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Webpage Recording Tool

Updated this week

Overview


What Can You Do with the Recording Tool?

Please review the following bullet points to better understand the tool's capabilities:

  • Select Element: Records all the clicks and typing (e.g., Logging In, Search, Navigate to specific page/pop-up, etc.)

  • Remove Element: Removes the selected element and displays the rest of the web page.

  • Scroll to Element: Scrolls the web page until the selected element is visible on the page. The scroll action will not appear as a video showing the page scrolling at a certain speed. Instead, it will display the final scrolled state, similar to a screenshot.

  • Extract Element: Removes everything apart from the selected element on the web page.

  • Visual Flow View: See a simplified, visual representation of your script, perfect for non-technical users.

Yodeck Scripting Tools tab highlighted with the Recording Tool selected, showing the script recording area and the Start Recording button for capturing webpage actions automatically.

View of the Recorder Tool inside the Edit Web Page modal


Limitations of the Recording Tool

  • Keyboard-Only Actions are Not Recorded: Only mouse clicks and typing in input fields are recorded; actions like pressing the "Enter" key are not captured.

  • Chrome Browser Requirement: The Webpage Recording Tool is only compatible with Google Chrome.

  • Unsupported 2FA Logins **: Currently, you cannot document the steps for two-factor authentication. We plan to provide support for these features in future updates.

  • Shadow DOM & iFrame Limitations: Currently, the tool does not support Shadow DOMs, closed shadow roots, or iFrames. We plan to provide support for these features in future updates.

  • Separate Window Logins Not Supported: If a login process opens a separate window (like Google authentication), it cannot be captured.

  • Scrolling Behavior: The tool captures the final scroll position but does not animate the scrolling process.

  • Web Preview vs. Screen Playback Differences: Minor display differences may occur between browser previews and actual playback on Raspberry Pi-based players.

  • Screen Ratio Impact on Scrolling: On some setups, scrolling behavior may vary depending on the screen’s aspect ratio.

** For "2FA Login" cases, you can contact our support team to help you out with the setup.


Prerequisites Before Getting Started

To use the Webpage Recording Tool, ensure you:

  1. Use Google Chrome.

  2. Install the Yodeck Recorder Extension.

  3. Enable the extension in Incognito Mode.

  4. (Optional but recommended) Install the Classic Yodeck Extension for webpage previews.

💡Yodeck smartly checks which tools you already have and will guide you through any missing steps.

Yodeck Chrome extensions installation prompt for the Webpage Recording Tool, guiding users to add Yodeck Extension and Yodeck Recorder Extension with an option to enable incognito mode.

Prerequisites Help pop-up window


Steps for Creating a Webpage Recording

To use the Recording Tool in Yodeck, go to Media > Web Pages from the main menu.

Step 1: Start Recording

Select an existing web page or create a new one. In the Edit Web Page modal, click the Scripting Tools tab, then click the Start Recording button to begin.

Yodeck Web Page scripting interface with the 'Scripting Tools' tab active, highlighting the 'Recording Tool' and 'Start Recording' button used to capture webpage interaction flows.

Starting the Recording Tool

Existing Script Code

The platform checks for existing code in the script box, and if code is found, a warning message appears stating that the Recording Tool will overwrite any existing script if you proceed.

Step 2: Interact with the Webpage

Once you initiate the recording, a new Incognito web page tab opens with special action buttons, which are the following:

  • Select Element: Captures clicks and typing (e.g., logging in, searching).

  • Remove Element: Deletes selected items from the page (perfect for removing ads or popups).

  • Scroll to Element *: Scrolls to a specific area of the page.

  • Extract Element: Focuses only on the element you want, removing all other content.

⚠️* Note: Scrolling is captured as a final state, not as a video animation.

Yodeck Webpage Recorder in action on the BBC website, displaying the recording toolbar with options like 'Stop Recording', 'Select Element', 'Remove Element', 'Scroll to Element', and 'Extract Element' for creating interactive scripts.

Interacting with the web page via the Recording Tool options

Step 3: Stop Recording

When you have finished, click the Stop Recording button. Your recorded actions are automatically converted into a script and displayed in the Recording Tools' script placeholder.

Yodeck Webpage Recording Tool action bar featuring Stop Recording, Select Element, Remove Element, Scroll to Element, Extract Element options, and a display showing the number of recorded actions.

Stoping the Recording

Yodeck Webpage Recording Tool visual flow view displaying a step-by-step sequence of six recorded webpage interactions, including clicks, typed inputs, and custom script execution.

Script Placeholder


Visual Flow View & Code View

Once the recording has ended, you can observe and do the following.

Default Views:

  • If you already have a script: The Code View is your default view.

  • If you’re starting fresh: The Recorder View, also known as Visual Flow View is your default view.

  • By default, you’ll see a Visual Flow View—a clean, easy-to-follow script summary.

  • Prefer raw code? Switch to Code View. Yodeck will remember your preference for that webpage.

  • You can also mask typed passwords in your recorded actions to keep them secure.

Detailed visual flow view in Yodeck’s Webpage Recording Tool highlighting a password entry step, emphasizing secure handling of typed credentials within the recorded webpage actions.

Button for masking the password credential

Yodeck Scripting Tools visual flow view showcasing a step-by-step sequence of recorded webpage interactions including element clicks, typed inputs, and custom script executions for automation.

Visual Flow View example

Yodeck Scripting Tools section displaying the code view of the Webpage Recording Tool, with auto-generated JavaScript scripts for element selection and removal captured during the recording session.

Code View example

💡Pro Tip: Technical users will love the side-by-side updates. Changes made in Code View automatically reflect in Visual Flow View and vice versa.


Examples of Action Buttons During the Recording

You can find below examples from all four action buttons of the Tool (click each one to enlarge it):

"Select" Action Button

"Remove" Action Button

"Scroll to" Action Button

"Extract" Action Button


F.A.Q.s

Got questions? We’ve got answers! This section addresses common questions about the Recording Tool.

Can I preview the web script before using it?

Yes, you can preview the scripted web page directly within Yodeck, but there might be small display differences on Raspberry Pi players.

What happens if my screen size is different from the preview?

Scrolling behavior might vary slightly based on the screen’s aspect ratio.

Can I edit the recorded script?

Yes, you can edit the script in Visual Flow View or Code View, and changes automatically sync between both views.

On some websites, the Recorder toolbar is blocking or overlapping elements I need to interact with. What should I do?

If the Recorder toolbar is covering parts of a webpage you want to click, you can temporarily hide it. Simply click on the toolbar once, then hold down the Space key on your keyboard. The toolbar will disappear while the key is held, allowing you to interact freely with the page.


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