So I tried setting the resultFormat to "object" for a service that returns a fairly deep XML structure. I found that it did a pretty good job of mapping the text nodes to the correct types (Boolean, String and Number); it didn't map "2006-11-17" to a Date, but hey, you can't be all things to all people.
Anybody else out there have experience with resultFormat="object"? Is there any documentation that specifically describes how the object graph is put together and what the text-node-to-object rules are? I suppose I could go look at the source code, but figured I might as well ask around first. Thanks, Chris --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Luebcke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Ian, I'm using XML over HTTPService in my current app and may be > able to help with some of this. Responses inline below. > > --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, Ian Shafer <ian@> wrote: > > ...regarding using HTTPService: > > > > * Should I be using it? I'm choosing to use HTTPService because I don't > > want to pay for FDS and it (HTTPService) *seems* simple so that if there > > are problems, I could easily be able to fix them (as opposed to using > > FDS and Adobe's proprietary encoding). Also, XML over HTTP is simple and > > always works. Hooking up remote objects just seems like a pain. > > The answer to that question ultimately comes down to your specific > project needs, of course. I'm not using FDS (for the usual reasons), > and there doesn't appear to be an open-source (or otherwise really > cheap) alternative to using AMF3 to communicate to a Java backend. So > that really leaves some flavor of XML over HTTP as the raw message > language and protocol. We deliberated between SOAP, REST and homegrown > XML message protocols, and ultimately settled on homegrown for a > variety of reasons I won't bore you with. Again, it really depends on > your specific needs, but so far our solution is shaping up very nicely. > > > * What is the best resultFormat to use. As far as I can tell, there are > > three: object, e4x, and xml. The xml format seems obsolete since we now > > have e4x. Is there any reason to use xml? I get e4x (pretty sweet, I > > think this is a *great* language feature). The only drawback I've found > > so far is the datatype of e4x values. They all seem to be Strings. I get > > this, but I wonder if there's an easy way to say "all @quantity fields > > are numeric" so it'll sort nice in a DataGrid. object seems cool, but > > I'm not 100% clear how it works. > > Me neither, frankly. I might consider trying it, though, given that > there is apparently some basic type casting done when you use this > format, according to the dev guide: > > "By default, the resultFormat property value of HTTPService components > and WebService component operations is object, and the data that is > returned is represented as a simple tree of ActionScript objects. Flex > interprets the XML data that a web service or HTTP service returns to > appropriately represent base types, such as String, Number, Boolean, > and Date. To work with strongly typed objects, you must populate those > objects using the object tree that Flex creates." > > > Can I tell HTTPService which class to > > bind the objects to? I don't use Flex Builder (again, I don't like to > > pay for software, and I don't have the money), so it's tough to > > introspect the objects at runtime (although I did see something about > > command line debugging, I'll have to look into that). > > I believe this creates a new graph of objects with dynamically created > properties. I don't believe there's any configurable mechanism for > mapping XML to particular object classes or types; I think if you need > mapping different from what resultFormat="object" gives you, you need > to roll your own. Not positive, though. > > > * I want to call (HTTPService.send()) my service with different query > > parameters. What's the best way to do this? Currently, I'm creating a > > new HTTPService in AS and generating the URL every time it is called. > > This doesn't seem right to me. > > Nah, it ain't :) Create a single HTTPService and modify its request > property; this property takes "an object of name/value pairs", which > just means that it'll treat every property name on the object as a > parameter name and will call toString() on the property value to get > the parameter value. > > You may want to look at Cairngorm's implementation of the Service > Locator pattern, which provides an application-wide singleton that > wraps you services, allowing central definition of services along with > global access to them. I like the pattern, your mileage may vary. > > > * Should I use a service-config.xml file? I haven't been able to find > > good documentation on this? > > Only applies to FDS, I'm pretty sure. >
