The question is did all of these changes introduce any bugs? I have not been able to find anything and all of the tests pass. However with such a major change I would really appreciate you downloading the attached file and overwriting Zend/Amf/* with it’s contents. Please report any issues in the comments here or better yet on the actual bug ZF-7493 If all goes well we will try and get this into the 1.10 release.

Amf_performace.zip

Session Files

Here are all the resources too!

Zend AMF Downloads
http://framework.zend.com/download/amf

Adobe Flash Builder 4 beta 2
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashbuilder4/

New PHP Features in Flash Builder 4 – Part 1: Data-Centric Feature Overview
http://ria.dzone.com/articles/new-php-features-flash-builder

New PHP Features in Flash Builder 4 – Part 2: Using Zend AMF and Flash Remoting
http://ria.dzone.com/articles/new-php-features-flash-builder-2

James Ward Census
http://www.jamesward.com/blog/2007/04/30/ajax-and-flex-data-loading-benchmarks/

=== Update July 1st 2009 ===

For some reason in 1.8.4 package there’s an old version of Zend/Loader/PluginLoader.php.

Take the new one here:

http://framework.zend.com/svn/framework/standard/branches/release-1.8/library/Zend/Loader/PluginLoader.php

It should work with it and the Zend Framework team is going to patch the 1.8.4 release on June 2nd to resolve this release issue.

== Update July 7th 2009 ==

http://devzone.zend.com/article/4808-Zend-Framework-1.8.4pl1-Now-Available

This patch-level version corrects a missing patch for Zend_Loader_PluginLoader that provided some critical functionality for Zend_Amf users. If you utilize that component, you are encouraged to upgrade immediately; for all other uses, the release tarball remains the same as the 1.8.4 version, and upgrading is left to your discretion.

Major Changes

ZF-6641 Shared references are duplicated
ZF-6205 Serializer does not support cyclic references
ZF-6393 Wrong Amf0_Amf3 reference counting
ZF-5382 Multiple calls seems to break the deserializer.
ZF-6625 Zend Amf can load any instantiated PHP class. Security

Minor but significant changes

ZF-6975 Adobe Flash Builder 4 wizard now supports data types for introspection.
ZF-6992 Negative integers on 64 bit system is resolved.
ZF-6775 Unable to send Array’s from Blaze DS.

The 1.8.4 release has already been tagged and should come out sometime today 6/23/2009

The following file can be added to your Zend Amf project to play with some of these features. Please let me know if there is anything else that I should add before it is added in the next release. Please post feedback to the blog or directly to the Zend Framework feature request.

Alpha Zend_Amf_Value_Messaging_ArrayCollection

To create an ArrayCollection

$this->_data[] = array('foo' => 'foo1', 'bar' => 'bar1');
$this->_data[] = array('foo' => 'foo2', 'bar' => 'bar2');
$this->_arrayCollection = new Zend_Amf_Value_Messaging_ArrayCollectionTwo($this->_data);

To Create an ArrayCollection from a Zend_Db_Table_row

$table = new Bugs();

$select = $table->select();
$select->where('bug_status = ?', 'NEW');

$rows = $table->fetchAll($select);
$this->_arrayCollection = new Zend_Amf_Value_Messaging_ArrayCollectionTwo($rows);

To alter an element of an ArrayCollection

$this->_arrayCollection = new Zend_Amf_Value_Messaging_ArrayCollection($this->_data);
$total = count($this->_arrayCollection);
echo($total); // outputs 2

To get the size of the array collection

to iterate through the ArrayCollection

$count = 0;
foreach($this->_arrayCollection as $row) {
    $count++;
}
$this->assertEquals(2, $count);

To manipulate an ArrayCollection based on keys.

$this->_arrayCollection = new Zend_Amf_Value_Messaging_ArrayCollection($this->_data);

// See if the offset key exists
$boolean = $this->_arrayCollection->offsetExists(1);

// Alter or add the row at they key offset of 1
$data = array('fooSet' => 'fooSet2', 'barSet' => 'barSet2');
$this->_arrayCollection->offsetSet(1,$data);

// Remove the row at the offset key of 3
$this->_arrayCollection->offsetUnset(3);

// Get the row at the offset 6
$row = $this->_arrayCollection->offsetGet(6);

To change an ArrayCollection to an Array

$standardArray = iterator_to_array($this->_arrayCollection);

To append another row to an ArrayCollection

$this->_arrayCollection->append(array('kung' => 'foo', 'Bruce' => 'Lee'));

– Update –
From a PHP developers perspective this makes little since. I am asking that you comment why you like the new ArrayCollection. I am creating something that can already be done with an array in PHP and then just wrap it into a stub ArrayCollection class. The two things that action script does not do with an array is:

it can not handle sparse array’s. {1=> one, 2=>two, 4=>four} this is a sparse array and Action Script will try and pad the array or just make it an object.

Actionscript can not use strings as the key in the array so it just uses an object. If you want a numerically keyed array of objects they call it an ArrayCollection.

Both of these concepts are handled in PHP as just an Array. So there is no reason that you could not use the Array and then pass the array into a simple ArrayCollection class for it to be parsed back to flex. So when you see the new ArrayCollection class what are the use cases that you feel you would use the class for? Is it just a convenience tool or does it add complexity that does not need to exists?

Adobe® Flash Builder 4 Beta (formerly Flex Builder) for PHP developers
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 12:00 PM PT
Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:00 AM PT

Learn about the new improvements with Adobe Flex 4 Beta and how developers working with Flex and PHP are boosting their productivity by combining it use with Zend. This demonstration will show you how you can create a combined project with Flex components and PHP natures and reap the benefit of coding in both languages.

I submitted an unconfrence hands on session. This requires a vote so GO VOTE if you find it interesting. If you want me to address anything in either talk just let me know.

Flex + AMF+ PHP = Data Visualization
http://joind.in/event/view/41

Looking to build your first Flex application or are just curios about it’s complexity? Most people are attracted to Flex in order visualize complex data. Learn the technical details for setting up your first visualization application with charting, maps, and lazy loaded data sets. For even more fun we will use some real time data from #tek09 with the help from Zend Framework.

Adobe is currently building the next generation of Flex Builder, the Eclipse based IDE for creating cross-platform rich Internet applications.  In this upcoming version, a significant new set of features are being introduced to accelerate creation of data-centric applications with PHP on the server-side leveraging Zend Framework and Zend AMF.  Prior to the public Beta later in the year, Adobe would like to invite a select group of PHP developers into a private pre-release program for Flex Builder. You’ll get to work with the new data-centric development features, interact with members of the product team, provide feedback, and generally help shape the future of the product.  No prior experience with Flex is necessary; in fact feedback from new users would be particularly helpful.  There is a brief survey here - please complete it and Adobe will send an invitation to you shortly.

If you run apache check out mod_deflate.  With this approach, you tell the server what content types should be compressed, and the server does it transparently to your application. Apache is a heck of a lot faster at doing the compression than adding PHP code that uses gzcompress.

Hope this helps… and please no dirty names for someone that’s just trying to give you some free code. Go get Live Cycle DS dude!

Signup!
A three part series on how PHP developers can develop applications with the Adobe Flash Platform.  Lee Brimelow, a technical evangelist for Adobe, will go over the pieces of the Flash Platform and how PHP developers can use technologies like Adobe Flex and Adobe AIR in combination with PHP to build rich applications that work consistently across browsers in Flash Player and on the desktop using Adobe AIR.