Multiple socket connections?

[Scarr]

Hi again,

OK here is some code I nicked from web and I have changed some things, it works but only accepting one client, how do I make this accept multiple clients?

Imports System.Net.Sockets
Imports System.Text
lass TCPSrv
    Shared Sub Main()
        ' Must listen on correct port- must be same as port client wants to connect on.
        Const portNumber As Integer = 29999
        Dim tcpListener As New TcpListener(portNumber)
        tcpListener.Start()
        Console.WriteLine("Waiting for connection...")
        Try
            'Accept the pending client connection and return a TcpClient initialized for communication. 
            Dim tcpClient As TcpClient = tcpListener.AcceptTcpClient()
            Console.WriteLine("Connection accepted.")
            Do While tcpClient.Connected = True
                ' Get the stream
                Dim networkStream As NetworkStream = tcpClient.GetStream()
                ' Read the stream into a byte array
                Dim bytes(tcpClient.ReceiveBufferSize) As Byte
                Dim bytecount As Integer = networkStream.Read(bytes, 0, CInt(tcpClient.ReceiveBufferSize))
                If bytecount > 0 Then
                    ' Return the data received from the client to the console.
                    Dim clientdata As String = Encoding.ASCII.GetString(bytes, 0, bytecount)
                    Console.WriteLine(clientdata)
                    Dim responseString As String = "OK"
                    Dim sendBytes As [Byte]() = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(responseString)
                    networkStream.Write(sendBytes, 0, sendBytes.Length)
                    Console.WriteLine(responseString)
                    'Any communication with the remote client using the TcpClient can go here.
                    'Close TcpListener and TcpClient.
                Else
                    tcpClient.Close()
                End If
            Loop
            Console.WriteLine("Client disconnected")
    Catch e As Exception
        tcpListener.Stop()
        Console.WriteLine(e.ToString())
    End Try
    End Sub
End Class

Thanks and sorry for asking probably stupid questions!

Steve

[jmcilhinney]

When you call AcceptTcpClient, it will return a TcpClient when someone connects. If you want to accept another connection then you have to call AcceptTcpClient again.

It's not really practical to use a Console application as a server like that. You might like to follow the CodeBank link in my signature and check out my Asynchronous TCP thread, which includes a WinForms server that accepts an unlimited number of connections. If you didn't want a UI then you'd create a Windows service, which is what a real server would likely be.

[Scarr]

Thanks jmcilhinney

Sorry for being thick but I have looked at your example a lot! and whilst I think I might understand it in a few years at the moment its well beyond me

Even just using it as a DLL is beyond me as VB.NET is so new to me even the wording is taking some time to get used to. Now, if it was a matter of "Add TCPServer to your references, then pick up and drop the TCPServer control onto your form and away you go" I might have been able to do work with it he he.

So I have gone back and looked at my TCPServer and your comments, I understand that a object is being created with "Dim tcpClient As TcpClient = tcpListener.AcceptTcpClient()" and that simply creating another would allow another connection, what I can't get my head round is how?

Maybe its because its a console app and not a WinForms app, The console idea was not my choice just the code I found on the web that I could understand.

OK current status is that I have thrown the code away and found some other code that says it will accept multiple connections however it again is console based, I created a Form1 and added a ListBox1 to show status, I have included the code and I know why it fails because my "Accept/Create Clients loop" is in the New method of Form1, but I cannot for the life of my think where it should be! my head is now spinning and I feel like going back to VB6 but I WONT!

Code in the Form1.vb

Imports System.Net
Imports System.Net.Sockets
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Text

Public Class Form1

    Public Sub New()

        ' This call is required by the designer.
        InitializeComponent()

        Dim serverSocket As New TcpListener(29999)
        Dim clientSocket As TcpClient
        Dim counter As Integer

        serverSocket.Start()
        Me.ListBox1.Items.Add("Server Started")
        counter = 0
        While (True)
            counter += 1
            clientSocket = serverSocket.AcceptTcpClient()
            Me.ListBox1.Items.Add("Client No:" + Convert.ToString(counter) + " started!")
            Dim client As New handleClinet
            client.startClient(clientSocket, Convert.ToString(counter))
        End While

        clientSocket.Close()
        serverSocket.Stop()
        Me.ListBox1.Items.Add("exit")
        Console.ReadLine()
    End Sub

End Class

Code in a TCPServ.vb

    ByVal clineNo As String)
        Me.clientSocket = inClientSocket
        Me.clNo = clineNo
        Dim ctThread As Threading.Thread = New Threading.Thread(AddressOf doChat)
        ctThread.Start()
    End Sub

    Private Sub doChat()
        Dim requestCount As Integer
        Dim bytesFrom(10024) As Byte
        Dim dataFromClient As String
        Dim sendBytes As [Byte]()
        Dim serverResponse As String
        Dim rCount As String
        requestCount = 0

        While (True)
            Try
                requestCount = requestCount + 1
                Dim networkStream As NetworkStream = clientSocket.GetStream()
                networkStream.Read(bytesFrom, 0, CInt(clientSocket.ReceiveBufferSize))
                dataFromClient = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(bytesFrom)
                dataFromClient = _
            dataFromClient.Substring(0, dataFromClient.IndexOf("$"))
                Form1.ListBox1.Items.Add("From client-" + clNo + dataFromClient)
                rCount = Convert.ToString(requestCount)
                serverResponse = "Server to clinet(" + clNo + ") " + rCount
                sendBytes = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(serverResponse)
                networkStream.Write(sendBytes, 0, sendBytes.Length)
                networkStream.Flush()
                Form1.ListBox1.Items.Add(serverResponse)
            Catch ex As Exception
                Form1.ListBox1.Items.Add(ex.ToString)
            End Try

        End While

    End Sub
End Class

Really sorry for being a newbie but as a older person I think it gets harder each time you learn a new language