[Resolved] [Resolved] ANNC: save to foreign server

[Musicman]

Hi there,

I have written some code that overcomes the foreign server restriction by using loadmovie rather than loadvariables.
This technique should help all those who have their website on a non-scripted server and can get some additional scripted webspace elsewhere (e.g. 5 MB at http://www.vr9.com)
I have set up some public test site where you can load and save variables, but this approach could also be used for mail scripts
To use it, replace the basic

status = 'unknown';
loadVariablesNum('http://yoursite.com/somecode.cgi', 0, 'POST')
// next frame - blank
// next frame:
if(status == 'unknown') prevFrame();

or similar code sequence by this one for saving

// you need an empty "data" movieclip on the stage...
function i_am_here()
{       status = data.status;   // fetch status
        play();
}
data.op = 'save';       // you want to save
data.pass = 'secret';   // access control
data.var1 = value1;     // put all vars here that you want to save
data.loadMovie('http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/loadsave.cgi','POST');
stop(); // and possibly show 'server busy' animation

The code for loading data is similar

// you need an empty "data" movieclip on the stage...
function i_am_here()
{       status = data.status;   // fetch status, if any
        var1 = data.var1;       // and all vars you are interested in
        play();
}
data.op = 'load';       // not really needed, but seems to help caching headaches
data.loadMovie('http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/loadsave.cgi','POST');
stop(); // and possibly show 'server busy' animation

Obviously I cannot save all variables on the internet so there is just one text file shared between all testers. If two people try out this script at the same time, variables might simply get mixed up
BTW: code will only be released if enough of you guys tell me that it works

Musicman

[HowardTheDuck]

Hi musicman

Works for me - i rebuilt your (great!!) idea behind that with PHP and Ming in a few minutes...

Well i don't need this workaround, but it's interesting how easily security holes can be opened... same goes for most browsers and cookies, but that's another story

Yours
HTD

[Musicman]

Hi,

here is another one...
You need a movie that either loads its mailform in a movieclip or that uses a movieclip for sending and receiving data
If you use a separate clip called "data", the code on the
submit button would be similar to

on(release) {
data.recipient = 'recipienthere';
data.email = _root.email; // sender's email
data.message = _root.message; // message to be sent
data.error = ''; // no error
data.loadMovie('http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/3rdpartymail.cgi', POST);
play();  // goto next frame - and probably show "server busy" animation.
}

When mail is (not) sent, a function i_am_here in the parent (usually _root) will be called. This could be

function i_am_here()
{ if(data.status = 'ok')
    gotoAndPlay('success');
  else
  { error = data.error; // show error message - bad email or such
    prevFrame(); // show form again
  }
}

BTW: This is just for testing. If your movie works with it, go find a scripted server and install the script there. I am logging all requests - if it turns out somebody uses this for spamming, I will have to stop it

Musicman

[al77_t]

Yeah, it looks cool, but MusicMan can you clarify this technique for me, please??

According to Flash help manual:
anyMovieClip.loadMovie(url [,variables]);
Arguments
url An absolute or relative URL for the SWF file to load. A relative path must be relative to the SWF. The URL must be in the same subdomain as the URL where the movie currently resides. For use in the Flash Player or for testing in test-movie mode in the Flash authoring environment, all SWF files must be stored in the same folder, and the file names cannot include folder or disk drive specifications.

So how is it working???

[Musicman]

Hi,

the "same subdomain" restriction only applies to loadvariables, not to loadmovie ....

Musicman

[al77_t]

Thanks a lot....

[Nebulus]

It looks like this would overcome some rstrictions with loadVariables, but how about loading XML? Most of the apps that I write are using XML, and especially the XML:ACK written by Fig Leaf Software.

Since loading the same amount of data with a loadVariables or loadMovie would pretty much bring any PC to it's knees(sometimes up to 300K!), I need an XML solution. Any working examples?

[Musicman]

Hi,

I have not tried so far. But I think you can process a string with XML content...

