In AS3 how to make a socket connection - actionscript-3

Question

i have a ServerSocket listening for a ServerSocketConnectEvent.CONNECT event.
serverSocket.bind( 80, "127.0.0.1" );
serverSocket.addEventListener( ServerSocketConnectEvent.CONNECT, onConnect );
serverSocket.listen();
which then listens for a ProgressEvent.SOCKET_DATA event.
private function onConnect( event:ServerSocketConnectEvent ):void
{
clientSocket = event.socket;
clientSocket.addEventListener( ProgressEvent.SOCKET_DATA, onClientSocketData );
}
private function onClientSocketData( event:ProgressEvent ):void
{
var buffer:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
clientSocket.readBytes( buffer, 0, clientSocket.bytesAvailable );
...
Then I'm sending a simple message "hello" from my client.
This works fine when i'm running my client from the IDE.
but when i run the same client as a SWF from my browser i get this message in my buffer:
""<policy-file-request/>""
I've tried trapping this response with code like:
if( buffer.toString().search( "policy-file-request" != -1 ))
{
var str:String = "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?><cross-domain-policy><allow-access-from domain=\"*\" to-ports=\"*\" /></cross-domain-policy>\0";
clientSocket.writeUTFBytes( str );
clientSocket.flush();
}
the code is called but it doesn't work. how do i make the connection?
Please help :)

Answer 1

You need to define a socket policy and serve that xml file to the Flash requests, i.e.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE cross-domain-policy SYSTEM "/xml/dtds/cross-domain-policy.dtd">
<!-- Policy file for xmlsocket://socks.example.com -->
<cross-domain-policy>
<!-- This is a master-policy file -->
<site-control permitted-cross-domain-policies="master-only"/>
<!-- Instead of setting to-ports="*",
administrators can use ranges and commas -->
<!-- This will allow access to ports 123, 456, 457, and 458 -->
<allow-access-from domain="swf.example.com" to-ports="123,456-458" />
</cross-domain-policy>
With the introduction of Adobe Flash Player 9,0,124,0, Flash Player
will not make a socket connection directly to a server without first
obtaining explicit permission from that server. This will require some
systems and networks to open up ports or run new services in order to
support granting permission.
Full samples of policy and server setups at available from:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/socket_policy_files.html
Flash Player checks for a socket policy file in three places for each IP connection. The checks occur in the following order:
Flash Player first checks port 843 to determine if there is a socket master policy file. If there is no socket master policy file or the socket master policy file has a site-control tag specifying "all", then Flash Player proceeds to the next step. If the site-control tag has a value of "none", then the process stops and the socket is denied a connection.
If an ActionScript Security.loadPolicyFile() command exists within the SWF file, then the Flash Player runtime checks that location. Flash Player checks the destination of the loadPolicyFile() only after it has checked the master policy file on port 843 for permission to acknowledge other policy files. If the developer has not specified a loadPolicyFile() command, then Flash Player checks the destination port of the connection.
The destination port of the connection is the last check made by Flash Player. This check is only performed if the socket master policy file permits Flash Player to check additional locations. If Flash Player still cannot locate a policy file granting permission, then the socket connection is denied.