passing a TStream using Data Snap in Delphi XE6 - delphi

Question

I am in need of passing a couple things using Data Snap in Delphi XE6 (TStream & TClientdataSet). Lets start with a TStream - maybe what I learn here, I can figure out the TClientDataSet.
Here is my attempt, but it throws an error:
Remote error: Access violaion at address 0040801C in module DSServer.exe
Client demo (DSClient.exe)
//RunReportObj is the real object I will be passing to the server method
Procedure TForm8.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
RunReportObj: TRunReportObject;
S: TStream;
FS: TFileStream;
begin
RunReportObj:= TRunReportObject.Create;
RunReportObj.ID:= '10101';
RunReportObj.ReportName:= 'Test';
RunReportObj.ExportType:= 'PDF';
S:= TStream.Create;
try
S:= ClientModule1.ServerMethods1Client.GetReport(RunReportObj);
S.Seek(0,soFromBeginning);
FS:= TFileStream.Create(RunReportObj.ReportName + '.' + RunReportObj.ExportType, fmOpenWrite);;
try
FS.CopyFrom(S, S.Size);
finally
FS.Free;
end;
finally
S.Free;
end;
end;
ClientClassesUnit1.pas
function TServerMethods1Client.GetReport(RunReportObj: TRunReportObject): TStream;
begin
if FGetReportCommand = nil then
begin
FGetReportCommand := FDBXConnection.CreateCommand;
FGetReportCommand.CommandType := TDBXCommandTypes.DSServerMethod;
FGetReportCommand.Text := 'TServerMethods1.GetReport';
FGetReportCommand.Prepare;
end;
if not Assigned(RunReportObj) then
FGetReportCommand.Parameters[0].Value.SetNull
else
begin
FMarshal := TDBXClientCommand(FGetReportCommand.Parameters[0].ConnectionHandler).GetJSONMarshaler;
try
FGetReportCommand.Parameters[0].Value.SetJSONValue(FMarshal.Marshal(RunReportObj), True);
if FInstanceOwner then
RunReportObj.Free
finally
FreeAndNil(FMarshal)
end
end;
FGetReportCommand.ExecuteUpdate;
Result := FGetReportCommand.Parameters[1].Value.GetStream(FInstanceOwner);
end;
Server demo (DSServer.exe)
//not really doing anything with the RunReportObj yet,
// just trying to test whether or not I can pass a TStream back first
function TServerMethods1.GetReport(RunReportObj: TRunReportObject): TStream;
var
Stream: TMemoryStream;
Writer: TBinaryWriter;
Bytes: TBytes;
begin
result := TMemoryStream.Create;
try
Writer := TBinaryWriter.Create(result);
try
Writer.Write(TEncoding.UTF8.GetBytes('Hello World' + sLineBreak));
finally
Writer.Free;
end;
finally
Stream.Free;
end;
end;
I'm sure I did something foolish :)

Answer 1

You have to take care who is responsible for freeing objects sent with DataSnap. TServerMethods1.GetReport() should not free the Result, as it has to be sent to the client first. On the other side, the client should not free the TStream it gets from TServerMethods1Client.GetReport(), as long as FInstanceOwner is true (which it is by default).
The first condition is fulfilled more by accident, although as David pointed out, you are freeing the uninitialized local variable Stream.
Without being able to actually test this in the moment, the correct code for the client should look like:
Procedure TForm8.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
RunReportObj: TRunReportObject;
S: TStream;
FS: TFileStream;
begin
RunReportObj:= TRunReportObject.Create;
RunReportObj.ID:= '10101';
RunReportObj.ReportName:= 'Test';
RunReportObj.ExportType:= 'PDF';
S:= ClientModule1.ServerMethods1Client.GetReport(RunReportObj);
S.Seek(0,soFromBeginning);
FS:= TFileStream.Create(RunReportObj.ReportName + '.' + RunReportObj.ExportType, fmOpenWrite);;
try
FS.CopyFrom(S, S.Size);
finally
FS.Free;
end;
end;
And for the server side:
function TServerMethods1.GetReport(RunReportObj: TRunReportObject): TStream;
var
Writer: TBinaryWriter;
Bytes: TBytes;
begin
result := TMemoryStream.Create;
Writer := TBinaryWriter.Create(result);
try
Writer.Write(TEncoding.UTF8.GetBytes('Hello World' + sLineBreak));
finally
Writer.Free;
end;
end;