19
Sep
07

Converting XML to objects using the Flex SimpleXMLDecoder class

Similar to the previous post, “Converting XML to objects using the Flex HTTPService MXML tag“, the following example shows how you can use the decodeXML() method in the SimpleXMLDecoder class to convert an XMLDocument object into an ActionScript Object object.

Full code after the jump.

View MXML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- http://blog.flexexamples.com/2007/09/19/converting-xml-to-objects-using-the-flex-simplexmldecoder-class/ -->
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
        layout="vertical"
        verticalAlign="middle"
        backgroundColor="white"
        creationComplete="serv.send();">

    <mx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.rpc.events.FaultEvent;
            import mx.rpc.events.ResultEvent;
            import mx.rpc.xml.SimpleXMLDecoder;

            private function serv_result(evt:ResultEvent):void {
                /* Convert XMLNode to XMLDocument. */
                var xmlStr:String = evt.result.toString();
                var xmlDoc:XMLDocument = new XMLDocument(xmlStr);
                var decoder:SimpleXMLDecoder = new SimpleXMLDecoder(true);
                var resultObj:Object = decoder.decodeXML(xmlDoc);
                /* Assign the values... */
                nameText.text = resultObj.album.name;
                img0Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[0];
                img1Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[1];
                img2Text.text = resultObj.album.images.image[2];
            }

            private function serv_fault(evt:FaultEvent):void {
                // Show the error label.
                error.text += evt.fault.faultString;
                error.visible = true;
                // Hide the form.
                form.visible = false;
            }
        ]]>
    </mx:Script>

    <mx:String id="XML_URL">album.xml</mx:String>

    <mx:HTTPService id="serv"
            url="{XML_URL}"
            resultFormat="xml"
            result="serv_result(event);"
            fault="serv_fault(event);" />

    <mx:ApplicationControlBar dock="true">
        <mx:Label text="{XML_URL}" />
    </mx:ApplicationControlBar>

    <mx:Label id="error"
            color="red"
            fontSize="36"
            fontWeight="bold"
            visible="false"
            includeInLayout="{error.visible}"/>

    <mx:Form id="form"
            includeInLayout="{form.visible}">
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.name:">
            <mx:Label id="nameText" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[0]:">
            <mx:Label id="img0Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[1]:">
            <mx:Label id="img1Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
        <mx:FormItem label="resultObj.album.images.image[2]:">
            <mx:Label id="img2Text" />
        </mx:FormItem>
    </mx:Form>

</mx:Application>

View album.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<album>
    <name>One</name>
    <images>
        <image>image1.jpg</image>
        <image>image2.jpg</image>
        <image>image3.jpg</image>
    </images>
</album>

View source is enabled in the following example.


4 Responses to “Converting XML to objects using the Flex SimpleXMLDecoder class”


  1. 1 tim yang Nov 7th, 2007 at 3:58 am

    very usefull thanks!!!!1!

  2. 2 duivvv Mar 5th, 2008 at 2:15 am

    how do attributes get filled in on the objects ?

    for instance

    if i’ll One

    can i access it by resultObj.album.id ?

  3. 3 marco May 6th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    creationComplete="serv.send();" ??

    where is the serv.send(); function on the script ?? is it a special code ?

  4. 4 peterd May 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    marco,

    Nope, no special code. Later in the code you should see the following MXML code:

        <mx:HTTPService id="serv"
                url="{XML_URL}"
                resultFormat="xml"
                result="serv_result(event);"
                fault="serv_fault(event);" />
    

    Basically the creationComplete event is calling the HTTPService tag’s send() method, which should trigger the result or fault events which in turn calls the serv_result() or serv_fault() methods.

    Peter

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