sending variable from server program to client program (with ack)

ok to start, windows based program, using pelles c ide

winsock2, using "sample" codes, able to connect, BUT no clue what 1/2 of the codes do, and most of the coding is for nix based systems!

trying to understand, and implement a minimal amount of code to add to a current menu based program!

being able to open connection, wait for input from server, receive input, acknowledge the input, then "act" then return to waiting for new input.

or vice versa, server waiting on client (but then server would have to send all the current status`s to client, so that client could be in real time, prob by sending an array from server to client)

not asking anyone to DO this for me (as some of you already know I don't play that game, as "tutor" or "student" on here!)

just need to know ON WINDOWS!!! where to even start!!

This may help you:
Using Winsock (Windows) - MSDN

Or Beej's Guide to Network Programming

Apart from some Windows specific startup and shutdown, network programming is pretty similar between most systems.

beej`s guide was good, but confusing trying to edit it to fix the errors I get from the windows side!

the MSDN is more API then I want to deal with!

is there a "simplier" c based, no api type programming for sockets?

Or you could just post your error messages, and then learn something new.

ok this is one I found made for windows.
no idea what 3/4 of it means or how it does what it does!
especially the WPI type commands (something.something.something)

trying to take this idea,
get variable a,b,c from server, and send to client(s)
(late on going to tey to sent data to specific clients)

receive message that data was received

then wait for next input

quit session if exit.

Code:

---

/*
 Server on port 8888
*/
#include<io.h>
#include<stdio.h>
#include<winsock2.h>
#pragma comment(lib,"ws2_32.lib") //Winsock Library
int main(void)
{
 WSADATA wsa;
 SOCKET s , new_socket;
 struct sockaddr_in server , client;
 
 if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,2),&wsa) != 0)
 {
  printf("Failed. Error Code : %d",WSAGetLastError());
  return 1;
 }
 
 //Create a socket
 if((s = socket(AF_INET , SOCK_STREAM , 0 )) == INVALID_SOCKET)
 {
  printf("Could not create socket : %d" , WSAGetLastError());
 }
 //Prepare the sockaddr_in structure
 server.sin_family = AF_INET;
 server.sin_addr.s_addr = INADDR_ANY;
 server.sin_port = htons( 8888 );
 
 //Bind
 if( bind(s ,(struct sockaddr *)&server , sizeof(server)) == SOCKET_ERROR)
 {
  printf("Bind failed with error code : %d" , WSAGetLastError());
  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
 //Listen to incoming connections
 listen(s , 3);
 
 //Accept and incoming connection
 puts("Waiting for incoming connections...");
 
 c = sizeof(struct sockaddr_in);
 
 if( (new_socket = accept(s , (struct sockaddr *)&client, &c)) != INVALID_SOCKET )
 {
  puts("Connection accepted");
 
  //Reply to the client
  message = "Hello Client , I have received your connection. But I have to go now, bye\n";
  send(new_socket , message , strlen(message) , 0);
 }
 
 if (new_socket == INVALID_SOCKET)
 {
  printf("accept failed with error code : %d" , WSAGetLastError());
  return 1;
 }
 closesocket(s);
 WSACleanup();
 
 return 0;
}

---

So apart from undeclared message, what else do you see?

I don't have windows, so you have to do all the detailed testing.

Try stepping through the code using a debugger, or add plenty of
printf("DEBUG: got to line %d\n", __LINE__ );

or
printf("DEBUG: var is %d\n", someIntVariable );

sorry I missed copy and paste of a part!

basically, I do not know winsock, so I am basically asking for a "flow chart" of sorts of how to do this

would rather start a program myself and do it, instead of using something like this program!


so I need a walkthrough. like step X do this. so I can code it.

like first step would be to include the librarys, second step variables, third step init socket.

after that I am lost!

ok started a new from nothing, going down steps...

