sockets -- basic udp client

[7stud]

My question pertains to this example:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import socket, sys, time

host = sys.argv[1]
textport = sys.argv[2]

s = socket.socket(s ocket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGR AM)
try:
port = int(textport)
except ValueError:
# That didn't work. Look it up instread.
port = socket.getservb yname(textport, 'udp')

s.connect((host , port))
print "Enter data to transmit: "
data = sys.stdin.readl ine().strip()
s.sendall(data)
s.shutdown(1)
print "Looking for replies; press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to stop."
while 1:
buf = s.recv(2048)
if not len(buf):
break
print "Received: %s" % buf


As far as I can tell, the if statement:

if not len(buf):
break

does nothing. Either recv() is going to read some data or it's going
to block. My understanding is that udp sockets do not have a
connection, so the server can't close the connection--hich would cause
a blank string to be sent to the client.

So, as far as I can tell, the only way that code would make sense is
if the server were programmed to send a blank string to the client
after it sent data to the client. Is that correct?

[Gabriel Genellina]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

En Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:24:19 -0200, 7stud <bbxx789_05ss@y ahoo.com>
escribió:

My question pertains to this example:
>
#!/usr/bin/env python
>
import socket, sys, time
>
host = sys.argv[1]
textport = sys.argv[2]
>
s = socket.socket(s ocket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGR AM)
try:
port = int(textport)
except ValueError:
# That didn't work. Look it up instread.
port = socket.getservb yname(textport, 'udp')
>
s.connect((host , port))
print "Enter data to transmit: "
data = sys.stdin.readl ine().strip()
s.sendall(data)
s.shutdown(1)
print "Looking for replies; press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to stop."
while 1:
buf = s.recv(2048)
if not len(buf):
break
print "Received: %s" % buf
>
>
As far as I can tell, the if statement:
>
if not len(buf):
break
>
does nothing. Either recv() is going to read some data or it's going
to block. My understanding is that udp sockets do not have a
connection, so the server can't close the connection--hich would cause
a blank string to be sent to the client.
>
So, as far as I can tell, the only way that code would make sense is
if the server were programmed to send a blank string to the client
after it sent data to the client. Is that correct?

That example is plain wrong; looks like some TCP code but with SOCK_STREAM
blindy replaced with SOCK_DGRAM. connect, sendall and recv are not used
for UDP; sendto and recvfrom are used instead. There are some examples in
the Demo python directory.

--
Gabriel Genellina

[7stud]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

On Feb 15, 6:48 pm, "Gabriel Genellina" <gagsl-...@yahoo.com.a r>
wrote:

En Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:24:19 -0200, 7stud <bbxx789_0...@y ahoo.com 
escribió:
>
>
>

My question pertains to this example:

>

#!/usr/bin/env python

>

import socket, sys, time

>

host = sys.argv[1]
textport = sys.argv[2]

>

s = socket.socket(s ocket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGR AM)
try:
    port = int(textport)
except ValueError:
    # That didn't work.  Look it up instread.
    port = socket.getservb yname(textport, 'udp')

>

s.connect((host , port))
print "Enter data to transmit: "
data = sys.stdin.readl ine().strip()
s.sendall(data)
s.shutdown(1)
print "Looking for replies; press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to stop."
while 1:
    buf = s.recv(2048)
    if not len(buf):
        break
    print "Received: %s" % buf

>

As far as I can tell, the if statement:

>

if not len(buf):
   break

>

does nothing.  Either recv() is going to read some data or it's going
to block.   My understanding is that udp sockets do not have a
connection, so the server can't close the connection--hich would cause
a blank string to be sent to the client.

>

So, as far as I can tell, the only way that code would make sense is
if the server were programmed to send a blank string to the client
after it sent data to the client.  Is that correct?

>
That example is plain wrong; looks like some TCP code but with SOCK_STREAM 
blindy replaced with SOCK_DGRAM. connect, sendall and recv are not used  
for UDP; sendto and recvfrom are used instead. There are some examples in  
the Demo python directory.
>
--
Gabriel Genellina

On Feb 15, 6:48 pm, "Gabriel Genellina" <gagsl-...@yahoo.com.a r>
wrote:

En Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:24:19 -0200, 7stud <bbxx789_0...@y ahoo.com 
escribió:
>
>
>

My question pertains to this example:

>

#!/usr/bin/env python

>

import socket, sys, time

>

host = sys.argv[1]
textport = sys.argv[2]

>

s = socket.socket(s ocket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGR AM)
try:
    port = int(textport)
except ValueError:
    # That didn't work.  Look it up instread.
    port = socket.getservb yname(textport, 'udp')

>

s.connect((host , port))
print "Enter data to transmit: "
data = sys.stdin.readl ine().strip()
s.sendall(data)
s.shutdown(1)
print "Looking for replies; press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to stop."
while 1:
    buf = s.recv(2048)
    if not len(buf):
        break
    print "Received: %s" % buf

>

As far as I can tell, the if statement:

>

if not len(buf):
   break

>

does nothing.  Either recv() is going to read some data or it's going
to block.   My understanding is that udp sockets do not have a
connection, so the server can't close the connection--which would cause
a blank string to be sent to the client.

