C#•9mo ago

✅ Help with sockets c#

how would i go by showing a message to every client connected to a server ?

96 Replies

Ehmmm.. Check out SignalR library

loop over your connections and send each of them a message? kind of an abstract question that depends on how your server is implemented

zoon_OP•9mo ago

im not using any library just sockets okay but how do i loop over them when i dont have them stored ? is there a way to store them ? ill show you my server class

Jimmacle•9mo ago

you have to be storing them somewhere already

zoon_OP•9mo ago

my main issue is how do i get reference from my textbox in the client form

Jimmacle•9mo ago

you might need to add a list of them so you can access all the active connections easily

zoon_OP•9mo ago

im using winform btw

Jimmacle•9mo ago

unfortunate (not for this problem, just in general)

zoon_OP•9mo ago

yeah even if i access that.. my main issue is how to get reference to a chat text box in another form

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Net;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using ChatApplication.Client;
using ChatApplication.Classes;

namespace ChatApplication.Server
{
    internal class Server
    {
        public string _address = "127.0.0.1";
        public int _port = 8888;
        public static Socket serverSocket;
        Dictionary<Account, string> clients;

        public Server(IPEndPoint EndPoint)
        {

            serverSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
            serverSocket.Bind(EndPoint);
            Thread serverThread = new Thread(() => StartListening());
            serverThread.Start();
        }

        public void StartListening()
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Started listening!");
            int clientNo = 1;
            while(true)
            {
                try
                {
                    serverSocket.Listen(0);
                    Socket clientSocket = serverSocket.Accept();
                    Thread clientThread = new Thread(() => ClientConnection(clientSocket, clientNo));
                    clientThread.Start();
                    clientNo++;
                }
                catch (Exception ex) {
                    MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
                        };
            }
        }

        private void ClientConnection(Socket clientSocket, int clientNo)
        {
            byte[] buffer = new byte[clientSocket.SendBufferSize];
            int bytesRead = 0;
            do
            {
                bytesRead = clientSocket.Receive(buffer);
                MessageBox.Show($"Client({clientNo}) Has sent a message: {System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(buffer)}");
            } while (bytesRead > 0);
        }

    }
}

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Net;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using ChatApplication.Client;
using ChatApplication.Classes;

namespace ChatApplication.Server
{
    internal class Server
    {
        public string _address = "127.0.0.1";
        public int _port = 8888;
        public static Socket serverSocket;
        Dictionary<Account, string> clients;

        public Server(IPEndPoint EndPoint)
        {

            serverSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
            serverSocket.Bind(EndPoint);
            Thread serverThread = new Thread(() => StartListening());
            serverThread.Start();
        }

        public void StartListening()
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Started listening!");
            int clientNo = 1;
            while(true)
            {
                try
                {
                    serverSocket.Listen(0);
                    Socket clientSocket = serverSocket.Accept();
                    Thread clientThread = new Thread(() => ClientConnection(clientSocket, clientNo));
                    clientThread.Start();
                    clientNo++;
                }
                catch (Exception ex) {
                    MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
                        };
            }
        }

        private void ClientConnection(Socket clientSocket, int clientNo)
        {
            byte[] buffer = new byte[clientSocket.SendBufferSize];
            int bytesRead = 0;
            do
            {
                bytesRead = clientSocket.Receive(buffer);
                MessageBox.Show($"Client({clientNo}) Has sent a message: {System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(buffer)}");
            } while (bytesRead > 0);
        }

    }
}

here is my server code

using ChatApplication.Classes;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;

namespace ChatApplication.Client
{
    internal class Client
    {
        public Account account;
        Socket clientSocket;
        public Client(IPEndPoint endPoint)
        {
            clientSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
            clientSocket.Connect(endPoint);
            clientSocket.SendBufferSize = 1024;
        }
        public void SendMessage(string message)
        {
            clientSocket.Send(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(message));
        }

        //public void CreateAccount(string username, string password)
        //{
        //    account = new Account(username, password);
        //}
        public void CloseConnection()
        {
            clientSocket.Close();
        }
    }
}

using ChatApplication.Classes;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;

namespace ChatApplication.Client
{
    internal class Client
    {
        public Account account;
        Socket clientSocket;
        public Client(IPEndPoint endPoint)
        {
            clientSocket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);
            clientSocket.Connect(endPoint);
            clientSocket.SendBufferSize = 1024;
        }
        public void SendMessage(string message)
        {
            clientSocket.Send(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(message));
        }

