FluidDBExplorer AIR app

[JCarver]

I've added a demo program to the FluidDBServer AIR library. This app
demonstrates the use of the library and allows you to explore all
functions of the FluidDB API (Opaque Tags are not yet supported).

Note that you do not need the library to use this program. It is
actually a pretty useful tool just for exploring FluidDB. For one
thing, it displays the response payload for all functions which return
one. It also links directly to the online documentation.

It's available from the Downloads page of the FluidDBService github
site at:
http://github.com/maxapps/FluidDBServer/downloads

[Terry Jones]

Hi Jeff

> I've added a demo program to the FluidDBServer AIR library. This app
> demonstrates the use of the library and allows you to explore all
> functions of the FluidDB API (Opaque Tags are not yet supported).
>
> Note that you do not need the library to use this program. It is actually
> a pretty useful tool just for exploring FluidDB. For one thing, it
> displays the response payload for all functions which return one. It also
> links directly to the online documentation.

That sounds fantastic! I can't wait to have a look. Graphical interfaces to
FluidDB are going to be very important - for querying, for exploring, for
debugging, and for understanding the object model.

I can't look at your program right away as I'm using an amd64 Linux box and
the Adobe Air download is for i386. I'm heading back to Spain tomorrow
though, and will be able to take a look soon after I arrive.

Terry

[Nicholas Tollervey]

Hi Jeff,

I've just had a look at this... it looks great. I especially like
being able to explore the code (your functions) and the FluidDB API
too.

You mention AIR is a requirement, I was wondering why..? Also, how do
you expect to handle opaque tag-values..?

I'm interested because I maintain a Javascript library and due to the
limitations of POSTing forms I'm not able to use a "file" input
element for opaque values (there is a dirty hack for Firefox).

All the best,

Nicholas.

[Jeff Carver]

AIR  is required because standard Flash does not have enough flexibility in things like custom headers. As mentioned in the library source code, it could certainly be done in vanilla Flash with a proxy or by building a custom HTTPLoader. I simply don't have the time and am a bit irritated that the FluidDB people don't back up their "Weekend of Code" offer. It's just a book but, it's the thought that counts...

As it is, I probably won't revisit the code until/unless I find a real-world use for FluidDB.

[Terry Jones]

Hi Jeff

> AIR is required because standard Flash does not have enough flexibility
> in things like custom headers. As mentioned in the library source code,
> it could certainly be done in vanilla Flash with a proxy or by building a
> custom HTTPLoader.

We'll have a look at what it was you needed - Nicholas, could you help to
get that clear?

> I simply don't have the time and am a bit irritated that the FluidDB
> people don't back up their "Weekend of Code" offer. It's just a book but,
> it's the thought that counts...

Well, we're not mind readers! :-) Please let me know what book you want,
and I'll happily get it in the mail ASAP.

> As it is, I probably won't revisit the code until/unless I find a
> real-world use for FluidDB.

Thanks for writing it in the first place. I don't know if you saw, but it's
now mentioned at http://fluidinfo.com/developers/libs and I think it's
quite likely someone else will pick it up and enhance it.

Anyway, I hope you don't feel unappreciated!

Terry

[Jeff Carver]

Terry,

 

We'll have a look at what it was you needed - Nicholas, could you help to

get that clear?

Essentially, it's the same problem Javascript has. Flash uses the browser's HTTP mechanism and the browsers don't properly support REST. Specifically, you cannot set the request headers nor view the response headers. The Javascript library manages it by requiring the open-source jQuery library. I didn't spend much time researching it but, apparently, jScript implements its own HTTPRequest system.

It would certainly be possible to write a custom HTTPLoader just for FluidDB using the Socket class but I can't dedicate the resources needed at this time. If I had a paying project which could benefit from FluidDB it would be another matter.

Well, we're not mind readers! :-) Please let me know what book you want,

and I'll happily get it in the mail ASAP.

Well, I did mention it twice with no response. Remember the bit about spending the holiday weekend writing code and making my wife feel better by showing her something for it? Not a big deal--I'm pretty easy to irritate. It comes with old age.

This book looks like it might be interesting, "Enterprise Development with Flex: Best Practices for RIA Developers (Adobe Dev Lib) [Paperback]".  Thanks

Thanks for writing it in the first place. I don't know if you saw, but it's

now mentioned at http://fluidinfo.com/developers/libs and I think it's

quite likely someone else will pick it up and enhance it.

