Apache Flex Web Services Flexbuilder

Managing Web Services in FlexBuilder: Understanding How the Manager Works

When developing applications using FlexBuilder, a common issue developers encounter is the management of web services. Specifically, many users wonder how the manager works and how to keep their imported web services up to date. If you’ve faced this challenge or are curious about how to manage web services effectively, this blog post is for you.

The Challenge of Managing Web Services

In FlexBuilder, after importing a web service, you may find that the service seems to disappear or is not recognized when you attempt to update it. This can be frustrating, especially if you are relying on a specific WSDL (Web Services Description Language) URL. A user reported that even after importing, the manager recognizes the WSDL URL but refuses to interact with it further.

Understanding the Manager’s Functionality

The manager in FlexBuilder is designed to help you import and manage web services effortlessly. Here’s how you should approach it:

Step 1: Verify Generated Classes

Once you’ve imported a web service using the manager, check your src folder within the FlexBuilder project. You should find newly generated proxy classes corresponding to the web service you imported. For example, if you used the manager to generate classes from www.example.com, look for directories like:

  • /com/example

Inside, you’ll find your generated proxy classes ready for usage.

Step 2: Consuming Web Services in ActionScript

To utilize the generated web service in your code, you need to import the classes in ActionScript. This can be done using the following statement:

import com.example.*;

Step 3: Including Web Services in MXML

If you also want to interact with the web service using MXML (the XML-based markup language for Flex applications), you’ll need to include the .as file that contains your action script. This can be achieved with:

<mx:Script source="yourscriptname.as"/>

Step 4: Refreshing the Generated Proxy Classes

To ensure that you are consuming the most recent version of your web service, you can refresh the generated proxy classes. Simply:

  1. Open the manager in FlexBuilder.
  2. Select the update option.

This action will fetch the latest data from your specified WSDL, allowing your application to maintain up-to-date functionality.

Additional Resources

For a deeper understanding of consuming web services within FlexBuilder, you might find this resource helpful: Adobe’s Guide to Flex Web Services. This will offer further insights into effectively using web services in your projects.

Conclusion

Managing web services in FlexBuilder doesn’t have to be daunting. By following the outlined steps, you can easily import, consume, and refresh web services. Stay proactive about checking your generated classes and refreshing your WSDL to ensure smooth functionality in your Flex applications. Happy coding!