Unusual behavior of Ruby script while working with sockets - ruby

The thing is that I am very beginner in Ruby programming and I have some troubles with understanding Ruby's behavior.
Here is the code:
require 'socket'
server = TCPServer.new 2000
loop do
Thread.start(server.accept) do |client|
puts 'Client connected: ' + client.gets
line = "-1"
while (line != "/close ")
line = client.gets();
puts line
end
puts 'client closed'
client.close
end
end
As you see, it's a simple socket server waiting for some input information.
The problem is that when it gets "/close ", it exits the while loop, but never goes to
puts 'client closed' and client.close. So why is it so, or what am I doing wrong?

I suspect that if you change puts line to puts line.inspect you will see the problem.
Found it? gets reads by lines, which includes the line-terminating \n, so no line you get will ever equal "/close ". Changing the comparison to use line.strip will work, for example.

Related

Sending data to TCPServer more than one time

I'm new to ruby and I'm trying to make a client to connect to a TCPServer, and it seems that in order to do so I have to call the method close_write every time I finish sending data one way, to let the client/server know that the other end is finished sending data. Whenever I do that then Im not able to write info to the server or client again because the socket is not opened for writing anymore.
This is my code:
client.rb
require "socket"
socket = TCPSocket.open("localhost", 6666)
loop do
input = gets.chomp
socket.puts input # Send data to server
socket.close_write
while(line = socket.gets)
puts line
end # Print sever response
break if input=="EXIT"
end
socket.close
server.rb
require "socket"
server = TCPServer.new 6666
data = Hash.new { |hash, key| hash[key] = {} }
WAITING_SET_VALUE = "1"
WAITING_NEW_COMMAND = "0"
loop do
Thread.start(server.accept) do |session|
thread_status ||= WAITING_NEW_COMMAND
....
puts "Entering If..."
if(thread_status == WAITING_NEW_COMMAND) #Check thread status
puts "thread_status == WAITING_NEW_COMMAND"
puts "CHECKING COMMAND.."
case line.strip
when /^set \w* \w* \d{1,7} \d{1,7}$/
puts "COMMAND SET"
thread_status = WAITING_SET_VALUE
lineArr = line.strip.split(" ")
varName = lineArr[1]
flag = lineArr[2]
ttl = lineArr[3]
size = lineArr[4]
puts "END SET EXECUTION"
session.write "Executed"
session.close_write
...
Is there a way to open the socket for writing again, or a better way to do this back and forth connection between server and client without losing context? Thanks!
When designing a client-server protocol, you have to decide:
How a client knows when a response has more lines/data.
How a client knows when a response is complete.
How a client knows when a response is invalid/valid.
How a client knows when there was some type of server error.
A simple approach is for the server to return a response with the number of lines (as in the code below). However, instead, you could use END or something so that the client knows when there is no more data to read. I would strongly suggest looking into tutorials about Protocols.
Save the below into a file called client_server.rb. First, run the server with ruby ./client_server.rb s and then in a separate terminal run the client with ruby ./client_server.rb c. Next, type in list over and over to see the different responses. I added list so that you don't have to type in set w w 1 1 over and over for testing purposes. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions.
# frozen_string_literal: true
require 'socket'
# Use:
# First, run the server: ruby ./client_server.rb s
# Then, run the client: ruby ./client_server.rb c
# Use "netcat localhost 6666" on the command line to test
# without implementing a client.
# Returns false to close this client socket.
# Returns true to continue reading from this client socket.
def handle_client(client_id, client_socket, command)
# TODO: Define some type of client-server Protocol here.
case command
when /^set \w* \w* \d{1,7} \d{1,7}$/
puts "Running command for client #{client_id}: #{command}"
# This is just for testing purposes.
case rand(3)
when 0
client_socket.puts 'lines 0'
when 1
client_socket.puts 'lines 3'
client_socket.puts 'This is line 1.'
client_socket.puts 'This is line 2.'
client_socket.puts 'This is line 3.'
when 2
client_socket.puts 'The set command returned an error.'
end
when 'list'
puts "Responding to client #{client_id} with list of messages."
# This is just for testing purposes.
case rand(3)
when 0
client_socket.puts 'messages 0'
when 1
client_socket.puts 'messages 2'
client_socket.puts 'This is message 1.'
client_socket.puts 'This is message 2.'
when 2
client_socket.puts 'Unable to retrieve messages due to error.'
end
when 'bye'
puts "Killing client #{client_id}."
return false # Disconnect and kill the thread.
else
client_socket.puts "[ERROR] Invalid command: #{command}"
end
client_socket.flush # Flush all output just in case.
true # Continue connection.
end
case ARGV[0].to_s.downcase
when 's' # server
TCPServer.open(6666) do |server_socket|
global_client_id = 1
loop do
Thread.start(global_client_id, server_socket.accept) do |client_id, client_socket|
puts "Accepting new client #{client_id}."
loop do
command = client_socket.gets
if command.nil?
puts "Client #{client_id} disconnected manually."
break
end
command = command.strip
keep_alive = handle_client(client_id, client_socket, command)
break unless keep_alive
end
client_socket.close
end
global_client_id += 1
end
end
when 'c' # client
TCPSocket.open('localhost', 6666) do |socket|
puts '[Commands]'
puts 'set <word> <word> <num> <num> Run set command.'
puts 'list Get list of messages.'
puts 'exit, bye Exit the client.'
puts
loop do
print '> '
input = $stdin.gets.strip
# TODO: Define some type of client-server Protocol here.
case input
when /EXIT|BYE/i
socket.puts 'bye'
socket.flush
break
when /\Aset .+\z/
socket.puts input
socket.flush
response = socket.gets
if response.nil?
puts 'Server is not running anymore! Disconnecting.'
break
end
response = response.strip
match_data = response.match(/\Alines (?<lines>\d+)\z/)
if match_data
line_count = match_data[:lines].to_i
puts "Received #{line_count} lines from server."
1.upto(line_count) do |i|
line = socket.gets
puts ">> Resp[#{i}] #{line}"
end
else
# Can check for "response == 'ERROR'" or something.
puts "Server error or invalid response from server: #{response}"
end
when 'list'
socket.puts input
socket.flush
response = socket.gets
if response.nil?
puts 'Server is not running anymore! Disconnecting.'
break
end
response = response.strip
match_data = response.match(/\Amessages (?<messages>\d+)\z/)
if match_data
message_count = match_data[:messages].to_i
puts "Received #{message_count} messages from server."
1.upto(message_count) do |i|
line = socket.gets
puts ">> Resp[#{i}] #{line}"
end
else
# Can check for "response == 'ERROR'" or something.
puts "Server error or invalid response from server: #{response}"
end
else
puts "Invalid command: #{input}"
end
end
end
else
puts "Pass in 'c' for client or 's' for server."
end

