[thelist] Java Sockets

[Chris at globet.com]

All

If this is off topic, please let me know and I shallnot proceed with any
further enquiries.

I am learning Java, and am currently attempting to complete an exercise
to produce a very simple client and server that will operate across the
internet. The client will have several simple commands to which the
server will respond with specified text. The client will have the
command QUIT, which will disconnect the client, but NOT close down the
server.

As I understand it, I should create a ServerSocket instance thus:

ServerSocket ss = new ServerSocket(9999);

I can then use the accept() method thus:

Socket sock = ss.accept();

This will suspend processing until a client connects on the specified
port, after which sock will reference a Socket instance that is
connected to the Socket instance on the client. Once a client has
connected to the server on the specified port, I can get the input and
output streams and process them thus:

DataInputStream is = new DataInputStream(sock.getInputStream());
PrintStream os = new PrintStream(sock.getOutputStream());

String cmd = "";
while (true)
{
	cmd = is.readLine();
	if (cmd.equals("QUIT")
		break;
	// Respond appropriately.
}

My question is as follows. My understanding is that once a client has
connected to the server, if any other clients try to connect to the
server they will be put into a queue to be dealt with when the connected
client disconnects. Given my approach above, how do I ensure that this
happens? I need to understand more clearly how the Socket/ServerSocket
mechanism works, rather than simply be presented with a solution. Also
for the purposes of this exercise I do not wish to use threads.

Many thanks in advance!

Chris Marsh
Web Developer
http://www.globet.com/
Tel: +44 20 8246 4804 Ext 828
Fax: +44 20 8246 4808

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