get url from browser in C#

Question

hi ebody,
              i am developing an application in which i need to get the url from the browser's address bar.
please any one can help me. i am using C# language not asp.net. i know it can be done using combination of Clipboard and keybd_event(). i can fetch url form IE but i am having problem with mozzilla. plz help me!. if any one can do it in a different way you are most welcome.

Answer 1

Check this out:

namespace Library.Net.DataStructs
{
    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    public struct INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO
    {
        public UInt32 dwStructSize;
        public string lpszSourceUrlName;
        public string lpszLocalFileName;
        public UInt32 CacheEntryType;
        public UInt32 dwUseCount;
        public UInt32 dwHitRate;
        public UInt32 dwSizeLow;
        public UInt32 dwSizeHigh;
        public FILETIME LastModifiedTime;
        public FILETIME ExpireTime;
        public FILETIME LastAccessTime;
        public FILETIME LastSyncTime;
        public IntPtr lpHeaderInfo;
        public UInt32 dwHeaderInfoSize;
        public string lpszFileExtension;
        public UInt32 dwExemptDelta;
    } ;
    public class InternetCacheEntryInfo
    {
        public override string ToString()
        {
            return this.SourceUrlName;
        }

        internal InternetCacheEntryInfo(INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO entry)
        {
            this.CacheEntryType = entry.CacheEntryType;
            this.ExemptDelta = entry.dwExemptDelta;
            this.ExpireTime = entry.ExpireTime.ToDateTime();
            this.FileExtension = entry.lpszFileExtension;
            this.HeaderInfo = entry.lpHeaderInfo;
            this.HitRate = entry.dwHitRate;
            this.LastAccessTime = entry.LastAccessTime.ToDateTime();
            this.LastModifiedTime = entry.LastModifiedTime.ToDateTime();
            this.LastSyncTime = entry.LastSyncTime.ToDateTime();
            this.LocalFileName = entry.lpszLocalFileName;
            this.SourceUrlName = entry.lpszSourceUrlName.Substring(entry.lpszSourceUrlName.IndexOf("@") + 1);
            this.UseCount = entry.dwUseCount;
        }

        public string SourceUrlName
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public string LocalFileName
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public UInt32 CacheEntryType
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public UInt32 UseCount
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public UInt32 HitRate
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public DateTime LastModifiedTime
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public DateTime ExpireTime
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public DateTime LastAccessTime
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public DateTime LastSyncTime
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public IntPtr HeaderInfo
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public string FileExtension
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }

        public UInt32 ExemptDelta
        {
            get;
            private set;
        }
    }

    public enum UrlCacheType
    {
        Cookie,
        Visited,
    }
}

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
using Library.Net.DataStructs;
using Library.Win32.Natives;
using Library.Win32.Natives.IfacesEnumsStructsClasses;

namespace Library.Net
{
    public sealed class InternetCache
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// UrlCache functionality is taken from:
        /// Scott McMaster (EMAIL REMOVED)
        /// CodeProject article
        /// 
        /// There were some issues with preparing URLs
        /// for RegExp to work properly. This is
        /// demonstrated in AllForms.SetupCookieCachePattern method
        /// 
        /// urlPattern:
        /// . Dump the entire contents of the cache.
        /// Cookie: Lists all cookies on the system.
        /// Visited: Lists all of the history items.
        /// Cookie:.*\.example\.com Lists cookies from the example.com domain.
        /// http://www.example.com/example.html$: Lists the specific named file if present
        /// \.example\.com: Lists any and all entries from *.example.com.
        /// \.example\.com.*\.gif$: Lists the .gif files from *.example.com.
        /// \.js$: Lists the .js files in the cache.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="urlPattern"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        private static IEnumerable<INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO> FindUrlCacheEntries(string urlPattern)
        {
            var results = new List<INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO>();

            var buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
            UInt32 structSize;

            //This call will fail but returns the size required in structSize
            //to allocate necessary buffer
            var hEnum = Api.FindFirstUrlCacheEntry(null, buffer, out structSize);
            try
            {
                if (hEnum == IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    var lastError = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
                    switch (lastError)
                    {
                        case Hresults.ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER:
                            buffer = Marshal.AllocHGlobal((int)structSize);
                            hEnum = Api.FindFirstUrlCacheEntry(urlPattern, buffer, out structSize);
                            break;
                        case Hresults.ERROR_NO_TOKEN:
                        case Hresults.ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS:
                            return results.AsEnumerable();
                    }
                }

                var result = (INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO)Marshal.PtrToStructure(buffer, typeof(INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO));
                try
                {
                    if (Regex.IsMatch(result.lpszSourceUrlName, urlPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase))
                        results.Add(result);
                }
                catch (ArgumentException ae)
                {
                    throw new ApplicationException("Invalid regular expression, details=" + ae.Message);
                }

                if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    try
                    {
                        Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                    }
                    catch
                    {
                    }
                    buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
                }

                while (true)
                {
                    var nextResult = Api.FindNextUrlCacheEntry(hEnum, buffer, out structSize);
                    structSize *= 4;
                    if (nextResult != 1) //TRUE
                    {
                        var lastError = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
                        switch (lastError)
                        {
                            case Hresults.ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER:
                                buffer = Marshal.AllocHGlobal((int)structSize);
                                Api.FindNextUrlCacheEntry(hEnum, buffer, out structSize);
                                break;
                            case Hresults.ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS:
                            case Hresults.ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER:
                                return results.AsEnumerable();
                        }
                    }

                    if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                    {
                        result = (INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO)Marshal.PtrToStructure(buffer, typeof(INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO));
                        if (Regex.IsMatch(result.lpszSourceUrlName, urlPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase))
                            results.Add(result);


                        try
                        {
                            Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                        }
                        catch
                        {
                        }
                        buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
                    }
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                if (hEnum != IntPtr.Zero)
                    Api.FindCloseUrlCache(hEnum);
                if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                    try
                    {
                        Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                    }
                    catch
                    {
                    }
            }
        }

        public static IEnumerable<InternetCacheEntryInfo> FindUrlCacheEntries(UrlCacheType type)
        {
            foreach (var entry in FindUrlCacheEntries(type + ":"))
                yield return new InternetCacheEntryInfo(entry);
        }
    }
}

Paste it in your code and simply useit:

Library.Net.InternetCache.FindUrlCacheEntries(Library.Net.DataStructs.UrlCacheType.Visited);

---

Mohammad - C# Lover

Answer 2

This code will get data from the browser cache. However, if I understand the question correctly, he wants to find out what the Url typed into the browser address bar is.

---

feroze
--
My blog
Instruction on how to create a tracelog with your System.Net application

Answer 3

hi, thankx for ur code!
i vll need a little more help from u,
i m getting this error from the above code
"Error    1    The type or namespace name 'Win32' does not exist in the namespace 'Library' (are you missing an assembly reference?)"
can u help me please!
bye and thankx!!!

Answer 4

Hi, You were right, That code has a simple bug. I've written the code down again, Please check the following code again.

namespace Library.Net.DataStructs
{
    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    public struct INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO
    {
        public UInt32 dwStructSize;
        public string lpszSourceUrlName;
        public string lpszLocalFileName;
        public UInt32 CacheEntryType;
        public UInt32 dwUseCount;
        public UInt32 dwHitRate;
        public UInt32 dwSizeLow;
        public UInt32 dwSizeHigh;
        public FILETIME LastModifiedTime;
        public FILETIME ExpireTime;
        public FILETIME LastAccessTime;
        public FILETIME LastSyncTime;
        public IntPtr lpHeaderInfo;
        public UInt32 dwHeaderInfoSize;
        public string lpszFileExtension;
        public UInt32 dwExemptDelta;
    } ;
    }


namespace Library.Net
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Linq;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
    using DataStructs;

    public sealed class InternetCache
    {
        private const int ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER = 87;
        private const int ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER = 122;
        private const int ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS = 259;
        private const int ERROR_NO_TOKEN = 1008;
        
        /// <summary>
        /// UrlCache functionality is taken from:
        /// Scott McMaster (EMAIL REMOVED)
        /// CodeProject article
        /// 
        /// There were some issues with preparing URLs
        /// for RegExp to work properly. This is
        /// demonstrated in AllForms.SetupCookieCachePattern method
        /// 
        /// urlPattern:
        /// . Dump the entire contents of the cache.
        /// Cookie: Lists all cookies on the system.
        /// Visited: Lists all of the history items.
        /// Cookie:.*\.example\.com Lists cookies from the example.com domain.
        /// http://www.example.com/example.html$: Lists the specific named file if present
        /// \.example\.com: Lists any and all entries from *.example.com.
        /// \.example\.com.*\.gif$: Lists the .gif files from *.example.com.
        /// \.js$: Lists the .js files in the cache.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="urlPattern"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public static IEnumerable<INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO> FindUrlCacheEntries(string urlPattern)
        {
            var results = new List<INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO>();

            var buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
            UInt32 structSize;

