Displaying XML data in dynamic text fields with AS3

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to display XML data into dynamic text fields on my timeline.

So I am working on my personal site, justinbrinkerhoff.info (the swf on there is old, and I'm updating it now). I am working the fla file, and am reading data from an xml file. The problem is, the syntax I am using is not showing the values inside the dynamic text field, and upon exporting the swf.

So here is what I have.

The fla/swf are both named jbDOTinfo
I am working within a keyframe of which I created to show my portfolio; Flash, *ML, PHP, Rails, etc... Well I am working in frame 27, which I created to house the "page" so to speak for my PHP portfolio page.

Within frame 27, I have the main content on one layer, and the embedded actionscript on another layer. Now, on the main layer, the dynamic text field instance name is phpInput. My XML filename is php.xml, located in a child directory named xml (xml/php.xml).

Here is my AS3 syntax:

Code:

---

var xmlLoader:URLLoader  = new  URLLoader();
        var xmlData:XML = new XML();
        xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, LoadPHPxml);
        xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest("xml/php.xml"));
        function LoadPHPxml(e:Event):void  {
        xmlData = new XML(e.target.data);
        parsePortfolioPHP(xmlData);
        }
       
  function parsePortfolioPHP(portfolioPhpInput:XML):void
  {
        trace(portfolioPhpInput.item);
       
        var title  = this.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].firstChild.nodeValue;
        // url  = this.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[1].firstChild.nodeValue;
        phpInput.text = title;
         
  }

---

I can find my way around fairly well with ActionScript, but this is hurting my head. When I export the SWF file, and I navigate my way to frame 27 through the SWF, I get this output:

Code:

---

TypeError: Error #1010: A term is undefined and has no properties.
        at jbDOTinfo_fla::MainTimeline/parsePortfolioPHP()
        at jbDOTinfo_fla::MainTimeline/LoadPHPxml()
        at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
        at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
        at flash.net::URLLoader/onComplete()

---

I know its something simple, I just cant think what it is. Everything I've tried so far gets me the same or similar results.

If anyone could help clear this up for me, it'd be greatly appreciated.

If you comment out: //phpInput.text = title; does it get rid of the error?

If it does (which I believe is the issue) your actionscript is not finding the textfield reference.

Well it very well likely would, however that would defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to do altogether. The "phpInput.text" is representing the dynamic text field that I am trying populate the formatted XML data inside of.

I know, im simply trying to get you to debug it down to the exact line thats causing the issue.

In this case it appears that phpInput is not available when your timeline reaches frame 27 - can you verify this? Also make sure you have the instance name entered (I know it's a dumb thought, but it happens).

Ok yeah, I got you. Good thinking. :)

So the TypeError goes away when I comment out the line:

Code:

---

var title  = this.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].firstChild.nodeValue;

---

So it appears the variable is not being initialized.

So with that in mind, here is what I have in the php.xml file thusfar:

Code:

---

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!--
        untitled
        Created by Justin Brinkerhoff on 2008-10-30.
        Copyright (c) 2008 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.
-->

<portfolio>
        <item>
                <title>XTracPads Contact Page</title>
                <url>http://www.unleashcreativity.net/cust/xtracpads/contact.html</url>
        </item>
        <item>
                <title>TechDesk ContactMe! E-Mail Form</title>
                <url>http://www.techdeskllc.com/products/contactme.php</url>
        </item>
        <item>
                <title>The Door Church in Kearns, Utah</title>
                <url>http://www.kearnscfc.info</url>
        </item>
        <item>
                <title>Hellgate London Utah, a Hellgate: Londdon Fansite</title>
                <url>http://www.hellgatelondonutah.com</url>
        </item>
</portfolio>

---

So *.firstChild.childNodes[0] should reference to the <portfolio> tag, and *.firstChild.childNodes[0].firstChild.childNodes[0] should reference the item tag, and so on.

I did try changing that line to:

Code:

---

var title  = portfolioPhpInput.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.nodeValue;

---

And the error goes away again, but still no xml.

'this' is undefined in your parsePortfolioPHP..use this instead:

code:

---

function parsePortfolioPHP(portfolioPhpInput:XML)

{

	var title  = portfolioPhpInput.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].firstChild.nodeValue;

	trace(title);

}

---

Great, thank you for your reply. One question. So I change to syntax to above, do I then say:

Code:

---

phpInput.text = title;

---

I just want to make sure were on the same page here and all ;). Thanks.

yeah that should do it

Ok, now I tried that, and no luck for some reason. Same exact TypeError in the Output.

The only reason I can logically think of that it would be causing this is its not getting the data from the node it is trying to reference. Now, I know it can connect to the xml file, as I just say portfolioPhpInput.item, and it should the physical tags and what was in the tags in the dynamic text field.

Can you think of what I'm doing wrong here? I just don't see it. From what I can tell, I'm doing everything right, but obviously something is wrong or it would work. :P

look into using an XML List. Its in the help docs. Doing the first child method was acceptable in AS2, but AS3 XML List makes things like this easier.

