The document discusses integrating Drupal 7 with Flash using the amfserver module. It provides an overview of the amfserver module, which allows communication between Drupal and ActionScript clients via AMF. It then covers how to set up the module, create services endpoints, expose resources, handle security and permissions, and send/receive data between Drupal and Flash applications using AMF. Tips are also provided for writing ActionScript code to connect to Drupal and debugging the integration.

2. integrating D7 + flash
with amfserver

4. about
• Me: Rolf Vreijdenberger
• founder / managing partner dpdk
• www.dpdk.nl
• we’re a dutch online media agency
• using a lot of Drupal
• rolf@vreijdenberger.nl

6. introducing the amfserver

8. what is the amfserver?
• a D7 module,working with services 7.x-3.x providing
an AMF server based on the Zend library

9. what is the amfserver?
• a D7 module,working with services 7.x-3.x providing
an AMF server based on the Zend library
• allows integration with actionscript based clients
• optionally integrated with the dpdk actionscript library
www.dpdk.nl/opensource

11. drupal.org/project/amfserver

13. why flash and drupal?
• not all the web is html(5)

14. why flash and drupal?
• not all the web is html(5)
• deliver and administer content from drupal

15. why flash and drupal?
• not all the web is html(5)
• deliver and administer content from drupal
• display content in flash client

16. why flash and drupal?
• not all the web is html(5)
• deliver and administer content from drupal
• display content in flash client
• flash, flex and air can be used (all actionscript clients)
• (full screen) flash/flex sites with drupal backend
• flash elements in a html + flash hybrid site
• standalone AIR applications

23. how can you use D7 as a
cms for flash?
• know how to write your actionscript code

24. how can you use D7 as a
cms for flash?
• know how to write your actionscript code
• know how to use D7 and install modules

25. how can you use D7 as a
cms for flash?
• know how to write your actionscript code
• know how to use D7 and install modules
• use the right components to integrate the two:
amfserver + actionscript libraries

26. how can you use D7 as a
cms for flash?
• know how to write your actionscript code
• know how to use D7 and install modules
• use the right components to integrate the two:
amfserver + actionscript libraries
• get the data from Drupal to flash client

27. how can you use D7 as a
cms for flash?
• know how to write your actionscript code
• know how to use D7 and install modules
• use the right components to integrate the two:
amfserver + actionscript libraries
• get the data from Drupal to flash client
• get the data from flash client to Drupal

29. can I pick it up easily?

30. can I pick it up easily?
• YES!

31. can I pick it up easily?
• YES!
• D7, services, amfserver, Zend framework, dpdk
package and a little actionscript code

32. can I pick it up easily?
• YES!
• D7, services, amfserver, Zend framework, dpdk
package and a little actionscript code
• some configuration and some debugging tools

34. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!

35. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!
• drupal.org/project/services

36. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!
• drupal.org/project/services
• A standardized solution of integrating external
applications with Drupal core and extensions

37. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!
• drupal.org/project/services
• A standardized solution of integrating external
applications with Drupal core and extensions
• services API: allow modules to create services for
clients

38. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!
• drupal.org/project/services
• A standardized solution of integrating external
applications with Drupal core and extensions
• services API: allow modules to create services for
clients
• server API: allow modules to create servers

39. how do we communicate?
• D7 services 3.x module: services ROCK!
• drupal.org/project/services
• A standardized solution of integrating external
applications with Drupal core and extensions
• services API: allow modules to create services for
clients
• server API: allow modules to create servers
• REST, XML-RPC, AMF

41. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints

42. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)

43. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached

44. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached
• set permissions for resources

45. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached
• set permissions for resources
• expose custom or core resources per endpoint

46. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached
• set permissions for resources
• expose custom or core resources per endpoint
• core resources are included in services

47. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached
• set permissions for resources
• expose custom or core resources per endpoint
• core resources are included in services
• custom resources can be made by your modules

48. how do we communicate?
• create and configure (multiple) endpoints
• an url/gateway that exposes resources (“node.retrieve”)
• an endpoint has a specific server attached
• set permissions for resources
• expose custom or core resources per endpoint
• core resources are included in services
• custom resources can be made by your modules
• create a client that can connect

50. services modules

52. active server endpoints

54. create endpoint

56. enable resources

58. security and permissions
• normal Drupal session authentication

59. security and permissions
• normal Drupal session authentication
• security and permissions as you would use them
normally

60. security and permissions
• normal Drupal session authentication
• security and permissions as you would use them
normally
• permissions for anonymous user

61. security and permissions
• normal Drupal session authentication
• security and permissions as you would use them
normally
• permissions for anonymous user
• permissions via roles for logged in user

62. security and permissions
• normal Drupal session authentication
• security and permissions as you would use them
normally
• permissions for anonymous user
• permissions via roles for logged in user
• no authorization (yet)

64. assign permissions

66. sending and receiving data
• client communicates with the D7 backend via
amfserver

67. sending and receiving data
• client communicates with the D7 backend via
amfserver
• data transfer via the AMF protocol (action message
format)

69. amf endpoint

71. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?

72. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?
• binary format (efficient data transfer)

73. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?
• binary format (efficient data transfer)
• delivered over http protocol (port 80)

74. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?
• binary format (efficient data transfer)
• delivered over http protocol (port 80)
• native datatypes on actionscript side

75. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?
• binary format (efficient data transfer)
• delivered over http protocol (port 80)
• native datatypes on actionscript side
• fast automated serializing/deserializing via (php) server
libraries

76. about AMF
• what does the AMF protocol offer?
• binary format (efficient data transfer)
• delivered over http protocol (port 80)
• native datatypes on actionscript side
• fast automated serializing/deserializing via (php) server
libraries
• fast automated serializing/deserializing via flash player
native code

78. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!

79. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node

80. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node
• views: getting groups of content

81. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node
• views: getting groups of content
• core resources: node, users, taxonomy, system

82. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node
• views: getting groups of content
• core resources: node, users, taxonomy, system
• custom resources: your own modules implementing
hook_services_resources()

83. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node
• views: getting groups of content
• core resources: node, users, taxonomy, system
• custom resources: your own modules implementing
hook_services_resources()
• use functionality of existing modules (eg: ubercart)

84. getting to content!
• This is where it happens on the D7 side!
• fields: adding data/fields to your node
• views: getting groups of content
• core resources: node, users, taxonomy, system
• custom resources: your own modules implementing
hook_services_resources()
• use functionality of existing modules (eg: ubercart)
• connect with actionscript client

86. hook_services_resources()

88. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library

89. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash

90. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash
• unittested

91. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash
• unittested
• get it at www.dpdk.nl/opensource

92. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash
• unittested
• get it at www.dpdk.nl/opensource
• DrupalProxy class: actionscript proxy to the amfserver

93. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash
• unittested
• get it at www.dpdk.nl/opensource
• DrupalProxy class: actionscript proxy to the amfserver
• DrupalData class: represents data from the amfserver

94. writing actionscript code
• dpdk opensource actionscript 3 library
• de facto standard for integrating D6 + D7 with flash
• unittested
• get it at www.dpdk.nl/opensource
• DrupalProxy class: actionscript proxy to the amfserver
• DrupalData class: represents data from the amfserver
• abstracts away low level details

96. simple actionscript!

98. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy

99. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy
• add callback handlers for each resource invoked

100. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy
• add callback handlers for each resource invoked
• handle the result in the callbacks

101. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy
• add callback handlers for each resource invoked
• handle the result in the callbacks
• either loop over and use the drupal data structure you
get back as a result

102. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy
• add callback handlers for each resource invoked
• handle the result in the callbacks
• either loop over and use the drupal data structure you
get back as a result
• or display error (eg: “Access denied for user
anonymous” )you get back from the error handler

103. as3? what happened?
• create and configure an instance of DrupalProxy
• add callback handlers for each resource invoked
• handle the result in the callbacks
• either loop over and use the drupal data structure you
get back as a result
• or display error (eg: “Access denied for user
anonymous” )you get back from the error handler
• optionally use dpdk sequencing framework for the
asynchronous(!) calls.

105. configure DrupalProxy

107. handling data

109. optional: sequencing

111. That’s all the code?
• for integrating Drupal and Flash, it is!
• now, you have to write the specifics for your stuff
• use more capalibities of DrupalProxy class
• configure your flash movie: flashvars, config file, initialize
call etc.
• write the business logic of your flash application

113. debugging and testing

114. debugging and testing
• how do we know what the data looks like?

115. debugging and testing
• how do we know what the data looks like?
• how do we test our services?

