The NotFoundResponse (and others) puts the custom message into the request body. That works as well, but to be really lean (mainly for bragging rights :)) I'd like to remove any unnecessary elements from the rest api. Most of the error messages are going to be simple one- line messages (and short sentences). For some errors I might provide a detailed response and it could go into the body, as XML/JSON/... That's inconsistent if the other errors have a plain text message in the body. So I could either go with structured details for all messages or in simple cases use the HTTP headers or status line. A custom header would work, but the status line is standard and also more easily accessed with some client libraries.
And last but perhaps not least, for debugging purposes, the HTTP Reason Code should show up better in web developer tools (for example FireBug, Chrome's tools). My web UI also goes through the REST API so it would be nice to read error messages right in the listing in firebug's net panel. So I'm suggesting that perhaps Lift would like to provide only the possibility of changing that value in user code. But I completely understand if it doesn't. Currently it doesn't seem to be supported in Lift's http.provider package and even in javax.servlet the setStatus(int, String) method is deprecated (I'm not sure if sendError(int, String) uses the reason phrase). Erkki L On Feb 6, 9:59 pm, Ross Mellgren <[email protected]> wrote: > I think it would be fine to have different text there, probably better than > having the standard text if you have refined detail. I don't think it'd be a > good idea to conditionalize on the response text in client code - that's > always fragile. If you want to give additional machine-readable detail, I'd > put it in a response header or in the body as a JSON or XML field or what > have you. > > You can specify custom text there, but you may have to sidestep the usual > response classes, depending on which one. The one you gave, not found, can > have the message customized though, just do new NotFoundResponse("the > message"). > > -Ross > > On Feb 6, 2010, at 2:52 PM, Erkki Lindpere wrote: > > > It seems Lift does not support custom HTTP Reason Phrases in > > responses. I would like to send error messages in the Reason Phrase > > (along with a vaguely applicable HTTP status code) in a RESTful API > > I'm providing. My understanding of the HTTP spec is that the reason > > phrase is meant to be human readable and does not have to contain the > > recommended messages (i.e. "Not Found"). > > > But maybe it would not be wise to do this? I'm not actually aware of > > any API-s that send error messages in the Reason Phrase. > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "Lift" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/liftweb?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Lift" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/liftweb?hl=en.
