Data loss converting StringBuilder to byte[]?

[john price]

Is there data loss when transferring from StringBuilder to a byte array? I think so, because the music I'm trying to play sounds like crap when I play it. I send the audio file as a string. I receive it as a StringBuilder. I append to the StringBuilder until all the data gets to the client. Then, I convert the StringBuilder to a String. I then convert the String to a byte array. I'm wondering if there is any data loss between these transfers? If it is, could you please suggest an easy solution? Please read the code below. It is my actual code from my server and client. I only included the transfer part/converting part, because that is all I am asking about. It's only about 50 lines.

Server :

else if (message.startsWith("Request ")) {
			message = message.replaceFirst("Request ", "");
			
			File file = new File(message);
			InputStream fileStream = new FileInputStream(file);
			System.out.println("Requested : " + message);
			long length = file.length();
			if (length > Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
			System.out.println("TOO LARGE - ERROR");
			}
			byte[] bytes = new byte[(int)length];
			int offset = 0;
			int numRead = 0;
			while (offset < bytes.length && (numRead=fileStream.read(bytes, offset, bytes.length-offset)) >= 0) {
			offset += numRead;
			}
			if (offset < bytes.length) {
			throw new IOException("Could not completely read file "+ file.getName());
			}
			fileStream.close();
			String value = new String(bytes);
			sendUser("FileUpload", userList);
			sendUser(value, userList);
			sendUser("Done", userList);
			}

Client :

if (message.startsWith("Done")) {
			String stringToConvertToBytes = tryMe.toString();
			byte[] newSounds = stringToConvertToBytes.getBytes();
			started = false;
			done = true;
			System.out.println("Done Receiving, playing...");
			playSound(newSounds);
			
			}
			else if(message.startsWith("FileUpload")) {
			tryMe.delete(0, tryMe.length());
			started = true;
			done = false;
			message = message.replaceFirst("FileUpload", "");
			tryMe.append(message);
			}
			else if (started && !done) {
			tryMe.append(message);
			}

Thank you all so very much,
John Price

[Andrey Kozhanov]

Why use such complicated way for sending a file? Why not just send byte array directly? Such approach worked fine for me, without any data loss.

[john price]

But I receive it as a string...How do I receive as bytes and still have ability to receive as string? I can show you the full receiving options code (not that long) if you wish. I receive it as a string because certain commands start with certain strings. How to mix string and bytes?

Thanks,
John Price

[Paul Clapham]

You're receiving binary data as a String? Stop doing that because it can lead to data loss.

[john price]

I am definitely experiencing data loss. This is my full client receiving code. How can I accept the data as a byte array or input stream while still being able to receive "commands" as Strings? I don't have a problem sending and receiving as a byte stream or array or stream array or whatever, I just don't know how to receive as both and how to differentiate between them. Should I have a whole separate port for streaming data (with another thread)?

String message = null;
boolean done = true;
boolean started = false;
StringBuilder tryMe = new StringBuilder("");
	try {
		while((message = reader.readLine()) != null) {
			if (message.startsWith("Done")) {
			String stringToConvertToBytes = tryMe.toString();
			byte[] newSounds = stringToConvertToBytes.getBytes();
			started = false;
			done = true;
			System.out.println("Done Receiving, playing...");
			playSound(newSounds);
			}
			else if(message.startsWith("FileUpload")) {
			tryMe.delete(0, tryMe.length());
			started = true;
			done = false;
			message = message.replaceFirst("FileUpload", "");
			tryMe.append(message);
			}
			else if (started && !done) {
			tryMe.append(message);
			}
			else if((!message.equals("Stop"))) {
				list.insertElementAt(message, 0);
				validate();
				while (list.getSize() == 0) {
				writer.println("requestSongs");
				writer.flush();
				}
				}
		}
	}
	catch (Exception affa) {affa.printStackTrace();}

Thanks,
John Price

[Paul Clapham]

I don't get it. You have a file which contains binary data, like an audio file, and yet you're reading data from it as if it were a text file? That isn't going to work. You're going to have to read the bytes and convert them to strings in your code as necessary. Don't use a Reader.

