Variables in custom packet nullified [1.7.10]

[TheEpicTekkit]

So I have an energy network working in my mod (mostly), but I have a problem with client-server synchronization.

 

In my energy network, I have a method that allows a machine to request energy from the network, as follows:

 

public double requestEnergy(TileEntity tile, double energyRequested, boolean doWork)
    {
        NetworkHandler.sendToClient(new MessageUpdateEnergy().setVariables(this, tile, energyRequested));
        IEnergyProvider provider = getNextAvailableProvider();
        if (provider == null)
        {
            return 0;
        }

        double result = provider.getStoredEnergy();
        provider.addEnergy(-result);
        return result;
    }

 

but I found out that this is only called server-side. Now because of this, I decided to do some research into packets, before this I had never touched packets. I have made packet handler and a packet to update the energy for the client to receive, but in the packet, the variables are nullified, and I cant figure out why...

 

Here is my packet class:

public class MessageUpdateEnergy extends MessageBase<MessageUpdateEnergy>
{

    private Grid grid;
    private double energyRequested;
    private TileEntity tile;

    public MessageUpdateEnergy setVariables(Grid grid, TileEntity tile, double energyRequested)
    {
        this.grid = grid;
        this.tile = tile;
        this.energyRequested = energyRequested;
        return this;
    }

    @Override
    public void handleServerSide(MessageUpdateEnergy message, EntityPlayer player)
    {
          if (grid == null)
        {
            System.out.println("Grid is null");
        }
        if (tile != null && energyRequested > 0)
        {
            grid.requestEnergy(tile, energyRequested, true);
            System.out.println("Sending packet");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void handleClientSide(MessageUpdateEnergy message, EntityPlayer player)
    {

    }

    @Override
    public void fromBytes(ByteBuf buf)
    {

    }

    @Override
    public void toBytes(ByteBuf buf)
    {

    }
}

 

At first I tried setting these variables through the constructor, but I quickly found out that I need a nullary constructor or it crashes. I also tried adding a second constructor to set the variables, this constructor was being called from the grid class, and the variables were set, but they were null again when the handleServer/ClientSide methods were called. Currently I am using a setter method to set these variables, but this is also not working.

 

For the example above, I un-commented out the code in the handleServerSide method, and this kicks the player from the server with a NullPointerException because the grid is null.

 

How would I get an instance of the grid this packet is being sent from, the tileentity asking for energy and the energy the tile wants?

 

I dont really know if this is the best way of doing this, or if it's even possible... if not, please tell me the proper way.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

P.S

Sorry if I come across as not understanding packets very well, I probably don't. 

[TheEpicTekkit]

The client needs to know because otherwise the energy won't display in the machines GUIs...

 

um, so how do I use the toBytes / fromBytes methods then? can you direct me to a detailed tutorial?

[TheEpicTekkit]

so it doesnt matter that the console says:

[15:48:42] [Client thread/INFO] [sTDOUT]: [net.modulartechnology.modtech.common.tileentity.TileEntityMetallurgicLiquefier:updateEntity:50]: Machine energy: 0.0 / 64000.0, on the client
[15:48:42] [server thread/INFO] [sTDOUT]: [net.modulartechnology.modtech.common.tileentity.TileEntityMetallurgicLiquefier:updateEntity:50]: Machine energy: 32000.0 / 64000.0, on the server

[TheEpicTekkit]

Okay then. Thanks for the help.