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How to stream data from one part of a Java program to another?

I've learned in Java how to stream data over a network connection using ServerSocket and Socket, such as:
Client.java:
Socket socket = new Socket(address, port);
int i;
while ((i = System.in.read()) != -1)
socket.getOutputStream().write(i);
Server.java:
ServerSocket server = new ServerSocket(port);
Socket socket = server.accept();
int i;
while ((i = socket.getInputStream().read()) != -1)
System.out.println(i);
This would simply have Client blocking on System.in.read() at one end, and Server blocking on socket.getInputStream().read() at the other, and the bytes get passed when ENTER is pressed in the Client program.
How would I accomplish something similar within a single program, without using Sockets? For example, if I had Thread A waiting on keyboard input which is then streamed to Thread B which is able to "consume" the bytes at an arbitrary time in the future, just as Server (above) is able to consume bytes from socket.getInputStream() at some arbitrary time?
Is PipedInput/OutputStream the right solution for this, or ByteArrayInput/OutputStream, or something else? Or am I overthinking it?

Yes, you can use PipedInputStream/PipedOutputStream for "streaming" data "locally" in your JVM. You create one PipedInputStream and one PipedOutputStream instance, connect them with the connect() method and start sending/receiving bytes. Check the following example:
PipedInputStream pipedIn = new PipedInputStream();
PipedOutputStream pipedOut = new PipedOutputStream();
pipedIn.connect(pipedOut);
Thread keyboardReadingThread = new Thread() {
#Override
public void run() {
System.out.println("Enter some data:");
Scanner s = new Scanner(System.in);
String line = s.nextLine();
System.out.println("Entered line: "+line);
byte[] bytes = line.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
try {
pipedOut.write(bytes);
pipedOut.flush();
pipedOut.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
System.out.println("Keyboard reading thread terminated");
}
};
keyboardReadingThread.start();
Thread streamReadingThread = new Thread() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
int bytesRead = 0;
byte[] targetBytes = new byte[100];
System.out.println("Read data from the PipedInputStream instance");
while ((bytesRead = pipedIn.read(targetBytes)) != -1) {
System.out.println("read "+bytesRead+" bytes");
String s = new String(targetBytes, 0, bytesRead, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
System.out.println("Received string: "+s);
}
} catch (IOException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
System.out.println("Streaming reading thread terminated");
}
};
streamReadingThread.start();
keyboardReadingThread.join();
streamReadingThread.join();
First the two piped stream instances are connected. After that two threads will read from the keyboard and read from the PipedInputStream instance. When you run your application you will get an output similar to this (with Some example input for testing being the keyboard input):
Enter some data:
Read data from the PipedInputStream instance
Some example input for testing
Entered line: Some example input for testing
Keyboard reading thread terminated
read 30 bytes
Received string: Some example input for testing
Streaming reading thread terminated
Also notice that the threads are not synchronized in any way, so the System.out.println() statements might get executed in a different order.

