xml - reading values with nodevalue

[yombi69]

Hi

Anyone help with a small problem?

I'm trying to read xml into Flash.

Here is my code:

trace('Player Name = firstChild is: '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.attributes.Name);
trace('Player Score = firstChild is: '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.nodeVal ue);
trace('Player School = firstChild is: '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild);

Here is my xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<table>
<highScore>
<player Name="Jonny">
<score>Points = 1000</score>
<school>Haywood High</school>
</player>
</highScore>
</table>

Here are the results:

Player Name = firstChild is: Jonny
Player Score = firstChild is: null
Player School = firstChild is: <score>Points = 1000</score>

The node value of Player score is 1000 but I keep getting null.

Please help someone...

[yombi69]

[B]NB: The space in nodeValue isn't really there... just happened when I copied and pasted...

[EvolveDesigns]

try changing nodeValue to firstChild

[yombi69]

Cheers for the reply,

got it to work - here's my code:

function parseXMLData(success:Boolean):Void {
//make sure data is loaded and usable
if (success && this.status == 0) {
var theRoot:XMLNode = this.firstChild;
trace(theRoot);
trace('The root node is called '+theRoot.nodeName);
trace('\tnumber of child nodes: '+theRoot.childNodes.length);
trace('The root node¨s first child is '+theRoot.firstChild.nodeName);
trace('\tnumber of child nodes: '+theRoot.firstChild.childNodes.length);
trace('Player Name = '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.attributes.Name);
trace('Player Score = '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.childNo des[0]);
trace('Player School = '+theRoot.firstChild.firstChild.firstChild.nextSib ling.childNodes[0]);
} else {
trace('problem loading data');
trace('error code = '+this.status);
}
}
var xmlScore:XML = new XML();
xmlScore.ignoreWhite = true;
xmlScore.load('highScores.xml');
xmlScore.onLoad = parseXMLData;
var arrScore:Array = new Array();
//array code...
arrScore.push(xmlScore.childNodes[count]);
count++;
if (count>=xmlScore.childNodes.length) {
myArray.sortOn('score');
}

My problem is now that I can't use this on frame 20 without it being in an array. I think the array code is not working though it generates no errors. When I trace the variable arrScore it comes back as undefined...

Can any body help me please???

Thanks in advance

[a_modified_dog]

if you can simplify the xml, this is a whole lot easier -

var xmlScore:XML = new XML();
xmlScore.ignoreWhite = true;
xmlScore.load('highScores.xml');
xmlScore.onLoad = parseXMLData;

arrScore = new Array();

function parseXMLData(){
theRoot = this.firstChild;
len = theRoot.childNodes.length;

for(var n=0;n!=len;n++){
var aNode = theRoot.childNodes[n].firstChild;
obj = {};
obj.Name = aNode.attributes.Name;
obj.score = aNode.attributes.Score;
obj.school = aNode.attributes.School;
arrScore[n] = obj;
}
showIt();
};

function showIt(){
len1 = arrScore.length;
arrScore.sortOn("score", Array.DESCENDING | Array.NUMERIC);
for(var n=0;n!=len1;n++){
trace(arrScore[n].Name);
trace(arrScore[n].score);
trace(arrScore[n].school+newline);
}
};

/*--outputs--
Jonny
8000
Haywood High

Bonny
6000
Daywood High

Ronny
4200
Maywood High
*/

 /*--simplified xml--
<? xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> 
<table>

<highScore>
<player Name="Jonny" Score="8000" School="Haywood High" />
</highScore>

<highScore>
<player Name="Ronny" Score="4200" School="Maywood High" />
</highScore>

<highScore>
<player Name="Bonny" Score="6000" School="Daywood High" />
</highScore>

</table>
*/

[yombi69]

Thanks dude... I'll modify my code tomorrow and let you know how I get on...

You're a star as I didn't really know how to stuff the array with data so cheeeeeeeers.

Let me get back to you

M

[yombi69]

Hello again,

Can I just say that I really like the bugs on your site and would be very interested in looking at the fla but I'll mail you from the site for that...

I'm not having much joy with that script I'm afraid...

