Is it ok to be calling reset() on an ObjectOutputStream very frequently?

Question

I read somewhere which has left me unsure and looking for an alternative way. Does calling reset() too frequently cause strain on the network, or unnecessary for this?

I'm sending an object using TCP over an ObjectOutputStream. The objects values get changed before it is written again. Now the same Object but containing different values, without the reset() it resends a reference of the cached object sent before it, which is read to have no changes. I'm not sure if using reset() is a good idea due to such strain. Should I be looking for another way?

Example code would be like:

Socket socket = new Socket(ip, port);

BufferedOutputStream bos = new BufferedOutputStream(socket.getOutputStream());
ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(bos);

while(true){
    oos.writeObject(object);
    oos.flush();
    oos.reset();

    object.x++;
}

Answer 1

Does calling reset() too frequently cause strain on the network

Compared to what? If you need to reset, it is because you need to transmit previously transmitted objects with new values. If you don't need to do that, don't call it. If you do need to do it, network overheads are irrelevant to the functional requirement.

or unnecessary for this?

Eh? Translation please?

I'm sending an object using TCP over an ObjectOutputStream. The objects values get changed before it is written again

So you need to either call reset() or use writeUnshared().

Now the same Object but containing different values, without the reset() it resends a reference of the cached object sent before it, which is read to have no changes.

Correct. So you can't do that.

I'm not sure if using reset() is a good idea due to such strain.

What strain? The only 'strain' is that you are transmitting the new value of the object, and your functional requirement dictates that you must do that. So you don't have a choice.

Should I be looking for another way?

There isn't another way. Either you have to transmit the new value of the object or you don't. If you do, all solutions are essentially equivalent. If you don't, don't.