Adobe Flex 2 : Training from the Source

by Tapper, Jeff; Boles, Matt; Talbot, James; Elmore, Ben; Labriola, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780321423160
• ISBN10: 032142316X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-20
• Publisher: Adobe Press

Summary

Part of the Adobe Training from the Source series, the official curriculum from Adobe, developed by experienced trainers. Using project-based tutorials, this book/CD volume is designed to teach the techniques needed to create sophisticated, professional-level projects. Each book includes a CD that contains all the files used in the lessons, plus completed projects for comparison. This title covers the new development framework for Rich Internet Applications, Adobe Flex 2. In the course of the book, the reader will build several Web applications using Flex Builder and incorporating MXML and ActionScript 3.0.

Author Biography

Jeff Tapper is the Chief Technologist and CEO for Tapper, Nimer and Associates, Inc. He has been developing Internet-based applications since 1995 for a myriad of clients including Morgan Stanley, Doctations, Toys R Us, IBM, Dow Jones, American Express, M&T Bank, Verizon, and many others. He has been developing Flex applications since the earliest days of Flex 1. As an Instructor, Jeff is certified to teach all of Adobe’s courses on Flex, ColdFusion, and Flash development. He is also a frequent speaker at Adobe Development Conferences and user groups. Jeff Tapper and Mike Nimer formed Tapper, Nimer and Associates provide expert guidance to rich Internet application development and empower clients through mentoring.

James Talbot has been with Adobe (formerly Macromedia) for more than six years, on both the sales engineering and training teams, and has most recently been working with Flex and Flash Lite. He has traveled extensively throughout the world promoting Adobe products and certifying Adobe instructors as well as speaking at conferences. James has been an integral team member on high profile rich Internet application consulting assignments for companies such as AOL / Time Warner, JP Morgan, Fidelity, and TV Guide.
James is actively involved in the Adobe worldwide instructor and developer community, and contributes to developer certification exams as well as organizing and speaking at user groups. James is passionate about Flash on devices as well as rich Internet applications and he believes that both technologies will change the world for the better.

Matthew Boles is the Technical Lead for the Adobe Customer Training group and has been developing and teaching courses on Flex since the 1.0 release. Matthew has a diverse background in web development, computer networking, and teaching in both professional computer classes and the public schools. In addition to this book, Matthew co-authored
a version of the Certified ColdFusion Developer Study Guide. He has also developed official Allaire/Macromedia/
Adobe curricula in both ColdFusion and Flash development content areas.

Benjamin Elmore is the founder and principal partner of Twin Technologies, an enterprise consulting
company that specializes in delivering rich Internet applications for Fortune 500 companies. Ben has been working in the RIA/Web 2.0 spaces since its inception and has authored several books on a variety of technologies. Ben founded Twin Technologies with a core principle of embracing a shared knowledge base within the development community. When leading Twin Technologies, Ben travels to Africa and Turkey to speak on leadership on behalf of the EQUIP organization (www.iequip.org), whose goal is to raise a million Christian leaders over five years. A devoted family man, Ben lives with his wife Mary and their five children in upstate New York.