        //public void CreateAccount(string username, string password)
        //{
        //    account = new Account(username, password);
        //}
        public void CloseConnection()
        {
            clientSocket.Close();
        }
    }
}

client code (this is not final i just want to figure out this chat box thing)

zoon_OP•9mo ago

using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using ChatApplication.Classes;

namespace ChatApplication.Client
{
    public partial class ClientHomePage : Form
    {
        Client client;
        public ClientHomePage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
        private void BTN_Connect_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Connect to the server
            client = new Client(new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Parse(TB_HostAddress.Text), int.TryParse(TB_PortNumber.Text, out int port) ? port : 8888));
            //client.CreateAccount("Mazen", "123123");
        }

        private void BTN_SendMessage_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Send message
            client.SendMessage(TB_MessageBox.Text);
        }

        private void TB_MessageBox_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

        }


        private void TB_ChatBox_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

        }
        private void ClientHomePage_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e)
        {
            client.SendMessage("Goodbye..");
            client.CloseConnection();
        }
    }
}

using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using ChatApplication.Classes;

namespace ChatApplication.Client
{
    public partial class ClientHomePage : Form
    {
        Client client;
        public ClientHomePage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
        private void BTN_Connect_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Connect to the server
            client = new Client(new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Parse(TB_HostAddress.Text), int.TryParse(TB_PortNumber.Text, out int port) ? port : 8888));
            //client.CreateAccount("Mazen", "123123");
        }

        private void BTN_SendMessage_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Send message
            client.SendMessage(TB_MessageBox.Text);
        }

        private void TB_MessageBox_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

        }


        private void TB_ChatBox_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

        }
        private void ClientHomePage_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e)
        {
            client.SendMessage("Goodbye..");
            client.CloseConnection();
        }
    }
}

client home page which also looks like this

zoon_OP•9mo ago

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace ChatApplication.Server
{
    public partial class ServerHomePage : Form
    {
        Server? server;
        public ServerHomePage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }




        private void ServerHomePage_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e)
        {
            // Close the server
            //Server.serverSocket.Disconnect(true);
        }

        private void BTN_ServerStart_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Start the server
            try
            {
                IPEndPoint ipEnd = new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Parse("127.0.0.1"), 8888);
                server = new Server(ipEnd);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
            }
        }
    }
}

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace ChatApplication.Server
{
    public partial class ServerHomePage : Form
    {
        Server? server;
        public ServerHomePage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }




        private void ServerHomePage_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e)
        {
            // Close the server
            //Server.serverSocket.Disconnect(true);
        }

        private void BTN_ServerStart_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Start the server
            try
            {
                IPEndPoint ipEnd = new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Parse("127.0.0.1"), 8888);
                server = new Server(ipEnd);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
            }
        }
    }
}

server home page

zoon_OP•9mo ago

just a start that starts the server

zoon_OP•9mo ago

what i have rn is whenever a client sends a message it shows a pop up with client(2) has sent a message: <message here> the client number increases with the number of client threads soon i want to add a client name etc but now i just wanna figure out a way to show the message instead of a popup. it shows in every other client's chat box

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i se ill check it out people said if u really wanna learn ab sockets and stuff u need to use the real deal not libraries

Jimmacle•9mo ago

signalr is web sockets

zoon_OP•9mo ago

i see and normal sockets are ?

Jimmacle•9mo ago

they're sockets

zoon_OP•9mo ago

can i use signalr with winform

Unknown User•9mo ago

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Jimmacle•9mo ago

you can, but it's not plain sockets

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

soo as a service ?

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

yes

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

can i still achieve what i want with normal sockets ?

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

yeah 😂

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

will i even benifit anything from doing this

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

Unknown User•9mo ago

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Jimmacle•9mo ago

i don't understand why you're suggesting websockets

Unknown User•9mo ago

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Jimmacle•9mo ago

this looks like a practice application to work with basic networking

Unknown User•9mo ago

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Jimmacle•9mo ago

spinning up an entire web application to use websockets instead seems kind of out of scope of the project

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

the goal is both learn and create a chat app

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

but i found 0 good source for learning sockets so i just dived in lmao and i have had so many bugs

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

do you have good sources atleast ? youtube videos ? i'd be thankful

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

ill check that out

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i am not thats why ive been avoiding it

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

yeah i tried using async it told me no void allowed so i just removed tha async part lmao

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i actually tried it and it told me i cant use void return type with async

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

wait wdym ?

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

yeah

Unknown User•9mo ago

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MODiX•9mo ago

Opinion: first article looks better as an introduction than the devblog one, but but should still be read in that order https://github.com/tkp1n/ndportmann.com/blob/master/posts/2019-01-03--system-threading-channels/index.md https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/an-introduction-to-system-threading-channels https://www.stevejgordon.co.uk/an-introduction-to-system-threading-channels Video: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/on-net/working-with-channels-in-net

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

alright ill check it out

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

yeah i take the message as string from the textbox and i send it as bytes

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

so it gets encoded at the other end

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i actually dont i have it set at 1024 for now

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

the messages will be cut and sent in pieces

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

it already happened

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

ohh okay thats smart

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i didnt even know that existed alright

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i see

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i see i see alrighttt one last question

zoon_OP•9mo ago

in this server.listen

zoon_OP•9mo ago

does it make the main thread wait until it receives any connection ?

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

or does it keep on going normally

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

ill just add the message length as a prefix 😂

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

then i can just read the prefix and double it

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i see

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

that is alot of info that i dont understand yet

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

soo can i just set it as that ?

Unknown User•9mo ago

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zoon_OP•9mo ago

i see i see

Unknown User•9mo ago

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✅ Help with sockets c#