Bug in Java setVariable / getVariable

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 19 Oct 2006, 13:57

Hello,

this the bug I might have discovered in your code.

When you set the variable for user or room on the server (in java extension) in this way:

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room.setVariable("IsPrivate", RoomVariable.TYPE_BOOLEAN, "false", true, false, null, false)

and then try to read it in the flash client this way:

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room.getVariable("IsPrivate")

it behaves like this: If you have set the variable on the server to either true or false, flash client always gets true. If you have set the variable on the server to any other string, such as "" or anything else, the flash client gets false.

I hope I am clear. Currenly we are using the workaround that for setting boolean variables we use "" instead of false. Let me know if you discover this as a bug and when can we expect the fix.

Thanks.

Post by **Lapo** » 21 Oct 2006, 11:05

Hi,
the problem it's probably generated by an ambiguity of the AS 2.0 language in converting numbers or strings to Boolean.

The APIs use the values 0 and 1 to serialize the values "false" and "true" respectively. When they get to the client they are converted back to their original types.
There's however a small catch when casting those values with the Boolean() cast operation:

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Boolean(1) = true
Boolean(0) = false

but...

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Boolean("1") = true
Boolean("0") = true

I think the problem is in the deserialization. If the deserialized value is detected as Number it will be correctly cast back to Boolean, while if it's detected as String it won't.

You should expect this bug to be fixed in the next release which is due by the end of the month.

If we find a quicker solution before the release we'll post it here.

hope it helps

Post by **Lapo** » 11 Nov 2006, 11:21

milosh6,
I did a few tests to reproduce the problem using the setRoomVariables() method and everything seems to work correctly.

I've noticed that you mentioned the setRoomVariable() method (notice the missing "s"). Actually that's not the right method to use when settin room variables on the server side (it is also deprecated in the docs).
Try the setRoomVariables() instead.

cheers

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 13 Nov 2006, 08:00

Thanks Lapo, we'll definitely try this out. But I didn’t see in the JAVA Docs that the method we are using would be deprecated.

Post by **Lapo** » 14 Nov 2006, 09:02

one more question, you didn't mention which version of the API you are using and I assumed you were talking about the AS 2.0 APIs. Is this correct?

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 14 Nov 2006, 09:07

Correct.

Post by **Lapo** » 14 Nov 2006, 09:14

ok, great. That's what I tested

cheers

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 14 Nov 2006, 09:17

We have been actually receiving exception when trying to use the method you recommended.

Exception:

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java.lang.Boolean
java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.Boolean
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.extensions.ExtensionHelper.setUserVariables(ExtensionHelper.java:571)

Post by **Lapo** » 14 Nov 2006, 10:55

Can you provide the code that generates the exception?
Also the complete stack trace would be helpful

thanks

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 14 Nov 2006, 14:55

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HashMap hm = new HashMap(); 
                hm.put("isGuest", isGuest); 
                GeeseeExtension.getHelper().setUserVariables(newUser, hm, false);

Stack:

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java.lang.Boolean
java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.Boolean
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.extensions.ExtensionHelper.setUserVariables(ExtensionHelper.java:571)
	at geesee.handler.LoginRequest.execute(LoginRequest.java:176)
	at geesee.handler.Handler.run(Handler.java:54)
	at geesee.GeeseeExtension.handleInternalEvent(GeeseeExtension.java:137)
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.controllers.MessageHandler.dispatchEvent(MessageHandler.java:141)
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.controllers.SystemHandler.handleLoginRequest(SystemHandler.java:374)
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.controllers.SystemHandler.processEvent(SystemHandler.java:164)
	at it.gotoandplay.smartfoxserver.controllers.SystemHandler.run(SystemHandler.java:112)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

Post by **Lapo** » 14 Nov 2006, 16:56

In this line:

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hm.put("isGuest", isGuest);

what type is the isGuest variable?

milosh6 · Post by **milosh6** » 14 Nov 2006, 18:38

It is a boolean variable. But similar exception occured when we tried it out with the String variable.

Post by **Lapo** » 15 Nov 2006, 07:58

yep, I see.
The expected Map should be a HashMap<String, UserVariable>
That's why you get the ClassCastException.

cheers