Excel VBA, open url without opening browser

Question

I am working on a project that requires a certain amount of interactivity between the excel user and a web server.

I know you can use the

    hyperlink.follow

method to open a url within the default browser.

However what I would like to accomplish is to be able to open a url behind the scenes without the page opening in a browser.

Does anyone know how this can be accomplished.

the following constraints apply.

We cannot assume the user has a particular browser installed, ie. chrome, for example, nor can we assume the user has a browser installed at all.
We cannot assume the users all have the same os. Some may have win7, some may have win10. We just don't know.
We can assume that the computer is connected to the internet and has an IP address, and that firewalls will not be an issue.

Possible duplicate of Sending http requests with VBA from Word — GSerg
– GSerg, Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 14:12
What interactivity is required? The answer will be more specific, if you provide details. — omegastripes
– omegastripes, Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 7:27

Alexander Bell · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-25 15:10:14Z

1

You can open (read the entire content) of the web page specified by its Url like shown in the following Excel VBA code snippet:

Option Explicit

'sample procedure to read entire url content
Sub ReadUrlDoc()
  'sample url address
  Const url As String = "http://www.examn8.com"
  Dim urlText As String

  With CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
    .Open "GET", url, False
    .Send
    'url content
    urlText = .ResponseText
  End With
End Sub

The solution does not open/depend on the web browser. Hope this may help.

answered Mar 25, 2016 at 15:10

Alexander Bell

7,9163 gold badges29 silver badges44 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Excel VBA, open url without opening browser

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related