Network programming in Java (DCU specific)

DCU specific: Need to go through proxy

On Windows machines in the DCU campus (either within CA or outside of CA), HTTP requests have to go through one of the DCU proxy servers.

Option 1: Insert in code

You can put something like this in your code before you make HTTP requests: 

System.getProperties().put( "proxySet", "true" );
System.getProperties().put( "proxyHost", "proxy.dcu.ie" );
System.getProperties().put( "proxyPort", "8080" );

Option 2: Use Java command-line arguments

Or you can leave your code alone and set the proxy via the $ java -D command-line option: 

$ java -DproxySet=true -DproxyHost=proxy.dcu.ie -DproxyPort=8080 prog

Write a batch (BAT) file

Writing a short BAT file to run java with the proxy command-line options might be a better approach than embedding the proxy in your programs, because then your programs will work when you run them on other machines (e.g. at home).
Write the program dcujava.bat: 

@echo off
java 	-DproxySet=true -DproxyHost=proxy.dcu.ie -DproxyPort=8080 	%*

And then, when outside DCU: 

$ java prog (args)

When inside DCU: 

$ dcujava prog (args)

And you don't have to change your code.

Non-Windows or non-DCU

You do not need to go through a proxy on the Solaris UNIX servers in CA.

I don't know about Linux here. Let me know.

You do not need to go through a proxy on Windows on my home ISP,
but on some other ISPs you may need to change this to go through their proxy.