XPath is a language that allows you to locate specific elements from a web page. Modifying XPath in Octoparse works very well with more flexibility and accuracy than the XPath auto-generated by clicking elements during the task configuration.
Octoparse allows you to customize the element XPath so that you can precisely locate the data you are targeting. This helps resolve any issues such as data missing, page skipped, blank fields, and duplicates.
Where can I modify XPath in Octoparse?
Modify field XPath
Click More on the data preview for the field you'd like to customize with
Select Customize XPath
Enter the new XPath in the Matching XPath textbox
Modify Loop Item/Click Item XPath
For Loop Item, Pagination or Click Item, you can find the XPath textbox under General Settings
Enter the new XPath and click Apply to save your changes
How to write XPath?
If you are new to XPath, you might need to grab some basics of HTML first. XPath locates elements based on tags and attributes. So before you get down to write your own XPath, you would need to inspect the HTML structure of the page first.
We also have a tutorial regarding how to write Xpath, you can refer to: What is XPath and how to use it in Octoparse?