Socket.getInputStream() doesn't initialise empty

Question

I would appreciate any help with the following:
When using a stream socket to transfer a file from a server to a client, I seem to have trouble with the first byte in the socket input steam.
I have isolated the code down to the following:
SERVER CODE
OutputStream os = sock.getOutputStream();
int b = 33; // pick an integer to send
System.out.println("\nFIRST BYTE=" + b); /// here see 33 ok
os.write(b);
os.close();
CLIENT CODE
InputStream is = sock.getInputStream();
int b = is.read(); //<<<< here for some reason b = 10????
System.out.println("\nFIRST BYTE=" + b); /// here display is 10
I do not get this problem with other inputstreams from System.in (ie. keyboard) or file, only get this problem with the socket inputSteam where first byte is always 10 (I think this is a newline char) , then the following bytes are fine. I am going around in circles trying to figure this one out.
Note: a work around is to simply read the first byte and discard but this is not explaining the problem.
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Thanks for the replies, I have finally nutted out the problem. For those of you interested . . .
The fact that that the byte value was 10 (ie linefeed) gave some hints, finally found a stray �\n� was still in inputstream waiting to be read due to an earlier loop error of mine.
I thought I was instantiating a new inputstream object but in fact was creating and alias for an already created object (containing a left over �\n�).
Problem solved!
I have learnt a lot in the 6hrs of pondering this �simple� problem.
Thanks again