Checking if URL exists doesn't work

Question

I've got a function that's SUPPOSED to check if an url exists.

Function URLExists(URL As String) As Boolean
Dim HttpWebRequest_ As HttpWebRequest = WebRequest.Create(URL)
HttpWebRequest_.Method="HEAD" 'It doesn't work even without this.
Dim HttpWebResponse_ As HttpWebResponse = HttpWebRequest_.GetResponse()
Return HttpWebResponse_.StatusCode = HttpStatusCode.OK
End Function

If I try URLExists("http://www.google.com/thisPageDoesNotExistAndIsRetarded.html"), it returns True, and if I try URLExists("https://www.google.com/"), (which obviously exists), it returns True, (correct). Thanks.

The http request succeed because the 404 is managed by google. Try with something like `"https://www.ObviouslyNotARegistredUrl.com/"` — Justin Lessard, Oct 24 '13 at 02:15
@Zirkonix How do I check if the URL doesn't exist on google. — user2755982, Oct 24 '13 at 02:17
[See this answer from a similar post](http://stackoverflow.com/a/924682/2188407) — Justin Lessard, Oct 24 '13 at 02:19
@Zirkonix They use Try.Catch. Mine never throws and exception. — user2755982, Oct 24 '13 at 02:31

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 24 '13 at 02:50

0

I'm not familiar with VB, but I've write some c#:

string url = "http://www.google.com/thisPageDoesNotExistAndIsRetarded.html";
HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(url);
request.Method = "HEAD";
HttpWebResponse response = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponse();

And a [System.Net.WebException] (Error: 404) is thrown at runtime at the GetResponse(). It is working.

Perhaps you can try to add a try{ } catch{ return false} in your method.

answered Oct 24 '13 at 02:50

Justin Lessard

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It never throws an exception, coz, like u said, the 404 page is managed by goofle. – user2755982 Oct 24 '13 at 02:53
Well I was wrong. I tried it and it does throw a System.Net.WebException. – Justin Lessard Oct 24 '13 at 03:04

Checking if URL exists doesn't work

1 Answers1