            //This call will fail but returns the size required in structSize
            //to allocate necessary buffer
            var hEnum = FindFirstUrlCacheEntry(null, buffer, out structSize);
            try
            {
                if (hEnum == IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    var lastError = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
                    switch (lastError)
                    {
                        case ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER:
                            buffer = Marshal.AllocHGlobal((int)structSize);
                            hEnum = FindFirstUrlCacheEntry(urlPattern, buffer, out structSize);
                            break;
                        case ERROR_NO_TOKEN:
                        case ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS:
                            return results.AsEnumerable();
                    }
                }

                var result = (INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO)Marshal.PtrToStructure(buffer, typeof(INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO));
                try
                {
                    if (Regex.IsMatch(result.lpszSourceUrlName, urlPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase))
                        results.Add(result);
                }
                catch (ArgumentException ae)
                {
                    throw new ApplicationException("Invalid regular expression, details=" + ae.Message);
                }

                if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                {
                    try
                    {
                        Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                    }
                    catch
                    {
                    }
                    buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
                }

                while (true)
                {
                    var nextResult = FindNextUrlCacheEntry(hEnum, buffer, out structSize);
                    structSize *= 4;
                    if (nextResult != 1) //TRUE
                    {
                        var lastError = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
                        switch (lastError)
                        {
                            case ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER:
                                buffer = Marshal.AllocHGlobal((int)structSize);
                                FindNextUrlCacheEntry(hEnum, buffer, out structSize);
                                break;
                            case ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS:
                            case ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER:
                                return results.AsEnumerable();
                        }
                    }

                    if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                    {
                        result = (INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO)Marshal.PtrToStructure(buffer, typeof(INTERNET_CACHE_ENTRY_INFO));
                        if (Regex.IsMatch(result.lpszSourceUrlName, urlPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase))
                            results.Add(result);


                        try
                        {
                            Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                        }
                        catch
                        {
                        }
                        buffer = IntPtr.Zero;
                    }
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                if (hEnum != IntPtr.Zero)
                    FindCloseUrlCache(hEnum);
                if (buffer != IntPtr.Zero)
                    try
                    {
                        Marshal.FreeHGlobal(buffer);
                    }
                    catch
                    {
                    }
            }
        }

        [DllImport("wininet.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern IntPtr FindFirstUrlCacheEntry(string lpszUrlSearchPattern,
                                                           IntPtr lpFirstCacheEntryInfo,
                                                           out UInt32 lpdwFirstCacheEntryInfoBufferSize);
        [DllImport("wininet.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern long FindNextUrlCacheEntry(IntPtr hEnumHandle,
                                                        IntPtr lpNextCacheEntryInfo,
                                                        out UInt32 lpdwNextCacheEntryInfoBufferSize);

        [DllImport("wininet.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern long FindCloseUrlCache(IntPtr hEnumHandle);

    }
}

And this is how to use:

namespace ConsoleApplication553
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            foreach (var entry in Library.Net.InternetCache.FindUrlCacheEntries("Visited:"))
            {
                Console.WriteLine(entry.lpszSourceUrlName);
            }
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

---

Mohammad - C# Lover

Answer 5

Hi,

Mohammad Mir Mustafa,this is just for IE what about other BROWSERS?

Arsalan

Answer 6

i dont get output.

its shows the so many errors.

plz help me knw.

Answer 7

Hi, Mohammad, Also U have Any idea About the Web Filtering Project.

Which Lang is best for that.

Plz its Urgent. Plz Help me.

Answer 8

This s wat im searching for..

Im getting errors. Can u upload/mail me full project file.?

---

Cholavendhan

Answer 9

Hi Mohammad,

I am looking for similer sort of application. Can you please help me out.. Can you provide solution project so that I can check it out.

Please its bit urgent.

Thanks In Advance.

Regards,

Nithin Eate

Answer 10

HttpContext.Current.Request.Url