Code:

---


#include <winsock2.h>
#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#define PORT "8888"
int main(void)
{
 WSADATA wsaData;
 int socket_desc;
 struct sockaddr_in server_addr;
 if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,0), &wsaData) != 0)
  {
  fprintf(stderr, "WSAStartup failed.\n");
  exit(1);
  }
 else
  {
  fprintf(stderr, "WSAStartup Success.\n");
  }

    socket_desc = socket(AF_INET , SOCK_STREAM , 0);
   
 if (socket_desc == -1)
  {
  printf("Could not create socket.\n");
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Socket Created.\n");
  }
 
 int retcode = bind(socket_desc, (struct sockaddr *)&server_addr, sizeof(server_addr));
 
 if (retcode == -1)
  {
  printf("Could not bind socket.\n");
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Socket bound.\n");
  }
 
 WSACleanup();
 return 0;
}

---

so far, starts sock, opens socket, fails with the bind to socket part! (learning it as I go!)

changed the code to

Code:

---


#include <winsock2.h>
#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#define PORT 8888
int main(void)
{
 WSADATA wsaData;
 int socket_desc;
 struct sockaddr_in server_addr;
 
 server_addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
   
   
 if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,0), &wsaData) != 0)
  {
  printf("WSAStartup failed.\n");
  exit(1);
  }
 else
  {
  printf("WSAStartup Success.\n");
  }

    socket_desc = socket(AF_INET , SOCK_STREAM , 0);
   
 if (socket_desc == -1)
  {
  printf("Could not create socket.\n");
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Socket Created.\n");
  }
 
 
 int retcode = bind(socket_desc, (struct sockaddr*)&server_addr, sizeof(server_addr));
 
 if (retcode < 0)
  {
  fprintf(stderr,"Server: bind() failed with error %d\n", WSAGetLastError());
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Socket bound.\n");
  }
 
 WSACleanup();
 return 0;
}

---

BTW using fprintf just for my errors!
getting "bind() failed with error 10049"

being an address prob I think, but no idea how, why, or anything!

any ideas tips etc? like I said, this is all new to me, so looking to learn it as I go!



//-----UPDATE-----//

fixed it by

Code:

---

server_addr.sin_addr.s_addr = INADDR_ANY;

---

NOW WHAT? lol seriously what is my next step?

> NOW WHAT? lol seriously what is my next step?
You could look up the error message on MSDN
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...=vs.85%29.aspx

You could google your error message, perhaps say
c - bind() fails with windows socket error 10049 - Stack Overflow

Which recommends doing something you're not doing.

guess you missed the "fixed the bind"

now what ment, what is my next step!

working on the accept() part.

will post code in a few!

//-----update-----//

Code:

---


#include <winsock2.h>
#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#define PORT 8888
int main(void)
{
 WSADATA wsaData;
 int socket_desc;
 struct sockaddr_in server_addr, client_addr;
 
 server_addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
 server_addr.sin_addr.s_addr = INADDR_ANY;
 server_addr.sin_port = htons(PORT);
   
 if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,0), &wsaData) != 0)
  {
  fprintf(stderr,"Server: WSAStartup failed.\n", WSAGetLastError());
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Server: WSAStartup Success.\n");
  }

    socket_desc = socket(AF_INET , SOCK_STREAM , 0);
   
 if (socket_desc == -1)
  {
  fprintf(stderr,"Server: Could not create socket.\n", WSAGetLastError());
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Server: Socket Created.\n");
  }
 
 
 int retcode = bind(socket_desc, (struct sockaddr*)&server_addr, sizeof(server_addr));
 
 if (retcode < 0)
  {
  fprintf(stderr,"Server: bind() failed with error %d\n", WSAGetLastError());
  }
 else
  {
  printf("Server: Socket bound.\n");
  }
 if (listen(socket_desc,5) == SOCKET_ERROR)
  {
            fprintf(stderr,"Server: listen() failed with error %d\n", WSAGetLastError());
        }
 else
  {
  printf("Server: listen() is OK.\n");
  }
    printf("Server: I'm listening and waiting connection on port %d\n\n", PORT);
 while(1)
 {
  int fromlen =sizeof(client_addr);
       
  if (accept(socket_desc, (struct sockaddr*)&client_addr, &fromlen) < 0)
  {
    fprintf(stderr,"Server: accept() error %d\n", WSAGetLastError());
  }
  else
  {
    printf("Server: accept() is OK.\n");
    printf("Server: accepted connection from %s, port %d\n", inet_ntoa(client_addr.sin_addr), htons(client_addr.sin_port));
  }
 }
 WSACleanup();
 return 0;
}

---

OK, have a few errors, mostly "infiniate and code not reachable" no prob to me, because I am not done yet!
but lost to "Result of comparison is constant."
now really don't know what to do next!!!

do I keep the loop where it is, and put a receive in the loop, or do I unloop the listen, and make a loop with receive?

and also might need help on the receive part!