URLConnection getLastModified hangs

Question

Hi.
I (am at least planning to) use the getLastModified method of URLConnection to create local caching. I'm using this currently, and it works like a charm - stores timestamp and new entry if updated, if no timestamp available no caching - but when it comes to a certain file i'm trying to access it just "hangs".
I'm running a library on a tomcat/apache installation, and my (relevant) code is this:
static Boolean bDebug = true;
if( getURLLastModified( url ) > 0 )
  // do some caching stuff
public static long getURLLastModified(String incomingURL)
  try
    URL url = new URL(incomingURL);
    URLConnection uc = url.openConnection();
    if(bDebug) System.out.println("URL : " + uc.getURL().toString());
    if(bDebug) System.out.println("MODIFIED : " + uc.getLastModified());
    if(bDebug) System.out.println("getLastModified works");
    return uc.getLastModified();
  catch(Exception ex)
    if(bDebug) System.out.println(ex.toString());
}I can access the "special" file using my browser - renders without a problem, and i can wget it from my server - so no connectivity issues.
But, as mentioned, when i'm trying to retrieve the timestamp of the file using getURLLastModified it just hangs - apparently indefinitely.
That is - my tomcat instance is hanging ang not able to server anything, while the apache works (static files can be served).
Is there any way of avoiding this somehow? Some kind of timeout on getLastModified or something?
Any help on this topic will be higly appreciated :)

Answer 1

Set a read timeout on the URLConnection.
And close it before you exit that method!