VB6 Post to webservice with MSXML2 error

[gmmastros]

I have code in VB6 that sends a web request to my server to pass and get data. Once upon a time it was working, but now it's not.

To be clear, this is used in a VB6 app that is distributed to my customers. It passes a webrequest to a web server that I fully control. I mention this because I think the problem is with how my server is configured, but I am not sure.

The VB6 code is this:

Public Function Post(ByVal URL As String, ByVal Data As String) As String

    Dim objDom As MSXML2.DOMDocument60
    Dim objXmlHttp As MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP60 ' MSXML2.XMLHTTP60
    Dim strRet As String
    
    On Error GoTo Err_PW
    
    ' Create objects to DOMDocument and XMLHTTP
    Set objDom = New MSXML2.DOMDocument60 ' CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument60")
    Set objXmlHttp = New MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP60 ' MSXML2.XMLHTTP60 ' CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP60")
    
    ' Load XML
    objDom.async = False

    With objXmlHttp
        ' Open the webservice
        .Open "POST", URL, False
        
        ' Create headings
        .setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "application/x-[URL unfurl="true"]www-form-urlencoded"[/URL]
        .setRequestHeader "Content-Length", Len(Data) + 2
        ' Send XML command
        
        .send Data
    
        ' Get all response text from webservice
        strRet = .responseText
    End With
    ' Close object
    Set objXmlHttp = Nothing
    
    ' Return result
    Post = strRet
    
Exit Function
Err_PW:
    Post = "Error: " & Err.Number & " - " & Err.Description

End Function

I did a considerable amount of research on this. On one site, someone suggested to create a vb script to mimic what is happening here. So I created this:

strURL = "[URL unfurl="true"]https://apps.(my[/URL] product name).com/MapData/Data.asp?CustomerGuid=12942A91-2EAC-4B59-8D54-77A031434F1A&Mode=BulkGeocode"
strDataToSend = "<addresses><address id=""15910"" location=""160 LEE ROAD 4 LOACHAPOKA AL 36865""/></addresses>"
strPageText = GetResponseText(strURL, "POST", strDataToSend)
WScript.Echo strPageText

Function GetResponseText(strSource, strMethod, strData)
	Set objXMLHTTP = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP")
	objXMLHTTP.Open strMethod, strSource, False
	objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "application/x-[URL unfurl="true"]www-form-urlencoded"[/URL]
	objXMLHTTP.send strData
	GetResponseText = Trim(objXMLHTTP.responsetext)
	Set objXMLHTTP = Nothing
End Function

When I run the vbs on my computer (window 10), I get a positive response. When I run it from my windows XP compile computer, I get, "The connection with the server was terminated abnormally". I also get the same error message when I run the same web service call from PostMan.

Since the vbs works from some work stations and not others, I think it may be a combination problem between sending operating system and server configuration. The web server is Windows Server 2016 Standard, Version 1607 (OS Build 14393.5921).

I know I talked a lot about VBS, but the real solution needs to be done in VB6. I don't know the operating systems of all my customers, but I'm certain they are not all running WinXP. In fact, I suspect most are running Win10 or Win11.

Before someone suggests disabling anti-virus and/or running as administrator, I've done that already.


-George
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
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"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom

 

[strongm]

Try replacing

[tt]Set objXMLHTTP = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP")[/tt]

with

[tt]Set objXMLHTTP = CreateObject("WinHttp.WinHttpRequest.5.1")[/tt]

The latter uses a different HTML stack that may work

 

[gmmastros]

strongm,

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, I get the same error.

Error: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally
Code: 80072EFE
Source: WinHttp.WinHttpRequest

I think you know what my product name is, so I was wondering if you had an opportunity to run the code and whether you get an error or a success response.

-George
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
My Blogs
SQLCop
twitter
"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom

 

[strongm]

>I think you know what my product name is

I do? If I did I've forgotten ...

In the meantime, what happens if you try HTTP rather than HTTPS?

Also you might want to try lying about the user agent ..

objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "User-Agent", "Chrome"

 

[dilettante]

Windows XP is no longer supported. Thus its cipher suite was never upgraded to support current SSL/TLS technology.

The server was probably upgraded to use a current level of TLS ciphers.