Custom cprog.com interface

Printable View

11-03-2003
bennyandthejets

Custom cprog.com interface

I am investigating the possibility of creating my own interface for the cprog.com forums. It would be my own Win32 interface, including an edit control and forum selection box, etc. A user could post new threads and replies, as well as viewing existing threads, all from this application, without using Internet Explorer.

The part I do not know how to do is submitting the text for a new thread or reply. I think I will be able to receive an HTML file and parse it to show existing posts. There must be an API for downloading files from the net, so I should be alright there.

Is this possible, and if so, how do I do it?
11-03-2003
-KEN-

There probably is, but you could always use good ol' winsock and just send the right commands to the server. GET, POST etc.
11-03-2003
XSquared

Don't forget about logging in and all of that stuff.
11-03-2003
anonytmouse

WinINet is the api you are after.

http://www.google.com/search?q=wininet&hl=xx-hacker
SDK: ms-help://MS.PSDK.1033/wininet/wininet/portal.htm
11-04-2003
bennyandthejets

Quote:

Originally posted by -KEN-
There probably is, but you could always use good ol' winsock and just send the right commands to the server. GET, POST etc.

Could you elaborate a little? That sounds easier than the way I was thinking. I don't know any WinSock, but I'd love to learn.

anonytmouse, you're lucky I know 1337 5|>34|<.
11-05-2003
Hammer

And don't forget the HTTP RFC
http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616.html
http://www.w3.org/Protocols/
11-05-2003
ENF

Not sure how log ins are handled on this bored but you might end up having to handle cookies.
11-06-2003
maes

wouldn't you need the passwords for the MySQL server?
11-06-2003
Fordy

You wouldnt get the password to the MySQL server.....the webmaster would have to go insane to give them to anyone :)
11-06-2003
maes

wouldn't it be cool, we could all be admins :D

the first thing I would do is delete GC's account :D
11-06-2003
Fordy

Quote:

Originally posted by maes
the first thing I would do is delete GC's account :D

When I became mod that's the first thing I tried...but like some sort of evil spectre it just wouldnt go away!
11-06-2003
bennyandthejets

Okay boys and girls, back to the original topic. I've been successful in using WinInet to download URLs, so I'm clawing my way there. Any tips on posting threads/replies, or logging in? I'll play around with the POST and GET messages and see what happens, hopefully they're the answer.
11-10-2003
bennyandthejets

I was looking at the source for the Post New Thread page, and I think this bit is important:

Code:

<form enctype="multipart/form-data" action="newthread.php" method="POST" name="vbform" onSubmit="return validate(this)">

I believe I can use WinInet to send the POST command along with a number of variables, including the contents of the edit controls. Is this the right way to go?
11-12-2003
anonytmouse

I think that is correct. You may want to use some utility to see exactly what is sent. If you don't want to install something, you could just listen on port 80(and output the input to screen) and change the action to 'action="127.0.0.1/in.htm"'

On another note, you may want to look into IXMLHTTPRequest interface as it much easier to use that WinINet.
11-12-2003
bennyandthejets

Will do, cheers. At the moment, I'm reading RFC 1866, HTML 2.0. I'm finding that it is a good reference. I'm also posting in the PHP forum over at DevShed, and getting good results. Once I solve the problem, I'll post up the solution, and whip up a program for public use.