TechNote (Archived)

Requirements: You must be able to upload and run a server-side script on a server in the same domain as the Flash movie.

In this method, the Flash movie accesses the script, which loads the information, retrieves it, and returns the information back to the Flash movie.

This method is best if the server hosting the data is not under your control (for example, a public XML feed).

Requirements: You must be able to upload a SWF to the server hosting the data source.

The method loads a "Shim SWF", hosted in the same domain as the data source. The shim loads the information, and the information is passed from the shim SWF to the main SWF.

This method works well if the server hosting the data is under your control.

Download and unzip or unstuff one (or all of) the following example files:

ColdFusion Example:

Windows ZIP

Macintosh SEA

(1 KB)

PHP Example:

Windows ZIP

Macintosh SEA

(1 KB)

ASP Example:

Windows ZIP

Macintosh SEA

(1 KB)

Java Servlet Example:

Windows ZIP

Macintosh SEA

(2 KB)

Note: Other server-side scripts can be used. Developers using other types of files can use one of the above examples as guideline.

Load data from another domain

1

Create a second "shim" movie, hosted on the same server (or on another server in the same domain) as the data source.

2

The main movie loads the shim movie (for example, into another level) using loadMovie, so both movies are loaded into the Macromedia Flash Player at the same time, on different levels.

loadMovieNum("http://www.yourDataDomain.com/somePath/
shim.swf",1);

3

The shim movie contains the actions to load the information into itself from the data source (loadVariables, XML.load, XML.sendAndLoad). Because both documents are in the same domain, the request will be processed.

4

If your shim movie is a version 6 SWF (or later), you must insert additional code to allow the movies to communicate.

Insert this code into the shim movie to allow the main movie to access information in the shim movie. Replace yourFlashDomain.com with the domain name of your main movie.

Example:

System.security.allowDomain("http://yourFlashDomain.com");

Note: Never call System.security.allowDomain unless you fully trust the operator(s) of the domain that you are specifying. By using this code, you are granting access to any movie from that domain. If you do not fully trust the administrator, developers, or documents originating in that domain, the server-side proxy method may be a more appropriate solution.

Refer to Additional information for more onSystem.security.allowDomain.

5

When the data reaches the shim movie, reference the information from within the main movie.

Examples:

mainVar=_level1.shimVar;

mainXML=new XML(_level1.shimXML);

Note:Use a similar method if you wish to set data in the main movie (version 6 or above) from within ActionScript in the shim movie (any version). IncludeSystem.security.allowDomainin your main movie to grant permission to the shim movie's domain. This would enable you to "push" data to the main movie from the shim movie. This method could be preferable if using a callback function (onLoad, onClipEvent(data)) in the shim movie.

In general, the shim method can be used with any combination of versions of SWF files. However, if any one SWF is version 6 (or above) and you need to access it from within a movie hosted in another domain, you must specify the domain inSystem.security.allowDomain(and only if you fully trust the administrator of that domain).