gistfile1.java

import java.*;
import java.net.*;
import java.io.*;

public class GetDataExample {

    public static void main(String... args) {
        
        if (args.length < 1) {
            System.err.println("Usage: java GetDataExample <url>");
            System.exit(1);
        }
        
        String url = args[0];

        String data;

        try {
            data = notSoBadlyImplementedGetData(url);
            System.out.println("Data: ");
            System.out.println(data);
        } catch (MalformedURLException mfue) {
            System.err.println(url + " is an invalid URL.");
        } catch (IOException ioe) {
            System.err.println("Problem reading from url " + url + ". Check your network connection. Error message: " + ioe.getMessage());
                    
        }
    }


    public static String notSoBadlyImplementedGetData(String urlAsString) throws MalformedURLException, IOException {
        // Convert the string URL into a real URL
        URL url = new URL(urlAsString);

        // Open the connection to the server
        HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();

        // Read the data from the connection
        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(connection.getInputStream()));
            String line;
            while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
                builder.append(line);
            }
        
        return builder.toString();
    }
}