Test url if is valid

[fxg4758]

Hi all. Can someone tell me how i can test if a url is valid. For example the url can be link this:

http://test/21-04-2014

http://test/21-04-2014n

http://test/21-04-2014a

http://test/21-04-2014w1

 

Regards.

[PhoenixXL]

Example

$sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
InetGetSize($sURL)
If @error Then
    ConsoleWrite("Invalid URL" & @CRLF)
Else
    ConsoleWrite("Valid URL" & @CRLF)
EndIf 

Regards

Phoenix XL

Edited March 31, 2014 by PhoenixXL

[JohnOne]

Example

$sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
InetGetSize($sURL)
If @error Then
    ConsoleWrite("Invalid URL" & @CRLF)
Else
    ConsoleWrite("Valid URL" & @CRLF)
EndIf 

Regards

Phoenix XL

Ace, never seen that before.

[guinness]

But if the site is down and the URL is valid the code above will return False. I though a regular expression would have been suggested by PhoenixXL, but honestly I prefer _WinAPI_UrlIs() in WinAPIShPath.au3.

[BrewManNH]

I think the answer to this will depend on what the OP means by "is valid" rather than trying to guess. Is valid can be a properly formatted string that is a URL, or a URL that actually exists versus a non-existent site/file/path.

[PhoenixXL]

But if the site is down and the URL is valid the code above will return False. I though a regular expression would have been suggested by PhoenixXL, but honestly I prefer _WinAPI_UrlIs() in WinAPIShPath.au3.

Didn't knew about that

Anyways I'm getting conflicting results, is it the same for all

#include <WinAPIShPath.au3>

$sTest = "http://testinghg.com/"
_U($sTest)

$sTest = "http://test/21-04-2014"
_U($sTest)


Func _U($URL)

    MsgBox(0, $URL, "URLIs: " & _WinAPI_UrlIs ($sTest) & @CRLF & "IE: " & ((InetGetSize($sTest) = 0) ? "0" : "1"))

EndFunc   ;==>_U 

 

I think the answer to this will depend on what the OP means by "is valid" rather than trying to guess. Is valid can be a properly formatted string that is a URL, or a URL that actually exists versus a non-existent site/file/path.

 

That must be the conflicting results, then.

I think, these methods won't solve the problem, we will have to prefer something like on libcURL. InetGetInfo has never given me wrong results(till now at least) therefore I had relied on it. 

Regards

Phoenix XL

Edited March 31, 2014 by PhoenixXL

[fxg4758]

Hi. Thank for the posts about my question, but i want to check if a url exists, but the url can be different like this:

http://test1/31-03-2014 (normal)

but sometimes the url can be like:

http://test1/31-03-2014n

 

I want to try the url "http://test1/31-03-2014" + "a" to "z".

Regards.

[AutID]

Based on the examples above.
I would personally go with the InetGetSize rather than _WinAPI_UrlIs. As Phoenix said it worked with great accurasy for me until no.

#include <WinAPIShPath.au3>
$sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
$_AZ = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
$_AZ = StringSplit($_AZ, "")
For $i = 1 To UBound($_AZ) -1
 $sURL &= $_AZ[$i]
;~  _WinAPI_UrlIs ($sURL)
 InetGetSize($sURL)
 If @error Then
  ConsoleWrite("Invalid URL" & @LF)
 Else
  ConsoleWrite("Valid URL" & @LF)
 EndIf
 $sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
Next

[fxg4758]

 

Based on the examples above.

I would personally go with the InetGetSize rather than _WinAPI_UrlIs. As Phoenix said it worked with great accurasy for me until no.

#include <WinAPIShPath.au3>
$sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
$_AZ = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
$_AZ = StringSplit($_AZ, "")
For $i = 1 To UBound($_AZ) -1
 $sURL &= $_AZ[$i]
;~  _WinAPI_UrlIs ($sURL)
 InetGetSize($sURL)
 If @error Then
  ConsoleWrite("Invalid URL" & @LF)
 Else
  ConsoleWrite("Valid URL" & @LF)
 EndIf
 $sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
Next

Thanks a lot!  

[guinness]

 

Based on the examples above.

I would personally go with the InetGetSize rather than _WinAPI_UrlIs. As Phoenix said it worked with great accurasy for me until no.

#include <WinAPIShPath.au3>
$sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
$_AZ = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
$_AZ = StringSplit($_AZ, "")
For $i = 1 To UBound($_AZ) -1
 $sURL &= $_AZ[$i]
;~  _WinAPI_UrlIs ($sURL)
 InetGetSize($sURL)
 If @error Then
  ConsoleWrite("Invalid URL" & @LF)
 Else
  ConsoleWrite("Valid URL" & @LF)
 EndIf
 $sURL = "http://test/21-04-2014"
Next

And what if the URL is valid but the page has a size of 0?

The OP needs to confirm are they checking if a URL is valid and/or active? If it's the latter then why no one has recommended WinHttp with a HEAD request is beyond me.. 

[AutID]

And what if the URL is valid but the page has a size of 0?

Then the OP has to come up with something else.

In my opinion winhttp is the best solution but i only provided what the OP asked based on the examples provided in this thread.

I don't like InetGetSize function but i prefere it next to _WinAPI_UrlIs. Still a winhttp request is still the best solution, the fastest and the safest.

[guinness]

Why don't you like UrlIs()?

[BrewManNH]

All URLIs does is validates that the string is formatted as a correct URL, it doesn't verify that the URL actually points to anything.

[guinness]

All URLIs does is validates that the string is formatted as a correct URL, it doesn't verify that the URL actually points to anything.

I know what the function does, I am asking why is it bad if the sole purpose is to validate a URL? Also neither does InetGetSize().

[BrewManNH]

What does InetGetSize return on a valid but empty file?

[Palestinian]

What does InetGetSize return on a valid but empty file?

 

Returned Valid for me, might require some time to refresh the file on the website so am not totally sure.

 

EDIT: returned the file size of "0" and said valid, tried with a random file name, returned "0" and said invalid, so I guess its working even with the 0 size

Edited April 1, 2014 by Palestinian

[BrewManNH]

That was what I expected, but don't have any way of testing it as I don't have a website or an empty file on someone else's to check.

[AutID]

Why don't you like UrlIs()?

Because the only thing it does is validate if a string is formatted as a correct url. Nothing to do with what OP is asking and nothing in relation with InetGetSize.

Thinking of it I don't even know why you proposed it.

And as I tested, InetGetSize will work correctly even with a size 0.

I still can't understand what are you searching in this thread but it is fine.

 

[guinness]

The op was asking to "test if a URL is valid", so that could be formatted correctly or resolves to an actual site. Did you not read the original question? It was only until post #7 that confirmation was made i.e. my suggestion was valid before post #7.

PS I am allowed to post here if I so wish. Same goes for yourself and everyone else.

Edited April 2, 2014 by guinness

[AutID]

What is the point of checking if an URL is valid if it doesn't point to anything?

URL = Uniform Resource Locator

It is a string that constitutes a reference to a resource.

Understanding the above validating an URL means: Check if the "string" point to anything and NOT validate if a string is formatted as a correct url.