Musicman

[Nebulus]

True, but that doesn't speed up the load time. I tried loading a single variable that was pipe "|" delimited, and the 30K file pretty much stops the Flash app while it's chewing on that data, and makes the movie look like it's locked up. And if you have any other windows/apps open, you're guaranteed to get a script warning.

My system's a 650 with 320 Megs of memory, so imagine what would happen on anything even slightly slower!

There's got to be a better way to pull in remote XML...

[Musicman]

Hi,

Is that just loading one variable, like
data=very long string

You should try to read up a bit on XML Nitro, maybe you find some hints about the loading as well. I think something was mentioned in an "undocumented features" thread a few weeks ago

Musicman

[David Johnson]

Check this thread as well.

[Musicman]

Hi David,

I know about proxying, and it is probably the way to go if several sites share a common database (e.g. travel agents all running their own sites but using a central facility for flight and hotel reservation). Even then your approach might be handicapped by some servers not allowing outgoing connections. Someone paying for a small hosted site might not be able to convince the hosting company to change their overall firewall policy, and I believe many hosting companies would not be able to tell you before signing up.

My approach is designed for sites where the own server does not handle scripting at all (like geocities), so they can setup their mail, login or similar stuff at a different site.

Musicman

[Nebulus]

Actually, i'm using the XML:ACK, which proved to be better than XMLNitro. Loading the XML previous to adding XML:ACK was slwo as well, but still faster than reading in a text string. And to answer the question, I was rading in one loooong string:

TRACK_LIST=some_text|more_text|even_more_text...

[projectalpha]

Musicman,

i used this code:
on(release) {
data.recipient = 'recipienthere';
data.email = _root.email; // sender's email
data.message = _root.message; // message to be sent
data.error = ''; // no error
data.loadMovie('http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/3rdpartymail.cgi', POST);
play(); // goto next frame - and probably show "server busy" animation.
}

I found another server that i could put the cgi script on. Can you please direct me to a place where i can put that script. I don't know Perl or any of that, so could you help me w/ configuring it? thanks

[eyesoar]

hi
i tried to do a similar thing in php, used a simple code to add 1 to a number in a text file.
the load movie thing works ok as far as it runs the script ( the number in the text file gets bigger), but I cant seem to read the variable in to flash.

I'm new to php so I hope i'm doing something simple wrong. I tried to use echo and print to get the variable back into flash but to no avail.


arrg

any help would be appreciated

eyesoar

[Musicman]

Hi,

can you show me the script you are actually using, and the url to the movie?

Musicman

[eyesoar]

thanks i'll mail you

[Chud]

Hey eyesoar, I'm trying to do almost the exact same thing, only you've got it over on me - I can't get anywhere with it. Musicman, any chance for a breakdown of what is happening in your script? I see functions being defined, but not being called anywhere. Do you attach them to the data mc instance? Still plugging away . . .

[Musicman]

Hi,

there are two parts to it - the actionscript loads a data mc with the info to be sent (could also be sending the main timeline, but this way it is explicit what info is sent) and then calls for loadMOVIE(). The script on the server does whatever it is supposed to (sending mail, in this case) and then constructs a blank (no graphics at all) swf movie to answer the call. The only thing inside that movie is some actionscript setting variables - as well as a call to function i_am_here in the calling movie which will in turn process the data inside the movie.
The only black art is building a swf movie without using the flash program. Source code for server script is at http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/3rdpartymail.cgi?op=code

Musicman

[Musicman]

Hi,

there are two parts to it - the actionscript loads a data mc with the info to be sent (could also be sending the main timeline, but this way it is explicit what info is sent) and then calls for loadMOVIE(). The script on the server does whatever it is supposed to (sending mail, in this case) and then constructs a blank (no graphics at all) swf movie to answer the call. The only thing inside that movie is some actionscript setting variables - as well as a call to function i_am_here in the calling movie which will in turn process the data inside the movie.
The only black art is building a swf movie without using the flash program. Source code for server script is at http://www.fontimages.f2s.com/cgi-bin/3rdpartymail.cgi?op=code

Musicman