Saving XML file in AS3 is possible

actionscript-3

var xml:XML = <myXml>
                    <item prop="1" />
                    <item prop="2" />
                </myXml>;

I need to save as xml file in local harddisk(project directory).

Is it possible to save in as3 itself?

Best Solution

I threw this together, and sure enough you can save to .XML using the following as a minimalist example.

package com.hodgedev.xmlcreator
{
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.events.Event;
    import flash.events.MouseEvent;
    import flash.utils.ByteArray;
    import flash.net.FileReference;

/**
 * ...
 * @author Brian Hodge (brian@hodgedev.com)
 */
public class Main extends Sprite 
{
    private var _xml:XML;

    public function Main():void 
    {
        if (stage) init();
        else addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);
    }

    private function init(e:Event = null):void 
    {
        removeEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE, init);

        //Calling the save method requires user interaction and Flash Player 10
        stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, _onMouseDown);

        _xml= <xml>
              <test>data</test>
              </xml>;
    }
    private function _onMouseDown(e:MouseEvent):void
    {
        var ba:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
        ba.writeUTFBytes(_xml);
        //ba.

        var fr:FileReference = new FileReference();
        fr.addEventListener(Event.SELECT, _onRefSelect);
        fr.addEventListener(Event.CANCEL, _onRefCancel);

        fr.save(ba, "filename.xml");
    }
    private function _onRefSelect(e:Event):void
    {
        trace('select');
    }
    private function _onRefCancel(e:Event):void
    {
        trace('cancel');
    }
}

}

There are some things to note.

You require Flash Player 10 to use the save method of the FileReference class.
In order to do anything that INVOKES a prompt, Flash requires user interaction like keyboard or mouse input.

In the above I listen for MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN on the stage to serve as the USER INTERACTION which is required to invoke the save prompt.

I setup a basic XML structure within the code (this will typically come from and external source and will work fine both ways.

A ByteArray is created and the XML is written to the ByteArray.

The save method of the FileReference class requires a ByteArray and default save name be passed as the two parameters.

I hope this helps.

Related Solutions

Xml – SAVING Flash (AS3) data to XML

Working with XML in AS3 is really easy, so to expand on TheDarkIn1978's answer with some code:

Creating an XML object:

var objs:XML = new XML( <objects /> ); // create the <objects /> node

// for your objects
var ball1:XML = new XML ( <ball /> ); // create the <ball /> node
ball1.@xPos = 12; // add 12 as an attribute named "xPos"
ball1.@yPos = 42; // add 42 as an attribute named "yPos"
objs.appendChild( ball1 ); // add the <ball> node to <objects>

// an example of using variables in your xml
var name:String = "something";
var sx:XML = new XML( <{name} /> ); // creates a node <something />

Use the TheDarkIn1978's to the XML class in AS3 to learn more.

Saving out your file:

// saving out a file
var f:FileReference = new FileReference;
f.save( sx, "myXML.xml" ); // saves under the name myXML.xml, "sx" being your root XML node

Compressing your XML before saving (with large XML files, this can save a lot):

// compressing before saving
var f:FileReference = new FileReference;

var bytes:ByteArray = new ByteArray;
bytes.writeUTFBytes( myXML ); // "myXML" being your root XML node
bytes.compress(); // compress it

f.save( bytes, "myXML.xml" );

Loading in a compressed XML, uncompressing it, and retrieving the XML object:

// uncompressing a compressed xml
var loader = new URLLoader;
loader.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.BINARY;

// listen for our events
loader.addEventListener( Event.COMPLETE, this._onLoad );
loader.addEventListener( IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR, this._onFail ); // not shown
loader.addEventListener( SecurityErrorEvent.SECURITY_ERROR, this._onSecurityError ); // not shown

private function _onLoad( e:Event ):void
{
    var loader:URLLoader = e.target as URLLoader;

    // get the data as a bytearray
    var ba:ByteArray = loader.data as ByteArray;

    // uncompress it
    try
    {
        ba.uncompress();
    }
    catch ( e:Error )
    {
        trace( "The ByteArray wasn't compressed!" );
    }

    // get our xml data
    myXML = XML( ba );
}

I created a simple tool for compressing/uncompressing XML files. You can get the SWF and source at http://divillysausages.com/blog/xml_compressor_uncompressor if you're interested

Best Solution

Related Solutions

Xml – SAVING Flash (AS3) data to XML

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