Read data both ways TCPServer Ruby

im new in Ruby and Im trying to set up a TCPServer and a Client, but Im having trouble getting the data from the client to the server because for some reason when the client connects, the connection is freezed inside the while loop.
Here is the code:
server.rb
require "socket"
server = TCPServer.new 1234
test = ""
loop do
session = server.accept
puts "Entering enter code herewhile loop."
while line = session.gets
puts "Inside while loop"
test << line
end
puts "Finished reading data"
puts "Data recieved - #{test}" # Read data from client
session.write "Time is #{Time.now}" # Send data to clent
session.close
end
client.rb
require "socket"
socket = TCPSocket.open("localhost", 1234)
socket.puts "Sending data.." # Send data to server
while(line = socket.gets)
puts line
end # Print sever response
socket.close
The server prints "Inside while loop" one time, and then for some reason it never prints "Finished reading data" until I manually end the client connection, after the client ends the connection the server prints everything OK. How can I make this code work? Thanks!
IO#gets is a blocking call. It waits for either a new line from the underlying I/O stream, or the end of the stream. (in which case it returns nil)
In server.rb you have
while line = session.gets
puts "Inside while loop"
test << line
end
session.gets reads one line from your client, prints some debug info and appends the line to test. It then attempts to read another line from the client.
Your client.rb however never sends a seconds line, nor does it close the stream. It sends a single line:
socket.puts "Sending data.." # Send data to server
and then waits for a response:
while(line = socket.gets)
puts line
end
which never comes because the server is sitting in the while loop, waiting for more data from the client.
You can solve this by calling close_write after all data has been sent:
socket.puts "Sending data.." # Send data to server
socket.close_write # Close socket for further writing
Calling close_write instead of close allows you to still read from the socket. It will also cause the server's session.gets to return nil, so it can get out of its loop.

