Openrefine: browser should go to http://localhost not http://0.0.0.0

[VladimirAlexiev]

I like to open up my OpenRefine for colleagues (security? phew!),

• set this in refine.ini: REFINE_HOST=0.0.0.0
• or run refine.bat -i 0.0.0.0

This works fine, but after the server starts, it sends my browser to http://0.0.0.0:3333 which doesn't work. It should send me to http://localhost:3333/

[thadguidry]

Really? it works fine for me.

UPDATE: Oh! you mean AFTER the server starts and the default browser is launched automatically? What browser and OS are you using by the way?

[ostephens]

I think the relevant code is https://github.com/OpenRefine/OpenRefine/blob/998a5423db73d3e9234767b951ba73f9604b3c97/server/src/com/google/refine/Refine.java#L466

This currently always tries to open the host that the server has been explicitly bound to.

[wetneb]

Thanks @ostephens, let's make it a good first issue since it should be easy to fix, just adding a special case translating 0.0.0.0 to localhost, no?

[kushthedude]

I tried using this, it worked fine for me. Am I missing something here?

[thadguidry]

@kushthedude You are missing the full context... this handling is very OS specific and User specific. Why? Because "localhost" is really just a label, a key. What maps that key on many OS's is the host variables handling and methods of mapping. On Linux, this is done through /etc/hosts, and technically other ways as well that are not file based. On Windows, it's done through modifying in the registry or corp policy, or through the file C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

Which is why I asked the OP which browser and OS he is using, and still waiting on reply.

@wetneb Users control their own mapping. Let's not try to change OS variables without ever informing them through dialogs, warnings, feedback, etc. "our core philosophy" rings here again.

[wetneb]

Let's not try to change OS variables without ever informing them through dialogs, warnings, feedback, etc. "our core philosophy" rings here again.

I am not sure what you mean? I am not proposing to rename "0.0.0.0" to "localhost" in the OS (I don't think it's possible to do that at all!).

When run with the option -i 0.0.0.0, OpenRefine should not attempt to open http://0.0.0.0:3333/ in the browser, but rather http://localhost:3333/. That is the replacement I am proposing.

[thadguidry]

@wetneb ah, gotcha, thanks for clarifying! Now we're all on the same page reading the same book!

[VladimirAlexiev]

You guys are amazingly quick!
I'm on Windows running Chrome.

I should say that with default settings it sent me to 127.0.0.1, but I think localhost means the same and reads a bit better.

[VladimirAlexiev]

The next question (yes, I am too demanding) is whether the server can figure out my real IP (eg 192.168.1.123 for a local network) so I can copy it from the browser address bar and actually share it with colleagues. This is very non trivial: last I looked I had 5-6 netwirk interfaces including a VPN, docker, etc.

BTW, where is a good place to document this? With a title like "Running OpenRefine as a Server" or "Sharing Your OpenRefine with Colleagues"

[VladimirAlexiev]

hi @wetneb, could you answer the last two points

• figure out my real IP
• where to document

[wetneb]

The next question (yes, I am too demanding) is whether the server can figure out my real IP (eg 192.168.1.123 for a local network) so I can copy it from the browser address bar and actually share it with colleagues. This is very non trivial: last I looked I had 5-6 netwirk interfaces including a VPN, docker, etc.

I don't know how to do this - I would say this is ill-defined in general, as your "real IP" depends on the network you want to expose OR to.

BTW, where is a good place to document this? With a title like "Running OpenRefine as a Server" or "Sharing Your OpenRefine with Colleagues"

It would be nice to mention this feature here: https://github.com/OpenRefine/OpenRefine/wiki/Installation-Instructions

[VladimirAlexiev]

Thanks! edited https://github.com/OpenRefine/OpenRefine/wiki/Installation-Instructions#running-as-a-server

[tfmorris]

I think a better substitution would be the loopback address (127.0.0.1) for the wildcard address (0.0.0.0). localhost is subject to being screwed up in a variety of ways and can point anywhere.