# Mongrel/XMLRPC For Ruby - Max Post Size

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mongrel-xmlrpc-for-ruby-max-post-size/114692>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 17, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mongrel-xmlrpc-for-ruby-max-post-size/114692 "2007-09-17T13:24:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/BJ_Dierkes)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mongrel-xmlrpc-for-ruby-max-post-size/114692/1 "2007-09-17T13:24:14Z")

</div>

Hello List…

Ruby: 1.8.6  
Mongrel= 1.0.1

I have created a Ruby XMLRPC server (xmlrpc4r with mongrel) that is  
working great. Now I am working on posting large files that are  
base64 encoded and am having problems. The following is a sample of  
how the Mongrel/XMLRPC is setup and a sample handler:

======================================================================  
class XMLRPCHandler \< Mongrel::HttpHandler  
def initialize()  
@xmlrpc\_server = XMLRPC::BasicServer.new  
[…]  
end  
[…]  
end

@handler = XMLRPCHandler.new()

# @handler.xmlrpc\_server.add\_handler(‘file\_transfer’) do | token, source\_name, encoded\_source, source\_md5 | […] end

Note that The code within the handler is un-important… since the  
transfer fails before anything within the block is called. On the  
client side I have something like:

======================================================================  
if(File.exists?(self.source))  
source\_name = File.basename(source)  
encoded\_source = ‘’  
data = ‘’  
File.open(source) do |f|  
data = f.read  
end  
source\_md5 = Digest::MD5.hexdigest(data)  
encoded\_source = Base64.encode64(data)  
else  
raise ArgumentError, “source file [#{source}] does not exist!”  
end

# res = @server.call(‘file\_transfer’, @session.token, source\_name, encoded\_source, source\_md5)

When performing this call with a small text file, everything works as  
expected, md5sums match… etc. However, I am trying to transfer RPM  
files… the smallest of which is around 500K (not that big). Upon  
attempting to transfer I get the following error:

Sun Sep 16 17:50:52 -0500 2007: ERROR: undefined method `string’ for  
#\<File:/tmp/mongrel.16916.0\>

Like I said, everything works fine for a rather small text file… I  
then tried with just a simple file created from /dev/zero. At a size  
of 64K the file transfers fine. At 128K I again get the error above.

I’m wondering, is there some sort of limit that anyone can explain  
with regards to Mongrel and/or XMLRPC?

Any feedback is much appreciated.

Thank you.

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---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/BJ_Dierkes)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mongrel-xmlrpc-for-ruby-max-post-size/114692/2 "2007-09-25T23:05:39Z")

</div>

> original message. Your cooperation is appreciated.

well i suggest you fix this 😛 no use for confidential notice when you  
post to public group.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@BJ\_Dierkes](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/BJ_Dierkes)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/mongrel-xmlrpc-for-ruby-max-post-size/114692/3 "2007-09-17T13:24:47Z")

</div>

My apologies all. I have found where my issue is. Per the Rdoc for  
Mongrel::HttpRequest, if the POST size is over Const::MAX\_BODY, then  
the input is spit out to a tmp file, and then read in chunks:

“The HttpRequest.initialize method will convert any request that is  
larger than Const::MAX\_BODY into a Tempfile and use that as the body.  
Otherwise it uses a StringIO object. To be safe, you should assume it  
works like a file.”

This is fine, however I am actually overriding the  
HttpHandler.process method in order to log every API call:

# ====================================================================== if(base.config[‘log\_api\_calls’] == ‘true’) request\_xml = request.body.string […] end

The request.body.string call works fine for small transfers because  
it is a StringIO object. However, on larger files it is a File  
object… and it borks. Note the last line… ‘to be safe, you  
should assume it works like a file’. That is they key. 😉

On Sep 16, 2007, at 6:29 PM, BJ Dierkes wrote:

> ======================================================================  
> raise ArgumentError, “source file [#{source}] does not exist!”  
> that big). Upon attempting to transfer I get the following error:  
> I’m wondering, is there some sort of limit that anyone can explain  
> use of the

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individual or entity to which this message is addressed, and unless  
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Managed Hosting. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of the  
enclosed  
material is prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error,  
please  
notify us immediately by e-mail at removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid, and delete the  
original message. Your cooperation is appreciated.