Ruby socket keep waiting for Response

I am new to Ruby programming, I am trying to build a simple echo server, but on client.gets it freezes. I am new to socket programming.
server.rb
require "socket"
require "tty/prompt"
socket = TCPServer.open("0.0.0.0", 3000)
prompt = TTY::Prompt.new
loop do
client = socket.accept
client.print prompt.ask("server >")
line = client.gets # freezes here
puts line
end
socket.close
client.rb
require "socket"
require "tty/prompt"
socket = TCPSocket.open("192.168.1.6", 3000)
prompt = TTY::Prompt.new
loop do
socket.print prompt.ask("client >")
puts socket.gets # freezes here
end
server.close
Values you get from prompt.ask, they don't include newline char. And you don't add one when you print data to the socket. So gets waits for end-of-line marker that never arrives (hence "freezing").
Solution: use socket.puts instead of socket.print (does the same thing, but adds a newline char at the end).

Ruby TCPServer: Accepting a known socket

I have a circumstance where my server may close TCPServer and restart, saving all the users to a file, and immediately reloading them; their connections do not sever.
The problem is I can't seem to reinitialize their streams.
When we restart (and attempt to maintain connections), I reinitialize TCPServer, and load my array of connected users – Since these each have an existing socket address, stored as <TCPSocket:0x00000000000000>, can I reinitialize these addresses with TCPServer?
Normally, each user connects and is accepted:
$nCS = TCPServer.new(HOST, PORT)
begin
while socket = $nCS.accept
Thread.new( socket ) do |sock|
begin
d = User.new(sock)
while sock.gets
szIn = $_.chomp
DBG( "Received '" + szIn + "' from Client " + sock.to_s )
d.parseInput( szIn )
end
rescue => e
$stdout.puts "ERROR: Caught error in Client Thread: #{e} \r\n #{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
sock.write("Sorry, an error has occurred, and you have been disconnected."+EOL+"Please try again later."+EOL)
d.closeConnection
end
end
end
rescue => e
$stdout.puts "ERROR: Caught error in Server Thread: #{e} \r\n #{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
exit
end
To give it a command to hot reboot, we use exec('./main --copyover') to flag that a copy over is occurring.
If $connected holds an array of all users, and each user has a socket, how do I reinitialize the socket that was open before the restart (assuming the other end is still connected)?
I suspect that using exec("./main", "--copyover", *$nCS, *$connected) is getting me closer, since this simply replaces the process, and should maintain the files (not close them).
You can't. The socket is only valid for the lifetime of the process: it is closed by the OS when the process exits. That in turn invalidates the connection, so the other end is not still connected.
How to Hot-Reboot a TCPServer in Ruby
Hot-Rebooting (aka Copyover) is a process by which an administrator can reload the application (along with any new changes made since last boot) without losing the client connections. This is useful in managing customer expectations as the application does not need to suffer severe downtime and disruption if in use.
What I propose below may not be the best practice, but it's functioning and perhaps will guide others to a similar solution.
The Command
I use a particular style of coding that makes use of command tables to find functions and their accessibility. All command functions are prefixed with cmd. I'll clean up the miscellany to improve readability:
def cmdCopyover
#$nCS is the TCPServer object
#$connected holds an array of all users sockets
#--copyover flags that this is a hot reboot.
connected_args = $connected.map do |sock|
sock.close_on_exec = false if sock.respond_to?(:close_on_exec=)
sock.fileno.to_s
end.join(",")
exec('./main.rb', '--copyover', $nCS.fileno.to_s, connected_args)
end
