accessing html content using username and pwd

[Wentu]

Hi !

 

I need to access the HTML content of a page. I know how to do this if the page is public but now i want to access a page that is in a site that requires previous authentication.

What i usually do is going to the login page, write my usernames and password and then submit, and then i have access to http://www.AddressOfThePageIWantToRead.asp . In the login page there is a form whose action is http://www.AddressOfThePageIWantToRead.asp and method = POST . The names of the textboxes where i write are "username" and "password".

I'd like to be able to give my username and pwd and write in a string (lcHtml) the content of http://www.AddressOfThePageIWantToRead.asp .

I found something on the net, that is:

 

 

 

Dim lcUrl As String = "http://www.AddressOfThePageIWantToRead.asp"

Dim loHttp As HttpWebRequest = WebRequest.Create(lcUrl)

 

Dim lcPostData As String = "Username=" & HttpUtility.UrlEncode("MyUsername") & "&Password=" + HttpUtility.UrlEncode("MyPWD")

 

loHttp.Method = "POST"

 

Dim lbPostBuffer As Byte() = System.Text.Encoding.GetEncoding(1252).GetBytes(lcPostData)

 

loHttp.ContentLength = lbPostBuffer.Length

 

Dim loPostData As Stream = loHttp.GetRequestStream()

 

loPostData.Write(lbPostBuffer, 0, lbPostBuffer.Length)

 

loPostData.Close()

 

Dim loWebResponse As HttpWebResponse = loHttp.GetResponse()

 

Dim enc As Encoding = System.Text.Encoding.GetEncoding(1252)

 

Dim loResponseStream As StreamReader = New StreamReader(loWebResponse.GetResponseStream(), enc)

 

Dim lcHtml As String = loResponseStream.ReadToEnd()

 

loWebResponse.Close()

 

loResponseStream.Close()

 

 

 

 

the site is actually responding with a page that says : Username and/or pwd uncorrect.

Of course i know my username and pwd ARE correct. so what could be the problem ? the encoding of UrlEncode ? what else ? what am i missing ?

 

if the complete answer is too long, at least tell me where to find a good tutorial or illuminating post, please !

 

thanx !

 

Wentu

[HJB417]

I would use mozilla with live http headers and compare the data in the headers with what you're sending.