Michael Labriola, who has devoted a decade and a half to Internet technologies, is a Senior Consultant and Project Lead for Digital Primates, Inc. He spends his mornings teaching developers to work with Flex; his afternoons creating rich Internet applications that generate significant ROI for clients; and his nights dreaming up ways to use Flex that its designers never intended.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xvi
Lesson 1 Understanding Rich Internet Applications	2	(12)
Understanding the Evolution of Computer Applications	4	(2)
Breaking away from the Page-based Architecture	6	(1)
Identifying the Advantages of Rich Internet Applications	7	(1)
Business Managers	7	(1)
IT Organizations	8	(1)
End Users	8	(1)
RIA Technologies	8	(6)
Asynchronous Javascript and XML (Ajax)	8	(1)
Flash	9	(1)
Laszlo	10	(1)
Flex	11	(2)
Windows Presentation Foundation/XAML/Expression	13	(1)
Lesson 2 Getting Started	14	(24)
Getting Started with Flex Application Development	16	(1)
Creating a Project and an MXML Application	16	(5)
Understanding the Flex Builder 2 Workbench	21	(2)
Running Your Application	23	(7)
Creating a Second Application Page and Working in Design Mode	30	(5)
Getting Ready for the Next Lesson	35	(3)
Lesson 3 Laying Out the Interface	38	(26)
Learning About Containers	40	(1)
Laying Out the E-commerce Application Using Design Mode	41	(6)
Working with Constraint-based Layouts	47	(5)
Working with View States	52	(4)
Controlling View States	54	(2)
Laying Out an Application in Source Mode	56	(8)
Adding and Controlling View States with MXML	60	(4)
Lesson 4 Using Simple Controls	64	(22)
Introducing Simple Controls	66	(1)
Using Flex Explorer to Learn About Simple Controls	67	(1)
Displaying Images	68	(4)
Building a Detail View	72	(3)
Using Data Binding to Link a Data Structure to a Simple Control	75	(2)
Using a Form Layout Container to Lay Out Simple Controls	77	(5)
Adding Radio Buttons and Date Fields to the Dashboard	82	(4)
Lesson 5 Handling Events and Data Structures	86	(22)
Introducing Handling Events and Complex Data Structures	88	(2)
Using the <mx:Model> Tag with a Creation Complete Event	90	(3)
Building a Custom ActionScript Class	93	(4)
Building a Method to Create an Object	97	(3)
Building Shopping Cart Classes	100	(6)
Exploring the Event Object	106	(2)
Lesson 6 Using Remote XML Data with Controls	108	(42)
Retrieving XML Data with HTTPService	110	(3)
Using ArrayCollections	111	(1)
Using Collections as Data Providers	112	(1)
Understanding Security Issues	112	(1)
Populating a List with Retrieved XML as an ArrayCollection of Objects	113	(3)
Populating a ComboBox Control and Programmatically Adding an Option	116	(3)
Using XML Data with a Tree Control	119	(11)
Understanding E4X operators	120	(3)
Populating a Tree Control with XML Data	123	(7)
Retrieving XML Data and Transforming it into an ArrayCollection of Custom Objects	130	(5)
Using Data Binding with Complex Data Structures	135	(2)
Sorting and Manipulating Shopping Cart Data	137	(10)
Adding a Remove Button	147	(3)
Lesson 7 Creating Components with MXML	150	(36)
Introducing MXML Components	152	(5)
Understanding the Basics on How to Create a Custom Component	153	(1)
Creating a Custom Component Step by Step	154	(1)
Using Custom Components in Application Architecture	155	(2)
Creating an Update/Delete Product Component and Instantiating It	157	(4)
Popping Up Product Information When Clicking the Update and Delete Buttons	161	(7)
Creating Another Value Object	168	(2)
Creating a Data Manager Component for All Three Applications	170	(7)
Using the New Data Manager Component	177	(4)
Implementing Add Product Functionality	181	(1)
Creating and Using a Component for the Dashboard Application	182	(4)
Lesson 8 Using Controls and Repeaters with Data Sets	186	(30)
Introducing Using Data Sets	188	(5)
Understanding HorizontalList and TileList Components	189	(1)
Implementing a labelFunction	190	(1)
Implementing an itemRenderer	191	(2)
