• 0

VB6 Reading XML from website


Question

I'm totally new to Visual Basic 6 so please forgive me if this is a dumb question that has an easy answer. I've searched but I can't find an easy solution that someone like me would understand.

Here is what I would like to do. I want to access a website using my program and read in one of 2 XML file. After reading them, I want it add the values to a variable.

The first XML may be on a URL like: http://www.example.com/version.xml

The XML will look exactly like:

<version>
	<number>3.1.5</number>
</version>

The second XML may be on a URL like: http://www.example.com/news.xml

The XML will look exactly like:

<message>
	<id>786</id>
	<name>Tony Lock</name>
	<subject>Hello World</subject>
	<forum>General</forum>
</message>

I don't have any idea how to connect to a website using VB or how to cycle thought an XML and parse the variables I want. So ideally, the following variables would be populated with the values from the XML:

+-----------+---------------+
|  VB VAR   |  VALUES	   |
+===========+===============+
|  Version  |  3.1.5		|
+-----------+---------------+
|  ID	   |  786		  |
+-----------+---------------+
|  Name	 |  Tony Lock	|
+-----------+---------------+
|  Subject  |  Hello World  |
+-----------+---------------+
|  Forum	|  General	  |
+-----------+---------------+

Thank you so much for your help.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/773202-vb6-reading-xml-from-website/
Share on other sites

13 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I am new to VB and I was given a copy of VB6. I did not even know about VB.net. Where can I download visual basic .net from?

None the less, can you still help me with the code? I am too new at this to even know where to begin.

Edited by TonyLock
  • 0

i concur, your task will be a lot leasier with .net (c# or vb), so if you don't need to use vb6 or are not that far along in your development to mind switching go download it and give it a shot..

i will knock up an example for you when i get into work tomorrow :)

good luck.

  • 0
  TonyLock said:
I am new to VB and I was given a copy of VB6. I did not even know about VB.net. Where can I download visual basic .net from?

None the less, can you still help me with the code? I am too new at this to even know where to begin.

I'll be glad to try. I only suggested updating VB because it'll take me ages to remember/reference VB6 and MS-XML. :)

All the express versions of Visual Studio can be found at http://msdn.microsoft.com/express

(Don't forget the documentation library at the bottom of the page.)

  • 0

Thank you but I have uninstaller VB.net, it was jus way too bloated and none of my old VB6 files our load.

Anyway, what's wrong with spoon feeding? :-P

I've always thought that one of the best ways to learn is not just to experiment (in my case, just stabbing in the dark) but to learn from experienced people, like you folk. And as for using Google, well what do you think I've been doing all weekend, without success?

  • 0
  TonyLock said:
I'm totally new to Visual Basic 6 ...
  TonyLock said:
... and none of my old VB6 files our load.

Surely there can't be that many of them.. :p

But seriously, handling HTTP Requests, XML, and even encryption (from your other thread) is much easier in .Net.

  • 0

There should be a converter to import VB6 into VB .NET. Is it not included anymore?

If you're still wanting to try .NET, here is the first step: requesting the file from the web server. (I'm using the World of Warcraft realm server status as an example because it's a known Url.)

Module XmlModule
	Dim requestUrl As String = "http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/realmstatus/status.xml"

	Sub Main()
		Dim xmlData As String = GetXmlFromUri(requestUrl)
		Console.WriteLine("WoW realm status data:")
		Console.WriteLine()
		Console.WriteLine(xmlData)
		Console.WriteLine()
		Console.Write("Pressr to exit.")
		Console.ReadLine()
	End Sub

	Function GetXmlFromUri(ByVal uri As String) As String
		' This creates a System.Net.WebRequest class that will 
		' get the XML file from the web server
		Dim req As Net.HttpWebRequest = Net.WebRequest.Create(requestUrl)

		' This creates a System.Net.WebResponse class by sending the
		' request and receiving the data.
		Dim resp As Net.HttpWebResponse = req.GetResponse()

		' This creates a System.IO.StreamReader class that will read
		' the xml data from the HttpWebResponse class.
		Dim reader As IO.StreamReader = New IO.StreamReader(resp.GetResponseStream())

		' Read the entire text stream from the response via 
		' the StreamReader
		Dim xml As String = reader.ReadToEnd()

		' Note it is not necessary to call Close() on any of the classes
		' as the .NET Framework will dispose of them automatically when
		' they go out of scope at the end of the function.
		' You can get more advanced and Close/Dispose them manually for
		' more efficiency, though.
		Return xml
	End Function

End Module

If you want to continue, give this a try and let me know. Next we can do the actual parsing of the data.

  • 0

To be honest, you're really not going to get far with VB6. I'd actually recommend that since you're taking the time to learn a language, that you just start with C#. VB.NET really is quite a transitional language from people that know VB6 [which you, by any stretch of the imagination, do not] to C#. C# is more widely supported and opens more opportunities for you down the line.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Now I may not quite understand this, so someone tell me if I'm off the mark here, but does this mean they'll be potentially removing drivers for now unsupported systems, such as old processors and chipsets? In the past 15 years, Windows has been amazing at just installing on any device, and often having zero, or just a few unessential drivers missing on first install. It would be a shame for that experience to go, though I understand the reasoning, or at least their financial reasoning for it!
    • Microsoft is removing legacy drivers from Windows Update by Usama Jawad Last month, we learned that Microsoft is making major changes to the development of hardware drivers in Windows. This included the retirement of Windows Metadata and Internet Services (WMIS), along with the process for pre-production driver signing. Now, the Redmond tech firm has informed partners that it will be getting rid of old drivers in Windows Update. In what is being described as a "strategic" move to improve the security posture and compatibility of Windows, Microsoft has announced that it will be performing a cleanup of legacy drivers that are still being delivered through Windows Update. Right now, the first phase only targets drivers that already have modern replacements present in Windows Update. As a part of its cleanup process, Microsoft will expire legacy drivers so that it is not offered to any system. This expiration involves removing audience segments in the Hardware Development Center. Partners can still republish a driver that was deemed as legacy by Microsoft, but the firm may require a justification. Once the Redmond tech giant completes its first phase of this cleanup, it will give partners a six-month grace period to share any concerns. However, if no concerns are brought forward, the drivers will be permanently eradicated from Windows Update. Microsoft has emphasized that this will be a regular activity moving forward and while the current phase only targets legacy drivers with newer replacements, the next phases may expand the scope of this cleanup and remove other drivers too. That said, each time the company takes a step in this direction, it will inform partners so that there is transparency between both parties. Microsoft believes that this move will help improve the security posture of Windows and ensure that an optimized set of drivers is offered to end-users. The firm has asked partners to review their drivers in Hardware Program so that there are no unexpected surprises during this cleanup process.
    • No idea, but I had a client the other week that lost the entire drive to it. I suggested relying on the Samsung T7's instead. The Sandisk Extreme's had reliability issues too.
    • I use it every day so personally yes I need it, or rather I want it. I use OpenShell though, not the garbage modern Start Menu. I just counted and at the moment I have a total of 92 program shortcuts organized into six folders almost exactly the way I did back in Windows 95. I can get to any program I want to run very quickly. I never use Search to find or run programs.
    • I do miss the Apps view from Windows 8.1 Update.
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      KynanSEIT earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      gowtham07 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Collaborator
      lethalman went up a rank
      Collaborator
    • Week One Done
      Wayne Robinson earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Karan Khanna earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      683
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      274
    3. 3
      Michael Scrip
      220
    4. 4
      +FloatingFatMan
      171
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      160
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!