It would be something along the lines of xmlList[0].@Item.@title.

I cant remember..its early and im hung over from last night =]..ill get back to this

"this" will refer to the root of the movie. It gives an error. If you use

var title = portfolioPhpInput.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild .nodeValue;

that should actually give you an error too, since portfolioPhpInput is an XML object, but you are using syntax from the XMLDocument class. You need to use XML syntax.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rondog

look into using an XML List. Its in the help docs. Doing the first child method was acceptable in AS2, but AS3 XML List makes things like this easier.

It would be something along the lines of xmlList[0].@Item.@title.

I cant remember..its early and im hung over from last night =]..ill get back to this

---

LOL It's all good man. Fun party last night I take it? Wine is the worst hangover ever, and I'd definitely say a beer hangover is the next worst. :P

Well get this stuff called Emergen-C. Its a vitamin C supplement fizz drink kind of stuff. It does wonders for hangovers :).

I'll try your and cancerinform's suggestion, and see if I can get this figured out here.

I'll keep you all posted.

Don't drink and code ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cancerinform

Don't drink and code ;)

---

LOL I'll second that. I've done it, and before you know it, you forget what you were doing. Its not a pretty sight ;).

Ok, so I rewrote the chunk of code to work with the XMLDocument class. Now, I am getting TypeError 2007, or as it shows in the output:

Code:

---

TypeError: Error #2007: Parameter text must be non-null.
        at flash.text::TextField/set text()
        at jbDOTinfo_fla::MainTimeline/parsePHP()
        at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
        at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
        at flash.net::URLLoader/onComplete()

---

Here is my revised snippet of code.

Code:

---

var xmlString:URLRequest = new URLRequest("xml/php.xml");
        var loadXML:URLLoader = new URLLoader(xmlString);
        loadXML.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, parsePHP);
       
        function parsePHP(event:Event):void
        {
                var xmlDoc:XMLDocument = new XMLDocument();
                xmlDoc.ignoreWhite = true;
                var phpXML:XML = new XML(loadXML.data);
                xmlDoc.parseXML(phpXML.toXMLString());
                trace(xmlDoc.childNodes);
                phpInput.text = xmlDoc.firstChild.firstChild.childNodes[0].nodeValue;
        }

---

Now just above the TypeError output, the trace works, and shows all my xml tags in output, its just getting this last part figured out here :P

Now I also tried a variation in assigning the node value to the text box:

Code:

---

phpInput = xmlDoc.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.nodeValue;

---

But that did not seem to make a difference.

Ok so I fixed the issue in itself by changing the line to

Code:

---

phpInput.text = xmlDoc.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.nodeValue;

---

But it only displays the first title tag value of course. I need to figure out how to display more than one line. The text field is set to multi line, but just need to figure out the syntax.

Anyone know the syntax to display say all of one element?

So for example, I want to show the value of every <title> tag from the xml file in the text box.

So using the couple values I put in there for the time being to test the xml, it should show something like

Code:

---

XTracPads Contact Page
TechDesk ContactMe! E-Mail Form
The Door Church in Kearns, Utah
Hellgate London Utah, a Hellgate: London Fansite

---

So, what I need to know, is what is the proper syntax to show multiple lines from an xml document?

I'm going to keep searching to see if I an find it. If any one of you know it off hand though, it'd be much appreciated. :)

Anyone know the syntax to display say all of one element?

So for example, I want to show the value of every <title> tag from the xml file in the text box.

So using the couple values I put in there for the time being to test the xml, it should show something like

Code:

---

XTracPads Contact Page
TechDesk ContactMe! E-Mail Form
The Door Church in Kearns, Utah
Hellgate London Utah, a Hellgate: Londdon Fansite

---

So, what I need to know, is what is the proper syntax to show multiple lines from an xml document?

I'm going to keep searching to see if I an find it. If any one of you know it off hand though, it'd be much appreciated. :)

PHP Code:

---

var xmlString:URLRequest = new URLRequest("php.xml");
var loadXML:URLLoader = new URLLoader(xmlString);
loadXML.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, parsePHP);

function parsePHP(event:Event):void
{
    var xmlDoc:XMLDocument = new XMLDocument();
    xmlDoc.ignoreWhite = true;
    
    var phpXML:XML = new XML(loadXML.data);
    var i:uint = 0, phpLength:uint = phpXML.item.length();
    
    for(; i < phpLength; i++)
    {
        trace(phpXML.item[i].title);
    }
} 


---

Thank you for your help. One question I have is how to do I go about assigning the output to the text field itself. The problem is from my understanding at least, it looking for a node value. Adding a logical increment in a for loop does make sense, how would I work in getting that output to display from withing the dynamic text box. To make it work I'd have to have something to the equivalent to phpInput = something. The phpInput is the instance name of the dynamic text field.

Try:

PHP Code:

---

phpInput.text += phpXML.item[i].title; 


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