How To Send a Binary Stream by Using XMLHTTP (296772)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft XML 2.5
  • Microsoft XML 2.6
  • Microsoft XML 3.0
  • Microsoft XML 3.0 SP1
  • Microsoft XML 4.0

This article was previously published under Q296772

SUMMARY

In some cases you may want to send a binary stream to a server. One way to do so is to use the IXMLHTTPRequest object. This article demonstrates how to retrieve an ADO recordset from a server, modify it, and send it back as a stream of binary data.

MORE INFORMATION

This example uses the ADODB.Stream object to hold the binary data that is to be sent back to the server. If a newer version of MSXML has been installed in Side-by-Side mode, then to run the sample code with that specific version, you must explicitly use the GUIDs or ProgIDs for that version. For example, MSXML version 4 only installs in side-by-side mode. Please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base to see what code changes required to run the sample code with the MSXML 4.0 parser: Q305019 INFO: MSXML 4.0 Specific GUIDs and ProgIds.

For example, in the code below, you would create objects with MSXML 4.0 with the following statements:
  • var xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP.4.0");
  • xmldoc = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.DOMDocument.4.0");
  • var xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP.4.0");
To use XMLHTTP to send a binary stream to a server, follow these steps:
  1. Paste the following code into a file in your default Web folder and name the file Receiver.asp.
    <%
    dim Connection
    dim rs
    Connection = "Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Data Source=servername;User Id=username;Password=password;Initial Catalog=Northwind;"
    sql =  "Select * from Customers"
    
    
    set rs = server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
    
    if Request.QueryString("getRecordset") = "YES" then
    	rs.ActiveConnection = Connection
    	rs.CursorLocation = 3 'Client Side
    	rs.CursorType = 3 'Static Recordset
    	rs.LockType = 4 'Batch Optimistic
    	rs.Open sql
    	rs.Save response, 1 'persist adPersistXML
    	Response.End
    else
    	rs.open Request '.BinaryRead(Request.TotalBytes)
    	rs.activeconnection = Connection 'Reconnect
    	rs.updatebatch 'Update adAffectAll
    	rs.close
    	Response.Write "Recordset Saved" 'Send back response
    	Response.End
    end if
    
    %>
  2. Paste the following code into a file in your default Web folder and name the file Sender.asp
    <SCRIPT ID=clientEventHandlersJS LANGUAGE=javascript>
    <!--
    
    var rs;
    var xmldoc; 
    var xmlstream;
    
    function SendRS_onclick() {
    	xmlstream = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Stream");
    	xmlstream.Mode = 3; //read write
    	xmlstream.Open();
    	xmlstream.Type = 1; // adTypeBinary
    	rs.Save(xmlstream,0); //adpersistadtg
       	var xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
       	xmlhttp.Open("POST","http://localhost/Receiver.asp?getRecordset=NO",false);
    	xmlhttp.setRequestHeader("Content-Length",xmlstream.Size); //set the length of the content
       	xmlhttp.send(xmlstream.Read(xmlstream.Size)); //Send the stream
       	alert(xmlhttp.responseText);
    }
    
    function getRS_onclick() {
    	rs = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Recordset");
    	xmldoc = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.DOMDocument");
       	var xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
       	xmlhttp.Open("Get","http://localhost/Receiver.asp?getRecordset=YES",false);
       	xmlhttp.send();
       	xmldoc.loadXML(xmlhttp.responseText); //load the returned stream into the dom document
       	rs.Open(xmldoc); //load the dom document into the recordset
       	alert("Recordset Loaded");
    }
    
    function Update_onclick() {
    	alert("before: " + rs.Fields(2).Value);
    	rs.Fields(2).Value = rs.Fields(2).Value + "!";
    	rs.Update();
    	alert("after: " + rs.Fields(2).Value);
    }
    
    //-->
    </SCRIPT>
    <INPUT type="button" value="Get Recordset" id=getRS name=getRS LANGUAGE=javascript onclick="return getRS_onclick()">
    <INPUT type="button" value="Update" id=Update name=Update LANGUAGE=javascript onclick="return Update_onclick()">
    <INPUT type="button" value="Send Recordset" id=SendRS name=SendRS LANGUAGE=javascript onclick="return SendRS_onclick()">
    					
  3. Modify the Receiver.asp page so that the connection variable contains a Microsoft SQL Server name and a valid SQL userid and password.
  4. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer and browse to http://localhost/sender.asp.
  5. Click Get Recordset. A message box appears and tells you that the recordset was loaded successfully.
  6. Click Update. A message box appears and shows you the value before the update. A second message box appears and shows you the value after the update.
  7. Click Send Recordset. A message box appears and tells you that the recordset was updated.

Known Limitations and Recommendations

  • Although this allows you to use the persist mechanism to pass the data back and forth to the client, it is recommended that you use UpdateGrams or OpenXML with SQL Server 2000 to pass and send recordset data in XML format.
  • There are limitations in shaped recordsets. Edited shaped recordsets cannot be persisted in XML format. Also, parameterized shaped commands cannot be persisted at all. For additional information on persisting and limitations, see the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

REFERENCES

For more information, see the following MSDN Web site: (c) Microsoft Corporation 2001, All Rights Reserved. Contributions by Bruce Taimana, Microsoft Corporation

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/13/2004
Keywords:kbhowto KB296772 kbAudDeveloper