How to specify a read timeout for a Net::HTTP::Post.new request in Ruby 2

Question

I have a post happening to a rails application from a ruby script. The script creates a variable request as

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url.path)

which is then used as follows

request.content_type = "application/json" request.body = JSON.generate( params ) response = Net::HTTP.start(url.host, url.port) {|http| http.request(request)}

There is quite a lot of processing happening on the server side, and I'm getting a Net::ReadTimeout error

I tried to specify a timeout period

request.read_timeout = 500

as per this stackoverflow answer but I got a

undefined method `read_timeout=' for #<Net::HTTP::Post POST> (NoMethodError)

error. I assume that I'm missing something simple somewhere. All clues gratefully received

Technical info:

Ruby 2.0.0p247
Rails 4.0.0
Windows 7 32 bit ruby

possible duplicate of Net::HTTP get timeout in Ruby Also for .new, post and get should be the same. — Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com
– Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com, Commented Oct 11, 2014 at 15:52
@CiroSantilli that question doesn't have an accepted answer. This one does, albeit my own. — Jane
– Jane, Commented Oct 13, 2014 at 15:45
possible duplicate of Set read_timeout for the service call in Ruby Net::HTTP.start — Brad Werth
– Brad Werth, Commented Oct 13, 2014 at 19:48

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:34:39Z

47

Solved via this stackoverflow answer

I've changed my

response = Net::HTTP.start(url.host, url.port) {|http| http.request(request)}

line to be

response = Net::HTTP.start(url.host, url.port, :read_timeout => 500) {|http| http.request(request)}

and this seems to have got around this problem.

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:34

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Oct 23, 2013 at 16:38

Jane

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3 Comments

Eddie Over a year ago

If it's posting, seems like write_timeout would make sense. :)

Miguel Peniche Over a year ago

What about a HTTP.get?

AliceTheCat Over a year ago

FYI: according to ruby-doc.org/stdlib-2.0.0/libdoc/net/http/rdoc/Net/… it seems that the read timeout is in seconds. The parameter is called sec but no further documentation is provided.

pmrotule · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-10 10:00:44Z

The read_timeout is available with a plain Net::HTTP object:

url = URI.parse('http://google.com') http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port) http.read_timeout = 5 # seconds http.request_post(url.path, JSON.generate(params)) do |response| # do something with response p response end

Lemon Cat · Accepted Answer · 2019-12-04 23:55:44Z

One thing to keep in mind is that if read_timeout is set to a small value such that a timeout does occur...Net::HTTP will "helpfully" retry the request. For a slow HTTP server, a timeout error may not be raised to the code calling Net::HTTP until 2x the read_timeout value.

This certainly was not the behavior I expected.

More info on this topic and how possible solutions differ for Ruby < 2.5 and >= 2.5 may be found here:

https://stackoverflow.com/a/59186209/5299483

Webb Lu · Accepted Answer · 2019-12-16 10:09:20Z

I catch both OpenTimeout and ReadTimeout and it's work. test in Ruby:2.6.5

def ping(host, port) begin url = URI.parse("http://#{host}:#{port}/ping") req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(url.to_s) # setting both OpenTimeout and ReadTimeout res = Net::HTTP.start(url.host, url.port, :open_timeout => 3, :read_timeout => 3) {|http| http.request(req) } if JSON.parse(res.body)["ok"] # return true STDERR.puts "#{host}:#{port} is reachable" else STDERR.puts "#{host}:#{port} is NOT reachable" end rescue Net::ReadTimeout => exception STDERR.puts "#{host}:#{port} is NOT reachable (ReadTimeout)" rescue Net::OpenTimeout => exception STDERR.puts "#{host}:#{port} is NOT reachable (OpenTimeout)" end end ping("#{ENV['FIRST_HOST']}", 2345) ping("#{ENV['SECOND_HOST']}", 2345)

Shadman · Accepted Answer · 2015-08-06 12:52:50Z

-9

If anyone is still facing timeout setting issue and Net::HTTP timeout not working as expected, then you may follow below approach as well:

begin Timeout::timeout(10) { #### ## YOUR REQUEST CODE WILL BE HERE #### } rescue 408 end

answered Aug 6, 2015 at 12:52

Shadman

7732 gold badges11 silver badges19 bronze badges

2 Comments

Eoin Kelly Over a year ago

You should be aware that Timeout uses threads and you need to be aware of the implications of that.

AfDev Over a year ago

Ruby’s Timeout is a giant hammer and will only lead to a big mess. Don’t use it. mikeperham.com/2015/05/08/timeout-rubys-most-dangerous-api

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