This is mostly an extension of the answer #VGR gave in the comments.
If the entirety of your "Network" exists within the same, single JVM, then you don't need anything like sockets at all - you can just use Objects and methods.
The entire point of Sockets was to allow the JVM to perform actions outside of itself (typically with another JVM somewhere in the outside world).
So unless you are trying to interact with objects outside of your current JVM, it is as simple as this.
public class ClientServerExample
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Server server = new Server();
Client client = new Client();
client.sendMessage("Hello Server", server);
}
static class Server
{
String respond(String input)
{
String output = "";
System.out.println("Server received the following message -- {" + input + "}");
//do something
return output;
}
}
static class Client
{
void sendMessage(String message, Server server)
{
System.out.println("Client is about to send the following message to the server -- {" + message + "}");
String response = server.respond(message);
System.out.println("Client received the following response from the server -- {" + response + "}");
//maybe do stuff with the response
}
}
}
Here is the result from running it.
Client is about to send the following message to the server -- {Hello Server}
Server received the following message -- {Hello Server}
Client received the following response from the server -- {}
Note that server doesn't return anything because I didn't do anything in the server. Replace that comment with some code of your own and you will see the results.
EDIT - to better explain a real world example, where a server will respond to requests in FIFO, here is a modified version of the above example.
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
public class ClientServerExample
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("===========STARTING SYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION============");
synchronousCommunication();
System.out.println("===========FINISHED SYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION============");
System.out.println("===========STARTING ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION============");
asynchronousCommunication();
System.out.println("===========FINISHED ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION============");
}
public static void synchronousCommunication()
{
Server server = new Server();
Client client = new Client();
String response = "";
response = client.sendMessage("Good morning Server!", server).join();
System.out.println("Client received the following response from the server -- {" + response + "}");
response = client.sendMessage("Good evening Server!", server).join();
System.out.println("Client received the following response from the server -- {" + response + "}");
}
public static void asynchronousCommunication()
{
Server server = new Server();
Client client = new Client();
List<CompletableFuture<String>> responses = new ArrayList<>();
responses.add(client.sendMessage("Good morning Server!", server));
responses.add(client.sendMessage("Good evening Server!", server));
for (CompletableFuture<String> eachResponse : responses)
{
System.out.println("Client received the following response from the server -- {" + eachResponse.join() + "}");
}
}
static class Server
{
CompletableFuture<String> respond(final String input)
{
System.out.println("Server received the following message -- {" + input + "}");
return
CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(
() ->
{
try
{
//sleep for 2 seconds, to represent arbitrary delay in receiver processing
Thread.sleep(2000);
return input.contains("morning") ? "Good morning to you too!" : "Good evening to you too!";
}
catch (Exception e)
{
throw new IllegalStateException("What happened?", e);
}
});
}
}
static class Client
{
CompletableFuture<String> sendMessage(String message, Server server)
{
System.out.println("Client is about to send the following message to the server -- {" + message + "}");
return server.respond(message);
}
}
}
Both of these examples are performing a FIFO approach to data processing. They receive the request, calculate a response, and then send back a CompletableFuture, which is basically an Object that contains the response that will arrive once the Server gets around to it, sort of like a Promise in Javascript.
For the synchronous example, we see that a client message is sent, and then processed before the next one is sent. As a result, we have a minor delay between the 2 (about 2 seconds).
For the asynchronous example, we see that both client messages are sent, and their CompletableFutures are put into a batch list, which is converted to normal strings once all requests have been sent.
The synchronous example takes around 10 seconds.
The asynchronous example takes around 5 seconds.
Both of these are different ways of performing FIFO in the way that you described. They both are examples where multiple clients send a request to the server, and then the server finishes them when they get around to it. That 5 seconds delay is meant to represent the idea of "getting around to it". In reality, getting around to it usually means that the server has so much on it's plate that it will take a long time before it has a chance to give a full response.
Let me know if you need another example to better help you understand.

Socket server stream messages in stream are mixed

I am implementing multiplayer game with server socket mechanism.
Game is running in one loop mechanism.
Server only broadcast any message to every player connected.
Server creates thread for every connected player
Messages are JSONs and they are being sent every 100ms from client side.
Messages are being broadcasted by server and read by client without any interval.
This is server loop:
while (true) {
try {
System.out.println("LISTENING...");
Socket clientSocket = serverSocket.accept();
System.out.println("GOT CONNECTION");
PlayerThread playerThread = new PlayerThread(clientSocket);
playerThread.start();
} catch (IOException e) {
LOGGER.log(Level.SEVERE, "Exception occured on server");
break;
}
}
This is PlayerThread loop:
while (true) {
try {
String inputMessage = in.readUTF();
System.out.println("GOT: " + inputMessage);
JsonNode jsonNode = objectMapper.readTree(inputMessage);
String senderName = jsonNode.get("senderName").asText();
if (!players.contains(this)) {
playerName = senderName;
players.add(this);
}
for (PlayerThread p : players) {
p.getOut().writeUTF(inputMessage);
}
And finally listening to messages:
public void listen() {
if (connected) {
try {
if (in.available() > 0) {
String inputMessage = in.readUTF();
System.out.println("GOT MESSAGE: " + inputMessage);
handleMessages(inputMessage);
}
} catch (IOException e) {
LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Connection lost");
connected = false;
}
} else
LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Player is not connected");
}
Method above is run in main game loop. It checks if there's something in inputStream and then reads it.
This is how correct message looks like:
GOT MESSAGE: {"type":"UPDATE_STATE","content":null,"senderName":"GRACZ 52","posX":10.0,"posY":5.0}
It works ok when there are 2 players, but the more players connect the more probably is to get message like this (or similiar broken messages):
GOT MESSAGE: 0} U{"type":"UPDATE_STATE","content":null,"senderName":"GRACZ 65","posX":10.0,"posY":5.0}
or
GOT MESSAGE: {"type":"UPDATE_STATE","content":null,"senderName":"GRACZ 24","pos
There different errors in message like Y letter, half-message or multiple messages in one row. Why such thing happen? It looks like when there are more players and they write into output stream in server side, this stream is not read yet so they are appending and appending. But it doesn't explain why there are broken and most imporant, how to resolve it?
I can move reading stream to another thread because in.readUTF() locks process but I wanted to keep it synchronized in main game loop and I don't think this will help (am I wrong?)

