Getting "411 Length Required" after a PUT request from HTTP Client

Question

I am working on a Java program that implements an HTTP Client. I test it sending requests to a server. GET, POST and DELETE requests work ok. For example after a POST request I get an output

Data extracted:
{"status":{"message":"ok"}}

and the database reflects the changes made.

After a PUT request, however I get the following html markup of a webpage indicating an error.

Data extracted:
<html>
<head><title>411 Length Required</title></head>
<body bgcolor="white">
<center><h1>411 Length Required</h1></center>
<hr><center>nginx/1.2.6</center>
</body>
</html>

and accordingly no changes in the database.

I found that this can have something to do with the Content-Length header, but I'm not sure. After trying to add this header my program waits for a minute and then throws an exception informing that it couldn't handle the server response.

I can also provide any code or stack trace if needed.

So `setHeader("Content-Length", "" + file.length())` resp. `setContentLength((int)file.length());` or so. — Joop Eggen, Mar 25 '13 at 16:15
I don't want to upload a file. Just trying to pass an URL with a bunch of paramaters in order to update the database — Limbo Exile, Mar 25 '13 at 16:22
Faced similar issue with google app engine jetty running locally. For me, setting `Content-Length` alone didn't work (I was getting same 411 error), so I had to set a dummy content on the request in order to make it work. — Denys Kniazhev-Support Ukraine, May 17 '18 at 10:56

score 18 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 10 '18 at 12:36

18

Yes, the issue related to Content-Length. HTTP Error 411 means

The server refuses to accept the request without a defined Content- Length. The client MAY repeat the request if it adds a valid Content-Length header field containing the length of the message-body in the request message.

So when you send an empty RequestBody in POST/PUT Method then you also need to send Content-Length:0. So add this header in your request. I don't think this header will cause a problem of you added into Request Object.

edited Mar 10 '18 at 12:36

Jonathan Hall

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answered Mar 25 '13 at 16:17

Sachin

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I tried this also, what I get in this case is `Data extracted: {"status":{"message":"Content type 'application/octet-stream' not supported"}}` and still no changes in database – Limbo Exile Mar 25 '13 at 16:21
This is another issue which is related to Content-type. It may be possible that your server is not reporting the proper mime types or not supported this content-type – Sachin Mar 25 '13 at 16:23
I contacted the server and they informed me that they tested the same PUT request and it works with their implementation of HTTP Client. The thing is I use a dedicated Java ME platform and I assume there is a bug in my version of HTTP Client. What I cannot understand is how does it work with POST then? – Limbo Exile Mar 25 '13 at 16:27
Try to get `Content-Type` Header value from whoever successfully put the request. I think it just a simple mistake of Header values in your request – Sachin Mar 25 '13 at 16:36

Getting "411 Length Required" after a PUT request from HTTP Client

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