Bizzare ObjectOutputStream problem

Question

I'm not sure if this should be in network or what, but I figure this forum gets more traffic so I'll ask here first.
I'm making a simple client/server lobby-like program for a game I'm working on. It works by the client sending a request or information to the server, then the server processing the request or info. I'm using ObjectOutput and ObjectInput Streams at the moment, but I've run into a problem with the object output stream.
The problem is:
    public void handleRequest(Request p) throws IOException
        System.out.println("Sending request code: " + p.getType());
        outStream.writeInt(p.getType());    
        //outStream.writeObject(null);
        System.out.println("Request sent.");
        switch(p.getType())
            case Packet.GET_SERVER_CLIENTCOUNT:
                int clientCount = inStream.readInt();
                System.out.println("Retrieving client count!");
                System.out.println("Connected Clients: " + clientCount);
                break;
    }Doesn't work, it says it sends the request, but the server never receieves the request (it hangs at the int var = inStream.readInt() on the server)
Now, if I uncomment that outStream.writeObject(null); it works with no problems.
The only way it works is if I write an object immediately after I write the int, even if the object is null.
This is the server-side code:
            try
                System.out.println("Reading next request");
                int code = inStream.readInt();
                System.out.println("Request Code: " + code);
                processRequest(code);
            }I've tried flushing the stream at various spots, and that does nothing. Writing a null shouldn't kill performance, but obviously there must be a better way of fixing this. Very strange. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Edit:
After more testing, it seems even that solution isn't working correctly. It seems like things aren't being read at either end after one or two requests are sent. If anyone has any stream suggestions, it would be much obliged.
Edited by: Snoop on Dec 2, 2007 8:23 PM

Answer 1

if it happens only after a few request/responses we will need more code to be able to help you properly.