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| <div class="sideblock right" style="width: 12em;">
| | This page has been moved to: [[Development:AMF3]] |
| <div class="header">AMFPHP in Moodle</div>
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| <div class="content">
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| * New ActionScript 3.0 (Flash CS3 and Flex) page
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| * Original ActionScript 2.0 tutorial [[Development:AMFPHP]]
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| </div>
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| </div>
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|
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| [[Development:AMF3]] | |
| ==What is AMFPHP?==
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| ===Action Message Format PHP===
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| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/amfphp/ AMFPHP] is a widely used open source remoting server that allows Flash and Flex client-side applications to call PHP methods directly, as if they were native Flash/Flex ActionScript methods. It is fast and lightweight and presents an efficient, simple and easy to implement method of communicating with PHP and databases.
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| ===Preserved Data Types===
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| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/amfphp/ AMFPHP] preserves the following data types between ActionScript and PHP:
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| * Array
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| * Bitmap
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| * ByteArray
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| * int
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| * Number
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| * Object
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| * Recordset (mysql_result)
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| * String
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| * XML (ActionScript 3.0 also supports [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E4X E4X] notation)
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| Note: Please add to this list if you have successfully tested data types using AMFPHP 1.9.beta+ and ActionScript 3.0.
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| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/amfphp/ AMFPHP] automatically converts data types between ActionScript and PHP to their native equivalents. For example, it can convert a PHP array into and ActionScript array or a PHP resource, such as a mysql_result into an Actionscript Recordset.
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| ===AMF0 and AMF3===
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| Previous versions of Flash, using ActionScript 2.0 (versions 6, 7 and 8), use AMF0. ActionScript 3.0, Flash CS3+ and Flex, use AMF3 by default but can also use AMF0. What's the difference? AMF3 is compressed and therefore faster. For more details look [http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/net/ObjectEncoding.html here].
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| ==What is AMF Moodle?==
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| [http://code.google.com/p/amfmoodle/ AMF Moodle] is a new project (9th October 2008) which aims to integrate Flash and Flex with Moodle's API. The aim is to build a library of services that Flash and Flex developers can use to create secure client-side applications that can interact with Moodle. The first step will be to create a Moodle module that facilitates deploying custom made, generic Flash and Flex e-learning interactions in Moodle courses and recording user interaction results in the Moodle gradebook.
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| ===AMF Moodle Outline===
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| There is a summary of some of the specifications for the new AMF Moodle on the [[Talk:AMF_Moodle]] comments page that are under discussion. Once we have a more definite specification, it will be transferred to here. Please feel free to comment, make requests, ask questions etc. on the comments page. It'll really help us alot.
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| ===AMF Moodle Participants===
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| The project's participants at the moment are:
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| [http://matbury.com/ Matt Bury],
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| [http://jamiep.org/ Jamie Pratt]
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| and [http://www86.coolenglishtv.com/ Marcus Potter].
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| You can find the project home page at [http://code.google.com/p/amfmoodle/ code.google.com].
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| Find the AMF Moodle discussion thread [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=105716 here].
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| For further discussion, please use the [[Talk:AMF_Moodle]] page comments tab for this wiki page.
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| ==What Are the Differences between Using AMFPHP and SCORM?==
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| Several Moodle developers and contributors have asked the question, "If you want to deploy Flash in Moodle, why not use SCORM?" [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=107918#p475832 There is a discussion in the General Developers Forum on the advantages and disadvantages of SCORM.]
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| ==Installing AMFPHP in Moodle==
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| ===Download===
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| * Download the latest version of [http://sourceforge.net/projects/amfphp/ AMFPHP], currently version 1.9.beta (SourceForge repository).
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| * Unzip the file and find the directory amfphp.
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| * Upload the amfphp directory to ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/
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| ===Edit gateway.php===
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| * Find the file ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/gateway.php and open it in your favourite text/PHP editor
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| * At the beginning of the code, add the line: include_once "../../config.php";
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| * Find and edit the line: $gateway->setClassPath($servicesPath); and change it to: $gateway->setClassPath($CFG->dirroot."/lib/amfphp/services/");
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| * Upload the edited ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/gateway.php file.
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| * That's it!
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| ===Setting PHP 5 as Default===
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| Please note: AMFPHP requires PHP 5 to work seamlessly, although some report success with version 4. Many servers run both PHP 4 and 5, but have them set to run PHP 4 by default. If you experience problems, you may have to change the default PHP version in the ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/ directory with an .htaccess file. The following is an example only. Please check that it is correct for your server configuration. If you have a hosted server, they'll probably have an example in their help files. For example:
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| * Find the AMFPHP .htaccess file at ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/.htaccess
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| * Open it with a text editor. You'll see:
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| <pre>#If you're working with a server which doesn't seem to display errors and you don't
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| #have access to httpd.conf and you have a good reason to develop remotely instead of
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| #locally, you may have luck with uploading this configuration file to the server
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| php_flag display_errors on
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| php_flag display_startup_errors on
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| php_value error_reporting 2047</pre>
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| * Add another line of code to change the default PHP version setting for the amfphp directory:
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| <pre>#If you're working with a server which doesn't seem to display errors and you don't
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| #have access to httpd.conf and you have a good reason to develop remotely instead of
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| #locally, you may have luck with uploading this configuration file to the server
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| php_flag display_errors on
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| php_flag display_startup_errors on
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| php_value error_reporting 2047
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| SetEnv DEFAULT_PHP_VERSION 5</pre>
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| ==Testing AMFPHP in Moodle==
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| Here is an example of a simple AMF Moodle service that checks the login status of your browser.
