Android Question Basics of B4XSerializator and VB.NET

mmieher

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Longtime User
I am trying to get the basics down of using B4XSerializator to communicate with a VB.NET server.

I get a "Header Checksum Illegal" in the VB code after ConvertBytesToObject on ReadObject at Dim t As Byte = br.ReadByte(). Code attached is my attempt to convert Erel's C# code to VB.

After researching the error I inspected the bytes received on the server. In a previous post, one of the Erels stated that the byte stream should start with 0x78, 0x9C.

Mine does not. The first six bytes are 0x50,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x78,0xEF.

Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Marc

B4A Code:
B4X:
Sub Process_Globals
   
    Private ser As B4XSerializator
    Type MyMessage (sndData As String)
   
End Sub
Sub WriteTestData
    Dim mm As MyMessage
    mm.Initialize
    mm.sndData = "Hello!"
   
    Log("Sending mm")
    CallSub2(Starter, "SendData", ser.ConvertObjectToBytes(mm))
   
End Sub
VB.NET Code:
B4X:
Protected Sub ClientSession()
        Dim myCompleteMessage As StringBuilder = New StringBuilder()
        Debug.Print("ClientSession = " & clientSocket.Connected)
        If clientSocket.Connected = False Then
            Debug.Print("Client Not Connected")
            Return
        End If
        While (True)
            If clientSocket.Connected = False Then
                Debug.Print("Disconnect")
                Exit While
            End If
            Try
                Dim networkStream As NetworkStream = clientSocket.GetStream()
                Debug.Print("canRead = " & networkStream.CanRead)
                If networkStream.CanRead Then
                    Dim myReadBuffer(1024) As Byte
                    Dim numberOfBytesRead As Integer = 0
                    Debug.Print("DataAvailable = " & networkStream.DataAvailable)
                    ' Incoming message may be larger than the buffer size.
                    Do
                        numberOfBytesRead = networkStream.Read(myReadBuffer, 0, myReadBuffer.Length)
                        myCompleteMessage.AppendFormat("{0}", Encoding.UTF8.GetString(myReadBuffer, 0, numberOfBytesRead))
                    Loop While networkStream.DataAvailable
                    Debug.Print("Received Bytes = " & myCompleteMessage.Length)
                    ' Print out the received message to the console.
                    Debug.Print("You received the following message : " + myCompleteMessage.ToString())
                End If
            Catch ex As Exception
                Debug.Print(ex.ToString)
            End Try
            If myCompleteMessage.Length > 0 Then
                Debug.Print(vbCrLf & "DESERIALIZE")
                Dim ByteArray As Byte() = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(myCompleteMessage.ToString())
                Dim B4Xs As New B4X.B4XSerial
                Debug.Print(myCompleteMessage.ToString)
                MsgRecord = B4Xs.ConvertBytesToObject(ByteArray)
            End If
        End While
    End Sub
 

Attachments

  • B4XSerial.zip
    2 KB · Views: 278

mmieher

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Thank you, Erel. I would love to use B4J but I have to talk to a Sage Software database using Sage's ODBC driver. No JDBC driver available from Sage.
 
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mmieher

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Ok, I noticed that in the ZIP file that has the C# code, there is also B4XSerializator.dll, which I have added as a reference in my VB.NET code.

Also, to eliminate my human error in the B4A code, I am using Erel's "Network Example" app to send a B4XSerializator object to my server program.

However, I still get the Header Checksum Illegal error when calling ConvertBytesToObject.

I know this is not a Microsoft forum, but I must be doing something simple incorrectly.

Marc

ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.SharpZipBaseException
HResult=0x80131600
Message=Header checksum illegal
Source=ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib
StackTrace:
at ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.Zip.Compression.Inflater.DecodeHeader()
at ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.Zip.Compression.Inflater.Decode()
at ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.Zip.Compression.Inflater.Inflate(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 count)
at ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.Zip.Compression.Streams.InflaterInputStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 count)
at System.IO.Stream.ReadByte()
at System.IO.BinaryReader.ReadByte()
at WpfApplication1.B4XSerializator.readObject()
at WpfApplication1.B4XSerializator.ConvertBytesToObject(Byte[] Bytes)
at PMCTechServer10.handleClient.ClientSession() in C:\VBSource\AA-VB.NET\PMCTechServer10\PMCTechServer10\PMCTechServer10\MainForm.vb:line 151
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

VB.NET CODE
B4X:
Protected Sub ClientSession()
        Dim ReadBuffer(clientSocket.ReceiveBufferSize) As Byte
        Dim BytesRead As Integer
        Debug.Print("ClientSession = " & clientSocket.Connected)
        While (True)
            If clientSocket.Connected = False Then
                Debug.Print("Disconnect")
                Exit While
            End If
            Try
                Dim networkStream As NetworkStream = clientSocket.GetStream()
                Debug.Print("canRead = " & networkStream.CanRead)
                If networkStream.CanRead Then
                    BytesRead = networkStream.Read(ReadBuffer, 0, ReadBuffer.Length)
                    Debug.Print("BytesRead: " & BytesRead)
                End If
            Catch ex As Exception
                Debug.Print(ex.ToString)
            End Try
            If BytesRead > 0 Then
                Debug.Print(vbCrLf & "DESERIALIZE")
                Dim rcvBytes(BytesRead) As Byte
                System.Buffer.BlockCopy(ReadBuffer, 0, rcvBytes, 0, BytesRead)
                Dim B4Xs As New WpfApplication1.B4XSerializator
                MsgRecord = B4Xs.ConvertBytesToObject(rcvBytes)
 
