flash data integration: Hi,

I'm a relative newbie starting out on the development of a Flash 8 application
that will be running on a ASP.net website which will communicate with a SQL
server backend. The entire front end of the website will be in Flash and is
going to be educational software. As a quick outline of the program, it will
consist of 8 stages and each stage will contain learning objectives the user
needs to complete. The database wil store the following information: user name,
current level, which learning objectives have been completed. When the program
is started, it will load all the information from the database. As the user
experiences the programs and completes objectives, data will have to be saved
in the databse.

I've done a lot of reading to try to figure out the best way to have Flash 8
communicate with a database using asp.net and remain very confused, I was
hoping someone could advise me with my situation. Below I listed what I
understand are the main options to communicate with a database, as well as what
the drawbacks are of each method.

1. ADO.NET Connectivity with Macromedia Flash Remoting MX - This requires
additional software to be installed (this program will be running on a
university server and they won't let me install such services), is not the most
stable method yet, and costs around $1000, money I don't have.

2. The Load Variables or GetURL methods: These methods seem to be decent, but
are not the most secure and I've read that using the load variables method
should not even be discussed bc of the security risks.

3. Web Services - don't quite understand this, but they seem promising

4. XML Connections - again don't quite understand, but seems promising.

As you can see, I'm pretty confused. It seems that web services and xml
connections might work best for me, but I don't really know what they entail
and are not sure if they would allow me to load and update fromteh database. If
anyone has any advice on this, or has used any of these with asp.net, I would
happily listen. Thanks.

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additional software to be installed (this program will be running on a
university server and they won't let me install such services), is not the
most
stable method yet, and costs around $1000, money I don't have.

So that option is out other than renting it at a web hosting company
offering Macromedia Flash Remoting. They are out there.

[quoted text, click to view]
are not the most secure and I've read that using the load variables method
should not even be discussed bc of the security risks.
Archaic. Avoid using. Look at XML, LoadVars, XMLSockets or the same through
the Flash components.

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Big subject. Sun's overview might be a place to look at:
http://java.sun.com/blueprints/guidelines/designing_webservices/html/DWSTOC.html
Since you like ASP.Net
try http://www.microsoft.com/net/basics.mspx

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I believe this is a component based version of XML Actionscript class. Adds
a GUI to the process of linking XML to server and to other components in the
Flash app.


[quoted text, click to view]
communicate with a database using asp.net and remain very confused, I was
hoping someone could advise me with my situation.

A lot depends on available expertise or time to learn.

Flash communicates with server side technologies such as ASP, PHP, JSP,
JScript/ASP and so on with standard data formats XML and URL Variables.
That bridge will isolate the Flash Scripting from the server side
technology. The key will be the data Flash expects to send and receive and
the format as to the work to be expended in developing the Flash app.

--
Lon Hosford
www.lonhosford.com
May many happy bits flow your way!
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Hi,

I'm a relative newbie starting out on the development of a Flash 8
application
that will be running on a ASP.net website which will communicate with a SQL
server backend. The entire front end of the website will be in Flash and is
going to be educational software. As a quick outline of the program, it will
consist of 8 stages and each stage will contain learning objectives the user
needs to complete. The database wil store the following information: user
name,
current level, which learning objectives have been completed. When the
program
is started, it will load all the information from the database. As the user
experiences the programs and completes objectives, data will have to be
saved
in the databse.

I've done a lot of reading to try to figure out the best way to have Flash
8
communicate with a database using asp.net and remain very confused, I was
hoping someone could advise me with my situation. Below I listed what I
understand are the main options to communicate with a database, as well as
what
the drawbacks are of each method.

1. ADO.NET Connectivity with Macromedia Flash Remoting MX - This requires
additional software to be installed (this program will be running on a
university server and they won't let me install such services), is not the
most
stable method yet, and costs around $1000, money I don't have.

2. The Load Variables or GetURL methods: These methods seem to be decent,
but
are not the most secure and I've read that using the load variables method
should not even be discussed bc of the security risks.

3. Web Services - don't quite understand this, but they seem promising

4. XML Connections - again don't quite understand, but seems promising.

As you can see, I'm pretty confused. It seems that web services and xml
connections might work best for me, but I don't really know what they entail
and are not sure if they would allow me to load and update fromteh database.
If
anyone has any advice on this, or has used any of these with asp.net, I
would
happily listen. Thanks.

I also would like to learn more about connecting a flash application to a sql backend. I would like to be as direct and secure as possible. Any information would be great!

Thanks for your reply. I decided to try to use XML to have my Flash 8 front end
communicate with a SQL server 2005 backend using asp.net. haven't found too
much out there about it but it seems the way to go right now.