upper Left): Displays your scraping workflow as a visual diagram.
Browser Panel (Right Side): A built-in browser used to navigate target sites and select elements.
Attribute Panel (Lower Left): Defines the specific properties, data types, and names of the elements you extract.
Input/Output Panel (Lower Right): Manages pre-defined data inputs (like keywords for search forms) and previews scraped results. Step-by-Step Data Extraction Process
To extract web data using FMiner Basic, follow this foundational workflow: 1. Set Up Your Project
Open FMiner Basic and select Create a New Project from the welcome screen.
Input your project name and choose a local directory to save your configuration. 2. Load the Target URL and Start Recording
Type or paste the target website’s address into the built-in browser address bar.
Click the Record button at the top toolbar. This activates the macro recorder, which translates your manual actions into an automated flowchart. 3. Select Elements to Scrape
Hover your mouse over the data points in the browser window (e.g., text blocks, table cells, or image links).
Right-click or left-click the element and select the appropriate action, such as Extract Text, Extract URL, or Capture List.
For repeating patterns—like dynamic product grids, real estate directories, or table rows—FMiner will automatically recognize the structural hierarchy and generate a loop in your flowchart diagram. 4. Configure Advanced Navigation (Optional) FMiner Basic – Download – Softpedia
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