Flash communications...please explain...

[Ben_jazz]

Hi,

Im currently subscribed to the lynda.com series trying to learn about flash server communication but i need to be able to communicate with a server to complete the lessons, can anyone tell me what type of server i need, what do i need to do to get one and roughly how much are they? I really want to get into communicating with databases and building data driven applications but im stumped trying to get a server...anyone know about this stuff??

Thanks....

Ben.

[Cota]

The server will dictate how you communicate with it. Meaning, generally, servers come in 2 types. 'nix based (unix, linux) or windows based. Nix based servers will require you to use PHP. Windows based will genereally require you to use ASP or ASP.NET.

From Flash you have a few options. You can use LoadVars to send data to a php or asp script, have it processed and sent back to flash. You can also use Flash Remoting, which I am not all that familiar with.

If you've used Flash email scripts with a server side script before, then you've got the basics of it. Its not as complicated as it may seem.

Getting a server, which is just a web host account, can run anywhere from 10$ a month to 100$ a month.

What specifically are you trying to achieve?

[mrand01]

If you just wanna test, install IIS or Apache on your computer and just test against localhost.

[Ben_jazz]

Hi Thanks for the reply guys...
Cota, In the lessons i am doing i will be getting a list of employees (its all fictional), changing a few details (number of holidays taken etc..and sending it back to the server, that type of thing (sorry if its a bit vague im lost when it comes to servers) using XML Connector and netConnection. Can you recogmend anything specific?

Mrand01, which is easiest to install IIS or Apache?

Thanks again guys for the response...

[mrand01]

Ben_jazz...all depends on the language you wanna use. Do you want to learn PHP or ASP.NET? You can run PHP on IIS, but I've heard its better on Apache. ASP.NET can only run on IIS (and comes with it).

[Ben_jazz]

Hi mrand01,

I want to learn ASP so i guess i will be looking into IIS. Thanks for the help, you made it a bit more clear. (I actually want to learn them both but one step at a time..)

Ben.

[CyanBlue]

As far as I am aware, you can run PHP, ASP, ASP.Net on IIS and you can run PHP, ASP on Apache... IIS definitely is easier to set up for a user who is new to that environment...

[Ben_jazz]

Hi Guys,

How would i set up IIS on my computer to test locally? Is it difficult or straight forward?

Thanks again guys...

[CyanBlue]

Um... I don't want to be rude, but you will find plenty if you google for it... ;)

[Ben_jazz]

heh...okay google it is.....

Thanks for all the help...

Ben.

[CyanBlue]

A couple of links for you...

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/iiiisin2.mspx?mfr=true
http://www.webwizguide.com/asp/tutorials/installing_iis_winXP_pro.asp

[Ben_jazz]

hey...i did it..YAY!!! The webwizguide.com is a good tutorial. I thought it would be insanly difficult for some reason....

thanks CyanBlue...

Ben.

[Ben_jazz]

one last question....How do i address a file in the IIS locally from flash? Would i just copy the address of the folder (C:\Inetpub\wwwroot) and paste it onto flash (where i have code telling it to go get the file). When i try this flash tells me it cant find the file ( i have an asp file in there i am trying to load through flash)....

Thanks...



its okay......i figured it out....Thanks again for the help CyanBlue.