HP OpenVMS Systems

IP http (web) communications programming?

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The Question is:

 
Is there a way to send and receive data from a "c" program via the Internet,
 much like a browser would do?
 
For example: Using a browser, user enters: http://www.compaq.com and the Compaq
 home page is displayed.  Can the same thing be done from a user written
 program that sends the URL and receives the back the contents of the page?
 
Thank You
 

The Answer is :

 
  As various web browsers are written in C, the answer to your
  question would quite clearly be "yes".
 
  While you could certainly implement a tool for this yourself,
  first consider if you should bother.  You will more likely want
  to look at the Lynx web browser, as Lynx may provide what you
  require.  (Lynx is a character-oriented web browser, and the
  source code is available from various sources -- including via
  the OpenVMS Freeware.)
 
  If you wish to experiment with http (hypertext transport protocol),
  you will want to utilize the protocol information available at the
  www.w3c.org website, and you will want to experiment with telnet
  directly to the port used by the web server (usually 80, but a
  variety of ports are in use) and pass in http commands.  And, of
  course, looking at how Lynx or another web browser performs its
  http operations.
 
  An example of utilizing the http protocol directly from a program
  is also available on the OpenVMS Freeware V5.0, in the [VOUTERS]
  directory, and specifically in the module html_reader.txt.
 
  The OpenVMS Freeware is available at:
 
    http://www.openvms.compaq.com/freeware/
 

  

     

     
answer written or last revised on ( 9-MAY-2001 )
     
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