How to - Flex client side and Java as Server side

Question

Since I'm developing a multiplayer card game for Facebook using Flex as client side and Java SE as server side, I wanted to know how do I actually make the connection between Flex and Java? the server and client should be able to send each other data(cards,movement,room information etc...) across and I wonder what's the easiest way to do it without complicating it. Any idea how to do? where to read about it ? I know JAVA but I find JavaEE hard to understand. Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

You can pay Adobe a lot of money and use their enterprise products.

Alternatively, you can use the open source BlazeDS , which allows you to communicate with plain text (direct HTTP) or using the binary AMF protocol with object serialization.

Also, if you are thinking about using JSON, as3corelib will help you on the Flex side.

Answer 2

using SOAP as it is built into Flex already seems the easiest way to got...

For some information/example see

http://livedocs.adobe.com/flex/3/html/help.html?content=data_access_3.html
http://www.blackpepper.co.uk/black-pepper-blog/How-to-use-SOAP-web-services-with-Flex.html
http://www.blackpepper.co.uk/black-pepper-blog/How-to-use-SOAP-web-services-with-Java-and-Flex-Part-2-of-2.html