Calling a URL from a stored procedure in SQL Server?

Question

Just wondering if its possible to call a URL from a stored procedure (eventually adding that procedure to a sql job) As the webpage refreshes my database, it would be excellent if I could automate this process.

Edit:

I want to be able to request a webpage from a store procedure. On the page load of the desired webpage there is a function that refreshes my database. I want it to refresh my database at 4 am every day. In order for me not to manually go onto the site at 4am (still sleeping) I need something else to do it for me. I thought sql jobs would be excellent, as I can set the time, and the job up. I don't know PowerShell all that well, and wanted to know if I could request a URL, or visit a url using a stored procedure or any other way.

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure MS SQL doesn't allow you to do that directly.. obvious security issues. However, I think you can get around it by using xp_cmdshell to execute a vbscript file and in that file, create an xmlhttp request to a site.

xp_cmdshell command:

EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'c:\<file>.vbs',no_output  

VBScript:

call main()
sub main()
    Dim xmlHTTP, url
    Set xmlHTTP = WScript.CreateObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP")
    url = "<url>"
    xmlHTTP.Open "GET", url, False
    xmlHTTP.Send  ""
end sub 

EDIT

In response to a comment on how to do this asynchronously.

xp_cmdshell command:

EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'c:\caller.vbs',no_output

VBScript for caller:

call main()
sub main()
    Dim scmd
    Set scmd = "c:\windows\system32\cscript.exe //nologo c:\<originalVBS>.vbs"
    createobject("wscript.shell").run scmd,0,false
end sub

Answer 2

@newurl is url you want to hit @response is response you received

EXEC Sp_oacreate  'MSXML2.XMLHTTP',@obj OUT;
EXEC Sp_oamethod @obj,'open',NULL,'get',@newurl,'false'
EXEC Sp_oamethod @obj,'send'
EXEC Sp_oamethod @obj,'responseText',@response OUTPUT   
EXEC Sp_oadestroy @obj

Answer 3

You can do it with Task Scheduler (part of Windows). Just create a scheduled task that opens Internet Explorer and browses to the page:

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" "http://yoursite.com/yourpage.aspx"

Or for 64-bit Windows:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" "http://yoursite.com/yourpage.aspx"

Alternatively, create a job using SQL Server Agent, and create a single step of type "Operating System (CmdExec)" with the above command.