Anyway, I hope you don't feel unappreciated!

Nothing that flowers and a box of chocolate can't fix. ; )

I have a future commercial project in mind which might benefit from using FluidDB. We've used AWS simpleDB for other related projects but FluidDB might be an interesting option.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Nicholas Tollervey]

Hi Jeff, Terry,

First of all, I've never done *any* Flash / Actionscript development
so please take anything I write with a pinch of salt.

Regarding the apparent lack of a good HTTP client lib - I did a quick
Google and found this project that seems to fulfil your requirements
for making a RESTful client: http://github.com/gabriel/as3httpclient

There appear to be lots of examples of how to use / work with the
various HTTP verbs as well as set / read the HTTP headers
(http://github.com/gabriel/as3httpclient/blob/master/EXAMPLES.md).

I also got a bit carried away and wondered how good json handling is
in Actionscript3. Happily I found this:
http://code.google.com/p/as3corelib/ which seems to provide all the
json functionality anyone could possibly need.

Given a flexible and easy to use HTTP lib and json handling it looks
like all the ingredients are readily available for a fully functioning
Flash based client. Yay!

If I can help in any further way (assuming the above was helpful)
please don't hesitate to get in touch.

All the best,

Nicholas.

[Terry Jones]

Hi Jeff

> Well, I did mention it twice with no response. Remember the bit about
> spending the holiday weekend writing code and making my wife feel better
> by showing her something for it? Not a big deal--I'm pretty easy to
> irritate. It comes with old age.

I only see your first mail, no mention of the wife or having something to
show for things. Anyway, I sorry the expectation didn't register on me, and
thanks for the explicit request - we're really happy to send you the book.
BTW, please email me your mailing address and a phone number (required by
Amazon shipping).

As for irritable and old, I know the feeling.... I'm almost 47.

> > Anyway, I hope you don't feel unappreciated!
> Nothing that flowers and a box of chocolate can't fix. ; )

OK, let's start with a book :-)

> I have a future commercial project in mind which might benefit from using
> FluidDB. We've used AWS simpleDB for other related projects but FluidDB
> might be an interesting option.

Happy to hear more. I hope Nicholas' reply helps with the request/response
headers issue.

Regards,
Terry

[Jeff Carver]

Hi Terry,

I only see your first mail, no mention of the wife or having something to
show for things. Anyway, I sorry the expectation didn't register on me, and
thanks for the explicit request - we're really happy to send you the book.
BTW, please email me your mailing address and a phone number (required by
Amazon shipping).

Again, no problem but the email actually was sent to Esteve Fernandez. He had a question about the gitHub project.

 

I'll send the contact info in a few minutes.

 

Happy to hear more.  I hope Nicholas' reply helps with the request/response
headers issue.

Haven't had a chance to look at the details. At work now (lunch break). Project will be AIR based and won't need vanilla Flash but I'm still interested in seeing Flash work with FluidDB.

 

Thanks again,

 

Jeff

[Jeff Carver]

Nicholas,

 

First of all, I've never done *any* Flash / Actionscript development
so please take anything I write with a pinch of salt.

I'm certainly no expert. I've just found Flex and AIR an efficient way to develop web-enabled apps.

 

Regarding the apparent lack of a good HTTP client lib - I did a quick
Google and found this project that seems to fulfil your requirements
for making a RESTful client: http://github.com/gabriel/as3httpclient

 

My comments were about the built-in Flash HTTP Client. The library you found appears to be exactly what I would have done--build a client using the Socket class. I notice the remarks do mention it might work better with AIR than with Flash. Some problem (or possibly a bug). I'll try to take a better look in the next couple weeks. It would be better, though, to have a single library for accessing FluidDB.

I also got a bit carried away and wondered how good json handling is
in Actionscript3. Happily I found this:
http://code.google.com/p/as3corelib/ which seems to provide all the
json functionality anyone could possibly need.

 

Yes, that is a very well known Flash library and I actually use it in the FluidDBServer library.

If I can help in any further way (assuming the above was helpful)
please don't hesitate to get in touch.

I may end up pestering you about MIME types if I ever get around to updating the FluidDBServer demo to support Opaque tag values.

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff