(PowerBuilder) How to Avoid Large Strings in HTTP Responses

In some programming languages/environments, returning and passing large strings is problematic for both performance and other reasons (for example, with SQL Server limitations on sizes varchar variables).

One way of avoiding the need to return the actual string data, is to pass the data from one place to another via a Chilkat StringBuilder or BinData object. This example demonstrates a simple HTTP GET where the response body contains XML approximately 274K in size. The response body is loaded into the Chilkat.Xml without the XML content ever needing to leave the native code internal to Chilkat.

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.64 or greater.

Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

integer li_rc
oleobject loo_Http
oleobject loo_Resp
oleobject loo_Sb
integer li_Success
oleobject loo_Xml
integer li_BAutoTrim

// This example assumes the Chilkat HTTP API to have been previously unlocked.
// See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

loo_Http = create oleobject
// Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Http" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
li_rc = loo_Http.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.Http")
if li_rc < 0 then
    destroy loo_Http
    MessageBox("Error","Connecting to COM object failed")
    return
end if

loo_Resp = loo_Http.QuickGetObj("https://www.chilkatsoft.com/hamlet.xml")
if loo_Http.LastMethodSuccess <> 1 then
    Write-Debug loo_Http.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Http
    return
end if

loo_Sb = create oleobject
// Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.StringBuilder" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
li_rc = loo_Sb.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.StringBuilder")

// Copy the response body to sb.
li_Success = loo_Resp.GetBodySb(loo_Sb)

loo_Xml = create oleobject
// Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Xml" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
li_rc = loo_Xml.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.Xml")

// Load the XML from the sb.
li_BAutoTrim = 0
li_Success = loo_Xml.LoadSb(loo_Sb,li_BAutoTrim)

Write-Debug "The response body was " + string(loo_Sb.Length) + " characters in length."
Write-Debug "Success."

// The output is:
// 
// 	The response body was 279658 characters in length.
// 	Success.


destroy loo_Http
destroy loo_Sb
destroy loo_Xml