title: getting java exception: java.net.MalformedURLException: no protocol
body: <p>I am currently calling the following line of code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>java.net.URL connection_url = new java.net.URL("http://&lt;ip address&gt;:&lt;port&gt;/path");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and I get the exception above when it executes.  Any ideas as to why this is happening?</p>