Socket Madness !!!!

Hi, I need to set up a sockets connection to a server that was written in Delphi. Using the following code I can connect to the socket and send a message through it but don't get a reply back ... { echo "Socket opened ok ... sending message<br>"; $message=sprintf("Steve%c Hello world",255); fputs($socket,$message); echo fgets($socket, 255); fclose($socket); } the socket is opened using fsockopen() and the message get there but i only get the reply when the remote socket server is closed ... can anyone help ? thanks in advance Steve Brett Internal Development tel: 3263 EMIS Ltd. "Privileged and /or Confidential information may be contained in this message. If you are not the original addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone. In such case, please delete this message, and notify us immediately. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in this message are not given or endorsed by my firm or employer unless otherwise indicated by an authorised representative independently of this message." Egton Medical Information Systems Limited. Registered in England. No 2117205. Registered Office: Park House Mews, 77 Back Lane, Off Broadway, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4RF