The trace statements don't output at all and I get an error box asking if I want to terminate the script that's causing flash player to run slowly...

Don't think I've done anything wrong but at a guess the loop through array elements is never ending and thus not tracing anything out. I've never seen that syntax (!=) before but surely it should be <=

for(var n=0;n<=len1;n++){

Just tried this and it makes no difference and still crashes Flash...

Cheers for helping me tidy up the xml though. Its always good to be as clean as possible...

Can you guess what's wrong please???

[a_modified_dog]

!= is not equal to

in the code i supplied i am using variable len
len = theRoot.childNodes.length;
for(var n=0;n!=len;n++){

in the code in your last post you are using len1
for(var n=0;n<=len1;n++){

if you haven't specified len1 to equal a number, the
loop will crash the compiler

[yombi69]

Hi There,

Thanks for clarifying that but I now suspect I have egg on my face as the previous xml schema was still loaded into flash when I was testing your script. So at a guess when the flash player got the xcScore.trigger action it went haywire...

Thanks for all your help - sorry to suggest your code was at fault and not me

I haven't got time to correct it till later now but will post any difficulties...

BTW - your site is cool...

[yombi69]

Hi there,

Cheers for your patience and your time but I've tracked it down by process of elimination by commenting out blocks of code...

this is the code that makes it crash:

function parseXMLData() {
theRoot = this.firstChild;
len = theRoot.childNodes.length;
for (var n = 0; n != len; n++) {
var aNode = theRoot.childNodes[n].firstChild;
obj = {};
obj.Name = aNode.attributes.Name;
obj.score = aNode.attributes.Score;
obj.school = aNode.attributes.School;
arrScore[n] = obj;
}
showIt();
}

If as you said len is not getting a value that would explain this. When I
trace (len); it comes back as undefined so this is definitely the case. However I don't understand why len is undefined when it equals theRoot.childNodes.length;???

Any ideas?? I must look pretty dumb but this is my first effort with xml and this thread has taught me a lot so cheers...

Thanx buddy...

[a_modified_dog]

variable len will only return undefined if the xml format
is different from that posted above

try my test file and let me know the results

[yombi69]

Hi there,

Yes cheers I think it might work... haven't got time to test this till later as have to go to work now but maybe I'll do it at lunchtime.

My thoughts are that there is definitely a problem loading the xml data so you're one step ahead of me again by posting a new xml file...

Cheers Dude - I'll get this cracked before long and post back when I try your file...

[yombi69]

I'm bamboozled as to how this works without using an xml connector component object? - Didn't realise you could do the whole thing with actionscript... Been a right plonker trying to use the xmlConnector and component inspector and getting confused as to where that links to the actionscript...

BRILLIANT YOU ARE A STAR!!! just know how much I appreciate this...

That is half way home. I've now built a form for kids after the game finishes where they get to enter their details. The score is just a variable passed to the keyframe where the form is.

When I click send the contents of the form fields appear in a trace statement. Is it possible to use this now to add them into the xml file and then sort the array so that only the top 5 display? I notice that the xmlConnector (which I still can't believe is redundant) can do both send and recieve so this must be possible somehow.

I know you've gone out of your way with code so far but any pointers you can give me as to how to do this will be fantastic. It won't be long before I have to learn Actionscript3 so if I can figure this out now I'll stand a chance of getting somewhere.

CHEERS

M

[a_modified_dog]

Flash cannot write to a file on its own, it must use a server side script to do this.
Search around the forum or Google for - php write xml file *flash

[yombi69]

I could write such a script in plain old ASP but I want this to be transferable between schools and not stuck on a webserver. My PHP is a bit sketchy so that limits me to a microsoft webserver.

Is there no easy way to do this so the xml and flash can talk to each other? Why in that case, does the xml connector allow you to output? into a server side script I imagine...

Actually it makes sense to me - I just wanted to distribute this as a .exe and have the high scores still work. I suppose it will have to just not use xml on this occasion. I have learned loads though so cheers for your effort.

It will be an interesting thread for other people to read as well...

Thanks for your time on this...

M