You need to synchronize your write loop on an object that's common between all PlayerThreads so that messages don't interleave.
synchronized(/*Should be a "global" server object*/) {
for (PlayerThread p : players) {
p.getOut().writeUTF(inputMessage);
}
}

How do i ask the destiny is still alive?

I am trying to create a monitor of messages between two applications. The idea is this monitor works in the middle of simple client/server application, and log the messages to the standard output. This program must be against of fails of the client/server (disconnections, time out's, etc). In the code, i call the client as "origin" and the server as "destiny". The problem is if the server dies after the first successfully connection, i don't know how do i ask that the destiny is still alive? (See catch exception in the code). I execute the next step's:
1.- I start the client/server application
2.- I start my program (with a Thread)
3.- I send one message from the client to my program, my program delivers this message to the server, the server answers to my program, my program delivers the message back to the client successfully.
4.- Now, i kill and restart the client/server application (without restarting my program)
5.- I repeat step "3" but at this time, when the program reaches the "len_message_from_destiny = streamFromDestiny.read(buffer_msg_destiny);" it produces the catch that i need to code for ask if the server is really alive (that is true in this step)". An attempt to read in this situation produces a "SocketException" with this description: "Software caused connection abort: recv failed java mail".
If i put in the code of catch that i need all instruction again for connect the socket and new streams, doesn't work too.
package interceptorprocess;
import java.io.DataInputStream;
import java.io.DataOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
import java.net.ServerSocket;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.net.SocketException;
import java.net.SocketTimeoutException;
public class GenericInterceptorProcess implements Runnable
{
private final String prefix_log_messages;
public GenericInterceptorProcessConfigurations confs;
//COMMUNICATION'S ORIGIN'S VARIABLES
ServerSocket serverSocketLocal;
Socket socketForLocal;
DataInputStream streamFromOrigin;
DataOutputStream streamToOrigen;
int len_message_from_origen;
byte[] buffer_msg_origin = new byte[4096];
byte[] message_origin = null;
//COMMUNICATION'S DESTINY'S VARIABLES
Socket socketToDestiny;
DataInputStream streamFromDestiny;
DataOutputStream streamToDestiny;
int len_message_from_destiny;
byte[] buffer_msg_destiny = new byte[4096];
byte[] message_destiny;
GenericInterceptorProcess(GenericInterceptorProcessConfigurations confs_p)
{
confs = confs_p;
prefix_log_messages = confs.prefix_log_messages;
}
#Override
public void run()
{
//OCCASIONAL USE
String aux;
try
{
logger("STARTING SERVER --- PORT NUMBER: " + confs.local_port);
//CREATING THE LOCAL SERVER SOCKET
serverSocketLocal = new ServerSocket(confs.local_port);
//THIS LOOP MAINTAINS THE CONNECTIVITY WITH ONE CLIENT AT TIME
while ( true )
{
//CONNECTION TO THE ORIGIN
logger("WAITING FOR A CONNECTION OF A CLIENT...");
socketForLocal = serverSocketLocal.accept();
streamFromOrigin = new DataInputStream(socketForLocal.getInputStream());
streamToOrigen = new DataOutputStream(socketForLocal.getOutputStream());
logger("CONNECTED CLIENT: " + socketForLocal.getRemoteSocketAddress() );
//CONNECTION TO THE DESTINY
try
{
socketToDestiny = new Socket();
socketToDestiny.setSoTimeout(confs.timeout_destiny);
socketToDestiny.connect(new InetSocketAddress(confs.destiny_ip,confs.destiny_port),confs.timeout_connections);
