Equivalent cURL in VBA?

calendar_today Asked Jun 12, 2013
thumb_up 14 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

Solved it now guys, works well. For other peoples convenience. TargetURL = "https://www.mysite.co.uk/app/api/v1/test" Set HTTPReq = CreateObject("WinHttp.WinHttpRequest.5.1")…. This is a 9-line Access VBA snippet, ranked #19th of 67 by community upvote score, from 2013.


The Problem (Q-score 6, ranked #19th of 67 in the Access VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2013

I have an API for my application which allows me to make cURL requests to it.
I need to implement this into VBA so my desktop database can fire CURL requests to my web app.

curl -i --user [email protected]:password -X PUT -d "test=testing" https://mywebsite.com/api

How can i implement this in Access VBA? Can i use WinHttp.WinHttpRequest.5.1 ?
Any examples?
Thanks
Adam,

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 67 Access VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds strong answer (top 25 %%) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+14)

9-line Access VBA pattern (copy-ready)

Solved it now guys, works well.
For other peoples convenience.

TargetURL = "https://www.mysite.co.uk/app/api/v1/test"
Set HTTPReq = CreateObject("WinHttp.WinHttpRequest.5.1")
HTTPReq.Option(4) = 13056 '
HTTPReq.Open "PUT", TargetURL, False
HTTPReq.SetCredentials "user", "password", 0
HTTPReq.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
HTTPReq.send ("test[status]=" & Forms!curl!Text0.Value & "&test2[status]=" & Text2.Value)
MsgBox (HTTPReq.responseText)

Error-handling details to lift with the snippet

This answer wires error flow through MsgBox / Err.Description. Keep that intact: stripping it to “make it cleaner” removes the signal you’ll need when the macro fails silently on a user machine.


When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)

Ranked #19th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 55% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Access VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2013 and 2026

The answer is 13 years old. The Access VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this sit in the top quartile of Access VBA answers?
expand_more

Answer score +14 vs the Access VBA archive median ~4; this entry is strong. The score plus 6 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+6) means the asker and 13 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 9-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
expand_more

Yes. The 9-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

Published around 2013 — what’s changed since?
expand_more

Published 2013, which is 13 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Access VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Access VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #18?
expand_more

The pattern one rank above is “Simple Oracle SQL date syntax question”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 6, Answer-score 14, original post 2013, ranked #19th of 67 in the Access VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

access-vba