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| * Create a new document in your preferred text/PHP editor
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| * Copy and paste the code and save it as UserName.php
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| * Upload it to ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/services/
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| Now is a good time to find out if your server is running the correct PHP version. If your server is running PHP 4 by default, you'll get error messages caused by the "public" namespace.
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| * Navigate to the PHP page you just uploaded in your browser: ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/services/UserName.php
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| * If there are no error messages then you can continue to the "Testing AMFPHP in Flash" section
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| <pre>
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| <?php
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| class UserName
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| {
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| public function __construct()
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| {
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|
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| }
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| /**
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| *checks whether you're logged in to Moodle
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| *@returns user login status
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| */
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| public function loggedInAs() {
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| global $USER;
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| if (isguestuser()){
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| return get_string('loggedinasguest', 'moodle');
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| }else if (isloggedin()){
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| return get_string('loggedinas', 'moodle', fullname($USER));
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| } else {
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| return get_string('loggedinnot');
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| }
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| }
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| }
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| ?>
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| </pre>
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| ==Testing AMFPHP in Flash==
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| Please note: Flash CS3 and Flex come with the necessary classes for using AMFPHP already installed. It is not necessary to install any new classes!
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| * Open the Flash CS3 IDE
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| * Create a new ActionScript 3.0 class document
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| * Copy and past the code below and save it as UserName.as
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| * Create a new ActionScript 3.0 FLA document
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| * In Properties > Document class: type UserName.as
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| * Save the FLA file as UserName.fla in the same directory as UserName.as
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| * Publish the UserName.swf, AC_RunActiveContent.js and UserName.html files
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| * Upload the published files to your server
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| * In your browser, navigate to the location of the UserName.html page
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| * Try logging in and out of Moodle to see the change in your login status
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| ===ActionScript 3.0 Document Class===
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| <pre>
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| package {
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|
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| import flash.display.Sprite;
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| import flash.text.*;
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| import flash.events.MouseEvent;
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| import flash.events.NetStatusEvent;
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| import flash.net.NetConnection;
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| import flash.net.Responder;
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|
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| public class UserName extends Sprite {
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|
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| private var _format:TextFormat;
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| private var _display:TextField;
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| private var _call:Sprite;
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| private var _gateway:NetConnection;
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| private var _responder:Responder;
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|
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| public function UserName() {
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| initFormat();
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| initDisplay();
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| initCall();
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| initGateway();
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| }
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|
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| // create text format object
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| private function initFormat():void {
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| _format = new TextFormat();
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| _format.font = "Trebuchet MS";
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| _format.size = 15;
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| _format.bold = true;
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| }
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|
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| // create text field to display results
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| private function initDisplay():void {
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| _display = new TextField();
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| _display.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
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| _display.multiline = true;
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| _display.x = 10;
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| _display.y = 10;
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| _display.defaultTextFormat = _format;
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| _display.text = "Click on \"Call UserName.php\" to test.";
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| addChild(_display);
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| }
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|
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| // create text button to call UserName.php
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| private function initCall():void {
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| _call = new Sprite();
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| _call.mouseChildren = false;
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| _call.buttonMode = true;
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| _call.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, callDownHandler);
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| var btn:TextField = new TextField();
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| btn.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
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| btn.border = true;
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| btn.background = true;
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| btn.backgroundColor = 0xdddddd;
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| btn.defaultTextFormat = _format;
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| btn.text = " Call UserName.php ";
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| btn.x = (stage.stageWidth - btn.width) - 10;
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| btn.y = stage.stageHeight - 30;
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| _call.addChild(btn);
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| addChild(_call);
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| }
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|
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| // depress call button and call UserName.loggedInAs method
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| private function callDownHandler(event:MouseEvent):void {
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| _call.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, callDownHandler);
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| stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, callUpHandler);
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| _call.x += 2;
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| _call.y += 2;
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| _gateway.call("UserName.loggedInAs",_responder);
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| _display.appendText("\n Calling UserName.loggedInAs ... ");
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| }
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|
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| // reset call button
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| private function callUpHandler(event:MouseEvent):void {
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| _call.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, callDownHandler);
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| stage.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, callUpHandler);
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| _call.x -= 2;
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| _call.y -= 2;
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| }
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|
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| // connect to AMFPHP gateway
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| private function initGateway():void {
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| _gateway = new NetConnection();
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| // Edit the following line to reflect your server configuration
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| _gateway.connect("http://***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/gateway.php");
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| _gateway.addEventListener(NetStatusEvent.NET_STATUS, netStatusHandler);
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| _responder = new Responder(onResult,onFault);
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| }
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|
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| // show returned results
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| private function onResult(res:Object):void {
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| _display.appendText("\n " + String(res));
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| }
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|
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| // show details if call is unsuccessful
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| private function onFault(res:Object):void {
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| for(var i:String in res) {
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| _display.appendText("\n " + String(res[i]));
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| }
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| }
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|
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| // show all net status events (can be status or error events)
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| function netStatusHandler(event:NetStatusEvent):void {
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| for(var i:String in event.info) {
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| _display.appendText("\n" + String(event.info[i]));
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| }
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| }
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| }
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| }
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| </pre>
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| ==AMF Moodle Service Library==
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| ===AMFPHP Service Browser===
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| AMFPHP 1.9.beta comes with a Flex service browser ready installed. It allows you to see your library of services in the ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/services/ directory and call them. It also displays error messages very well. It's an ideal tool for checking out your services before your write Flash and Flex applications that call them.
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| ===VERY IMPORTANT!===
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| DO NOT leave the service browser installed on a production server (i.e. public). It will leave your service library and therefore your Moodle API and databases exposed to the public!
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| ===List Of AMF Moodle Services===
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| * User.php - returns user login status, returns an array of config settings you can set, returns a value of a config setting, sets a value of a config setting
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| * UserName.php - returns user login status
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| ==User.php Updated==
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| If you've already seen the tutorials in [[Development:AMFPHP]], here's an updated version of User.php that works with AMFPHP 1.9.beta. As with UserName.php, upload it tothe services directory at ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/services/. You can test it by navigating to ***MOODLEROOT***/lib/amfphp/browser/index.html and selecting User from the menu of services.
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| ===User.php Script===
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| <pre>
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| <?php
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| class User
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| {
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| public function __construct()
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| {
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|
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| }
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| /**
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| * Returns string indicating whether a user is logged in.
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| * @access remote
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| */
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| public function loggedInAs() {
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| global $USER;
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| if (isguestuser()){
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| return get_string('loggedinasguest', 'moodle');
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| }else if (isloggedin()){
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| return get_string('loggedinas', 'moodle', fullname($USER));
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| } else {
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| return get_string('loggedinnot');
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| }
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| }
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| /**
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| * Returns an array of config settings you can set.
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| * @access remote
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| */
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| public function configSettings() {
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| return array_keys(get_user_preferences());
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| }
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| /**
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| * Returns a value of a config setting.
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| * @param string name
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| * @access remote
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| */
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| public function getConfigSetting($name) {
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| $name = clean_param($name, PARAM_ALPHAEXT);
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| return get_user_preferences($name);
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| }
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| /**
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| * sets a value of a config setting.
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| * @param string name
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| * @param string value
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| * @access remote
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| */
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| public function setConfigSetting($name, $value) {
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| $name = clean_param($name, PARAM_ALPHAEXT);
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| $value = clean_param($value, PARAM_NOTAGS);
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| return set_user_preference($name, $value);
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| }
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| }
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| ?>
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| </pre>
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| ==Useful Links==
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| ===AMFPHP===
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| * AMFPHP home page [http://amfphp.org/ amfphp.org]
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| * AMFPHP code repository [http://sourceforge.net/projects/amfphp/ SourceForge.net]
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| ===Sir Lee Brimelow's video tutorials===
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| * [http://gotoandlearn.com/play?id=78 Introduction to AMFPHP 1]
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| Learn how to install AMFPHP and create a simple service that sends email.
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| * [http://gotoandlearn.com/play?id=79 Introduction to AMFPHP 2]
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| In this tutorial he shows you how to directly return database records to Flash using AMFPHP.
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| ===Alessandro Crugnola's tutorials===
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| * [http://www.sephiroth.it/tutorials/flashPHP/flex_remoteobject/ Flex RemoteObject and AMFPHP 1.9]
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| * [http://www.sephiroth.it/tutorials/flashPHP/amfphp_bytearray/ Send and Receive ByteArray to AMFPHP]
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| ===AMF Moodle===
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| * [http://code.google.com/p/amfmoodle/ AMF Moodle code.google.com]
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| * [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=105716 Moodle Forums - AMF Moodle discussion thread]
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| ===Adobe ActionScript 3.0 Language Reference===
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| The two most important classes related to AMFPHP are:
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| * [http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/net/NetConnection.html NetConnection class]
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| * [http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/9.0/ActionScriptLangRefV3/flash/net/Responder.html Responder class]
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| ===AMFPHP Is Fast===
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| There's always someone who'll play with a new toy and push it until it breaks. AMFPHP can go pretty fast! [http://www.5etdemi.com/blog/archives/2007/01/amfphp-19-beta-2-ridiculously-faster/ Check out this blog article].
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