>

So, as far as I can tell, the only way that code would make sense is
if the server were programmed to send a blank string to the client
after it sent data to the client.  Is that correct?

>
That example is plain wrong; looks like some TCP code but with SOCK_STREAM 
blindy replaced with SOCK_DGRAM. connect, sendall and recv are not used  
for UDP; sendto and recvfrom are used instead. There are some examples in  
the Demo python directory.
>

Yes, I agree it's a poor example--it's from 'Foundations of Python
Network Programming'--but it does 'work'. It also doesn't appear to
be a tcp client that was converted too directly into a udp client
because the previously presented tcp examples are different.

Here is the example above converted to a more straightforward udp
client that isolates the part I am asking about:

import socket, sys

host = 'localhost' #sys.argv[1]
port = 3300
s = socket.socket(s ocket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGR AM)


data = 'hello world'
num_sent = 0
while num_sent < len(data):
num_sent += s.sendto(data, (host, port))


print "Looking for replies; press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to stop."
while 1:
buf = s.recv(2048)

#Will the following if statement do anything?
if not len(buf):
break

print "Received from server: %s" % buf



Another question I have pertains to the docs here:

getservbyname(s ervicename[, protocolname])
Translate an Internet service name and protocol name to a port number
for that service. The optional protocol name, if given, should be
'tcp' or 'udp', otherwise any protocol will match.


What does a 'servicename' look like?

[7stud]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

On Feb 16, 6:32 am, "Gabriel Genellina" <gagsl-...@yahoo.com.a r>
wrote:

That example is plain wrong; looks like some TCP code but with  
SOCK_STREAM  
blindy replaced with SOCK_DGRAM. connect, sendall and recv are not used 
for UDP; sendto and recvfrom are used instead. There are some examples  
in  
the Demo python directory.

>

Yes, I agree it's a poor example--it's from 'Foundations of Python
Network Programming'--but it does 'work'.  It also doesn't appear to
be a tcp client that was converted too directly into a udp client
because the previously presented tcp examples are different.

>
Ok, you *can* use those functions with datagrams too, but it's confusing  
(at least for the very first UDP example!)
>

Yes, I agree. The book is well written, but the introductory examples
and a lack of explanation of the finer details is a disaster.

Another question I have pertains to the docs here:

>

getservbyname(s ervicename[, protocolname])
Translate an Internet service name and protocol name to a port number
for that service. The optional protocol name, if given, should be
'tcp' or 'udp', otherwise any protocol will match.

>

What does a 'servicename' look like?

>
pyimport socket
pysocket.getser vbyname("http")
80
pysocket.getser vbyname("smtp")
25
>
On Linux the mapping ports<->services is in /etc/services; on Windows see  
%windir%\system 32\drivers\etc\ services
>
--
Gabriel Genellina

Thanks.

[rluse1@gmail.com]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

If you don't care about the address of the sender, e.g. you are not
going to send anything back, is there an advantage to using recv()?
Or, as a matter of course should you always use recvfrom() with udp
sockets?


I don't know of a reason why you couldn't use recvfrom() all the time,
and that is what I do. However, I also don't see a reason why you
should
not use recv() if you don't care who the message comes from.
Historically,
though, the ultimate authority on this kind of stuff is

Richard Stevens and his Unix and TCP/IP books

I recommend these books if you want to get into network programming.

Cheers,
Bob

[Paul Rubin]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

"rluse1@gmail.c om" <rluse1@gmail.c omwrites:

Historically, though, the ultimate authority on this kind of stuff is
Richard Stevens and his Unix and TCP/IP books
>
I recommend these books if you want to get into network programming.

I keep wanting to get that book, but it gets older and older. Have
things really not changed since it was written?

[Steve Holden]

Re: sockets -- basic udp client

Paul Rubin wrote:

"rluse1@gmail.c om" <rluse1@gmail.c omwrites:

>Historically , though, the ultimate authority on this kind of stuff is
>Richard Stevens and his Unix and TCP/IP books
>>
>I recommend these books if you want to get into network programming.

>
I keep wanting to get that book, but it gets older and older. Have
things really not changed since it was written?

TCP is much like a funicular railway: it's been around long enough that
the basic engineering principles are known and the basic bugs have been
ironed out. Stevens is still an excellent reference.

regards
Steve
--
Steve Holden +1 571 484 6266 +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC http://www.holdenweb.com/