//CREATING THE DESTINY'S STREAMS
streamFromDestiny = new DataInputStream(socketToDestiny.getInputStream());
streamToDestiny = new DataOutputStream(socketToDestiny.getOutputStream());
}
catch(IOException ex)
{
logger("CONNECTION REJECTED BY DESTINY: " + ex.getMessage());
closeOriginStream();
continue;
}
logger("CONNECTED DESTINY: " + socketToDestiny.getRemoteSocketAddress() );
//THIS LOOP MAINTAINS THE MESSAGES'S CHANGES
while ( true )
{
logger("WAITING FOR A MESSAGE..");
//THIS TRY/CATCH EXITS FOR CONNECTION RESETS
try
{
len_message_from_origen = streamFromOrigin.read(buffer_msg_origin);
}
catch(SocketException ex)
{
closeAll();
break;
}
if ( len_message_from_origen < 0 )
{
closeAll();
break;
}
message_origin = new byte[len_message_from_origen];
//SAVE THE ORIGIN'S MESSAGE INTO AN ARRAY WHO HAS THE EXACT SIZE OF THIS MESSAGE
System.arraycopy(buffer_msg_origin, 0, message_origin, 0, len_message_from_origen);
aux = new String(message_origin);
logger("RECEIVED MESSAGE FROM ORIGIN: " + aux);
//MAKE THE CHANGES IN THE INPUT'S MESSAGE
ChangesInMessages.makeChanges(message_origin,confs.type_changes_for_input_messages);
aux = new String(message_origin);
logger("RECEIVED MESSAGE FROM ORIGIN WITH MODIFICATIONS: " + aux);
//I HAD TO PUT THIS BLOCK BECAUSE IF THE DESTINY APPLICATIONS FAILS
//OR NOT ANSWER, THE PROGRAM MUST KEEP LISTENING THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES
try
{
//SENDING MESSAGE TO DESTINY
streamToDestiny.write(message_origin);
//READING THE ANSWER MESSAGE
logger("READING MESSAGE FROM DESTINY...");
//AT THIS POINY, WE MAY HAVE A PROBLEM IF THE SERVER DIES
len_message_from_destiny = streamFromDestiny.read(buffer_msg_destiny);
}
catch (SocketTimeoutException ex)
{
logger("IT DIDN'T COULD RETRIEVE A MESSAGE FROM DESTINY (timeout): " + ex.getMessage());
continue;
}
catch (SocketException ex)
{
boolean flagDestinyStillDead = false;
//IF WE REACH THIS EXCEPTION, IT MINDS THE DESTINY HAS DIED AFTER THE FIRST
//SUSSECCESFULLY CONNECTION, THUS, WE HAVE TO ASK IF THE DESTINY IS REALLY ALIVE
//HOW DO I DO THAT?
//I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS SECCTION///
//NOTE: IF THE SERVER STILL DEAD, I HAVE TO CANCEL THIS MESSAGE AND
//RESTART THE LOOP
if ( flagDestinyStillDead )
{
closeAll();
break;
}
}
message_destiny = new byte[len_message_from_destiny];
//SAVE THE DESTINY'S MESSAGE INTO AN ARRAY WHO HAS THE EXACT SIZE OF THIS MESSAGE
System.arraycopy(buffer_msg_destiny, 0, message_destiny, 0, len_message_from_destiny);
aux = new String(message_destiny);
logger("RECEIVED MESSAGE FROM DESTINY " + aux);
//MAKE THE CHANGES IN THE OUTPUT'S MESSAGE
ChangesInMessages.makeChanges(message_destiny,confs.type_changes_for_output_messages);
aux = new String(message_destiny);
logger("RECEIVED MESSAGE FROM DESTINY WITH MODIFICATIONS: " + aux);
//SENDING THE ANSWER BACK TO THE ORIGIN
logger("SENDING BACK THE MESSAGE TO ORIGIN...");
streamToOrigen.write(message_destiny);
logger("MESSAGE DELIVERED SUCCESSFULLY!");
} //INTERNAL LOOP OF MESSAGES
} //INTERNAL LOOP OF CLIENTS
} //TRY
catch(IOException ex )
{
logger("THE SERVICE DIED: " + ex.getMessage() );
ex.printStackTrace();
} //CATCH
} //RUN
private void closeDestinyStream() throws IOException
{
streamFromDestiny.close();
streamToDestiny.close();
}
private void closeOriginStream() throws IOException
{
streamFromOrigin.close();
streamToOrigen.close();
}
private void closeAll() throws IOException
{
closeDestinyStream();
closeOriginStream();
}
private void logger(String message)
{
System.out.println(Utilidades.date() + " " + prefix_log_messages + " " + message);
}
}
Regards!
Sorry for my english, i am not a native speaker.

