Learning Flash Media Server 3

Chapter 8. Server-Side Shared Objects

What Are Server-Side Shared Objects?

Flash Media Server 3 shared objects can be divided into three groups:

Locality

local

remote

Source

client-side

server-side

Persistence

persistent

nonpersistent

Local shared objects are employed where data is used on the client’s computer and that data is not shared with others. Because they do not require FMS3, local shared objects will not be examined here. Remote shared objects share data through FMS3, and server-side remote shared objects assign values to shared objects on the server and communicate with client-side shared objects. Server-side shared objects can also share data between multiple Flash Media Servers. Persistent remote shared objects are stored on disks in FSO files; nonpersistent shared objects exist only as long as long as the application is in use.

FMS3 video and audio streams are sent out and “subscribed to” by clients though a common FMS3 application. Each “subscription” generates a new stream. Similarly, shared objects represent a way of sharing data. A remote shared object is an object that is sent to other current application instances through connected clients using Flash Media Server. Shared objects can be completely client-side in that they are generated, have values assigned to them, and are sent to the communication server ready for sharing. Remote client-side shared objects do not require a server-side script. (See Chapter 4, for a full discussion of client-side shared objects.)

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