VB and ActiveX internet explorer component

king_of_inismac

Hey guys,

I working on a project in Vb. The application must interface with the serial port, grab a unique number from a serial device. I'm using VB's MSComm for this.

The number grabbed from the serial hardware is used for a key for a database. (the database is an SQL database with a web-page based front end)

Now I am also using the VB activeX Internet exploroer component. Is the any way of passing the number to a text field in the web-page automatically, so the system will automatically check the database for the number in question?

I dont want the user to have to read the number from the vb app and then have to type it into the text field on the IE web-page manually, if ya get what I mean....


hope you guyz can help,
thanks,
king

The Corinthian

I assume that your assignment requires that the user must interact with this data via a Web Interface. If so you might send the value of the number as a querystring parameter when you execute the Navigate method to the Web form and pre-filling the relevant text box.

If not I would just POST the data directly emulating what the Web form does. You can do this again with the Navigate method (AFAIR, it’s an optional parameter) of the Internet control; otherwise it can easily be done with the MS XMLDOM or, for true geek value, using the Winsock control.

king_of_inismac

If so you might send the value of the number as a querystring parameter when you execute the Navigate method to the Web form and pre-filling the relevant text box.

Sounds like the solution man, but could you explain it in more detail, Im new to VB.

Thanks

The Corinthian

Originally posted by king_of_inismac
Sounds like the solution man, but could you explain it in more detail, Im new to VB.

Send the number out as a parameter to the web form:

WebBrowser1.Navigate ("http://www.foobar.com/webform.asp?number=" & sNumber)

Then grab this parameter (for the sake of argument I assume that you're using ASP on the Web site) and prefil the number in a manner such as this:

<INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="number" VALUE="<%=Request.QueryString("number")%>">

Of course, this assumes that you have development access to the Web site in question.

king_of_inismac

Thanks man,

really appreciate the help!!,

Best of luck,
King