This provides methods to read and write strings, lists and various sized integers on a buffer (implemented as an integer list).

The ints in the backing list must all be 8-bit values. If larger values are entered, behaviour is undefined.

As per mysql spec, numbers here are all unsigned. Which makes things much easier.

class ListWriter {
 final Logger log;

 final List<int> _list;
 
 List<int> get list => _list;
 
 /**
  * Creates a [ListWriter] with the given [list] as backing storage
  */
 ListWriter(List<int> list) : _list = list,
                                   log = new Logger("Buffer");
 
 /**
  * Writes up to [count] bytes to the [socket] from the buffer.
  * Returns the number of bytes written.
  */
 int writeToSocket(RawSocket socket, int start, int count) {
   return socket.write(_list, start, count);
 }
 
 /**
  * Adds the [value] to the list;
  */
 void add(value) {
   _list.add(value);
 }
 
 /**
  * Returns the size of the buffer
  */
 int get length => _list.length;
 
 /**
  * Fills the next [numberOfBytes] with the given [value]
  */
 void fill(int numberOfBytes, int value) {
   while (numberOfBytes > 0) {
     writeByte(value);
     numberOfBytes--;
   }
 }
 
 /**
  * Writes a null terminated list of ints from the buffer. The given [list]
  * should not contain the terminating zero.
  */ 
 void writeNullTerminatedList(List<int> list) {
   writeList(list);
   writeByte(0);
 }
 
 /**
  * Will write a length coded binary value, once implemented!
  */
 void writeLengthCodedBinary(int value) {
   if (value < 251) {
     writeByte(value);
     return;
   }
   if (value < (2 << 15)) {
     writeByte(0xfc);
     _writeUint16(value);
     return;
   }
   if (value < (2 << 23)) {
     writeByte(0xfd);
     _writeUint24(value);
     return;
   }
   if (value < (2 << 63)) {
     writeByte(0xfe);
     _writeUint64(value);
   }
 }
 
 /**
  * Writes a single [byte] to the buffer.
  */ 
 void writeByte(int byte) {
   _list.add(byte);
 }
 
 /**
  * Writes a 16 bit [integer] to the buffer.
  */
 void _writeUint16(int integer) {
   _list.add(integer & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 8 & 0xFF);
 }

 /**
  * Writes a 24 bit [integer] to the buffer.
  */
 void _writeUint24(int integer) {
   _list.add(integer & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 8 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 16 & 0xFF);
 }

 /**
  * Writes a 32 bit [integer] to the buffer.
  */
 void _writeUint32(int integer) {
   _list.add(integer & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 8 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 16 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 24 & 0xFF);
 }

 /**
  * Writes a 64 bit [integer] to the buffer.
  */
 void _writeUint64(int integer) {
   _list.add(integer & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 8 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 16 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 24 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 32 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 40 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 48 & 0xFF);
   _list.add(integer >> 56 & 0xFF);
 }

 /**
  * Writes the give [list] of bytes to the buffer.
  */
 void writeList(List<int> list) {
   _list.addAll(list);
 }
}