117. debugging and testing

118. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles

119. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles
• shows request and response AMF data and headers

120. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles
• shows request and response AMF data and headers
• different views and filters available

121. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles
• shows request and response AMF data and headers
• different views and filters available
• shows metadata (size, time etc)

122. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles
• shows request and response AMF data and headers
• different views and filters available
• shows metadata (size, time etc)
• also very convenient for fields data

123. debugging and testing
• use a http traffic analyzer: Charles
• shows request and response AMF data and headers
• different views and filters available
• shows metadata (size, time etc)
• also very convenient for fields data
• www.charlesproxy.com

128. debugging and testing
• use the devel module on the drupal side

129. debugging and testing
• use the devel module on the drupal side
• http://drupal.org/project/devel

130. debugging and testing
• use the devel module on the drupal side
• http://drupal.org/project/devel
• very useful developer tool

131. debugging and testing
• use the devel module on the drupal side
• http://drupal.org/project/devel
• very useful developer tool
• view the data structures with krumo output

132. debugging and testing
• use the devel module on the drupal side
• http://drupal.org/project/devel
• very useful developer tool
• view the data structures with krumo output
• also very convenient for fields data

134. devel, used in a node

136. krumo output

138. debugging and testing
• service browser

139. debugging and testing
• service browser
• see and use the resources from within your browser

140. debugging and testing
• service browser
• see and use the resources from within your browser
• A ‘need to have’ for testing and debugging the services
without interaction between client and server

141. debugging and testing
• service browser
• see and use the resources from within your browser
• A ‘need to have’ for testing and debugging the services
without interaction between client and server
• send and retrieve data via D7 services itself

142. debugging and testing
• service browser
• see and use the resources from within your browser
• A ‘need to have’ for testing and debugging the services
without interaction between client and server
• send and retrieve data via D7 services itself
• method signature inspection

143. debugging and testing
• service browser
• see and use the resources from within your browser
• A ‘need to have’ for testing and debugging the services
without interaction between client and server
• send and retrieve data via D7 services itself
• method signature inspection
• not yet available in D7 services

145. debugging and testing
• write tests using the Drupal Testing framework

147. test run
• write tests using the Drupal Testing framework

149. difference D6 and D7
• D6: amfphp library and services 2.x
• D7: Zend Framework with AMF library and services 3.x

151. difference D6 and D7
• D6: session authentication part of method signature
(yuk!)
• D7: session authentication via normal session
authentication mechanism, and
• for cookie disabled clients via low level amf headers:
flash player, air application, authoring environments,
cookie disabled browsers

153. difference D6 and D7
• D7:

154. difference D6 and D7
• D7:
• classmapping: sending typed custom objects over the
wire

155. difference D6 and D7
• D7:
• classmapping: sending typed custom objects over the
wire
• full integration with high level api of dpdk library

156. difference D6 and D7
• D7:
• classmapping: sending typed custom objects over the
wire
• full integration with high level api of dpdk library
• well commented demo actionscript code in module

157. difference D6 and D7
• D7:
• classmapping: sending typed custom objects over the
wire
• full integration with high level api of dpdk library
• well commented demo actionscript code in module
• testsuite

158. difference D6 and D7
• D7:
• classmapping: sending typed custom objects over the
wire
• full integration with high level api of dpdk library
• well commented demo actionscript code in module
• testsuite
• easy to get started, documentation in the installed
module page and help

160. difference D6 and D7
• but...

161. difference D6 and D7
• but...
• some core services available in D6 are not yet in D7

162. difference D6 and D7
• but...
• some core services available in D6 are not yet in D7
• standardized key authentication only in D6

163. difference D6 and D7
• but...
• some core services available in D6 are not yet in D7
• standardized key authentication only in D6
• views (soon), menu

165. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162

166. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162
• essentially, things are different...

167. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162
• essentially, things are different...
• no style issues in flash

168. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162
• essentially, things are different...
• no style issues in flash
• actionscript handling is the same

169. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162
• essentially, things are different...
• no style issues in flash
• actionscript handling is the same
• different datastructures (node etc are changed)

170. upgrading
D6 to D7
• http://drupal.org/node/570162
• essentially, things are different...
• no style issues in flash
• actionscript handling is the same
• different datastructures (node etc are changed)
• different services implementation (definitions)

172. why upgrade?
• benefits from D7

173. why upgrade?
• benefits from D7
• upgrade will be as painful now as later on

174. why upgrade?
• benefits from D7
• upgrade will be as painful now as later on
• client interaction with system

175. • dpdk.nl
• drupal.org/project/amfserver
• zend.com
• charlesproxy.com
• me: rolf@vreijdenberger.nl

176. That’s it. thank you!
• dpdk.nl
• drupal.org/project/amfserver
• zend.com
• charlesproxy.com
• me: rolf@vreijdenberger.nl