I will attempt to answer your question using my definition of "alive" and "dead" that I put in the comment. So we know that if the server does not respond within 5 seconds, it is dead. Also, if we could not connect to the server within 5 seconds, then the server is also dead.
We can check if it is alive/dead like this:
boolean flagDestinyStillDead = false;
//give the server 5 seconds to do whatever it needs to get back alive
try {
Thread.sleep( 5000 );
}
catch ( InterruptedException ie ) {
//ignore this. this probably won't happen unless you purposely cause it
}
//we now create a new connection, because the old connection died
socketToDestiny = new Socket();
//we try connecting to the server
try {
socketToDestiny.connect(new InetSocketAddress(confs.destiny_ip,confs.destiny_port), 5000 );
//if our connection was successful, we also need to create a new input and output stream
streamToDestiny = new DataOutputStream( socketToDestiny.getOutputStream() );
streamFromDestiny = new DataInputStream( socketToDesinty.getInputStream() );
//we give the server 5 seconds to respond to any of our messages
socketToDestiny.setSoTimeout( 5000 );
//ask the server if its alive
streamToDestiny.writeUTF( "Are you alive?" );
//if the server responds, then by our definition of "alive", the server is alive
String receivedMessage = streamToDestiny.readUTF();
if ( receivedMessage.equals( "Yes, I am alive now!" ) ) {
flagDestinyStillDead = false;
}
//if the server did not respond, then we would get a SocketTimeoutException
//and we never would reach here
}
catch ( SocketTimeoutException e ) {
//server had 5 seconds to accept our connection, and since the connection timed out
//we presume that the server is still dead
flagDestinyStillDead = true;
}
catch ( IOException e ) {
//we gave the server 5 seconds already to get back alive using Thread.sleep(...)
//if any of our communications fail, then the server must be dead.
flagDestinyStillDead = true;
}
So, here's our process in English:
1. We lost connection to the server, oh no!
2. Ok, well if it doesn't respond in around 5 seconds, then we'll
presume it died
3. Fine, we'll wait 5 seconds.
4. Ok, 5 seconds passed. Let's connect again with 5 second timeout.
4.1 Connection is reestablished. Ok, now we send the server a message to check that it can respond.
4.1.1 We send the server a message and it responds. Ok, it's alive
4.1.2 We send the server a message and it doesn't respond after 5 seconds. Ok, it's dead
4.2 Connection is not reestablished. Ok, well we already waited 5 seconds. Since the server won't connect even after 5 seconds is up, we presume it's dead.
Please note that when I do streamToDestiny.writeUTF( "Are you alive?" ), you'll need some kind of readUTF() code on the server to read this message. Then the server has to writeUTF( "Yes, I am alive now!" ); back. You'll have to modify this small part of the code to fit with however your server and client runs.

ArrayList<String> size not persisting between server and client

I'm writing a server/client chat application in Java. In order to receive messages and then print the total dialog of the conversation, I add each message from the client to an ArrayList of Strings, and then send the whole ArrayList back to the client, to print out as the entire conversation.
My problem is that even though I am constantly adding elements to the ArrayList in the server, whenever I send it to the client, the size does not change, and only the first element is stored.
Server Program:
public class ArrayListServer {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int port = 8000;
String me = "Server: ";
ArrayList<String> convo = new ArrayList<String>();
try {
ServerSocket server = new ServerSocket(port);
System.out.println("Waiting for connection...");
Socket client = server.accept();
System.out.println("Established connection.");
ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(client.getInputStream());
ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(client.getOutputStream());
int i = 0;
// receive messages from client
while (true) {
String msgFromClient = (String)in.readObject();
convo.add(msgFromClient);
System.out.println(me + "size: " + convo.size());
out.writeObject(convo);
}
} catch (IOException ioex) {
System.out.println("IOException occurred.");
} catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfex) {
System.out.println("ClassNotFoundException occurred.");
}
}
}
Client Program:
public class ArrayListClient {
#SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
public static void main(String[] args) {
int port = 8000;
String me = "Client: ";
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
ArrayList<String> convo = new ArrayList<String>();
try {
Socket client = new Socket("localhost", port);
ObjectOutputStream toServer = new ObjectOutputStream(client.getOutputStream());
ObjectInputStream fromServer = new ObjectInputStream(client.getInputStream());
while (true) {
System.out.print("> ");
String msg = input.nextLine().trim();
toServer.writeObject(msg);
convo = (ArrayList<String>)fromServer.readObject();
System.out.println(me + "size: " + convo.size());
}
} catch (UnknownHostException uhex) {
System.out.println("UnknownHostException occurred.");
} catch (IOException ioex) {
System.out.println("IOException occurred.");
} catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfex) {
System.out.println("ClassNotFoundException occurred.");
}
}
}
When I run the server and client, my output is:
> hi
Client: size: 1
> hi
Client: size: 1
> hi
Client: size: 1
> hi
Client: size: 1
> hi
Client: size: 1
> hi
Client: size: 1
>
Server: Waiting for connection...
Server: Established connection.
Server: size: 1
Server: size: 2
Server: size: 3
Server: size: 4
Server: size: 5
Server: size: 6
I know the ArrayList<> and String class are both serializable, so I have no clue why this isn't working. I think it may be something to do with my Input/Output streams, but when I declared them local to the while loop and closed them at the end of it, my program would throw an IOException and halt.
What am I doing wrong?

