Question

I need to parse an XML like this:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8' standalone='yes'?>
<pictures>

    <pic>
        <name>clouds1</name>
        <file>clouds1.jpg</file>
        <date>20/12/09</date>
    </pic>

    <pic>..........</pic>
    ....

</pictures> 

using ActionScript.

I have this:

constructor{
    var loader = new URLLoader(new URLRequest("data.xml"));
    loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, loadedCompleteHandler);

    //code that need the arrays created on the function below. This code cannot be in the function below
}

private function loadedCompleteHandler(e:Event):void 
{
    e.target.removeEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, loadedCompleteHandler);
    _xml = XML(e.target.data);

    for( var i:int = 0 ; i <= _xml.object.length() ; i++ ){
        var object:XML = _xml.object[i];
        nameArray[i] = object.name;
        fileArray[i] = object.file;
        dateArray[i] = object.date;
    }
}

but I want to wait until the xml is fully loaded. It seems that when I call it in the constructor, the program makes a “thread” and continues the execution with the arrays to null because it needs more time to load.
I need to run all in the constructor.

Thank you very much

Answer 1

If you’re working in an Adobe AIR environment with local xml files, you can use the FileStream class to make your xml-file loading synchronous.

var file:File = File.applicationDirectory.resolvePath("myFile.xml");
var fileStream:FileStream = new FileStream();
fileStream.open(file, FileMode.READ);
var rawData:String = fileStream.readUTFBytes(fileStream.bytesAvailable);
fileStream.close();
var out:XML = XML(rawData);
// XML parsing stuff here