Trying to retrieve spreadsheet from asp site without any prompts - asp.net

Question

I have a company site that publishes large reports which I pull down and split up into what I need. I can get the webpage open and get the link to the spreadsheet I need opened, but then I get one IE pop-up for open/save/cancel and, when I click to open the spreadsheet, I get a second pop-up (this one from Excel) saying that the spreadsheet is in a different format than specified by the extension." I have no idea how, if possible, to get the first pop-up to away; the only way I know to normally prevent pop-ups with excel is with DisplayAlerts=False, but adding that doesn't seem to have any effect. The code for the start of this automation project follows:
[EDIT] I have edited and replaced the original coding to reflect the most recent attempt at this. I have managed to get past the first file download pop-up (though with the use of sendkeys) and am now working on getting the second pop-up taken care of (which I suppose is a matter of shifting focus back to excel). Any suggestions on replacing the sendkeys portion are definitely welcomed, as well as advice for returning focus to excel so that I can use excel to control the second pop-up (if that's the best way to do it). The updated code follows:
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" _
(ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Sub Automation()
Dim IeApp As Object
Dim IeDoc As Object
Dim URL, URL2 As String
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
URL = "https://companysite.com/directorypage/default.aspx"
URL2 = "https://companysite.com/directorypage/Reports/MyReport.aspx?Format=Excel"
Set IeApp = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
IeApp.Visible = True
IeApp.Navigate URL
While IeApp.Busy Or IeApp.ReadyState <> 4: DoEvents: Wend
IeApp.Document.All.Item("MainContent_btnAuthenticate").Click
While IeApp.Busy Or IeApp.ReadyState <> 4: DoEvents: Wend
Set IeApp = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
IeApp.Visible = False
IeApp.Navigate URL2
Do Until thewindow <> 0 'wait for the "File Download" popup window to appear
thewindow = FindWindow(vbNullString, "File Download")
Loop
SendKeys "{LEFT}"
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
SendKeys "{LEFT}"
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
SendKeys "{ENTER}"
End Sub

Answer 1

You're not going to be able to suppress that message in your code, it's a setting on the user's workstation to prevent harm from malicious files.
The user would have to either edit their Windows registry or have it controlled via a group policy setting. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948615
I ran across this same issue with Excel documents generated on on the server. The only workaround I made was to create files using the Open XML SDK.
EDIT: I read your question again and noticed it's more focused on the first pop-up, and JMax linked answer (How to disable file download popup in Internet Explorer?) should fix that.

Answer 2

Jon, my two cents on this.
If you have administrative access to your pc then what JMax suggested will sort it out. I would discourage editing the registry if you are an administrator until and unless you know what you are doing.
If it is say an office pc then editing the registry is not even an option. You will have to contact the IT dept. They can either login to your pc as an administrator and then turn the option off for you or they can tweak the GP as zeroef suggested. My best guess is that if it is an office pc then they will login as an administrator and make the changes for you individually instead of making the change in the GP (unless you are the only member of that group). In a corporate environment it is really difficult to get that pulled off via GP as it affects lot of users. There is also a possibility that your request might not be agreed upon if it is an Office pc.
BTW, from what I see, your question has nothing to do with it being an Excel problem :)
HTH
Sid

Answer 3

You could just download the file directly...
Private Declare Function URLDownloadToFile Lib "urlmon" Alias _
"URLDownloadToFileA" (ByVal pCaller As Long, _
ByVal szURL As String, ByVal _
szFileName As String, ByVal dwReserved As Long, _
ByVal lpfnCB As Long) As Long
Sub DownloadFile(sURL, sSaveAs)
Dim rv As Long
rv = URLDownloadToFile(0, sURL, sSaveAs, 0, 0)
If rv <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Error with download!"
End If
End Sub
Don't know if the https will be an issue here.
Another thing to try is just:
Workbooks.Open "https://companysite.com/directorypage/Reports/MyReport.aspx?Format=Excel"