java - How to check the data type exchanged over UDP connection -

is there way determine data type being exchanged client server?

here code example of how think answer should like:

byte[] databook = new byte[1024]; datagrampacket packetr = new datagrampacket(databook, databook.length); ds.receive(packetr);   // following psuedo code  if (packetr.getdata() off data type string) {       // code here  } if (packetr.getdata() off data type  file) {     // diff code here } 

packet.getdata() returns array of bytes. interpret it. basically, server needs know method client uses encode data bytes. example (not best option), use java serialization protocol: on client:

bytearrayoutputstream bytes = new bytearrayoutputstream(); objectoutputstream os = new objectoutputstream(bytes); os.writeobject(messagetosend); os.close(); datagrampacket.setdata(bytes.tobytearray()); socket.send(datagrampacket); 

then, on server:

byte bytes[] = datagrampacket.getdata(); objectinputstream = new objectinputstream(new bytearrayinputstream(bytes)); serializable messagereceived = is.readobject(); if(messagereceived instanceof string) {     handlestring((string) messagereceived); } else {    // etc. } 

you may find information in tutorial helpful.