Buff.js

Translate ArrayBuffers to strings and vice versa in JavaScript. This library is mainly useful for sending WebSocket messages as Binary packets.

Browser

Insert the script tag into your markup:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/buff.min.js"></script>

Usage in the browser:

// Load the module
const Buff = require("buff.js");

// Translates the string "test" info an ArrayBuffer.
const buffer = Buff.Write("test"); 

// Translates the ArrayBuffer back into the string "test".
const string = Buff.Read(buffer); 

console.log(string, ' <--> ', buffer);
console.log('# Buffer.js works!');

Node.JS

Install with the command:

npm i buff.js

Usage in Node.js:

// Load the module
const Buff = require("buff.js");

// Translates the string "test" info an ArrayBuffer.
const buffer = Buff.Write("test"); 

// Translates the ArrayBuffer back into the string "test".
const string = Buff.Read(buffer); 

console.log(string, ' <--> ', buffer);
console.log('# Buffer.js works!');

WebSockets Example

Client example:

// Setup the lib for the websocket server.
const Buff = require("buff.js");

let socket = new Object();

socket.setup = function(url) {
  let _this = this;
  setInterval(function(){
    if (!_this.ws || _this.ws.readyState === 3) {
      socket.connect(url);
    }
  },5000);
  socket.connect(url);
};

socket.connect = function(url) {
  let _this = this;
  console.log('[SOCKET]','Connecting to gateway...');
  try {

    // Create new websocket connection

    _this.ws = new WebSocket(url);

    // Set binary type so we can send ArrayBuffers

    _this.ws.binaryType = 'arraybuffer';
    _this.ws.callbacks = new Object();

    // Handler for when the client establishes a successful connection with the server.

    _this.ws.onopen = function() {
      console.log('[SOCKET]','Secure connection established!');
    };

    // Handler for recieving and processing messages from the server.

    _this.ws.onmessage = function(event) {

      // Convert the view of the ArrayBuffer into the raw data.

      const message = JSON.parse(Buff.Read(event.data));
      console.log('[SOCKET]','Received',message);

    };

    // Handler for when the client looses connection to the server.

    _this.ws.onclose = function() {
      console.log('[SOCKET]','Connection lost, retrying...');
    };

  } catch(error) {
    console.log('[SOCKET]','Connection lost, retrying...');
  }
};

socket.send = function(message) {
  let _this = this;
  if (!message) return;
  if (!_this.ws || _this.ws.readyState === 3) {
    console.log('[SOCKET]','Queuing request...');
    setTimeout(function(){
      socket.send(message);
    },5000);
    return;
  }

  // Convert message into binary data (array).

  if (typeof message === 'object') message = JSON.stringify(message);
  if (typeof message === 'function') return;

  console.log('[SOCKET]','Sent',message);

  _this.ws.send(Buff.Write(message));
};

socket.connect('ws://127.0.0.1:8080');

Server example:

const WebSocket = require('ws');
const Buff = require('buff.js');
const path = require('path');
const fs = require('fs');

const wss = new WebSocket.Server({
  port: 8080
});

let helpers = {
  random: function(length) {
    let text = '',
      possible = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789";
    for (let i = 0; i < (length || 10); i++)
      text += possible.charAt(Math.floor(Math.random()*possible.length));
    return text;
  }
};

wss.on('connection',function(socket){
  socket.on('message',function(data){

    // Convert back to raw data.

    const message = Buff.Read(data);

    // Echo the message back to the sender and compare the raw data and ArrayBuffer.

    socket.send(data);
    console.log('"'+message+'"',' <--> ',data);

  });
});