What we're passing are strings; $nCS.fileno.to_s provides us the file descriptor of the main TCPServer object, while connected_args is a comma-delineated list of file descriptors for each user connected. When we restart, ARGV will be an array holding each argument:
ARGV[0] == "--copyover"
ARGV[1] == "5" (Or whatever the file descriptor for TCPServer was)
ARGV[2] == "6,7,8,9" (Example, assuming 4 connected users)
What To Expect When You're Expecting (a Copyover)
Under normal circumstances, we may have a basic server (in main.rb that looks something like this:
puts "Starting Server"
$connected = Array.new
$nCS = TCPServer.new("127.0.0.1",9999)
begin
while socket = $nCS.accept
# NB: Move this loop to its own function, threadLoop()
Thread.new( socket ) do |sock|
begin
while sock.gets
szIn = $_.chomp
#do something with input.
end
rescue => e
puts "ERROR: Caught error in Client Thread: #{e}"
puts #{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
sock.write("Sorry, an error has occurred, and you have been disconnected."+EOL+"Please try again later."+EOL)
sock.close
end
end
end
rescue => e
puts "Error: Caught Error in Server Thread: #{e}"
puts "#{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
exit
end
We want to move that main loop to its own function to make it accessible -- our reconnecting users will need to be reinserted in the loop.
So let's get main.rb ready for accepting a hot reboot:
def threadLoop( socket )
Thread.new( socket ) do |sock|
begin
while sock.gets
szIn = $_.chomp
#do something with input.
end
rescue => e
puts "ERROR: Caught error in Client Thread: #{e}"
puts #{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
sock.write("Sorry, an error has occurred, and you have been disconnected."+EOL+"Please try again later."+EOL)
sock.close
end
end
end
puts "Starting Server"
$connected = Array.new
if ARGV[0] == '--copyover'
$nCS = TCPServer.for_fd( ARGV[1].to_i )
$nCS.close_on_exec = false if $nCS.respond_to?(:close_on_exec=)
connected_args = ARGV[2]
connected_args.split(/,/).map do |sockfd|
$connected << sockfd
$connected.each {|c| threadLoop( c ) }
else
$nCS = TCPServer.new("127.0.0.1",9999)
$nCS.close_on_exec = false if $nCS.respond_to?(:close_on_exec=)
end
begin
while socket = $nCS.accept
threadLoop( socket )
end
rescue => e
puts "Error: Caught Error in Server Thread: #{e}"
puts "#{e.backtrace.to_s.gsub(",", ",\r\n")}"
exit
end
Caveat
My actual usage was a lot more ridiculously complicated, so I did my best to strip out all the garbage; however, I was realizing when I got the end here that you could probably do without $connected (it's a part of a larger system for me). There may be some errors, so please comment if you find them and I'll correct.
Hope this helps anyone who finds it.

How can I only read one line of data from a TCPSocket in Ruby?

I'm using the following code to connect to a network service i'm writing (thats backed by EventMachine) and I'm having a bit of trouble getting into a situation allowing me to use one socket connection to execute multiple commands.
#!/usr/bin/env ruby
require 'socket'
opts = {
:address => "0.0.0.0",
:port => 2478
}
connection = TCPSocket.open opts[:address], opts[:port]
# Get ID
connection.print "ID something"
puts connection.read
# Status
connection.print "STATUS"
puts connection.read
# Close the connection
connection.close
Here's what my EventMachine server hander looks like...
module ConnectionHandler
def receive_data data
send_data "Some output #{data}"
end
end
However, my first ruby script hangs when it executes connection.read as I presume its waiting for the connection to close so it knows its got all of the data? This is not what I want to happen.
My socket server will just take one command (on one line) and return one line of output.
Any ideas how I can do this? Thanks.
It turns out the connection.gets method will return a line of data received if the server sends a response ending in a \n character. So I just added \n to the end of my send_data call and switch to using puts connection.gets and it worked great!

Resources