Insert image from URL in Excel: error for various methods - image

Question

I am trying to insert a picture from a website into an excel sheet, but I get an error message, no matter which method I try.
The URL I use ("MyURL") is in the format:
https:// x.x.x.x:pppp/chart.png?id=10...apid=secretkey
But if I use any other picture url, it works... even if it has parameters, eg.:
http:// www.mrexcel.com/forum/avatars/[personsname].gif?dateline=2007
MyUrl works fine in any browser, but not in Excel.
I have used these methods:
A) Pictures.Insert
ActiveSheet.Pictures.Insert ("MyURL")
gives error: "Runtime error 1004: Unable to get the Insert property of the Pictures class"
B) Shapes.AddPicture
wsht.Shapes.AddPicture "MyURL", msoFalse, msoTrue, 0, 0, 100, 100
gives error: "Runtime error 1004: The specified file was not found"
C) Insert > Pictures > Paste URL in file name
gives error: "An error occurred while importing this file"
D) Convert MyUrl into a short URL
gives error:
A - "Insert method of picture class failed"
B - "The specified file was not found"
C - "An error occurred while importing this file"
My system:
Windows 8, Excel 2013
What is the problem?

Answer 1

Thanks for the help.
I found a work-around to the problem (not in Excel)... using VBscript to save the image, and then import it into Excel. The problem was with the security certificate. With the script the error is ignored.
dim xHttp: Set xHttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP.6.0")
xHttp.setOption 2, 13056
dim bStrm: Set bStrm = createobject("Adodb.Stream")
xHttp.Open "GET", "MyURL", False
xHttp.Send
with bStrm
.type = 1 '//binary
.open
.write xHttp.responseBody
.savetofile "c:\BI\SyncScript\graph.png", 2 '//overwrite
end with

Answer 2

It may me related to your Internet Settings and/or Security Settings.............If you run this tiny macro with an empty sheet active:
Sub PictureGrabber()
With ActiveSheet.Pictures
.Insert ("http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images26/PugPurebredDogFawnBlackMax8YearsOld1.jpg")
End With
End Sub
What happens??