Introduction

Joseph Miller's tutorial on 'How to Make Flash talk to PHP' probably worked flawlessly in PHP 4.0,
but I had some trouble with PHP 4.3.0

Here is the updated scriptA.php

The script is commented, so enjoy the reading ...

<?
//
// this is an updated version of the PHP script from the flashKit.com example
//  file submitted by Joseph Miller. (How_to_M-Joseph_M-702.zip)
// this one works with PHP 4.3.0
//
// How to make Flash listen to PHP
// get the archive How_to_M-Joseph_M-702.zip for the rest of this example.
//  you will find it at
//   http://www.flashkit.com/tutorials/Backend/How_to_M-Joseph_M-702/How_to_M-Joseph_M-702.zip
//
// now for the updates ...
//
// there is no need for the html, header and body tags in
// the newer, more error tolerant browsers.
//
// besides, html tags will just be a problem for flash actionscript
//
// get the request method so that we can manually test this thing
// in a browser window using the GET method.
$method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']   ;
//
// there are two ways to send data to PHP, the GET and the POST methods
// if you manually type a URL in a browser window you will use "GET".
//  (see the GET example at the end of this file ... )
//
// the POST method is used with forms and when our flash actionscript
//  uses "POST".
if ( strcmp($method,"POST") == 0) {
 $page  = $_POST['page'];
 $who   = $_POST['who'];
 $what  = $_POST['what'];
 $where = $_POST['where'];
 $web   = $_POST['web'];
} elseif ( strcmp($method,"GET") == 0) {
 $page  = $_GET['page'];
 $who   = $_GET['who'];
 $what  = $_GET['what'];
 $where = $_GET['where'];
 $web   = $_GET['web'];
}
//
// i like to use sprintf, because I am more familiar with it
$result = sprintf("%s works as a %s in %s and may be found on the web at %s.",
 $who,$what,$where,$web);
//
// these two lines are all that flash actionscript will see,
//  and all that it cares about.
// the method is not important, the format is. use echo, print, printf,
//  or any other method that you understand.
echo "&result=".$result;
print "&loading=NO";
//
// external PHP variable access using PHP version 4.3
// (first introduced in PHP 4.1.0)
// (use HTTP_POST_VARS and HTTP_GET_VARS for previous PHP versions)
//
// for POST variables use
// $who = $_POST['who'];
// $who = $HTTP_POST_VARS['who'];
//
// for GET variables use
// $who = $_GET['who'];
// $who = $HTTP_GET_VARS['who'];
//
// more on the GET format
//
// below is a test string for manually testing the script.
//  the order of the variables is not important as long as they are supplied.
//
// http://www.myserver.com/ScriptA.php?who=me&what=that%20stuff&where=there&web=the%20web%20address
//
// remember to use URL syntax and character replacements, e.g. a space is %20
?>
Well, that's it. 
This one works with PHP 4.3.0. I tested it on MS IIS Server 5.0 and the Apache server. 
Now it's time to make movies ... 
Jim H. 
» Level Basic

Added: : 2003-03-24 
Rating: 8.20 Votes: 5 
Hits: 534 
» Author
not much to say. I've used flash for several years and am ready to really get to it on the web site. It is time to say goodbye to FrontPage. 
» Download
Download the files used in this tutorial. 
Download (1 kb) 

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