[java] Java: Converting String to and from ByteBuffer and associated problems

I am using Java NIO for my socket connections, and my protocol is text based, so I need to be able to convert Strings to ByteBuffers before writing them to the SocketChannel, and convert the incoming ByteBuffers back to Strings. Currently, I am using this code:

public static Charset charset = Charset.forName("UTF-8");
public static CharsetEncoder encoder = charset.newEncoder();
public static CharsetDecoder decoder = charset.newDecoder();

public static ByteBuffer str_to_bb(String msg){
  try{
    return encoder.encode(CharBuffer.wrap(msg));
  }catch(Exception e){e.printStackTrace();}
  return null;
}

public static String bb_to_str(ByteBuffer buffer){
  String data = "";
  try{
    int old_position = buffer.position();
    data = decoder.decode(buffer).toString();
    // reset buffer's position to its original so it is not altered:
    buffer.position(old_position);  
  }catch (Exception e){
    e.printStackTrace();
    return "";
  }
  return data;
}

This works most of the time, but I question if this is the preferred (or simplest) way to do each direction of this conversion, or if there is another way to try. Occasionally, and seemingly at random, calls to encode() and decode() will throw a java.lang.IllegalStateException: Current state = FLUSHED, new state = CODING_END exception, or similar, even if I am using a new ByteBuffer object each time a conversion is done. Do I need to synchronize these methods? Any better way to convert between Strings and ByteBuffers? Thanks!

Answer by Adamski is a good one and describes the steps in an encoding operation when using the general encode method (that takes a byte buffer as one of the inputs)

However, the method in question (in this discussion) is a variant of encode - encode(CharBuffer in). This is a convenience method that implements the entire encoding operation. (Please see java docs reference in P.S.)

As per the docs, This method should therefore not be invoked if an encoding operation is already in progress (which is what is happening in ZenBlender's code -- using static encoder/decoder in a multi threaded environment).

Personally, I like to use convenience methods (over the more general encode/decode methods) as they take away the burden by performing all the steps under the covers.

ZenBlender and Adamski have already suggested multiple ways options to safely do this in their comments. Listing them all here:

• Create a new encoder/decoder object when needed for each operation (not efficient as it could lead to a large number of objects). OR,
• Use a ThreadLocal to avoid creating new encoder/decoder for each operation. OR,
• Synchronize the entire encoding/decoding operation (this might not be preferred unless sacrificing some concurrency is ok for your program)

P.S.

java docs references:

1. Encode (convenience) method: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/nio/charset/CharsetEncoder.html#encode%28java.nio.CharBuffer%29
2. General encode method: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/nio/charset/CharsetEncoder.html#encode%28java.nio.CharBuffer,%20java.nio.ByteBuffer,%20boolean%29

Unless things have changed, you're better off with

public static ByteBuffer str_to_bb(String msg, Charset charset){
    return ByteBuffer.wrap(msg.getBytes(charset));
}

public static String bb_to_str(ByteBuffer buffer, Charset charset){
    byte[] bytes;
    if(buffer.hasArray()) {
        bytes = buffer.array();
    } else {
        bytes = new byte[buffer.remaining()];
        buffer.get(bytes);
    }
    return new String(bytes, charset);
}

Usually buffer.hasArray() will be either always true or always false depending on your use case. In practice, unless you really want it to work under any circumstances, it's safe to optimize away the branch you don't need.