Displaying the Categories Using a HorizontalList and an itemRenderer	193	(4)
Displaying Grocery Products Based on Category Selection	197	(12)
Using a Repeater to Loop Over a Data Set	197	(1)
Retrieving Data from Repeated Components	198	(2)
Addressing Components Built by a Repeater	200	(1)
Understanding Performance Differences Between TileList and Repeater	201	(1)
Displaying Grocery Items Based on Category	201	(8)
Coding States to Display Detailed Product Information	209	(2)
Placing Products in the Shopping Cart	211	(5)
Lesson 9 Using Custom Events	216	(26)
Understanding the Benefits of a Loosely Coupled Architecture	219	(1)
Dispatching Events	219	(2)
Declaring Events for a Component	221	(1)
Identifying the Need for Custom Event Classes	222	(1)
Building and Using the CategoryEvent	223	(4)
Creating and Using the ProductEvent Class	227	(9)
Using ProductEvent to Remove a Product from the Cart	231	(2)
Using ProductEvent to Add a Product to the Cart	233	(3)
Understanding Event Flow and Event Bubbling	236	(6)
Lesson 10 Creating Custom Components with ActionScript 3.0	242	(18)
Introducing Building a Component with ActionScript 3.0	244	(1)
Creating the Structure of the Class	244	(3)
Overriding the createChildren() Method	247	(7)
Creating a Button in ActionScript	248	(1)
Using the addChild() Method to Add the Button to your Component	248	(1)
Understanding chrome and rawChildren	249	(1)
Using addChild on rawChildren to Add Elements to the Chrome	250	(4)
Overriding the updateDisplayList() Method	254	(6)
Lesson 11 Using DataGrids and Item Renderers	260	(22)
Introducing DataGrids and Item Renderers	262	(1)
Adding a Generic DataGrid to ChartPod	262	(2)
Adding HTTPService Calls to Dashboard	264	(4)
Displaying the Shopping Cart with a DataGrid	268	(14)
Add Inline Editing Control for DataGridColumn	270	(1)
Create an MXML Item Renderer for Displaying the Product	271	(3)
Create an Inline MXML Item Renderer for Displaying the Remove Button	274	(5)
Update ShoppingCartItem with Set and Get Functions	279	(3)
Lesson 12 Using Drag and Drop	282	(24)
Introducing the Drag and Drop Manager	284	(1)
Dragging and Dropping Between Two DataGrids	285	(3)
Dragging and Dropping Between a DataGrid and a List	288	(5)
Using a Nondrag-Enabled Component in a Drag-and-Drop Operation	293	(6)
Dragging a Grocery Item to the Shopping Cart	299	(7)
Lesson 13 Implementing Navigation	306	(26)
Introducing Navigation	308	(3)
Using a TabNavigator in the Data-entry Application	311	(3)
Adding a Home Page and Checkout Page in the E-commerce Application	314	(4)
Creating the First Step of the Checkout Process Displayed by a ViewStack	318	(7)
Completing the Checkout Process Using the ViewStack	325	(7)
Lesson 14 Using Formatters and Validators	332	(20)
Introducing Formatters and Validators	334	(1)
Using a Formatter Class to Display Currency Information in the E-commerce Application	335	(3)
Using Validator Classes	338	(4)
Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 1)	342	(2)
Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 2)	344	(2)
Building a Custom Validator Class	346	(6)
Lesson 15 Using the History Manager	352	(12)
Introducing History Management	354	(2)
Implementing History Management within a Navigator Container	356	(1)
Building a Custom History Manager	357	(7)
Lesson 16 Customizing the Look and Feel of a Flex Application	364	(28)
Applying a Design with Styles and Skins	367	(1)
Applying Styles	367	(17)
Setting Styles Inline with Tag Attributes	369	(1)
Understanding Style Inheritance	370	(1)
Setting Styles with the <mx:Style> Tag	371	(3)
Setting Styles with CSS files	374	(10)
Skinning Components	384	(8)
Graphical Skins	385	(1)
Programmatic Skins	385	(7)
Lesson 17 Accessing Server-side Objects	392	(44)
Introducing Server-side Objects	395	(1)
Using the Event Model Remote Server Calls	396	(1)
Configuring an Application to Work Locally	396	(2)
Using a Web Service in the Dashboard	398	(7)
Handling Web Service Results	401	(2)
Calling Web Service Methods	403	(2)
