Re: problem with curl installation

[Mike Miller]

I'm adding the Octave help list in cc, please ensure replies go to the
list so everyone can benefit.

On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 07:30:55 +0000, Miran Stojnić wrote:
>> On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 07:21:35 +0000, Miran Stojnić wrote:
>>> I have a problem with installation of curl-7.31.0.tar.gz file. I use
>>> Windows. I need it for running a Matlab program that calls (with
>>> urlread) certain web page to download atmospheric soundings.
>>>
>>> After typing pkg install curl-7.31.0 it gives error: package is
>>> missing file DESCRIPTION
>>>
>>> After typing pkg install curl-7.31.0 –verbose I can see that it is
>>> making a new temp folder in MY user directory. Why does it do that?
>>> Why doesn't create it in Octave folder? Is this the reason why it
>>> can't find that DESCRIPTION file?
>>>
>>> Thank You very much in advance. As You can see, I'm very new in
>>> Octave, so I would really appreciate Your help.
>>
>> In short, curl is not an Octave package, you cannot install it with
>> the pkg command.
>>
>> Can you explain what was the original problem you encountered? Can
>> you describe what led you to believe you needed to install curl or
>> that you could install curl as an Octave package?
>>
>> Also exactly which Octave installer for Windows did you install from?
>
> Thank You for Your answer.
>
> Well, this are detailes of instalation:
> - Windows server 2008 R2
> - Therefore, version of Octave is standalone "Octave-3.6.4-mingw + 
> octaveforge pkgs".           
> http://wiki.octave.org/Octave_for_Windows#Octave-3.6.2-mingw_.2B_octaveforge_pkgs
> - Actually we want to use "urlread" Octave function.
>         => we get "error: urlread: curl: Couldn't connect to server"
> - we read that we should set up the proxy settings through CURL package.
>
> Do you think that we are looking for the answer at the wrong address?

The Octave help list is indeed the right place to look for help.

Octave already has libcurl built into it, there is no need for you to
install anything. The urlread function is reporting that the
connection failed. You're right, this could mean you are behind a
firewall and need a proxy configured.

If this is the case for your network, you just need to set the
http_proxy environment variable. This is a fairly standard variable
that many libraries and programs understand, including curl [1,2]. So
in Octave, something like this:

  octave:1> putenv ("http_proxy", "http://proxy.example.com:3128/";);

should work. Notice the lowercase, whereas most environment variables
are all caps, this one is all lowercase.

[1] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9445489/linux-curl-command-with-proxy
[2] http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/quantal/en/man1/curl.1.html#contenttoc7

-- 
mike