passing an Array Remote Object

[arkcto]

Hi,



I am a newbie and I've been able to call Java methods when
they return a simple String. However, I am unable to get a
collection of Java objects. I get the following error message :



Type Coercion failed: cannot convert
mx.rpc.remoting.mxml::Operation@31717b1 to Array.





I have a datagrid in my application that has to be populated
by calling a method of a remote object.



The remote object (Java class looks like this).



public class PlayerService {

public PlayerService() {

}



public Player[] getPlayersAsArray() {

Player[] players = new Player[3];

Player rahul = new Player("Rahul",,"Dravid");

Player sachin = new Player("Sachin","Tendulkar");

Player saurav = new Player("Saurav","Ganguly");

players[0] = rahul;

players[1] = sachin;

players[2] = saurav;

return players;

}

}



I've configured the destination in my service-config.xml as

......

<destination id="PlayerService">

<properties>

<source>rpc.playerinfo.PlayerService</source>

<scope>application</scope>

</properties>

</destination>

.....



My mxml application code is given below :



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<mx:Application xmlns:mx="
http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
layout="absolute">



<mx:Script>

<![CDATA[

import mx.controls.Alert;

import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;

import rpc.playerinfo.Player;

import mx.utils.ArrayUtil;



[Bindable]

public var players:ArrayCollection;

public var myPlayer:Player;

]]>



</mx:Script>



<mx:RemoteObject

id="playMe"

destination="PlayerService"

showBusyCursor="true">

<mx:method name="getPlayersAsArray">

<mx:arguments>

</mx:arguments>

</mx:method>

</mx:RemoteObject>



<mx:ArrayCollection id="playerList"

source="{playMe.getPlayersAsArray}"/>



<mx:DataGrid dataProvider="playerList" width="100%">

<mx:columns>

<mx:DataGridColumn dataField="FirstName"
headerText="FirstName"/>

<mx:DataGridColumn dataField="LastName"
headerText="LastName"/>

</mx:columns>

</mx:DataGrid>



</mx:Application>



One question I have is, how does Flex know that what's
returned is an array of Player objects. I did define the Player in
an Action script file.

package rpc.playerinfo

{

[RemoteClass(alias="rpc.playerinfo.Player")]

[Bindable]

public class Player

{

public var firstName:String;

public var lastName:String;

public function Player() {}

}

}



but it appears that I have never actually used it in the mxml
file.



Thank you very much.

[T__Ruggles]

You need to actually call the method
(playMe.getPlayersAsArray()) and your binding should be to
{playMe.getPlayersAsArray.lastResult}.



HTH,

Tom Ruggles

FDS QA

[JSSanders]

On your method in remote object there is a result attribute.
Create a function to handle that result and then get event.result
back as an arrayCollection.



In your instance you dont 'have' to actually create a player
object for each item that is returned in the array. you can just
bind the results to the grid.



Here is some sample code:

<mx:RemoteObject id="playMe" destination="PlayerService"

showBusyCursor="true">

<mx:method name="getPlayersAsArray"
result="handlePlayersResult(event.result as ArrayCollection)"/>

<mx:arguments>

</mx:arguments>

</mx:method>

</mx:RemoteObject>





Then down in your script object create a Bindable variable
like this:



[BINDABLE]

public var playerList;



then a result handler function like this:

public function handlePlayersResult( event: ArrayCollection)

{

//then set the event result which is being sent into this
function to the playerList //var

playerList = event;

}



Assuming your grid is set to that dataprovider of
{playerList} and on application crationComplete you call the
remoteObject mentioned above with that result handler it should
work.

[arkcto]

Thanks guys.



JS, I got what you are saying. Now I don't have any error
messages, but the data grid is blank.



This is the mxml code. (I added your input)



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<mx:Application xmlns:mx="
http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml">



<mx:Script>

<![CDATA[

import mx.controls.Alert;

import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;

import rpc.playerinfo.Player;

import mx.utils.ArrayUtil;



[Bindable]

public var players:ArrayCollection;



public function handlePlayersResult(event: ArrayCollection)

{

//then set the event result which is being sent into this
function to the playerList

players = event;

}



]]>

</mx:Script>



<mx:RemoteObject id="playMe" destination="PlayerService"

showBusyCursor="true">

<mx:method name="getPlayersAsArray"
result="handlePlayersResult(event.result as ArrayCollection)"/>

</mx:RemoteObject>



<mx:DataGrid dataProvider="{players}" width="100%"
creationComplete="playMe.getPlayersAsArray()">

<mx:columns>

<mx:DataGridColumn dataField="firstName"
headerText="FirstName"/>

<mx:DataGridColumn dataField="lastName"
headerText="LastName"/>

</mx:columns>

</mx:DataGrid>



</mx:Application>



What is it missing ?



Thank you so much.