Sending a bit stream instead of a string stream by means of descriptors

[RyanSantos]

I need to implement a socket protocol that uses bits and bytes instead of strings in Symbian C++. Since the sockets can only write in descriptors and send data by means of descriptors, I need a way to edit the descriptor bit by bit. I need a function that concatenates TUint8 or TUint16 values into one long array of bits which the socket will send out as a bit/byte stream. I need something like an RFile::Read() which puts bits into a descriptor. Can anyone give suggestions how this can be done?

The AppendNum() functions of descriptors convert the bytes/bits into their character equivalent. So I think that I cannot use that.

[symbianyucca]

you could put a byte to byte-descriptor by doing something like this:

TBuf8<2> iBuffer;

iBuffer.Append(_L(" "));
iBuffer[i] = 0xFF;

The first line is used to first extend the buffer with one character byte and the second line is used to assign the real value to it.

yucca

[RyanSantos]

So I would need to work with TBuf before I append it to an HBufC? Would this be the way to send an indefinite length of bits/bytes through sockets?

[symbianyucca]

No, you could also work with HBufC directly, by using the Des()-function offered by this class.

yucca

[RyanSantos]

I thought you could not work with HBufC directly because when I tried assigning values

iHeader->Des()[ 2 ] = iTimeStamp >> 16;
iHeader->Des()[ 3 ] = iTimeStamp & 0xffff;

my program would exit because I was assigning to some unknown memory location. The appending/copying/initializing of the buffer to some data or empty spaces first solves my error. Thanks