From: Joel VanderWerf <vjoel@...>
Date: 2006-02-02T01:21:08+09:00
Subject: Re: IO and non-strings

Mark Volkmann wrote:
> On 2/1/06, Joel VanderWerf <vjoel@path.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>> Mark Volkmann wrote:
>> ...
>>> require 'socket'
>>>
>>> # Create socket.
>>> host, port = 'localhost', 1919
>>> socket = TCPSocket.new(host, port)
>>>
>>> # Send request message.
>>> binary_string = [19, 10, 8].pack('N*')
>>> socket.puts binary_string
>> You want to avoid using gets/puts with binary strings. Those functions
>> are for text, and will detect/insert line ends. In fact, 10 is the same
>> as a \n character, so that's probably where it's choking.
> 
> What do you recommend I use instead of gets and puts?
> If I use write, will I need to also call flush?
> Will I have to first send a number to the server that indicates the
> number of bytes I'm going to send next so it will know how many to
> read?
> 
> --
> R. Mark Volkmann
> Partner, Object Computing, Inc.
> 

I am in the habit of using send/recv, which are unbuffered, and also
sending a length field before the data. If you're interested, I've got a
couple of classes (subclasses of TCPSocket and TCPServer) that
encapsulate this and are pretty well tested. (Also a C version of the
same thing.)

-- 
      vjoel : Joel VanderWerf : path berkeley edu : 510 665 3407