From: khaines@...
Date: 2006-08-16T03:25:41+09:00
Subject: Re: FileTest.exists? over HTTP

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006, Neil Charlton wrote:

> HI
>
> I would like to test for the existence of a file over HTTP. I have tried
> various combinations of File.stat and FileTest.exists? with no results.
>
> For example (image.jpg exists)
>
> if FileTest.exists?("http://domain.com/image.jpg")
>    puts "found file"
> end
>
> does not print found file even though the file exists
>
> What am I doing wrong ?

Using FileTest.exists?() for an HTTP operation.

By default, Ruby doesn't try to make file operations transparently work 
over HTTP, except for the availability of the open-uri in the ruby core, 
which lets one use Kernel::open() to open http, https, and ftp URIs.

The easiest way, I think, to get the simple effect you are looking for is 
to use open-uri.

require 'open-uri'
begin
   open("http://domain.com/image.jpg")
rescue OpenURI::HTTPError
   # It couldn't be accessed, so do something.
end



Kirk Haines