[flexcoders] One last try: Javascript security

[FineLine]

Hi. I would like to raise this point one last time, before the Adobe engineers lock in this aspect of framework behaviour in the final release.   Is it really necessary to restrict the security of the Flash Player / Flex Application model to such an extent that a flex application (SWF) located *on a users local hard disk* cannot make calls to _javascript_ functions in its container page, also located on the same hard disk? (I have described in the thread “_javascript_ security” my various attempts to disprove this, to no avail).   I understand why it should be impossible for Internet based applications to operate within a strict sandbox, which prevents them from accessing local resources. But surely, functions scripted within the application’s container page should also be considered to exist within the same sandbox? And if not, how does it make sense that *Internet* based apps can call external _javascript_, whilst local ones can’t?   Flex is a fantastic, emerging cross-platform framework technology. Imagine how useful it would be to be able to use visual Flex components within local-machine applications developed using other technologies, such as .NET, Java, Delphi etc. Whilst Flex provides excellent user interface development capabilities, it is not a tool for the kind of business application development that these other environments excel in. It doesn’t have the same data modelling tools, low-level system APIs, encryption libraries, etc. etc.   If you could use Flex to develop custom components, which you could then embed within a host application using a browser component, then you would have the best of both worlds. Those who develop Flex components would have a wider reach for their products. Many of you will have heard of Mono, the cross-platform .NET implementation. The one area where Mono lags most behind Microsoft’s own implementation is in GUI development. Imagine developing a cross platform app in .NET, using all its data access and business process modelling power, with a Flex front end. Flex reads and writes .NET datasets very easily (just convert them to XML, and you’ve got the power of E4X to do all your manipulation within the UI layer).   Maybe this can be put in the category of “Flex was never meant to do that”, but really, all it would take is being able to use the ExternalInterface API to accept commands, report events and exchange data with the host application via scripted functions in the container page. Ideally, the page shouldn’t even have to exist on disk – it could be dynamically created and fed to the browser component by the host application – but that’s getting a bit esoteric. The main thing is being able to establish communications between Flex and its HTML page – an interface which already exists in its entirety, but which is locked down in such a way that it is not useable in this scenario, as it currently stands.   Again, if anyone can prove me wrong on this, I’d love to hear how.   Rant over, have a nice day. Cheers, Tim. __._,_.___ -- 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 Web site design development Computer software development Software design and development Macromedia flex Software development best practice YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "flexcoders" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. __,_._,___