Hello,
Using 64-bit debian sarge version 2.22.3when ever I attempt to
call anything from the internet I recieve the error bellow. This does not
happen to me when on other platforms and also if I turn the sketch into an
application it will successfully connect to an internet web site.

This was the piece of code that gives me a problem and the program itself
is from Ben Fry's book
Visualizing Information
void updateTable( ) {
dataTable = new Table("http://benfry.com/writing/map/random.cgi");
}

java.net.UnknownHostException: benfry.com
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(PlainSocketImpl.java:177)
at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(SocksSocketImpl.java:366)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:525)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:475)
at sun.net.NetworkClient.doConnect(NetworkClient.java:163)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(HttpClient.java:394)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.openServer(HttpClient.java:529)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.<init>(HttpClient.java:233)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(HttpClient.java:306)
at sun.net.www.http.HttpClient.New(HttpClient.java:323)
at
sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getNewHttpClient(HttpURLConnection.java:860)
at
sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.plainConnect(HttpURLConnection.java:801)
at
sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.connect(HttpURLConnection.java:726)
at
sun.net.www.protocol.http.HttpURLConnection.getInputStream(HttpURLConnection.java:1049)
at java.net.URL.openStream(URL.java:1010)
at processing.core.PApplet.createInputRaw(PApplet.java:4062)
at processing.core.PApplet.createInput(PApplet.java:4031)
at processing.core.PApplet.loadStrings(PApplet.java:4262)
at book$Table.<init>(book.java:143)
at book.updateTable(book.java:120)
at book.keyPressed(book.java:115)
at processing.core.PApplet.handleKeyEvent(PApplet.java:1752)
at processing.core.PApplet.dequeueKeyEvents(PApplet.java:1735)
at processing.core.PApplet.handleDraw(PApplet.java:1437)
at processing.core.PApplet.run(PApplet.java:1327)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)
The file "http://benfry.com/writing/map/random.cgi" is missing or
inaccessible, make sure the URL is valid or that the file has been added to
your sketch and is readable.
Exception in thread "Animation Thread" java.lang.NullPointerException
at book$Table.<init>(book.java:144)
at book.updateTable(book.java:120)
at book.keyPressed(book.java:115)
at processing.core.PApplet.handleKeyEvent(PApplet.java:1752)
at processing.core.PApplet.dequeueKeyEvents(PApplet.java:1735)
at processing.core.PApplet.handleDraw(PApplet.java:1437)
at processing.core.PApplet.run(PApplet.java:1327)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)

hm, that's odd.. the error is actually that DNS is failing for benfry.com
maybe try connecting to benfry.com or the actual link
(http://benfry.com/writing/map/random.cgi) from a web browser to see how it
does?

if i were to guess, i'd imagine that you're dealing with 1) a dns error at
your isp or 2) overly restrictive firewall restrictions (that the java app
is being blocked from using network connections or something like that).

let me know what you find.

Well I know that it has some thing to do with the seconed possibility that
you mentioned. I have tested it out on a bunch of different Operating
Systems and it only happens on the Debian 64-bit OS. It has nothing to
actually do with the Internet connection, all the systems that I have tried
it on have actually been on Virtual Box threw Debian 64-bit, I unplugged my
router and everything =). It performs correctly on Windows, Ubuntu 32-bit
and on Mac OSX.

I hade originally thought that it was being restricted access from the
Internet because of a security setting having to do with how my machine and
Java was set up. This isn't the case because when I export the applet as an
application it connects to the Internet with out any problems, on the
trouble operating system.

I also tried to see if I would recieve an error from a clean install of
Debian and I do.

I have finished my school finals and have all winter break to help. Iwould
not mind trying to help solve this problem and contribute something. I am
sure I will learn something on the way. Would you have any suggestions as
to where to start to look for what causes this?




(In reply to comment #1)
>
>
>
> Additional Comment #1 From
>
> fry
> 2009-12-14 19:13
>
> <!--
> addReplyLink(1); //-->[reply]
>
>
>
>
> hm, that's odd.. the error is actually that DNS is failing for
benfry.com
> maybe try connecting to benfry.com or the actual link
> (http://benfry.com/writing/map/random.cgi) from a web browser to see how it
> does?
>
> if i were to guess, i'd imagine that you're dealing with 1) a dns error at
> your isp or 2) overly restrictive firewall restrictions (that the java app
> is being blocked from using network connections or something like that).
>
> let me know what you find.
>
>

(In reply to comment #1)
>
>
>
> Additional Comment #1 From
>
> fry
> 2009-12-14 19:13
>
> <!--
> addReplyLink(1); //-->[reply]
>
>
>
>
> hm, that's odd.. the error is actually that DNS is failing for
benfry.com
> maybe try connecting to benfry.com or the actual link
> (http://benfry.com/writing/map/random.cgi) from a web browser to see how it
> does?
>
> if i were to guess, i'd imagine that you're dealing with 1) a dns error at
> your isp or 2) overly restrictive firewall restrictions (that the java app
> is being blocked from using network connections or something like that).
>
> let me know what you find.
>
>

I wouldn't worry about it too much, I suspect there are other Linux issues
for which we could use more testing (e.g. check any of the bugs in the db
that are marked Linux). I suspect that there's just a strange configuration
thing somewhere, or a Java version issue, or something with your ISP, or
one of the other hundred things that cause glitches like this. The fact
that it works in many other cases leaves it suspect. At any rate, feel free
to dig into the other Linux issues, however.

did you find anything in the meantime?

also realizing that you may just be having trouble if you were using
anything besides sun-java with your installation.