Setting up a FluorineFX Service

in Visual Web Developer 2008 Express

by John Middendorf http://www.Lynxgeos.com

1. Create New Project: select "FluorineFX Service Library" template

--type in a name for a new folder to be placed on Desktop.

--uncheck "Create directory for solution"

2a. Add the following references: (Project>Add Reference-->.NET tab:)

System

System.Data

System.Xml

2b. Also add the Fluorine reference: (Project>Add Reference-->Browse tab):

Browse to Programs>FluorineFx>Bin>net>3.5>FluorineFX.dll

(Note the "Imports FluorineFX" statement in Sample.vb.)

3a.Add New Website--Select "FluorineFX ASP.NET Web Site"

3b. Browse to the same folder that you created in step 1 for the ServiceLibrary

(note: you can use Visual Basic or C#--your choice!)

3c. Alert pops up--Select "Create a new Web site in the existing location"

3d. Message pops up "Search Path for Assemblies Not Found" --just click ok.

4.Take note of your directory structure...

...which corresponds to your folder structure:

5a. Set your Web Site up as the StartUp Project

5b. And your Console.aspx as the Start Page:

6. Add a reference to the console Service Browser to the Web Page so you can debug effectively (optional). This .dll is located as above, in Programs> FluorineFX>Bin>net>3.5 .      NOTE: you should remove this .dll for the production version.

7. Run your project. Remember to turn off debugging for production version:

8.. Drill down the tree on the left, and select a service. Test your first FluorineFX call!

NEXT STEPS:

--Add new functions that return data in the ServiceLibrary1 Sample.vb (or Sample.cs) file.

--Publish to a ASP.NET server, now you can call your Service remotely in Flex. The Flex application can be hosted on a remote computer from this Fluorine Service. In most respects, FluorineFX functions like a Web Service, yet much faster for larger data sets.

Download ASP.NET source code at http://www.deuce4.net/web/fluorine/FluorineAMF.zip

FLEX CODE: Note again that the Flex application can be hosted on separate computer as the ASP.Net code.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="absolute" creationComplete="init()">
<mx:Canvas width="400" height="300"  x="100" y="100">
<mx:VBox  width="400" height="300" verticalCenter="0" horizontalCenter="0">
<mx:Text text="Enter Text to Echo with Fluorine:" width="198" />
<mx:TextInput id="txtInput" width="198"/>
<mx:Button label="Call Fluorine Service" click="fluorineSend()"/>
<mx:Label id="lblEcho" text="Echo Text Here" width="379" height="35" fontWeight="bold" fontSize="17" textAlign="left"/>
<mx:Label id="lblTimer"/>
</mx:VBox>
</mx:Canvas>

<mx:RemoteObject id="ro" destination="fluorine"
source="ServiceLibrary1.SampleService"
fault="onFluorineFault(event)">
<mx:method name="Echo" result="onFluorineResult(event)"  />
</mx:RemoteObject>

<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[

import mx.messaging.ChannelSet;
import mx.messaging.channels.AMFChannel;
import mx.rpc.events.FaultEvent;
import mx.rpc.events.ResultEvent;
import mx.controls.Alert;

public var startTime:Number;

//set up the AMF channel:
//this eliminates the need to reference any config files--yay!
public function init():void{
var amfChannel:AMFChannel = new AMFChannel("myAMF", "http:// PutYourUrlHere /FluorineTest/Gateway.aspx");
amfChannel.pollingEnabled = false;
var myChannelSet:ChannelSet = new ChannelSet();
myChannelSet.addChannel(amfChannel);
ro.channelSet = myChannelSet;
//ro.requestTimeout=20;
}

//SEND FUNCTION (when button is pressed):
public function fluorineSend():void{
lblTimer.text="";
startTime = new Date().time;
ro.Echo(txtInput.text);
}

//RESULT FUNCTION
public function onFluorineResult(event:ResultEvent):void{
lblTimer.text = "The Process took " + (new Date().time - startTime) + " ms";
lblEcho.text=event.result.toString();
}

//FAULT FUNCTION
public function onFluorineFault(event:FaultEvent):void{
Alert.show("Fluorine Fault", event.fault.toString());
}
]]>
</mx:Script>

</mx:Application>

Comments?  Corrections?  Post them on the FluorineFX Forum at http://forum.fluorinefx.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=187

[Written by John Middendorf (c)November 2008 http://www.LynxGeos.com]