NIO: Strange problem when using ByteBuffer with non-blocking SocketChannel

Question

Hi,
I have a server that uses multiplexed, non-blocking I/O with java.nio. When a client connects, the server waits for the message: <system cmd="knock"/>, returns a message and disconnects the client. The clients are shortly serviced in less than a second.
But the server newer receive anything from about 20% of the clients - even though it is sent. Or with other words: it is received and the data is contained in the ByteBuffer - SocketChannel.read(ByteBuffer) - but a call to ByteBuffer.remaing() returns 0 !!
ByteBuffer receiveBuf = ByteBuffer.allocate(65536);
receiveBuf.clear(); // the code is elsewhere used for longer living clients
int readBytes = channel.read(receiveBuf);
receiveBuf.flip();
StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
System.out.println(" * Remaining: "+receiveBuf.remaining()); // writes: ' * Remaining: 0'
System.out.println(" * Received: "+new String(receiveBuf.array())); // writes: ' * Received: <system cmd="knock"/>'
while(receiveBuf.remaining() >= 2) {
  byte b = receiveBuf.get();
  sb.append((char)b);
System.out.println(" * sb content: "+sb.toString()); // writes: ' * sb content: 'The ByteBuffer clearly receives the correct data, but the ByteBuffer.remaining() returns 0 and therefore the StringBuffer will never have any content.
The problem seems to occur randomly and for about 20% of the clients (simulated from the same computer and therefore has the same bandwidth and so on).
Anyone knows what is going on, and how to solve the problem !?

Answer 1

It's always possible in any read that the number of bytes read is less than the number of bytes requested. You need to keep reading until you have got everything you expected, and cope with every possible error condition on each iteration.
EJP