RE: [flexcoders] Help understanding AMF vs Socket?

[Peter Farland]

AMF is a format for serializing ActionScript objects in a compact binary form - it is used in a number of places in the Flash Player. It is not, in itself, an API that makes connections but rather something that can be used over connections to represent data.   For example, flash.net.NetConnection can make either HTTP or RTMP based connections and ActionScript data sent via either one of these protocols uses AMF for the encoding. For HTTP based communications AMF formatted requests and responses are made but the connection is not persistent. For RTMP based communication a connection is maintained to allow for real-time communications so that data can be "pushed" from the server to the client.   flash.net.Socket is a simpler or, rather, more raw API that allows you to create your own persistent connection but leaves the protocol and communication format up entirely up to you. With the ability of flash.utils.ByteArray to serialize ActionScript objects using AMF you could also use AMF if you wanted to on your Socket so long as the endpoint understands this format.   If you don't have any requirements to push data to the client, it is unlikely that you'll need to use an API like Socket.   Note that for "webservices" in the WSDL/SOAP sense, AMF is not really relevant. In the broader definition of a web service, AMF is used, for example, by Flex's RemoteObject feature to send and receive ActionScript data from a remote endpoint, such as ColdFusion or Flex Data Services.         From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rick Schmitty Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 1:23 PM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: [flexcoders] Help understanding AMF vs Socket? What is the difference between AMF and Socket connections? Is AMF itself a socket connection that does the serialization of webservices on a 'standard' port? Is there constant chatter over the line when using AMF or socket? By chatter I mean, does the server and client continually check that the other exists after the connection is established? I doubt I'll ever run into making my own socket but I see it brought up from time to time and just wanted to know I'll still use AMF in the end when I can, but I'd like to know how it works vs the other options :) Thanks __._,_.___ -- Flexcoders Mailing List FAQ: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flexcoders/files/flexcodersFAQ.txt Search Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com SPONSORED LINKS Software development tool Software development Software development services Home design software Software development company Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe __,_._,___