crafterm's weblog

java.net.HttpURLConnection!

Found out an interesting surprise today with the java.net.HttpURLConnection class.
Take a look at the two following code fragments:

URL url = new URL("http://localhost:8080/something/somewhere/");
URLConnection conn = url.openConnection();
HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) conn;
System.out.println("1." + c.getInputStream());
System.out.println("2." + c.getLastModified());
System.out.println("3." + c.getContentType());
System.out.println("4." + c.getResponseCode());


and

URL url = new URL("http://localhost:8080/something/somewhere/");
URLConnection conn = url.openConnection();
HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) conn;
System.out.println("2." + c.getLastModified());
System.out.println("3." + c.getContentType());
System.out.println("4." + c.getResponseCode());
System.out.println("1." + c.getInputStream());


(simple reordering of the call to getInputStream())

I expected both fragments to yield the same results, however there's a hidden surprise here - if the location you point your URL object to does not exist, then the first fragment will raise a FileNotFoundException (as expected), but the second one will give you an InputStream containing the error page from the server!

This certainly had me on a wild goose chase for an hour! :)

Update:

Ok, looks like this is a problem specific to JDK 1.3.1, JDK 1.4.x exhibits correct behaviour.

Eclipse!

Finally found some time to start having a look at Eclipse!

I'm quite impressed, especially with things like the support for refactoring, auto method completion, hierarchy browser, and tooltip documentation, etc, it looks quite nice. Still have quite a lot to learn, and I don't think I'll give up XEmacs/JDEE just yet :) but it definitely looks like a great IDE.

Kudos to Mariano for persisting that I should take a look at it :)

Debian on a Dimension 4600!

Just installed Debian on a brand new Dell Dimension 4600. Was pretty straight forward except for the network driver (on board Intel pro/100) which only works with the driver in the latest 2.4.21 kernel sources - too new for the Woody and Sarge installer.

Had a similar problem with the Broadcom driver when I installed Debian on my Inspiron 8500.

If anyone wants to install woody (or unstable via woody) I've got some prebuilt 2.4.21 kernel images available here. Just add e100 to your /etc/modules you'll have a eth0 device. :)

New ASF Members!

Vadim, Sylvain and Carsten have just been elected as ASF Members! great work guys! :)

How's the heat ?

How's everyone enjoying this Summer heat ? :) Here in Frankfurt its been around 30 degrees every day this week! and since our office has no air conditioning, man you can really feel it!

Actually reminds me of an Australian Summer, surfing all day, then relaxing in the shade by the BBQ, sipping on a VB stubby, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, listening to the Cricket and hearing Ganggajang 'Sounds of then (this is Australia)' or Cold Chisel's Khe Sahn inbetween the Innings. :)

More Photo's from Australia!

After a nice hot weekend here in Europe I've rearranged and uploaded some more photos from my previous trip to Australia in February 2003.

Lots of shots from the Queensland coast line and the Whitsunday Islands. :)