Populating table with data from the Web

[ser01]

I have a database that does a lot of different things. I would like to add a feature to it, and have no clue of how to even begin approaching. Basically I would like to have a table with the weather in a specific area. I would like to be able to get the weather data from a web site. Since most weather websites do not keep historical weather data I would update the table on daily basis. I need this data to use next year to help me forecast the sales. I am in business that is very weather dependent. Right now the weather is being tracked with the old fashioned "paper and pencil" method and I am looking for something more efficient.


Any suggestions would be very appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[ajetrumpet]

so you want to gather data from web pages using access only?

[ser01]

so you want to gather data from web pages using access only?

That's correct. I would like to point it to a URL and then have the ability to pick which data I would like to collect and where it would go.

[ajetrumpet]

well that's tough using vba. You should really try to find a utility that you can use somewhere on the web.

picking data by "choice" using vba is next to impossible because the code would just get outrageous. Have you ever worked with the DOM in VBA before?? It's almost as annoying as writing strait HTML code. Probably because it IS just basic HTML code.

if u gave a sample of a web page that you would want to take data from, the answers from me would get a little better, in the form of advice on what to do...

[ser01]

well that's tough using vba. You should really try to find a utility that you can use somewhere on the web.

picking data by "choice" using vba is next to impossible because the code would just get outrageous. Have you ever worked with the DOM in VBA before?? It's almost as annoying as writing strait HTML code. Probably because it IS just basic HTML code.

if u gave a sample of a web page that you would want to take data from, the answers from me would get a little better, in the form of advice on what to do...

So what you're saying is find a utility to pull the data from the web and process it into an Access friendly format. Then use VBA to retrieve the processed data from like a locally stored .txt file?

[ajetrumpet]

So what you're saying is find a utility to pull the data from the web and process it into an Access friendly format. Then use VBA to retrieve the processed data from like a locally stored .txt file?

ser,

I'm not really saying anything in terms of what method to use. Unfortunately I can't tell you "everything" about what I would do. That would be a consulting meeting with me.

but to give you a examples of how complicated using VBA is to modify the DOM and/or pull data from a web page, first see here: http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/...d.php?t=176968

most methods in HTML are available in VBA, but there are no shortcuts, and the processing is slower because vba has to communicate with another program, whereas HTML only has to process in a browser when a webpage is loaded.

if you want advice on the EASIEST way to pull data from a web page, I can certainly suggest a few. but you also have to tell us:

• where to put the data
• whether the data will always be in tables on the webpage
• and in what format, if any, the data should end up in

for instance, data comes from webpages in all sorts of formats. sometimes in xml, in HTML, or plain text.

[ser01]

ser,

I'm not really saying anything in terms of what method to use. Unfortunately I can't tell you "everything" about what I would do. That would be a consulting meeting with me.

but to give you a examples of how complicated using VBA is to modify the DOM and/or pull data from a web page, first see here: http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/...d.php?t=176968

most methods in HTML are available in VBA, but there are no shortcuts, and the processing is slower because vba has to communicate with another program, whereas HTML only has to process in a browser when a webpage is loaded.

if you want advice on the EASIEST way to pull data from a web page, I can certainly suggest a few. but you also have to tell us:

• where to put the data
• whether the data will always be in tables on the webpage
• and in what format, if any, the data should end up in

for instance, data comes from webpages in all sorts of formats. sometimes in xml, in HTML, or plain text.

Actually that link helps a lot. Thank you

[ajetrumpet]

no problem. post back if ya need help

[Jac0blee]

I'm wanting to do a similar thing, what would be a good utility to do this with?