How to configure Snow Leopard to use proxy server?

I want to configure Snow Leopard to use a proxy server for a few web sites.

It looks like if I configure it with a proxy server, that it defaults to
using this server nearly always.

Can I use OS X's proxy settings to use the proxy server based on URL
patterns, rather than to NOT use proxy server based on URL patterns? In other
words, can I make the default action to not use the proxy server, and to use
the proxy if the URL is one of the few I specify?

Thanks,
Dave

In article
<>,
DaveC <> wrote:

> I want to configure Snow Leopard to use a proxy server for a few web sites.
>
> It looks like if I configure it with a proxy server, that it defaults to
> using this server nearly always.
>
> Can I use OS X's proxy settings to use the proxy server based on URL
> patterns, rather than to NOT use proxy server based on URL patterns? In other
> words, can I make the default action to not use the proxy server, and to use
> the proxy if the URL is one of the few I specify?

You need to use a proxy.pac file. This is a file containing a
JavaScript function that looks at the URL and decides whether to use a
proxy or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config

--
Barry Margolin,
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***

> You need to use a proxy.pac file. This is a file containing a
> JavaScript function that looks at the URL and decides whether to use a
> proxy or not.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config

In what directory is this file to be placed?

Thanks.

On 03-22-2012 16:14, DaveC wrote:
>> You need to use a proxy.pac file. This is a file containing a
>> JavaScript function that looks at the URL and decides whether to use a
>> proxy or not.
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config
>
> In what directory is this file to be placed?

Maybe the one you specify in System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced
-> Automatic Proxy config ?

--
Wes Groleau

Nobody believes a theoretical analysis — except the guy who did it.
Everybody believes an experimental analysis — except the guy who did it.
— Unknown

> Maybe the one you specify in System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced
> -> Automatic Proxy config ?
> [Wes G.]

It allows you to place it anywhere. Where's a good folder to store it?

Thanks.

> You need to use a proxy.pac file. This is a file containing a
> JavaScript function that looks at the URL and decides whether to use a
> proxy or not.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config

It could be easier to just use a different web browser - use Safari for
the "normal" websites and Firefox for the websites that need a proxy
server.

Helpful Harry )

> It could be easier to just use a different web browser - use Safari for
> the "normal" websites and Firefox for the websites that need a proxy
> server.
>
> Helpful Harry )

Man, I SO wanted to do this.

I tried it (Safari & Firefox) but 2 browsers eat up HUGE memory and disk swap
file space. My Mac slowed to a creep.

Having more than one browser open eats up system resources that are best
spent elsewhere...

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config

Having a little trouble with the script language the proxy.pac file...

Here's what I've copied & modified from examples on the above page:
- - -
function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {
// URLs within the target domain are
// accessed through the proxy server:
if (shExpMatch(host, "http://www.bbc.co.uk*"))
{
return "PROXY 123.345.567.789:1234";
}

// All other requests don't use the proxy.
return "DIRECT";
}
- - -
If I comment out the "if" line and just return the proxy IP and port, all is
well. (Oh, and also comment out the "return 'DIRECT' " line at the bottom.)

But as it is (above) the proxy is not used. All web pages are loaded
normally, just not using the proxy.

It's probably bog simple, but I'm missing it.

Thanks.

> If I comment out the "if" line and just return the proxy IP and port, all is
> well. (Oh, and also comment out the "return 'DIRECT' " line at the bottom.)

By "all is well" I mean that if these 2 lines are commented out, all http
calls go through the proxy server.

In article
<>,
DaveC <> wrote:

> > Maybe the one you specify in System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced
> > -> Automatic Proxy config ?
> > [Wes G.]
>
> It allows you to place it anywhere. Where's a good folder to store it?
>
> Thanks.

No folder is any better than any other, really, but since it's
essentially a preference you're setting up, why not store it in your
Preferences folder?

--
Alan Baker
Vancouver, British Columbia
"If you raise the ceiling four feet, move the fireplace from that wall
to that wall, you'll still only get the full stereophonic effect if you
sit in the bottom of that cupboard."