change httplib docs POST example

[birkenfeld]

BPO	12524
Nosy	@birkenfeld, @orsenthil, @ezio-melotti, @merwok, @akheron
Files	http_example.diff: Changed example to httpstat.us http_example2.diff: http example using bugs.python.org

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2011-07-20.14:02:52.033>
created_at = <Date 2011-07-10.09:05:31.472>
labels = ['easy', 'docs']
title = 'change httplib docs POST example'
updated_at = <Date 2011-07-20.14:03:55.330>
user = 'https://github.com/birkenfeld'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2011-07-20.14:03:55.330>
actor = 'orsenthil'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2011-07-20.14:02:52.033>
closer = 'python-dev'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2011-07-10.09:05:31.472>
creator = 'georg.brandl'
dependencies = []
files = ['22674', '22704']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 12524
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 13.0
messages = ['140074', '140229', '140230', '140232', '140234', '140449', '140481', '140483', '140554', '140660', '140712', '140731', '140734']
nosy_count = 8.0
nosy_names = ['georg.brandl', 'orsenthil', 'ezio.melotti', 'eric.araujo', 'docs@python', 'python-dev', 'petri.lehtinen', 'barbi']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'low'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue12524'
versions = []

[birkenfeld]

The POST example in the httplib docs references musi-cal.mojam.com, which is now defunct.

[barbi]

Newbie to python dev.
This looks like a good issue to get started with and I am interested in creating a patch.
What should the new URL be? python.org:80?

[ezio-melotti]

You'll need a page that accepts POST requests, possibly returning some meaningful value, and without side effects (e.g. adding messages is usually done via POST, but we don't want a new message for every user that tries the example).

[barbi]

Is there someway to create a test page in python.org instead of an external domain? This can ensure many people have access to it and will not become defunct.
Please suggest next steps to proceed with this ticket.

[ezio-melotti]

FWIW the 'show issue' button on the left sidebar of http://bugs.python.org/ uses POST, so maybe you could send an issue number as request there to get back the issue page.

[akheron]

There's also http://httpstat.us/. You can send any request (also POST) to http://httpstat.us/200 and it gives you a 200 OK response.

I recall seeing other similar services, but didn't find them quickly.

[birkenfeld]

httpstat.us is has been registered quite recently, and is titled as an "experiment" in the footer. I'd rather use something more likely to be persistent. bugs.python.org seems a better choice.

[orsenthil]

Also, it does not say or "advertise" about POST, it gives examples for
GET. I find Ezio's suggestion using bugs.python.org as a good one.

[barbi]

Newbie here. Please be patient.

When I tried using the POST form in this page, I ran into minor issues.

1. The form returns a 302 to the actual issue page. Some other example with 200 may be better.
2. The params are a little weird, with '@' in the names. Might be confusing for newbies.
3. Form action param is '#', which is not a great example.

Please suggest if I should continue with this example or find a better one.

Code:
import http.client, urllib.parse
params = urllib.parse.urlencode({'@Number': 12524, '@type': 'issue', '@action': 'show'})
headers = {"Content-type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
"Accept": "text/plain"}
conn = http.client.HTTPConnection("bugs.python.org")
conn.request("POST", "#", params, headers)
response = conn.getresponse()
print(response.status, response.reason)
data = response.read()
conn.close()
data
b'Redirecting to <a href="http://bugs.python.org/issue12524"\>http://bugs.python.org/issue12524\</a>'

[merwok]

1. 3xx codes are as fine as 200, IIRC.

2. Agreed, Roundup as very strange form parameters and URIs in general, but that’s not something we can change.

3. Maybe the empty string would work? (It’s a URI reference which means “same URI as the resource where the form was found” IOW same page).

Alternate idea: use example.org. People won’t be able to actually run the example, but is it really important?

[orsenthil]

Hello Eric,

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 01:05:59PM +0000, Éric Araujo wrote:

Alternate idea: use example.org. People won’t be able to actually
run the example, but is it really important?

The whole idea is present a usable example. Please don't suggest
unusable example. example.org does not support POST.

[python-dev]

New changeset ab4d403cb0c0 by Senthil Kumaran in branch '3.2':
Fix closes bpo-12524 - update http.client POST example with a working example.
http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/ab4d403cb0c0

New changeset bc71fff2b6c7 by Senthil Kumaran in branch 'default':
merge from 3.2 - Fix closes bpo-12524 - update http.client POST example with a working example.
http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/bc71fff2b6c7

New changeset b754641a429f by Senthil Kumaran in branch '2.7':
merge from 3.2 - Fix closes bpo-12524 - update http.client POST example with a working example. - Patch contributed by Bharadwaj
http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/b754641a429f