Converting from ActionScript to application server data types

Flash Remoting MX automatically converts between ActionScript data and the data types specific to the application server programming environment.

In strictly typed environments, such as Java and C#, the service function data types must correspond to (or be derived from) the listed data types. In loosely typed programming environments, such as ColdFusion or Visual Basic, the environment must be able to use the listed data type for the service function variable.

The following table lists the server data types into which the Flash gateway converts ActionScript data types:

ActionScript

Java

C#

Visual Basic

SOAP

ColdFusion MX

null
null
null
Nothing
null
null (not defined)
ColdFusion uses a null value internally, but reports an undefined variable

undefined
null
null
Nothing
null
null (not defined)

Boolean
Boolean
System.Boolean
Boolean
boolean
Boolean

Number
Number
Any numeric type, as appropriate
Any numeric type, as appropriate
decimal, float, double, integer, int
Number

String
String
System.String
String
string
String

Date
Date
System.DateTime
Date
dateTime
Date

Array
(contiguous numeric indexes)
ArrayList
System.Collections.ArrayList
System.Collections.ArrayList
array
Array

Associative Array
(named indexes)
java.util.Map (case-insensitive implementation)
System.Collections.Hashtable
System.Collections.Hashtable
Complex type
Struct

RecordSet
Cannot be sent to Server
Cannot be sent to Server
Cannot be sent to Server
Cannot be sent to Server
Cannot be sent to Server

Object
flashgateway.io.ASObject (which implements java.util.Map)
FlashGateway.
IO.ASObject (which implements the ICollection interface)
FlashGateway.
IO.ASObject
Complex type
Struct
Object of type FlashGateway.
IO.ASObject
For more information, see "Working with ActionScript typed objects"

Object consisting of name-value pairs passed as the only argument to a service function
(Typically used to pass data to ColdFusion)
flashgateway.io.ASObject
FlashGateway.
IO.ASObject
FlashGateway.
IO.ASObject
Complex type
For a CFML page - the Flash Scope with the object key names being the scope variables
For a ColdFusion component (CFC) - Each name-value pair is a named argument to the function
For more information, see "Accessing ActionScript objects"

XML
org.w3c.dom.
Document
System.Xml.Xml
Document
System.Xml.Xml
Document
Cannot be converted
XML

ActionScript	Java	C#	Visual Basic	SOAP	ColdFusion MX
null	null	null	Nothing	null	null (not defined) ColdFusion uses a null value internally, but reports an undefined variable
undefined	null	null	Nothing	null	null (not defined)
Boolean	Boolean	System.Boolean	Boolean	boolean	Boolean
Number	Number	Any numeric type, as appropriate	Any numeric type, as appropriate	decimal, float, double, integer, int	Number
String	String	System.String	String	string	String
Date	Date	System.DateTime	Date	dateTime	Date
Array (contiguous numeric indexes)	ArrayList	System.Collections.ArrayList	System.Collections.ArrayList	array	Array
Associative Array (named indexes)	java.util.Map (case-insensitive implementation)	System.Collections.Hashtable	System.Collections.Hashtable	Complex type	Struct
RecordSet	Cannot be sent to Server	Cannot be sent to Server	Cannot be sent to Server	Cannot be sent to Server	Cannot be sent to Server
Object	flashgateway.io.ASObject (which implements java.util.Map)	FlashGateway. IO.ASObject (which implements the ICollection interface)	FlashGateway. IO.ASObject	Complex type	Struct Object of type FlashGateway. IO.ASObject For more information, see "Working with ActionScript typed objects"
Object consisting of name-value pairs passed as the only argument to a service function (Typically used to pass data to ColdFusion)	flashgateway.io.ASObject	FlashGateway. IO.ASObject	FlashGateway. IO.ASObject	Complex type	For a CFML page - the Flash Scope with the object key names being the scope variables For a ColdFusion component (CFC) - Each name-value pair is a named argument to the function For more information, see "Accessing ActionScript objects"
XML	org.w3c.dom. Document	System.Xml.Xml Document	System.Xml.Xml Document	Cannot be converted	XML

ActionScript data conversion notes

The following is additional information on conversion from ActionScript data types to server data types:

Flash Remoting MX converts ActionScript Numbers to any valid Java or .NET numeric data type wherever possible. If the number cannot be converted to the service data type, for example, if the number exceeds the valid range of an integer data type, Flash Remoting MX throws an error on the server.
Flash Remoting MX can convert ActionScript data to Java boolean and numeric primitive types that correspond to the listed class types.
Flash Remoting MX treats all ActionScript arrays with non-contiguous indexes (for example, arrays with indexes of 0, 2, and 3 but not 1) or with both numeric and text indexes (for example, arrays with indexes of 0, 1, 2, "data1", and "data2") as associative arrays. In these cases, it converts the numeric indexes to keys with numbers as the strings (for example, "0", "1", "2").

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Current page: http://livedocs.adobe.com/flashremoting/mx/Using_Flash_Remoting_MX/UseASData3.htm

Using Flash Remoting MX
Using Flash Remoting Data in ActionScript