Download excel file from web?

[patf at well.com]

Hi - experienced programmer but this is my first Python program.

This URL will retrieve an excel spreadsheet containing (that day's)
msci stock index returns.

http://www.mscibarra.com/webapp/indexperf/excel?priceLevel=0&scope=0&currency=15&style=C&size=36&market=1897&asOf=Jul+25%2C+2008&export=Excel_IEIPerfRegional

Want to write python to download and save the file.

So far I've arrived at this:

[quote]
# import pdb
import urllib2
from win32com.client import Dispatch

xlApp = Dispatch("Excel.Application")

# test 1
# xlApp.Workbooks.Add()
# xlApp.ActiveSheet.Cells(1,1).Value = 'A'
# xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Cells(2,1).Value = 'B'
# xlBook = xlApp.ActiveWorkbook
# xlBook.SaveAs(Filename='C:\\test.xls')


# pdb.set_trace()
response = urllib2.urlopen('http://www.mscibarra.com/webapp/indexperf/
excel?
priceLevel=0&scope=0&currency=15&style=C&size=36&market=1897&asOf=Jul
+25%2C+2008&export=Excel_IEIPerfRegional')
# test 2 - returns check = False
check_for_data = urllib2.Request('http://www.mscibarra.com/webapp/
indexperf/excel?
priceLevel=0&scope=0&currency=15&style=C&size=36&market=1897&asOf=Jul
+25%2C+2008&export=Excel_IEIPerfRegional').has_data()

xlApp = response.fp
print(response.fp.name)
print(xlApp.name)
xlApp.write
xlApp.Close
[/quote]