Philadelphia Reflections

Exchange Quotes from XML using Excel (Google Finance)

Excel VBA function that returns stock information from Google Finance's XML stream.

Function GetQuote(Symbol As String, Optional GoogleParameter As String = "last") As String

    ' This is an Excel VBA function which returns data about a stock
    ' using Google Finance's XML stream
    
    ' On December 6, 2012 the Excel call =GetQuote("VTI")           returned 72.55
    '                                    =GetQuote("VTI", "volume") returned 68676
    
    ' Since this function returns strings, I've included a String_to_Number function below
    
    ' I got the essential ideas from here:
    ' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa163921%28office.10%29.aspx
    
    ' BUT before you start, read this:
    ' http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11245733/declaring-early-bound-msxml-object-throws-an-error-in-vba

    ' Note: Google has threatened to discontinue this feed in the future
    '       see my GetQuoteYahoo function as an alternative in that case
    '       but until then the two streams have special features
    ' see http://www.philadelphia-reflections.com/blog/2392.htm
    
    ' "GoogleParameter" is one of the following node names, it defaults to "last":
    ' "URL" is also valid in case you want to look at the XML stream returned
    '
    '<xml_api_reply version="1">
    '    <finance module_id="0" tab_id="0" mobile_row="0" mobile_zipped="1" row="0" section="0">
    '        <symbol data="VTI"/>
    '        <pretty_symbol data="VTI"/>
    '        <symbol_lookup_url data="/finance?client=ig&q=VTI"/>
    '        <company data="Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF"/>
    '        <exchange data="NYSEARCA"/>
    '        <exchange_timezone data=""/>
    '        <exchange_utc_offset data=""/>
    '        <exchange_closing data=""/>
    '        <divisor data="2"/>
    '        <currency data="USD"/>
    '        <last data="72.55"/>
    '        <high data="72.69"/>
    '        <low data="72.45"/>
    '        <volume data="68676"/>
    '        <avg_volume data=""/>
    '        <market_cap data="22385.76"/>
    '        <open data="72.54"/>
    '        <y_close data="72.60"/>
    '        <change data="+0.03"/>
    '        <perc_change data="0.04"/>
    '        <delay data="0"/>
    '        <trade_timestamp data="1 minute ago"/>
    '        <trade_date_utc data="20121206"/>
    '        <trade_time_utc data="145144"/>
    '        <current_date_utc data="20121206"/>
    '        <current_time_utc data="145323"/>
    '        <symbol_url data="/finance?client=ig&q=VTI"/>
    '        <chart_url data="/finance/chart?q=NYSEARCA:VTI&tlf=12"/>
    '        <disclaimer_url data="/help/stock_disclaimer.html"/>
    '        <ecn_url data=""/>
    '        <isld_last data="72.55"/>
    '        <isld_trade_date_utc data="20121206"/>
    '        <isld_trade_time_utc data="142903"/>
    '        <brut_last data=""/>
    '        <brut_trade_date_utc data=""/>
    '        <brut_trade_time_utc data=""/>
    '        <daylight_savings data="false"/>
    '    </finance>
    '</xml_api_reply>

    
    Dim GoogleXMLstream As MSXML2.DOMDocument
    
    Dim oChildren As MSXML2.IXMLDOMNodeList
    Dim oChild As MSXML2.IXMLDOMNode
    
    Dim fSuccess As Boolean
    Dim URL As String
    
    On Error GoTo HandleErr
    
    ' create the URL that requests the XML stream from Google Finance
    URL = "http://www.google.com/ig/api?stock=" & Trim(Symbol)
    
    ' In case you want to look at the XML
    If GoogleParameter = "URL" Then
        GetQuote = URL
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    ' pull in the XML stream
    Set GoogleXMLstream = New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    GoogleXMLstream.async = False                 ' wait for completion
    GoogleXMLstream.validateOnParse = False       ' do not validate the XML stream
    
    fSuccess = GoogleXMLstream.Load(URL)          ' pull in the feed
    
    If Not fSuccess Then                          ' quit on failure
      MsgBox "error loading Google Finance XML stream"
      Exit Function
    End If
    
    ' iterate through the nodes looking for one with the name in GoogleParameter
    GetQuote = GoogleParameter & " is not valid for GetQuote function"
    
    Set oChildren = GoogleXMLstream.DocumentElement.LastChild.ChildNodes
    
    For Each oChild In oChildren
    
        If oChild.nodeName = GoogleParameter Then
        
            GetQuote = oChild.Attributes.getNamedItem("data").Text
            Exit Function
            
        End If
        
    Next oChild
        
' error handlers
ExitHere:
            Exit Function
HandleErr:
            MsgBox "Error " & Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description
            Resume ExitHere
            Resume
End Function

Function String_to_Number(num_as_string As String) As Double

    ' The GetQuote function returns string values
    ' This function converts numbers in string format to double

    String_to_Number = Val(num_as_string)

End Function

How to install an Excel macro

1. In a spreadsheet press Alt+F11
2. Insert > Module
3. Copy the code on this page and paste it into your new module
4. Tools > References > Microsoft XML v6 per the picture below
5. Switch back to your spreadsheet (x out of the VBA screen if you want)

Thanks to declaring early bound msxml object throws an error in vba for both the clue and the picture

My thanks to Encode / Decode HTML Entities