length = input_file.readInt();
length = getIntFromDataInputStream(input_file);
  static public String getStringFromDataInputStream(DataInputStream input_file)   {    int length = 0;    byte[] b_array = null;    try {      length = input_file.readInt();      b_array = new byte[length];      for (int i=0; i<length; i++) {        b_array[i] = input_file.readByte();      }    } catch (EOFException e) {      if(debug>=3)        System.out.println("***Utilities.getStringFromDataInputStream() EOF exception!***");      return EOF_String;    }catch (IOException e) {      System.out.println("***Utilities.getStringFromDataInputStream() IO exception!***");      new Exception().printStackTrace();      System.exit(-1);    }        String string = new String(b_array);    if(debug>=4)System.out.println("readString() returns "+string+" with length "+length);    return string;  }