Sending two different type of arrays over TCP

Question

I'm currently writing a network application that has to be able to send one 2D array of ints and one regular array of objects over a TCP connection.

My first, and only, solution so far is using ByteArrayOutputStream and ObjectOutputStream but this will only work if I send a specific type of array that I typecast back on the other side.

Now this would work

baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
oos = new ObjectOutputStream(baos);

oos.writeObject(2dArray);
Byte[] send = baos.toByteArray();

But I can only use this if I only send 2d int-arrays since i need to typcast this on the other end and, as previously stated, I want to be able to send both 2d and regular arrays of different types.

Is there something other then ObjectOutputStream that can be used for this?

Answer 1

When you receive an object on the remote side you can check which kind of an object it is. For example you can write:

Object received = in.readObject();
if (received instanceof int[]) {
    // received 1d array
    int[] array1D = (int[]) received;
} else if (received instanceof int[][]) {
    // received 2d array
    int[][] array2D = (int[][]) received;
}

If you use something else for communication you'll still have to indicate the type of array you are sending in some way, so you'll always have the same problem.