Socket c bytes received but I can't print the String -

i use code receive string java server in c client.

if( recv( to_server_socket, &reply, sizeof( reply ), msg_waitall ) != sizeof( reply ) ) {     printf( "socket read failed");     exit( -1 ); }  printf( "got reply: %d\n", ntohl( reply ) );  char buf[512]; ssize_t nbytes=0; int byte_count;  byte_count = recv(to_server_socket, buf, sizeof buf, 0); printf("recv()'d %d bytes of data in buf\n", byte_count); buf[byte_count] = '\0';  printf("string : %s\n",buf); 

for example, when java server sends string

bzzrecyvemjmif

i got result

recv()'d 16 bytes of data in buf string :

so received 16 bytes

printf("string : %s",buf); 

don't show me anything.

the server sent string

tyvudbbkalp3scp

i tried code

   int i=0;     while(i<byte_count){         printf("string : %c\n",buf[i]);         i++;  recv()'d 17 bytes of data in buf 

and result have

string : string : string : string : t string : y string : v string : u string : d string : b string : b string : k string : string : l string : p string : 3 string : s string : c string : p

it appears java sending length-prefixed string. first 2 bytes correspond length field. these 2 bytes determine how many bytes follow. here's how i'd serialise , print that:

unsigned int str_len = buf[0] * 256 + buf[1]; char *str = buf + 2; /* printf("%.*s\n", str_len, str); // use this,                                       instead of following 2 lines: */ fwrite(str, 1, str_len, stdout); putchar('\n'); 

a byte value 0 denotes end of string, in c. explains why string pointed buf appears empty. explains why embedded characters in length-prefixed string have value 0 cause commented out printf in code cease printing string.

it's character value doesn't have well-defined visual representation. explains why embedded characters in length-prefixed string cause fwrite print awkward-looking characters.