[VFS-560] File can't be downloaded if HTTP HEAD on base url fails

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 2.0
• Fix Version/s: 2.1
• Assignee: Bernd Eckenfels
• Reporter: Patrick GH
• Created: 04/Feb/15 10:27
• Updated: 15/Oct/19 03:45
• Resolved: 12/May/15 20:51

Description

When i try to download a File via HTTP a HEAD-Request on the base url is executed before the actual download. In my case the result is a redirect (HTTP 302) to another server. This server is not available due to firewall restrictions and so the following HEAD request fails. The actual GET request to retrieve the file is never performed.

Example:

Url: http://server1.com/files/2015/image.jpg

1. commons-vfs sends HEAD request to http://server1.com/ (not http://server1.com/files/2015/image.jpg)
2. Server returns HTTP 302 with redirect to http://server2.com/
3. commons-vfs sends HEAD request to http://server2.com/
4. Request fails because server2.com is not available (firewall)
5. image.jpg is not downloaded

Why is this HEAD request on the base url necessary? The file can be downloaded directly without problems.