Can I pass complex data using wddx via a URL?

Report · Aug 28, 2007

I would like to pass complex structures via the URL. I know this can be done using hidden fields in forms but sometimes, I need to pass data from a file that is not a form. I'm having problems getting this to work. I have a really simple file that sets up a structure, serializes it using wddx and then attempts to pass the serialized structure from a hyperlink. The file that is called de-serializes the structure and tries to access it. I'm getting an error:

WDDX packet parse error at line -1, column -1. Premature end of file..
on the de-serialization line. I know that things are serialized/de-serialized correctly because if I serialize and then deserialize in the same file (without passing it to another file via URL), I can access it fine.

Is it possible to send WDDX packets to another cfm file via the URL?

Here is my simplified code:

dsp_testPage.cfm
-------------------------

<cfset relatives=StructNew()>
<cfset relatives.field1 = "Dad">
<cfset relatives.field2 = "Mom">
<cfset relatives.field3 = "Sister">
<cfset relatives.field4 = "Brother">

<cfwddx action="cfml2wddx" input="#relatives#" output="wddxRelatives">

 
<a href="./index.cfm?fuseaction=test&relatives=#wddxRelatives#">Click Here</a>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then I have another page called index.cfm (I'm using fusebox) that looks like this:

<html>
<head></head>
<body marginheight="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" leftmargin="0" rightmargin="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">

<cfparam name="attributes.fuseaction" default="home">
<cfswitch expression="#attributes.fuseaction#">
<cfcase value="home">
<cfinclude template="./dsp_DISPLAY/dsp_TESTPage.cfm">
</cfcase>
<cfcase value="test">
<cfwddx input="#attributes.relatives#" action="WDDX2CFML" output="localAppData">
<cfoutput>
 Inside Test 
field1 = #localAppData.field1# 
field2 = #localAppData.field2# 
field3 = #localAppData.field3# 
field4 = #localAppData.field4# 
</cfoutput>
</cfcase>
</cfswitch>
</body>
</html>

Report · Aug 28, 2007

duplicate of
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/webforums/forum/messageview.cfm?forumid=1&catid=3&threadid=1296499&ente...

Report · Aug 28, 2007

If you want to keep using WDDX, you must encode the GET string using the URLEncodedFormat function. i.e.
<a href="./index.cfm?fuseaction=test&relatives=#URLEncodedFormat(wddxRelatives)#">
Click Here</a>

I would investigate using JSON instead seeing as it is a lot less characters to send in a URL GET string. WDDX will make the string grow very fast.
If you want JSON and are on CFMX7, search for the CFJSON class. If you're on CFMX8, just use the SerializeJSON function.

Report · Aug 28, 2007

I added the URLEncodedFormat and a corresponding URLDecode but I still get the error

WDDX packet parse error at line -1, column -1. Premature end of file..

I will also look into JSON.

Report · Aug 28, 2007

I would honestly go with JSON instead.

To dig further into the WDDX, on the receiving end just prior to the WDDX2CFML - try outputting the WDDX string with CFOUTPUT and the HTMLCodeFormat function so that you can read it. Make sure the WDDX packet starts with something of the like:
<wddxPacket version='1.0'><header/><data>

and ends with something of the like:
</data></wddxPacket>

Report · Aug 28, 2007

Really silly mistake. In the file where I create the href link, I need to place this inside a <cfoutput> tag in order for the variable to be passed on the URL. It is working fine now that I hadded the <cfoutput>.

I will continue to investigate JSON but I really need my app to be independent of Javascript (able to work when Javascript is turned off) so it may not be the best option for me.

Thank You.

Report · Aug 28, 2007

I still think JSON is a multitude more optimal for what you are trying to accomplish. It's a much more optimized (from a number of characters standpoint) serialization method than WDDX which is bloat in my opinion. It really has little to do with Javascript to be honest - and as it is implemented in Coldfusion it is just a way to serialize, that is all. No dependence on Javascript at all.

Good to hear it's working!

Report · Aug 28, 2007

If the user is not required to have Javascript turned on in their browser, then I can use it. I'm going to get what I have working with wddx but I will definitely explore JSON.

Thanks!!

Report · Aug 28, 2007

You missed the point, you can serialize Colfdusion Data in JSON without any Javascript. This means that if the user is using a javascript disabled web browser, it will still work. All the JSON serialization, as well as WDDX serialization happens on the server side.
Here's a CFJSON class I've used:
http://www.epiphantastic.com/cfjson/

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Can I pass complex data using wddx via a URL?

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