python-httplib2 crashes with AttributeError in __init__() if connection refused

This seems to be a known error on python-httplib2 0.5.0, on a failure to connect. See http://code.google.com/p/httplib2/issues/detail?id=62

Still looking at what might have caused it, and if this is fixed on newer python-httplib2 0.6.0

ah, and I found my problem: /etc/hosts had 127.0.1.1 localhost. It should have been 127.0.0.1 instead.

Of course, there is still a mismatch: if couchdb expects to connect to localhost, it also should open the listener on the associated IP address, not hard-code it to 127.0.0.1.

So:

(1) python-httplib2 returned an AttributeError instead of a 'connection refused'; the patch above seems to fix it.
(2) couchdb seems to open a listener on 127.0.0.1:40221, but provides the URL as "localhost:40221". usually localhost *is* 127.0.0.1,but not always.

Not sure what to do now, though. I feel this should be documented somewhere, but I do not know where.

resetting package to python-httplib2, since the error is there. It does not seem the patch has made it into 0.6 yet.

I am opening a new bug for couchdb on the error (2) above.

I found a hint for a solution here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/python-httplib2/+bug/523327

Basically, check your /etc/hosts file has the following:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 computer name

Mine had "username-laptop" where it should have had "computer name". After changing this it works perfectly.

Sorry, that was commented in the wrong window.

The patch attached to upstream bug 131 looks like it should be SRU'd to maverick and natty (both of which ship 0.6.0) and perhaps lucid: http://code.google.com/p/httplib2/issues/detail?id=131

That patch makes httplib2 raise the correct exception when encountering the error - socket timeout, instead of the confusing AttributeError. That's not a complete fix for this (and may invalidate any bandaids people might have added for ubuntuone, gwibber, or other apps), so I'm not 100% sure it's SRU-worthy.

Looks like oneiric has moved to 0.7x which includes this patch already.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

This bug affects Ubuntu 10.10, Maverick Meerkat. Maverick has reached end-of-life and is no longer supported, so I am closing the bugtask for Maverick. Please upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu.
More information here: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2012-April/000158.html

eol reached https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

lucid has seen the end of its life and is no longer receiving any updates. Marking the lucid task for this ticket as "Won't Fix".