Using a Web Service in the DataEntry Application	405	(6)
Uploading Files to the Server	411	(4)
Centralizing Web Service Access	415	(7)
Using Remote Object to Save an Order	422	(9)
Update Flex Compiler Command	424	(1)
Raise Order Confirmed Event in the Checkout Process	425	(1)
Create and Call Remote Object	426	(4)
Pass in ShoppingCart into Checkout Component	430	(1)
Change State of the Application Back to Welcome	430	(1)
Mapping ActionScript Objects to Server Objects	431	(5)
Lesson 18 Charting Data	436	(32)
Exploring Flex Charting Components	438	(2)
Available Charts	438	(1)
Chart Packaging	438	(1)
Parts of a Chart	438	(2)
Laying Out the Initial Charts	440	(1)
Populating Charts	441	(7)
Specifying the Charts Series	442	(6)
Adding Horizontal and Vertical Axes to Line and Column Charts	448	(6)
Adding Legends to the Charts	454	(2)
Limiting the Labels Shown on an Axis	456	(1)
Interacting with Charts	457	(1)
Mouse Over Events	457	(1)
Click Events	457	(1)
Adding Chart Events	458	(5)
Adding Animations to the Charts	463	(1)
Customizing the Look of Charts with Styles	464	(4)
Lesson 19 Introducing Adobe Flex Data Services	468	(16)
Introducing Flex Data Services (FDS)	470	(2)
Installing the Adobe FDS	472	(2)
Creating a Flex Builder Project with FDS	474	(4)
Using the Flex Proxy Service	478	(3)
Creating a Named Proxy Service Destination	481	(3)
Lesson 20 Pushing Data with Adobe Flex Data Services	484	(16)
Understanding Flex Message Services	486	(1)
Creating a New Project in Flex Builder	486	(4)
Understanding How the Flex Message Service Works	490	(1)
Enabling RemoteObject Calls to a ColdFusion Server	491	(2)
Configuring a Message Destination	493	(2)
Using the <mx:Consumer> Tag	495	(5)
Lesson 21 Synchronizing Data with Adobe Flex Data Services	500	(18)
Introducing the Data Management Service	502	(1)
Configuring Data Management Services	503	(4)
Creating the Data Management CFCs	507	(5)
Using Data Management Service Data in an MXML Application	512	(3)
Creating and Deleting with the Data Management Service	515	(2)
Where to Go from Here	517	(1)
Lesson 22 Creating Transitions and Behaviors	518	(10)
Introducing Behaviors and Transitions	520	(4)
Using Behaviors on Components	520	(2)
Using Transitions on View States	522	(2)
Implementing Effects on a Component	524	(2)
Adding Effects to View States	526	(2)
Lesson 23 Printing From Flex	528	(20)
Introducing Flex Printing	531	(1)
Printing for the First Time from Flex	531	(3)
Using the PrintDataGrid in a Nonvisible Container	534	(3)
Building the Printable View in a Separate Component	537	(4)
Scaling the Printed Output	541	(2)
Printing a Receipt from the Checkout Process	543	(5)
Lesson 24 Using Shared Objects	548	(12)
Introducing Shared Objects	550	(3)
Creating Shared Objects	551	(1)
Reading Shared Objects	552	(1)
Building a SharedObject to Store Shopping Cart Data	553	(3)
Reading Data from an Existing Shared Object	556	(4)
Lesson 25 Debugging Flex Applications	560	(22)
Introducing Debugging Techniques	562	(1)
Watching Server-Client Data Exchange	562	(3)
Learning More About the Debugger	565	(7)
Learning More Details About Setting Breakpoints	565	(1)
Inspecting Variables and Their Associated Values in the Debugger	566	(6)
Handling Errors with try-catch	572	(10)
Using the try-catch Syntax	573	(1)
Understanding the Error Types	574	(1)
Using Multiple catch Blocks	575	(1)
Example Using Only One catch Block	575	(1)
Example Showing Bad Practice of Using the Error Base Class in the First catch Block	576	(1)
Using the finally Statement	577	(1)
Using the throw Statement	578	(1)
Creating Your Own Error Classes	578	(4)
APPENDIX A Setup Instructions	582	(6)
Hardware Requirements	582	(1)
Software Requirements	583	(1)
Software Installation	583	(1)
Installing Flex Products	584	(1)
Installing Lesson Files	585	(1)
Installing the ColdFusion Extensions for Adobe Flex Builder 2	586	(1)
Starting Flex Data Services and ColdFusion	586	(1)
Installing Flash Debug Player	587	(1)
Index	588