[john price]

"reader" is a BufferedReader.

So here is what I am thinking. I create a new socket connection. This second one handles getting the audio file. I send the file through a DataOutputStream from a ByteArrayOutputStream. I receive the file through the second socket connection using a DataInputStream to a ByteArrayOutputStream. I then send these bytes to the play method. Would this work? If this does not work, plesae tell me how I can do it or what is the best way. I do realize this is more of a networking question, so please move it if you feel led too.

Thanks,
John Price

[Paul Clapham]

It's hard to say much, because what you are showing us is code, and the real problem is that you have some protocol which mixes text and binary data. From the last post it sounds like you're the one who designed that protocol, so the next step is to redesign it in some practical way.

That would involve looking at a description of the protocol, not the code which attempts to implement it.

[john price]

I'll give it a go on the description :
I have a list of values that I load into the server. On, request, I send the String values of these (proper format is String). Using these Strings, the user can request to download (into memory) an audio file from the server. The server needs to send the audio data back to the client, who then plays the music.

Here is how I think I'll be able to do this :
Create two different connection ports.
One is for the command of getting the String list (it's a list of music files available). The other is for requesting the audio data. When someone requests the list, it sends the request to the second connection, who then sends the audio back to the second connection on the client.

Where do I go from here? I need to know how to send and receive byte arrays/datainputstream/dataoutputstream/bytearrayinputstream/bytearrayoutputstream. These are some of the solutions I've been looking at. I really want to build this part today, so if you could respond ASAP, that would be wonderful. I appreciate your help!

John Price

[Paul Clapham]

I don't see why you need separate ports. Couldn't you just use the Reader on responses which you know will be text and the InputStream on responses which you know will be binary data?

[john price]

How do I have to change this (setup) to use what you have said ?

SSLSocketFactory sslsocketfactory = (SSLSocketFactory) SSLSocketFactory.getDefault();
		sock = (SSLSocket) sslsocketfactory.createSocket("192.168.1.102", 5001);
		final String[] enabledCipherSuites = { "SSL_DH_anon_WITH_RC4_128_MD5" };
		sock.setEnabledCipherSuites(enabledCipherSuites);
		InputStreamReader streamReader = new InputStreamReader(sock.getInputStream());
		Thread readerThread = new Thread(new IncomingReader());
		readerThread.start();
		reader = new BufferedReader(streamReader);
		writer = new PrintWriter(sock.getOutputStream());

Later...

private class IncomingReader implements Runnable {
public void run() {
String message = null;
boolean done = true;
boolean started = false;
StringBuilder tryMe = new StringBuilder("");
	try {
		while((message = reader.readLine()) != null) {

John Price

[john price]

I just thought of another way to do it. I keep everything the same, except that I make the reader.readLine() equal a byte array. I then convert the byte array to a string value. If the string value matches any of the commands, I have a match. If it doesn't, I can add it to the File. This is just something I thought of. Would it work?

Thanks,
John Price

[john price]

Think I'm close...Getting one error though. The client is not receiving output.
Client :

private class IncomingReader implements Runnable {
public void run() {
String stringMessage = null;
byte[] byteMessage = null;
byte[] byteSong = null;
boolean done = true;
boolean started = false;
//StringBuilder tryMe = new StringBuilder("");
	try {
	while (true) {
		if ((reader.available()) > 0) {
		System.out.println("Line 37 : Reader available");
		int read = 0;
		while (reader.available() > 0) {
			reader.read(byteMessage);
			}
			stringMessage = new String(byteMessage);
			System.out.println("Received : " + stringMessage);
			if (stringMessage.startsWith("Done")) {
			System.out.println("End of Line");
			started = false;
			done = true;
			System.out.println("Done Receiving, playing...");
			playSound(byteSong);
			
