CODEWITHSUNDEEP
excelvbagetelementbyid
Matt.C
Matt.C

Reputation: 11

getElementById won't work in VBA, error 438

I am relatively new at VBA (I know the basics, but not much else) and I am trying to get some code set up that will fill out online forms for me, but when I run my code I get a 438 error:

object doesnt support this property or method

when it gets to

ie.document.getElementById ("q")

I have added the HTML object library and Microsoft internet controls to my references. I have looked at tons of online forums. I have even copied and pasted an entire script directly into VBA. Nothing will make it use getElementById(). Here is my code: 

Sub internetstuff()

Dim ie As Object

Set ie = CreateObject("internetexplorer.application")

ie.Visible = True

ie.navigate ("https://www.google.com/")

Set searchbx = ie.document.getElementById("q")

searchbx.Value = "Howdy!"

End Sub

What should happen is that it should open InternetExplorer, go to Google, and populate the search bar with "Howdy!". Instead, It only opens google, then I get the error message and it stops running.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1830

Answers (2)

QHarr
QHarr

Reputation: 84465

A more concise and efficient way is to use querySelector to return first match for the name attribute 

Option Explicit
Public Sub internetstuff()
    Dim ie As Object
    Set ie = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
    With ie
        .Visible = True
        .Navigate2 "https://www.google.com/"
        While .Busy Or .readyState < 4: DoEvents: Wend
        .document.querySelector("[name=q]").Value = "Howdy"
         Stop '<delete me later
        .Quit
    End With
End Sub

Upvotes: 0

Mikku
Mikku

Reputation: 6654

Because "q" is not an ID, it's a Name.

You have to use GetElementsByName and select the 1st Element

try this:

Sub internetstuff()

Dim ie As Object

Set ie = CreateObject("internetexplorer.application")

ie.Visible = True

ie.Navigate ("https://www.google.com/")

    Do Until ie.ReadyState >= 4
        DoEvents
    Loop


Set searchbx = ie.document.getElementsByName("q")(0)

searchbx.Value = "Howdy!"

End Sub

I have also added a waiting Event, in case it takes time to load Google.

Result:

enter image description here

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions