Using Web Scraper to scrape Facebook posts images

How to?
#1

Hi! First time poster here!I've been trying for some time to go over my many years of Facebook's Saved Posts, iterate over them and from each Post (many in private Groups) extract the description plus images. I've had zero success with GraphQL or scrapping from the backend, but I recently had some great success with Web Scraper Chrome Extension.The problem is that I don't seem to get the "Sitemap" right, specially when I try to "click" on the first image of a post, and then iterate over the remaining images to get their SRC.

In case anyone is interested, this is the sitemap I'm using. I can paginate over the different images, but I'm not getting any src.

Url: Redirecting...

Sitemap:

{
   "_id":"facebook-saves",
   "startUrl":[
      "https://www.facebook.com/saved"
   ],
   "selectors":[
      {
         "id":"posts-wrapper",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "_root"
         ],
         "type":"SelectorElement",
         "selector":" div.x9f619.x1n2onr6.x1ja2u2z > div > div > div > div.x78zum5.xdt5ytf.x1t2pt76.x1n2onr6.x1ja2u2z.x10cihs4 > div.x9f619.x2lah0s.x1nhvcw1.x1qjc9v5.xozqiw3.x1q0g3np.x78zum5.x1iyjqo2.x1t2pt76.x1n2onr6.x1ja2u2z.x1h6rjhl > div.x9f619.x1n2onr6.x1ja2u2z.xdt5ytf.x193iq5w.xeuugli.x1r8uery.x1iyjqo2.xs83m0k.x78zum5.x1t2pt76 > div > div > div > div > div:nth-child(2) > div:nth-child(3)",
         "multiple":false
      },
      {
         "id":"post-link",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "posts-wrapper"
         ],
         "type":"SelectorLink",
         "selector":".x1iyjqo2 a[target]",
         "multiple":false,
         "linkType":"linkFromHref"
      },
      {
         "id":"description",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "post-link"
         ],
         "type":"SelectorText",
         "selector":".x1iorvi4.x1pi30zi span.x193iq5w",
         "multiple":false,
         "regex":""
      },
      {
         "id":"first-image",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "post-link"
         ],
         "type":"SelectorLink",
         "selector":"div > div.x1n2onr6 > div > div > div > div:first-child > a:has(img:not([data-imgperflogname])), div:nth-child(2) > div.x1n2onr6 > a:has(img:not([data-imgperflogname]))",
         "multiple":false,
         "linkType":"linkFromHref"
      },
      {
         "id":"paginator",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "first-image",
            "paginator"
         ],
         "paginationType":"clickMore",
         "selector":"div.x6s0dn4.x1ey2m1c.x78zum5.xds687c.x1qughib.x10l6tqk.x17qophe.x13vifvy > div:nth-child(3) > div > div > div > i",
         "type":"SelectorPagination"
      },
      {
         "id":"carousel-image",
         "parentSelectors":[
            "paginator"
         ],
         "type":"SelectorImage",
         "selector":"img.x1bwycvy",
         "multiple":false
      }
   ]
}
#2

Just to add a bit more of information on this one...
When I stand inside the first image of a post in Facebook, and I click the "Data Preview" button, the Pagination actually works and returns all the different values. The problem starts when I start the "Scrape" action, and the plugin only founds a couple of rows, but don't return value on the Image Src.
Anyone here that can provide some help debugging this?

#3

Facebook is a tricky one because it mostly uses elements with random chars like div.x6s0dn4.x1ey2m1c. So your selectors will probably only work once. You'll need some knowledge of CSS and HTML. Try this sitemap with more general selectors:

{"_id":"facebook-saves-b","startUrl":["https://www.facebook.com/saved"],"selectors":[{"id":"posts-wrapper","multiple":true,"parentSelectors":["_root"],"selector":"div[role='main'] div > div > div[style^='border-radius']","type":"SelectorElement"},{"id":"post-link","linkType":"linkFromHref","multiple":false,"parentSelectors":["posts-wrapper"],"selector":"span:contains('Saved from') a","type":"SelectorLink"},{"id":"description","multiple":false,"parentSelectors":["post-link"],"regex":"","selector":"div > div > div[dir='auto']","type":"SelectorText"},{"id":"first-image","multiple":false,"parentSelectors":["post-link"],"selector":"div > div > div[style^='padding-top'] > div:first-of-type img","type":"SelectorImage"},{"id":"second-image","multiple":false,"parentSelectors":["post-link"],"selector":"div > div > div[style^='padding-top'] > div:nth-of-type(2) img","type":"SelectorImage"}]}
#4

@prigazzi @leemeng Is scraping Facebook legal?

#5

@leemeng
I haven't had any problems with the CSS selectors for now and I've been trying this Sitemap for the best part of two weeks, and no once this CSS selectors have changed. I'll try the sitemap you suggested too.

@test_acc123
I think it is when you're scraping your own content from your own private group, which is the case I'm using it.

#6

@leemeng
I've try your suggestion but I find it to be a less desirable solution that the one I'm trying to achieve. In your example, you're statically selecting first and second image alone, while I'm looking for a solution that clicks on the first image, and navigates over all the images on a post, be it one, or 10.
In my Sitemap, I can do it with the Pagination Selector or the ElementClick, and it works during the "Data Preview" step, but not when I "scrape".