Weird problem reading XML from URL

Question

Here's my code:

        string url = @"http://eafsys:1234/vp.xml";
        try
        {
            XmlTextReader reader = new XmlTextReader(url);
            while (reader.Read())
            {
                // do whatever..
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
        }

When I run it I catch the following error:

'The server committed a protocol violation. Section=ResponseStatusLine'

I searched the internet and apparently I am supposed to change some web.config file in my IIS. The thing is the system where the XML data comes from doesn't have IIS, it doesn't even have a web server. It's just a program listening on that port waiting to output XML.

I can surf (with a any browser, I.E or FireFox) to http://eafsys:1234/vp.xml and I get nicely formatted XML.

Here is the raw (source view) of the XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?>
<EAFSTATUS>
<EAST>
<HEAT_NO>100633</HEAT_NO>
<GRADE>EA174  </GRADE>
<HEATSTATUS>MELT</HEATSTATUS>
<CHARGENUM>2</CHARGENUM>
<CRMTEMP>1657</CRMTEMP>
<CRMC> 0.0519</CRMC>
<CHARGE>178000</CHARGE>
<ENERGY>80710</ENERGY>
<ELECTKWH>46400</ELECTKWH>
<POWERONTIME> 33:18</POWERONTIME>
<POWERSTATUS>OFF</POWERSTATUS>
<DELAYDUR>3:18</DELAYDUR>
<DELAYSTATUS>OPEN </DELAYSTATUS>
<DELAYREASON>          NO REASON </DELAYREASON>
</EAST>
<WEST>
<HEAT_NO>100632</HEAT_NO>
<GRADE>EA174  </GRADE>
<HEATSTATUS>REF </HEATSTATUS>
<CHARGENUM>2</CHARGENUM>
<CRMTEMP>1529</CRMTEMP>
<CRMC> 0.0418</CRMC>
<CHARGE>178500</CHARGE>
<ENERGY>95010</ENERGY>
<ELECTKWH>54500</ELECTKWH>
<POWERONTIME> 39:06</POWERONTIME>
<POWERSTATUS>OFF</POWERSTATUS>
<DELAYDUR></DELAYDUR>
<DELAYSTATUS></DELAYSTATUS>
<DELAYREASON></DELAYREASON>
</WEST>
<LMF_EAST>
<HEAT_NO>100631</HEAT_NO>
<GRADE>EA719  </GRADE>
<HEATSTATUS>DONE</HEATSTATUS>
<LMF_TIME> 58:48</LMF_TIME>
<TEMP>1546</TEMP>
<WT>163100</WT>
<SAMP>M03</SAMP>
<SAMP_S>0.005760</SAMP_S>
<CAO>0</CAO>
<AL2O3>0</AL2O3>
</LMF_EAST>
<LMF_WEST>
<HEAT_NO>100632</HEAT_NO>
<GRADE>EA174  </GRADE>
<HEATSTATUS>REF </HEATSTATUS>
<LMF_TIME> 47:42</LMF_TIME>
<TEMP>1566</TEMP>
<WT>167500</WT>
<SAMP>M02</SAMP>
<SAMP_S>0.000000</SAMP_S>
<CAO>0</CAO>
<AL2O3>0</AL2O3>
</LMF_WEST>
<CASTER>
<HEATNUM>100631</HEATNUM>
<OUTBOARDHEATNUM>0</OUTBOARDHEATNUM>
<CASTSPEED>1.295000</CASTSPEED>
<CASTWIDTH>1.365312</CASTWIDTH>
<REMAININGWEIGHT>66714</REMAININGWEIGHT>
<NEXTTIME>15:20:13.00</NEXTTIME>
<HEATDUR>55</HEATDUR><LADLESINSERVICE>4</LADLESINSERVICE></CASTER>
</EAFSTATUS>

If anyone has any idea's I'd love to hear them.

I'm guessing that the XmlTextReader.Read() function is looking for a proper HTTP status code. — jrn.ak
– jrn.ak, Commented May 3, 2011 at 19:14
I'd suggest to download the XML with WebClient first and then load it into XmlReader as Stream... — Shrike
– Shrike, Commented May 3, 2011 at 19:20
I guess there's more to implementing an HTTP server than just listening on port 80 and waiting to output XML. — Conrad Frix
– Conrad Frix, Commented May 3, 2011 at 19:28
@jnpcl what is this? @Shrike WebClient give me the EXACT same error. @ConradFrix Yeah I'd assume so. But we have been serving html, xml plain text with no issues. My problem only occurs when trying to consume the xml with .net. — carny666
– carny666, Commented May 3, 2011 at 19:32
What do you mean by It's just a program listening on that port waiting to output XML. What does the program listen for? The XmlTextReader() is probably sending it a proper HTTP request, and is throwing because it isn't getting a proper (valid) HTTP response. You may be able to peek at the message exchange using Fiddler2. (free download, good tool) — Cheeso
– Cheeso, Commented May 3, 2011 at 20:43

Cos Callis · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-03 19:25:54Z

2

When you tell a browser to open a file with a url you are leveraging the local file (or even network) system. The browser actually is capable of opening the file and reading it. When you tell an XmlTextReader to open a file with a URL you are telling it to issue an httpRequest and expect an httpResponse in return, and that requires an internet server of some flavor.

You might be able to substitute a filestreamreader and then feed that stream to the XmlTextReader, but I haven't tried that. You are likely better of servicing that file from an web server or accessing it via a UNC instead of a URL.

answered May 3, 2011 at 19:25

Cos Callis

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6 Comments

carny666 Over a year ago

The problem is that the data being served up is on a VMS system with no web server.

Cos Callis Over a year ago

But you should be able to hang a webserver 'near by' (in virtual space) that can accept the httpRequest and get the stream from the VMS and package it to the httpResponse.

svick Over a year ago

If the URL has a protocol of http://, you're telling the browser to issue an HTTP request too. And since he says this is working, it means there is a working web (HTTP) server on that machine.

carny666 Over a year ago

@svivk NO.. there is no web server on the machine, I wrote a socket program to listen on port 1234, same could be done for port 80 or 8000 for that matter.

Cos Callis Over a year ago

@carny666...when you say 'I wrote a socket program to listen on port 1234' what you are saying is that you created a simple form of a web server. It takes in an httpRequest (albeit on port 1234 rather than 80) and issues as response in the form of creating a stream back the requestor. With that in mind I would guess that XmlTextReader is issuing a request differently (unlikely, but possible) or it is not prepared to handle the response that it gets from your port listener, where a browser is (most likely). If you can log those activities you will probably find your disconnect.

|

svick · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-03 21:34:32Z

0

I had a similar error once, although I don't remember whether it was exactly this. Anyway, you can try the solution that worked for me: setting the following property before you download anything:

ServicePointManager.Expect100Continue = false;

answered May 3, 2011 at 21:34

svick

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