[DIRSTUDIO-1272] Remove Network Connections preferences page (socks proxy settings)

• Type: Task
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 2.0.0-M16
• Fix Version/s: 2.0.0-M17
• Component/s: studio-rcp
• Assignee: Stefan Seelmann
• Reporter: Stefan Seelmann
• Created: 03/Apr/21 06:45
• Updated: 24/Jul/21 09:05
• Resolved: 22/May/21 11:51

Description

We have several bug reports [1][2][3] that SOCKS proxy settings don't
work, however there is a preference page [4] in Studio which gives the
impression it's supported.

That preference page is provided by Eclipse. What is does is to set Java
system properties [5]. There are known limitations, e.g. socks
authentication and proxy bypass don't work [6]. There is no additional
code in Studio to support proxies, and also zero tests.

In the past with JNDI the basic settings of a SOCKS proxy worked because
it is handled by Java old blocking IO.

However after the JNDI removal we only support the LDAP API which uses
Mina and new IO where those system properties don't work [7].

I'd suggest to remove that preference page and related documentation
because its presence gives users the impression it would work.

Remains the question if we should implement proxy support properly in
Studio. It's clearly possible, Mina even implements a proxy filter and
connector. However it's significant effort and requires changes in the
LDAP API and new UIs in Studio and proper unit/integration testing. On
the other side there are dedicated tools which provide transparent SOCKS
proxy support. So I have doubts if it makes sense to implement it in
Studio.

[1] https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DIRSTUDIO-501
[2] https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DIRSTUDIO-846
[3] https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/DIRSTUDIO-1269
[4] https://nightlies.apache.org/directory/studio/2.0.0.v20210213-M16/userguide/apache_directory_studio/network_connections.html
[5] https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/net/doc-files/net-properties.html
[6] https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=291717
[7] https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8199457

Discussion one the mailing list: https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/re4b0474a838a71428e3a624e3a52a55358a01fe72c9cb23ac23a0e30%40%3Cdev.directory.apache.org%3E

Issue Links

• relates to: DIRSTUDIO-501 Connection to the LDAP server fails when the eclipse network proxy settings is set to manual
• relates to: DIRSTUDIO-846 Socks proxy does not work with version 2.0.0-M3, connections still go directly to server without using the socks server defined
• relates to: DIRSTUDIO-1269 SOCKS proxy is not working