I solved it. You use the same ObjectOutput and ObjectInput instances. ObjectOutput tries to not rewrite instances it has seen before. So the first time the server writes the convo array list it keeps a reference to it. When you add to it the reference does not change even though the contents of the list do. If you make the one line change below in your server this will prove to you that this is the problem:
out.writeObject( new ArrayList( convo ) );
The above is not a great solution because the ObjectOutputStream's reference map will keep growing one very iteration. But it will show you what the problem is so you can create a better solution.
The better solution is to just move the getInputStream and getOutputStream lines within the loop on both sides.
Also in case it's not obvious the strings work because on each iteration they are a different object reference. The List does not because on the server side you write the same reference each time even though it changes.

Great, i tried to solve this issue several Days..thanks!
You can use the reset() method to 'forgot' known references as shown below:
out.writeObject(object);
out.reset();
out.flush();

Trying to get data from textfield to ouputstream for a chat program in Java

i'm working on a simple GUI chat program in Java. The goal is for the user to choose whether to host a server or to connect as a client. All of this works. The problem I'm having is letting either the client or the server chat. ideally, the user or the server can type into the textField and hit enter (or press the send button), and then the message will be sent to every client that is connected. During execution, the server runs an infinite while loop where it waits for more clients. The problem I'm having is two-fold:
1) I'm not sure if the way I'm passing the string to the inputstream is right, and 2) I don't know when I can have the server receive and then re-send the data, since it waits at server.accept().
here's the run method:
public void run()
{
conversationBox.appendText("Session Start.\n");
inputBox.requestFocus();
while (!kill)
{
if (isServer)
{
conversationBox.appendText("Server starting on port " + port + "\n");
conversationBox.appendText("Waiting for clients...\n");
startServer();
}
if (isClient)
{
conversationBox.appendText("Starting connection to host " + host + " on port " + port + "\n");
startClient();
}
}
}
here's the startClient method:
public void startClient()
{
try
{
Socket c = new Socket(host, port);
in = new Scanner(c.getInputStream());
out = new PrintWriter(c.getOutputStream());
while (true)
{
if (in.hasNext())
{
Chat.conversationBox.appendText("You Said: " + message);
out.println("Client Said: " + message);
out.flush();
}
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
and here's the startServer method:
public void startServer()
{
try
{
server = new ServerSocket(port);
while (true)
{
s = server.accept();
conversationBox.appendText("Client connected from " + s.getLocalAddress().getHostName() + "\n");
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
conversationBox.appendText("An error occurred.\n");
e.printStackTrace();
isServer = false;
reEnableAll();
}
}
And finally, here's the part of actionPerformed where I get the data and (attempt) to write it to the outputstream:
if (o == sendButton || o == inputBox)
{
if(inputBox.getText() != "")
{
out.println(inputBox.getText());
inputBox.setText("");
}
}
I guess my question is: How can I rearrange my methods so that the server can wait for text from the client and then send it back to all the clients? And, how do I send the text from the client to the server?

Among the problems with this code:
You keep creating clients and servers. Surely you should only do one of each?
You are performing blocking network operations on the event thread instead of in a separate thread.
You are looping at EOS via while (true) ... if in.hasNext(). This should be while (in.hasNext()) ...
You are accepting a socket and not apparently doing anything with it. It looks like you can only handle one client at a time. You should start a new thread to handle each accepted socket.