HttpUrlConnection.getInputStream() does not return for a particular website

Question

Hi,
In my code, I am using an instance of java.net.HttpUrlConnection to "get" a web page. I am able to do it for all websites - except a particular website [Summary is at the end of this post]. The program hangs [for 10+ minutes and then throws an exception ] when I invoke
InputStream err = httpCon.getErrorStream();
System.out.println("Error is : " + err); // I get err as "null"
// It hangs below for 10+ minutes and then throws an exception
httpUrlConnection.getInputStream(); // httpUrlConnection is a valid
I get an error when I try to get the webpage using I.E or Netscape too.
So most likely there is some problem with the website. However I do not want my program to hang for 10+ minutes.
I even tried to get the headers but even that invocation blocks:
System.out.println("Reading header ........");
for(int i = 1; i < 100; i++) {
str = httpCon.getHeaderFieldKey(i); // <<<<<-- HANGS HERE!!!
if(str == null || str.length() <= 0) {
System.out.println("Header stopped reading at: " + i);
break;
System.out.println(str + ": " + httpCon.getHeaderField(str));
I get an exception trace after 10+ minutes :
java.net.SocketException: Unexpected end of file from server
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.parseHTTPHeader(HttpClient.java:699)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.parseHTTP(HttpClient.java:604)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.parseHTTPHeader(HttpClient.java:697)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.parseHTTP(HttpClient.java:604)
at sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(HttpURLConnection.java:510)
at com.panacya.dp.xml.HttpInputSource.processResponse(HttpInputSource.java:440)
at com.panacya.dp.xml.HttpInputSource.get(HttpInputSource.java:398)
Summary:
1. Works for most of the websites but not for at least one [out of 30+ I tried]
2. httpUrlConnection.getErrorStream() returns a null.
3. httpUrlConnection.getInputStream() blocks for 10+ minutes and the httpUrlConnection.getHeaderFieldKey() also blocks.
4. After 10+ minutes the program throws an exception.
Q) How do make the getInputStream() call as non-blocking or have a tweakable timeout? [better still check if the call getInputStream()  should be made in the first place].
Thanks,
A C

Answer 1

very simple... start a new thread with a timer... create a variable in your main thread... if you recieve a request (at least one) before the timer runs out... then set the variable in the main thread to true, so when the thread runs out it will not throw an exception.... on the other hand if you do not receive a request... the thread will run out... see that the variable in the main thread is still false... so then... it willl throw a exception... that you can catch... and work with from there...
Have fun...
matt