Simple communication using java.net.Socket

If you try it target to new version of Android, you will face the error of NetworkOnMainThreadException, refer to the post android.os.NetworkOnMainThreadException.
updated@2013-08-28

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java.net.Socket provides a client-side TCP socket. It's a simple exercise to implement Socket communication, on Android as a client.



In the next exercises, I will implement a local Socket Server in Eclipse. Such that you can try the linking between Android device/emulator and the local socket server.

The server runs in local, so I have to know my IP, refer to last article "How to check my ip in Linux" to check your own ip. It's 192.168.1.101 in my case. Modify the code with your own ip.

socket = new Socket(< Your ip >, 8888);

package com.exercise.AndroidClient;

import java.io.DataInputStream;
import java.io.DataOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.net.UnknownHostException;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class AndroidClient extends Activity {

EditText textOut;
TextView textIn;

 /** Called when the activity is first created. */
 @Override
 public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
     super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
     setContentView(R.layout.main);
  
     textOut = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.textout);
     Button buttonSend = (Button)findViewById(R.id.send);
     textIn = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.textin);
     buttonSend.setOnClickListener(buttonSendOnClickListener);
 }

 Button.OnClickListener buttonSendOnClickListener
 = new Button.OnClickListener(){

@Override
public void onClick(View arg0) {
 // TODO Auto-generated method stub
 Socket socket = null;
 DataOutputStream dataOutputStream = null;
 DataInputStream dataInputStream = null;

 try {
  socket = new Socket("192.168.1.101", 8888);
  dataOutputStream = new DataOutputStream(socket.getOutputStream());
  dataInputStream = new DataInputStream(socket.getInputStream());
  dataOutputStream.writeUTF(textOut.getText().toString());
  textIn.setText(dataInputStream.readUTF());
 } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
  // TODO Auto-generated catch block
  e.printStackTrace();
 } catch (IOException e) {
  // TODO Auto-generated catch block
  e.printStackTrace();
 }
 finally{
  if (socket != null){
   try {
    socket.close();
   } catch (IOException e) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
   }
  }

  if (dataOutputStream != null){
   try {
    dataOutputStream.close();
   } catch (IOException e) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
   }
  }

  if (dataInputStream != null){
   try {
    dataInputStream.close();
   } catch (IOException e) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
   }
  }
 }
}};
}

main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
 android:orientation="vertical"
 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
 android:layout_height="fill_parent"
 >
<TextView
 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 android:text="@string/hello"
 />
<EditText
 android:id="@+id/textout"
 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 />
<Button
 android:id="@+id/send"
 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 android:text="Send"
 />
<TextView
 android:id="@+id/textin"
 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 />
</LinearLayout>

Also, you have to grand permission for the App to access internet, by adding the code in AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>

Download the files.

Related:
- Android Server/Client example - server side using ServerSocket
- Android Server/Client example - client side using Socket

*** Updated example: Bi-directional communication between Client and Server, using ServerSocket, Socket, DataInputStream and DataOutputStream.