			}
			else if(stringMessage.startsWith("FileUpload")) {
			
			started = true;
			done = false;
			byteSong = null;
			}
			else if (started && !done) {
			byteSong = concat(byteSong, byteMessage);
			}
			else if((!stringMessage.equals("Stop"))) {
				list.insertElementAt(new String(byteMessage), 0);
				validate();
				if (list.getSize() == 0) {
				writer.println("requestSongs");
				writer.flush();
				}
				}
		}
		}
	}
	catch (Exception affa) {affa.printStackTrace();}
}
}
private void connectTo() {
	try {
		SSLSocketFactory sslsocketfactory = (SSLSocketFactory) SSLSocketFactory.getDefault();
		sock = (SSLSocket) sslsocketfactory.createSocket("192.168.1.102", 5001);
		final String[] enabledCipherSuites = { "SSL_DH_anon_WITH_RC4_128_MD5" };
		sock.setEnabledCipherSuites(enabledCipherSuites);
		Thread readerThread = new Thread(new IncomingReader());
		reader = sock.getInputStream();
		readerThread.start();
		writer = new PrintWriter(sock.getOutputStream());
		writer.println("requestSongs");
		writer.flush();
		Thread.sleep(3000);
	}
	catch (Exception ex) {
		ex.printStackTrace();
	}
}

Server :

public ClientHandler(SSLSocket clientSocket, OutputStream bug) {
writer = bug;
if (writer == null) {System.out.println("WARNING : Writer (Line 26 = null)");};
	try {
		sock = clientSocket;
		InputStreamReader isReader = new InputStreamReader(sock.getInputStream());
		reader = new BufferedReader(isReader);
	}
	catch(Exception ffaf) {ffaf.printStackTrace();}

}
public void run() {

String message = null;
	try {
		while((message = reader.readLine()) != null) {
			if (message.equals("requestSongs")) {
				System.out.println("Sending...");
					System.out.println("listSong.size() = " + listSong.size());
					for (String x : listSong) {
					byte[] sendTheBytes = x.getBytes();
					String check = new String(sendTheBytes);
					System.out.println("Sent : " + check);
					try {
					writer.write(sendTheBytes);
					}
					catch (Exception ex) {ex.printStackTrace();}
					}
				System.out.println("Stopped.");
				try {
					writer.write(stop);
					}
					catch (Exception exa) {exa.printStackTrace();}
			}
			else if (message.startsWith("Request ")) {
			message = message.replaceFirst("Request ", "");
			
			File file = new File(message);
			InputStream fileStream = new FileInputStream(file);
			System.out.println("Requested : " + message);
			long length = file.length();
			if (length > Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
			System.out.println("TOO LARGE - ERROR");
			}
			byte[] bytes = new byte[(int)length];
			int offset = 0;
			int numRead = 0;
			while (offset < bytes.length && (numRead=fileStream.read(bytes, offset, bytes.length-offset)) >= 0) {
			offset += numRead;
			}
			if (offset < bytes.length) {
			throw new IOException("Could not completely read file "+ file.getName());
			}
			fileStream.close();
			try {
					writer.write(fileUpload);
					}
					catch (Exception exb) {exb.printStackTrace();}
					try {
					writer.write(bytes);
					}
					catch (Exception exc) {exc.printStackTrace();}
					try {
					writer.write(done);
					}
					catch (Exception exd) {exd.printStackTrace();}
			bytes = null;
			Runtime r = Runtime.getRuntime();
			r.gc();
			}
		}
	}
	catch (Exception ffa) {ffa.printStackTrace(); Runtime r = Runtime.getRuntime(); r.gc();}
}
}
/* *************************** DIFFERENT SECTION OF CODE
*/ ***************************
try {
SSLServerSocketFactory ssocketFactory = (SSLServerSocketFactory) SSLServerSocketFactory.getDefault();
SSLServerSocket serverSock = (SSLServerSocket) ssocketFactory.createServerSocket(5001);
final String[] enabledCipherSuites = { "SSL_DH_anon_WITH_RC4_128_MD5" };
serverSock.setEnabledCipherSuites(enabledCipherSuites);
	while (true) {
	SSLSocket fileSocket = (SSLSocket) serverSock.accept();
	OutputStream writer = fileSocket.getOutputStream();
	Thread t = new Thread(new ClientHandler(fileSocket, writer));
	if (writer == null) {System.out.println("WARNING : Writer (Line 135 = null)");};
		t.start();
	}
}
catch (Exception ef) {
ef.printStackTrace();
}
}