Receiving Multiple Packets from Server Socket

[justride]

Hello,

I am creating a client connection to a server socket that receives packets. Each time the client connects, I start a thread that reads what is available on the socket then breaks out of the thread.

I need to have that thread listen for data until the socket connection is lost. An infinite loop seems inefficient so I was wondering how this is done is the real world? How would I structure my thread run() method to sleep until new packets have arrived?

Thanks

 

[stefanwagner]

Why does an infinite loop seem inefficient?
Due to my knowlegde a read on the socket blocks - similar to a read on System.in.

Do you mention a 100% CPU-time?

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[justride]

Yes I was worried about CPU time.

 

[justride]

I have server gui and a client gui running. The server gui sends byte streams to the client gui. when the client gui connects to the server I run a thread with the following code in the run() method. I see the first stream of data appear in my client gui, however my 2 gui's about lock up after this. I have a feeling that the client gui keeps looping, lookign for a new length byte, and the infinite loops are lagging the system.

any thoughts?

run() method:

public void run(){ 
          while (socket != null){
		try {
	              int len = is.read();
	              if(len >=0){
		              byte[] packet_array = new byte[len];
		              is.readFully(packet_array);
		              String resultdata = "";
		              for(int i=0; i<packet_array.length;i++){
		                  resultdata = resultdata+(char)packet_array[i];
		              }
		              
		              result.setText(result.getText()+"\n"+resultdata);
		          }
	              
	                  
	          }catch (UnknownHostException e) {
	              System.out.println("Read Socket - ERROR UNKOWN");
	              statusinput.setText("ERROR");
	          }catch (IOException e) {
	              System.out.println("Read Socket - ERROR in I/O");
	      	      statusinput.setText("ERROR");
	          }
	}
}
[code]

 

[justride]

I guess when there is no data left, a -1 is returned for len and the while loop, loops continuously. I need the read() to wait for new data when the stream is empty. Any suggestions?