code: private String readString() throws IOException
      {
          final int size = in.readByte();
          if (size > 0)
          {
              final byte[] name = new byte[size];
              if (in.read(name) != -1)
              {
                  return new String(name, NetworkMessage.CHARSET);
              }
          }
          return null;
      }
docs: Get the name value read from the stream.
  
  @return The name string.
  @throws IOException In case of error.