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Erel

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Complete example of deserializing a file created with B4XSerializator:
B4X:
Imports System.IO
Class MainWindow

    Private Sub Window_Loaded(sender As Object, e As RoutedEventArgs)

        Dim b() As Byte = File.ReadAllBytes("C:\Users\H\Downloads\projects\WpfApplication1\WpfApplication1\1.dat")
        Dim ser As B4XSerializator = New B4XSerializator()

        Dim list As IList = ser.ConvertBytesToObject(b)
        For i = 0 To list.Count - 1
            Dim number As Integer = list(i)
            Console.WriteLine(number)


        Next


    End Sub
End Class

File created with:
B4X:
Dim l1 As List
l1.Initialize
For i = 1 To 1000
   l1.Add(i)
Next
Dim out As OutputStream = File.OpenOutput(File.DirApp, "1.dat", False)
Dim ser As B4XSerializator
Dim b() As Byte = ser.ConvertObjectToBytes(l1)
out.WriteBytes(b, 0, b.Length)
out.Close
 
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mmieher

Active Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Complete example of deserializing a file created with B4XSerializator:
B4X:
Imports System.IO
Class MainWindow

    Private Sub Window_Loaded(sender As Object, e As RoutedEventArgs)

        Dim b() As Byte = File.ReadAllBytes("C:\Users\H\Downloads\projects\WpfApplication1\WpfApplication1\1.dat")
        Dim ser As B4XSerializator = New B4XSerializator()

        Dim list As IList = ser.ConvertBytesToObject(b)
        For i = 0 To list.Count - 1
            Dim number As Integer = list(i)
            Console.WriteLine(number)


        Next


    End Sub
End Class

File created with:
B4X:
Dim l1 As List
l1.Initialize
For i = 1 To 1000
   l1.Add(i)
Next
Dim out As OutputStream = File.OpenOutput(File.DirApp, "1.dat", False)
Dim ser As B4XSerializator
Dim b() As Byte = ser.ConvertObjectToBytes(l1)
out.WriteBytes(b, 0, b.Length)
out.Close


Thank you! Now I am getting somewhere.
 
Upvote 0
Marc,

I have been interested by your post as I am just starting with B4XSerializator in B4A.
Did you reach to use B4XSerializator to communicate with a VB.NET server ?

Could you let me (us) know how you finally make your test herebefore work fine ?

Olivier
 
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KMatle

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Longtime User
You can create a list with maps or a map and convert it to a json string. Convert this string to bytes and send it. On .net convert it back. Very easy and this works for all platforms as long you use the same charset.
 
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Thank you KMatle for your reply.

I agree with you about the json suggestion. I already use it !

Behind my last post, there is a choice I have to do. I have a common UI on a tool install on a android device with B4A. With a vb.net program I prepare a file to customize this B4A UI. Then, with this UI, the android device generate a json file as the result of its manipulation and is supposed to send it back to the desktop.

To communicate file asynchronously between android device and desktop and if I well understand, I should be able to use B4XSerializator through WiFi network or Bluetooth.
Am I right ? Any suggestion ?
 
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Erel,
You said it is not a must to use B4Xserializator for my purpose. Why ?

On my side :
I work with your "filetransfer" presented in this post : https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...nd-and-receive-files-with-asyncstreams.30493/
And I work with the .net implementation presented in this post : https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/net-filetransfer-implement-asyncstreams-prefix-mode.30741/

Every things work unless, a problem with the CC contentChooser to chose the file to transfer from device to PC. the pointer is null when a file is selected.
Do you have any idea what occurs ? (If I need to start a new thread let me know because the other one is closed)

Olivier,

Error occurred on line: 213 (Main)
java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.io.File.<init>(File.java:323)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.objects.streams.File.Exists(File.java:96)
at b4a.example.filetransfer.main._cc_result(main.java:882)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.shell.Shell.runMethod(Shell.java:732)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.shell.Shell.raiseEventImpl(Shell.java:348)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.shell.Shell.raiseEvent(Shell.java:255)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.ShellBA.raiseEvent2(ShellBA.java:144)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.BA.raiseEvent(BA.java:176)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.phone.Phone$ContentChooser$1.ResultArrived(Phone.java:865)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.BA$4.run(BA.java:568)
at anywheresoftware.b4a.BA.setActivityPaused(BA.java:442)
at b4a.example.filetransfer.main$ResumeMessage.run(main.java:306)
at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:873)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:214)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7050)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:494)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:965)
** Activity (main) Resume **
 
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I have followed your advice. Everything works, file transfer through the b4x-network-asynchronous is effectively really easier with this method.

Only 1 thing strange : On the example download, I haven't be able to connect the B4A device to the B4J desktop, only the B4J desktop to the B4A device. Any idea of what could be the problem ?

Olivier.
 
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