How to transfer file from one client to another client?

Question

hello,
i have some questions and hope you all can help me..thanks a lot first..
Here are the questions:
i) How can i send a file from one client to another client using RMI?
ii) Does the client(sender) need to send the file to server, then server save it and then send it to another client(receiver)?
iii) If using RMI, a client can receive two files from same client(sender) or different client(sender) at a same time? how to do it? when both of the files come in from same port, how to differenciate them?
iv) For your information, i am doing the File Transfer Server-client application which sender can send any file to other client. Can you give me any ideas? thanks..
Last, thanks again..

Answer 1

Your questions reflect some ambiguity in terms.
"Client" and "server" are commonly used in two different senses:
1. Technical sense: A client process makes requests, and a server process fulfills the request (provides a service).
2. IT sense: A client computer (process) makes requests of a server (computer) process, and the server (computer) processes the request.
In the first case, any computer might be a client, or a server, or both, depending on the processes being executed. In the second case, the computers are assigned some role.
So: If you wanted to, you could implement client/server processes communicating between two peer computers, using RMI.
This may not be what you wanted; if you really want to distinguish client and server computers, then the answer is that yes, you will probably put files into intermediate storage on the server computer.
Finally, you probably do not have to worry about port conflicts if you use RMI; while the initial client server contact is established through a registry operating on a standard port, the actual RMI communications is established using random ports, one for each link.