<function name="WriteData" parent="net" type="libraryfunc"> <description>Writes a chunk of binary data to the message.</description> <realm>Shared</realm> <args> <arg name="binaryData" type="string">The binary data to be sent.</arg> <arg name="length" type="number" default="#binaryData">The length of the binary data to be sent, in bytes.</arg> </args> </function> <example> <description> Sends a message to the server without using WriteString. <note> You don't need to use <page>net.WriteUInt</page> if you **only use this function once** in the net message. You can get the bytes amount by dividing the message length by 8. **Like this:** ```lua local compressed_message = net.ReadData( len / 8 ) -- Converts the length from Bits to Bytes. ``` </note> </description> <code> -- Client⤶ local message = "This is a cool message" local compressed_message = util.Compress( message ) local bytes_amount = #compressed_message ⤶ net.Start( "SendMessage" ) net.WriteUInt( bytes_amount, 16 ) -- Writes the amount of bytes we have. Needed to read the data⤶ net.WriteData( compressed_message, bytes_amount ) -- Writes the datas⤶ net.SendToServer()⤶ ⤶ -- Server⤶ util.AddNetworkString( "SendMessage" ) ⤶ net.Receive( "SendMessage", function( len, ply )⤶ local bytes_amount = net.ReadUInt( 16 ) -- Gets back the amount of bytes our data has⤶ local compressed_message = net.ReadData( bytes_amount ) -- Gets back our compressed message⤶ local message = util.Decompress( compressed_message ) -- Decompresses our message⤶ ⤶ print( message )⤶ end)⤶ if ( CLIENT ) then⤶ local message = "This is a cool message" local compressed_message = util.Compress( message ) local bytes_amount = #compressed_message ⤶ concommand.Add( "send_message_data", function( ply, cmd, args ) net.Start( "SendMessage" )⤶ net.WriteUInt( bytes_amount, 16 ) -- Writes the amount of bytes we have. Needed to read the data⤶ net.WriteData( compressed_message, 255 ) -- Writes the datas⤶ net.SendToServer()⤶ end ) end⤶ ⤶ if ( SERVER ) then⤶ util.AddNetworkString( "SendMessage" )⤶ ⤶ net.Receive( "SendMessage", function( len, ply )⤶ local bytes_amount = net.ReadUInt( 16 ) -- Gets back the amount of bytes our data has⤶ local compressed_message = net.ReadData( 255 ) -- Gets back our compressed message⤶ local message = util.Decompress( compressed_message ) -- Decompresses our message⤶ ⤶ print( message )⤶ end)⤶ end⤶ </code> <output> ``` This is a cool message ``` </output> </example>