Re: Help with type definition

[Shark8 <OneWingedShark@gmail.com>]

On 27-Jun-14 16:05, hanslad@gmail.com wrote:
> Is there a type in Ada for unbounded byte arrays similar to the unbounded string?

You could use a vector; but you really don't need it for this problem; 
in fact it seems you're better off using a regular array.

>   "A ByteString is encoded as sequence of bytes preceded by its
>    length in bytes. The length is encoded as a 32-bit signed
>    integer as described above. If the length of the byte string
>    is -1 then the byte string is 'null'."

So, your from-the-wire reading algorithm would be something like this:

Type Byte_String is Array(Positive range <>) of Interfaces.Unsigned_8;

-- Assuming use of Ada.Streams
Function Read(Stream : not null access Root_Stream_Type'Class) return 
Byte_String is
   Length : Interfaces.Integer_32:= Interfaces.Integer_32'Input(Stream);
begin
   Return Result : Byte_Array(1..Length) do
    For Index in Result'Range loop
     Result(Index):= Interfaces.Unsigned_8'Input(Stream);
    end loop;
   end return;
end Read;