Partial updates to an SWF

Question

WHat is the standard method for say a server to update an already loaded SWF on the client browser, i.e. something analogous to how an html page is partially updated via ajax (though I don't know a lot about ajax yet either.) Would the mechanism be the same if user-initiated.

I assume the .SWF should have public functions that can be invoked, then you'll use javascript to access the swf from the html page its in, then invoke a public function of that swf.

Just the specific terms or functions I need to search for to get a primer on this would be great.

ALso, How would one go about testing the public functions of an swf that is already loaded in a browser (wihtout having a full Adobe devleopment suite for example).

Answer 1

This is quite a vast subject actually. This is the whole RIA concept. Flash can look after itself in terms of communicating with a server , you don't necessarily need Javascript. You only need a server side language to communicate with.

Since it all can happen within the swf , public functions don't really come into it. A User initiates an action in the movie that triggers a call to a remoting service which in turn sends a response which consequently updates the movie.

A few areas you can look into, in no particular order:

• Flash PHP communication
• Zend Amf Server ( Zend Framework ) http://framework.zend.com/

For testing purposes , try MonsterDebugger http://gotoandlearn.com/play.php?id=109

Edit:

Flash can use PHP to retrieve a XML , then parse the XML & change the data inside the SWF according to the data retrieved in the XML

http://gotoandlearn.com/play.php?id=90

In case of a link, the concept is a bit different, because depending on the type of link this may cause a page refresh. The approach in the above tutorial could be user initiated by clicking on a swf element, entering text in a text input box etc... this is what I meant by the RIA concept. It's quite standard now in Flash that user interaction will introduce changes in your SWF by making calls to the server.