SmartFoxServer Tutorial: "Mod Magic" Tutorial (Sending Objects)

Hello everyone!

I'm finally back to posting as you can see. I've been really busy with a game I'm working on and other things so I haven't had time to check the blog. Anyway, let's get started on the "Mod Magic" tutorial, or as I like to call "Mod Magic", SmartFoxServer objects.

This technique is very simple to learn, and I'm going to try to explain what each line does carefully enough so that a beginner can understand it, much like the SmartFoxserver Docs already does. Anyway, let's begin now.

First off, I'm using the provided SmartFoxServer avatarChat example file for this tutorial, just like all my other tutorials. So, open your Flash file up and go to the frame you want to add your Mod Magic and open the actions for that frame.

On the SmartFoxServer avatarChat file, I went to the chat frame and added this coding at the very bottom of all the other actions in the movie:

_root.showM1._visible = false;//Hides magic at start
function doMagic(magicName:String) {
var sfsObj = {}; //Makes new object
sfsObj.magicName = magicName;//Adds to object
_root.smartfox.sendObject(sfsObj);//Sends object
if (magicName == "magic1") {//Shows on sender's side
_root.showM1._visible = true;//Shows on sender's side
}//Shows on sender's side
}
smartfox.onObjectReceived = function(o:Object) {
if (o.magicName == "magic1") {//If magicName == magic1
_root.showM1._visible = true;//Show the mod magic to other people, not you
}
}

Now, the first line should tell you that we need to create a symbol in our Flash file. So, what I did was create a very simple rectangle shape and wrote some words on it and made it a movieclip by selecting it and converting it to a symbol by right clicking and choosing the "Convert to Symbol..." option. I gave it the instance name of "showM1", which, for me, stands for "showMagic1."


Now, the next thing to do is to create the doMagic() function, which basically perfoms the magic on the sender's side, then send the magic to all the other clients. So, now we need to create a button or movieclip to call the function. I chose a button. On the button I added this coding:

on (release) {
_root.doMagic("magic1"); //Calls function
}

The next and final thing to do is to setup the smartfox.onObjectReceived handler, which is in the coding above. So now you are able to test your movie. You should be able to see that when a user clicks the button, it shows your "Mod Magic."

NOTE: When the smartfox.sendObject() command is called, since your user is the sender of the object, the object will not be broadcasted to you, so you have to make a code so it shows the mod magic on the sender's side as well, which is exactly what we did.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them on this post and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Source File: Download

SmartFoxServer Tutorial: Extensions Introduction

Hey everyone!

I first would like to say I'm sorry for not updating the site as much as I have been. I'm going to try to get back to updating it more often, now that I am introducing you to extensions.

Anyway, extensions are VERY useful in SmartFoxServer. They can be used for various things, such as a kick user extension and a ban user extension. Those are the two most common extensions I see asked for in the SmartFoxServer Forums, so eventually, I'll post tutorials on these two extension. But for now, I'm going to introduce you to extensions.

First of all, we are going to write a 'Hello world!' extension. The first step in doing this is to setup the extension's ActionScript file. So, open up Flash, and click the Create New -> ActionScript file option.


After the ActionScript file is opened, we have to create the SmartFoxServer extension layout, as I call it. SmartFoxServer ActionScript extensions always contain a minimum of four required functions, which are: init, destroy, handleRequest, and handleInternalEvent.

To setup these functions I am going to add this coding to my ActionScript file:

function init() {

}

function destroy() {

}

function handleRequest(cmd, params, user, fromRoom) {

}

function handleInternalEvent(e) {

}

Now that the default functions have been created, we can start writing our extension.

Since this is going to be a very simple 'Hello world!' extension, we aren't going to be writing much more coding than what has already been written above. So, here is what the rest of the extension will look like:

function init() {
//This is called when the extension loads (when the server first starts).
trace("Simple extension is starting.");
}

function destroy() {
//This is called when the extension is destroyed.
trace("Simple extension is ending.");
}

function handleRequest(cmd, params, user, fromRoom) {
if (params.simpleParam == "paramOne") { //If statement opener one.
if (cmd == "simpleCmd") { //If statement opener two.
trace("Hello world!"); //Traces 'Hello world!' on the server.
} //If statement two closer.
} //If statement one closer.
}

function handleInternalEvent(e) {
//This is called when any internal event is executed.
trace("Internal event: " + e.name + " was called."); //Traces the internal event that was executed.
}

As I said, not much more coding than what has already been written. Basically, it is just a couple of trace statements and two if() statements. The comments I added in the script can be taken out, but they are in there just so you know what each line of coding does.

Now all we need to do is save the file and add the extension in the config.xml file. So, save the file to the directory {sfs-installation}/Server/sfsExtensions. Make sure the file name is "simpleExtTut" and make sure the file type is a '.as' file type.

To add the extension into the config.xml file, first we need to open the config.xml file up. Open up your favorite text or XML editor (maybe Notepad or WordPad), and open your config file, which should be located in in the directory {sfs-installation}/Server/config.xml.

Now that your config file is opened up, since I'm using the avatarChat example file, the zone I need to add this extension to is the simpleChat zone. So, after I scroll down and find the simpleChat zone, I will come across the tags somewhere in the simpleChat zone. After I find that, I have to add this in between those tags:

Now save your config.xml file.

The next thing to do, is to work on the client side (the Flash file). In my Flash file, I'll be using the SmartFoxServer avatarChat example file, as usual. After you open your Flash file, create a button or a movieclip which will call the extension.


After the button or movieclip has been created, add this coding to it's actions:

on (release) {
var dataObj:Object = {};
dataObj.simpleParam = "paramOne";
_root.smartfox.sendXtMessage("simpleExtTut", "simpleCmd", dataObj);
}

All that coding does is tell Flash to send SmartFoxServer an extension request to the extension name "simpleExtTut" and make the command (cmd) equal "simpleCmd" and to send the data from the object dataObj along with the extension request.

Now you can test your movie. This is what your final product should look like:


Well, that's all for this tutorial.

If you have any questions are comments, feel free to leave them in a comment on this post and I'll reply to them as soon as I get a chance!

avatarChat.fla Source File: Download
simpleExtTut.as Source File: Download