UK License Plate Searcher

[Hgreen1601]

I have been trying to make a macro where I enter a license plate and it searches the gov.uk website (https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk) and returns the cylinder capacity.

Relatively new to macro writing so any explanation would be appreciated, currently have numerous errors.

Sub EngineSearch()

    Dim Tool      As Object
    Dim Var     As Variant
    Dim element As Variant
    Dim WrkBk   As Workbook
    Dim WrkSht  As Worksheet
   
    Set WrkBk = ThisWorkbook
    Set WrkSht = WrkBk.ActiveSheet

    For i = WrkSht.Range("E3").Value To WrkSht.Range("F3").Value
    'Have put the cells of my data range within these values
   
   
    Set Tool = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
    Tool.navigate "[URL]https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/[/URL]"

    Tool.Visible = False
   
    Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:01"))

    Set frm = Tool.document.getelementbyid("wizard_vehicle_enquiry_capture_vrn_vrn")

    frm.Value = WrkSht.Cells(i, 2).Value
       
    Tool.document.getelementbyid("submit_vrn_button").Click
   
    Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:01"))

    Tool.document.getelementbyid("yes-vehicle-confirm").Click
    Tool.document.getelementbyid("capture_confirm_button").Click
   
    Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:01"))

    Set HtmlType = ie.document.getelementbyid("cylinder_capacity")
    WrkSht.Range("C" & i) = Right(HtmlType.innerText, 7)
  

    Tool.Quit


    Next i
   
Exit Sub

 

[Hgreen1601]

​

Nope as once you get an element like the cylinder capacity that means the difficulties are bypassed …​

If I was to also extract fuel type to cell E3 how would I go about doing this?

 

[Marc L]

​

For 'DIESEL' it's the same way as for 'cc' : Cells(R, 5).Value2 = .Document.querySelector("#fuel_type>dd").innerText …​

 

[Hgreen1601]

Thank you, appreciate the help

 

[Hgreen1601]

I'm getting a lot of "not found", generally when it occurs once it continues to happen. Are there any changes I could make it improve it's success rate? Although it does fix itself sometimes.

 

[Marc L]

​

I tried with the sample plate 'CU57ABC' - to have a 'not found' return - inserted between valid plates : no issue on my side …​

​

So I suspect it's a web issue on your side : synchronization issue / slow connection, website watching your IE process, …​

 

[Hgreen1601]

​

I tried with the sample plate 'CU57ABC' - to have a 'not found' return - inserted between valid plates : no issue on my side …​

​

So I suspect it's a web issue on your side : synchronization issue / slow connection, website watching your IE process, …​

Yes I suspect it is to do with poor internet connection. Is it possible to add a time delay to allow for each search to allow for this?

 

[Marc L]

​

Thanks to not quote each time the complete previous post as that's just clutter …​

​

You must already have seen there is already a time delay in my VBA procedure ! Just increase it …​

 

[Hgreen1601]

Will do!

Oh great, didn't know if it needed one later in the module - thanks!

 

[Marc L]

​

But taking a glance on my procedure the '¤ not found' message seems to not need any time delay as the procedure waits until the webpage is 'complete' …​

 

[Marc L]

(removed for improvement in next post)