Can I write a Client to navigate web pages?

[Bryan Anslow]

Hi, I have been using Visual C++ since v1.5, and now have Visual Studio 2003 and Beta2 of 2005. Also, I have a broad use of Java,,,so no problem in using the tools. Now is my first look at programmatic Web navigation. What I want to know is, can I write a Client (preferably in C/C++ with/without MFC, or Java) that can navigate Web pages, and enter things like a UserID/Password on a page, then navigate to the required page after the login is OK, navigate on from that (like clicking an option on the page) to a dynamically created page, and retrieve data from it. If there are any examples out there to get me started that would be a bonus too. Many Thanks, Bryan.

[alex barylski]

Yes... Internet Explorer is basically a shell around the IWebBrowser2 COM object. There are many articles on here which explain how use that object. Using MFC you can quickly see what I mean by creating a project using appwizard and checking that you want to use views, but instead of CView you use CHtmlView Search Codeproject for CHtmlView for lots of exmaples as to what is possible using the class (which is basically a MFC wrapper around the COM IWebBrowser2. Not sure if any article covers exactly what your trying to do - i'm not sure what your trying to do...too lazy to re-read...but if you search CHtmlView here on CP you should be pleasantly surprised. Cheers :) It's frustrating being a genius and living the life of a moron!!!

[Bryan Anslow]

Well, that has given me something to look at - and a few new ideas... Thanks, Bryan.