LWP: request vs. simple

rmckillen has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

This code will find the size of a remote file:

($ua = LWP::UserAgent->new)->timeout(20);
$ua->request(HTTP::Request->new('HEAD', $url))
$size = (head $url)[1];
[download]

If I make a "simple_request" instead of a "request" can I still get the file size? Or can you only get a file size with "request"? Thanks, Ryan

Comment on LWP: request vs. simple_request Download Code

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Re: LWP: request vs. simple_request by merlyn (Sage) on Mar 08, 2001 at 02:31 UTC
The difference between `simple_request` and `request` is documented. {grin} However, in brief, `simple_request` makes a request, and you get the response. That's it. It's a complete response. Nothing funny about it. But if the response is a 3xx style response, asking for more information (for authentication), or redirecting to a different location, then `request` transparently handles that for you if it can. So, for most people, `request` is the right choice, but for link checking and such, `simple_request` is right. -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker	[reply]

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Re: LWP: request vs. simple_request
by merlyn (Sage) on Mar 08, 2001 at 02:31 UTC

simple_request

request

However, in brief, simple_request makes a request, and you get the response. That's it. It's a complete response. Nothing funny about it.

But if the response is a 3xx style response, asking for more information (for authentication), or redirecting to a different location, then request transparently handles that for you if it can.

So, for most people, request is the right choice, but for link checking and such, simple_request is right.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

[reply]