Tutorial Flex on Rails login system part 3: Install WebORB

This tutorial is part 3 of a tutorial about Flex, Ruby on Rails and WebORB. This is the full List:

Tutorial Flex on Rails part 1: Introduction
Tutorial Flex on Rails part 2: Install Ruby on Rails
Tutorial Flex on Rails part 3: Install WebORB
Tutorial Flex on Rails part 4: Building a login system

What is WebORB?

WebORB for Rails supplying a connection between Ruby on Rails and Flex (or Flash). WebORB for Rails creates services that can be called by Flex (or Flash). WebORB can be installed as a plugin in every Rails application. The services can be called trough using the Flex Data Services.

Installing the WebORB plugin

* Open the console and go to your ruby folder. (Instant Rails: Right mouse button on the I in the right bottom of your taskbar > Rails Application > Open Ruby Console Window)
* Create a rails project:
â€œ>rails mijnapplicationâ€
*If the project is created we are going to the project directory:
â€œ>cd mijnapplicationâ€
*Install the WebORB plugin
â€œ>ruby script/plugin install http://themidnightcoders.net:8089/svn/weborb''
*Start your webserver:
â€œ>ruby script/serverâ€

Testing WebORB

* Open your webbrowser
* Type: http://localhost:3000/examples/example.html a Flex application will be opened
* Click the button “Get Computer Info”, if everything is going alright the field will be filled.


Getting Started with WebORB for Ruby on Rails

Midnight Coders

Author Bio


  1. Joseph - February 11, 2008

    Thank you for this tutorial –
    Something awkward is happening with testing the WebOrb, when I go to my localhost:3000 I am able to see the Welcome Aboard home. But when I go to localhost:3000/examples/example.html – I get a routing error.
    “Recognition failed for “examples/example/html” .
    On the other hand, when I run It goes straight to the pre-given example of MyCookBook, where I can add and edit the db. The same happens with for the typo account signup (these come pre-built with InstantRails: http://instantrails.rubyforge.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Getting_Started)
    n.b. I am bypassing the Apache with Mongrel (in Manage Rails Application).

    please help on how I can get around this [ so I can use with Flex.
    Thanks 🙂

  2. admin - February 11, 2008

    You have to stop the server for MyCookBook. I think you have a console window open for that application. To start another server you have to do this step again:

    â€œ>cd myapplicationâ€
    *Start your webserver:
    â€œ>ruby script/serverâ€

    After you give a ENTER you get a port number back ( or for example).

    â€œRecognition failed for â€œexamples/example/htmlâ€
    Ruby is translating this to something he can understand. Normally you have an URL like this in ruby:

  3. Bill Brantley - April 5, 2008

    Thanks for the tutorial. Everything works up to the point when I click on the button and I get a “Send Failed” error. I am very new at this so please forgive me if this is a newbie mistake.

    I am running Windows XP and IIS is running. Thanks.

  4. Arno Manders - April 6, 2008

    I think you missed a step. Try to install WebORB again. Make sure you start the ruby server.

    It can go wrong at many points so it is hard for me to give a clear answer.

  5. Bill Brantley - April 7, 2008

    Hello Arno:

    I see my mistake. I used RoR 2.0 instead of RoR 1.4. So, I installed InstantRails 1.4 and reinstalled WebORB. Now it works.

    So, my next question is how to update this to RoR 2.0? Thanks.

  6. Arno Manders - April 8, 2008

    Well we wrote this almost 1,5 years ago and I translated it to english a 4 months ago. At this moment i’m not working with Ruby anymore so honestly I have no clue how to update.

    After some searching I found this:
    and click on “Flex Integration”. That is a more up to date tutorial. I hope it is useful for you

  7. onur gunduz - June 17, 2008

    i’m having the same problem (“send failed”) on rails 2.0 it sucks

  8. onur gunduz - June 17, 2008

    weborb sucks huge. it just doesn’t work.

  9. Arno Manders - June 17, 2008

    Did you check out the documentation of Weborb like I mentioned above? It should work with rails 2.0

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