Adobe Flex 3: Training from the Source

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 7
Foreword......Page 15
Introduction......Page 17
LESSON 1 Understanding Rich Internet Applications......Page 28
 Understanding the Evolution of Computer Applications......Page 29
 Breaking Away from Page-Based Architecture......Page 31
  Business Managers......Page 32
 RIA Technologies......Page 33
  Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX)......Page 34
  Flex......Page 35
  The Windows Presentation Foundation, XAML, Silverlight, and Expression......Page 37
LESSON 2 Getting Started......Page 40
 Creating a Project and an MXML Application......Page 41
 Understanding the Flex Builder 3 Workbench......Page 46
 Running Your Application......Page 48
 Creating a Second Application Page and Working in Design Mode......Page 55
 Getting Ready for the Next Lesson......Page 60
LESSON 3 Laying Out the Interface......Page 64
 Learning About Containers......Page 65
 Laying Out the E-Commerce Application Using Design Mode......Page 66
  Using Constraints with the Parent Container......Page 72
  Using Enhanced Constraints......Page 77
 Working with View States......Page 80
  Controlling View States......Page 82
 Laying Out an Application in Source Mode......Page 84
  Adding and Controlling View States with MXML......Page 88
LESSON 4 Using Simple Controls......Page 94
 Introducing Simple Controls......Page 95
 Displaying Images......Page 96
 Building a Detail View......Page 100
 Using Data Binding to Link a Data Structure to a Simple Control......Page 103
 Using a Form Layout Container to Lay Out Simple Controls......Page 105
 Adding Radio Buttons and Date Fields to the Dashboard......Page 110
LESSON 5 Handling Events and Data Structures......Page 114
  Understanding a Simple Example......Page 115
  Handling the Event with an ActionScript Function......Page 116
  Passing Data when Calling the Event Handler Function......Page 117
 Building a Data Structure on the creationComplete Event......Page 118
 Using Data from the Event Object......Page 121
  Building a Value Object......Page 126
 Building a Method to Create an Object......Page 131
 Building Shopping Cart Classes......Page 134
LESSON 6 Using Remote XML Data with Controls......Page 140
 Retrieving XML Data with HTTPService......Page 141
  Using the Returned Data......Page 142
 Retrieving XML Data via HTTPService......Page 144
  Using ArrayCollections......Page 147
  Using Collections as Data Providers......Page 148
 Populating a ComboBox Control and Programmatically Adding an Option......Page 150
  Understanding E4X Operators......Page 154
  Populating a Tree Control with XML Data......Page 159
 Retrieving XML Data and Transforming It into an ArrayCollection of Custom Objects......Page 166
 Using Data Binding with Complex Data Structures......Page 170
  Adding Items to the Cart......Page 172
  Sorting Items in an ArrayCollection......Page 173
  Adding an Item or Updating the Quantity......Page 175
  Using a Cursor to Locate a ShoppingCart Item......Page 177
 Adding a Remove Button......Page 185
LESSON 7 Creating Components with MXML......Page 190
 Introducing MXML Components......Page 191
  Understanding the Basics of How to Create a Custom Component......Page 192
  Creating a Custom Component Step by Step......Page 193
  Using Custom Components in the Application Architecture......Page 194
 Creating an Update/Delete Product Component and Instantiating It......Page 196
 Popping Up Product Information When Clicking the Update and Delete Buttons......Page 200
 Creating Another Value Object......Page 207
 Creating a Data Manager Component for All Three Applications......Page 209
 Using the New Data Manager Component......Page 216
 Implementing Add Product Functionality......Page 220
 Creating and Using a Component for the Dashboard Application......Page 221
LESSON 8 Using Controls and Repeaters with Datasets......Page 226
 Using Datasets......Page 227
  Understanding HorizontalList and TileList Components......Page 228
  Implementing a labelFunction......Page 229
  Implementing an itemRenderer......Page 230
 Displaying the Categories Using a HorizontalList and an itemRenderer......Page 232
  Using a Repeater to Loop Over a Dataset......Page 236
  Retrieving Data from Repeated Components......Page 237
  Addressing Components Built by a Repeater......Page 239
  Displaying Grocery Items Based on Category......Page 240
 Coding States to Display Detailed Product Information......Page 248
 Placing Products in the Shopping Cart......Page 250
LESSON 9 Using Custom Events......Page 257
 Dispatching Events......Page 258
 Declaring Events for a Component......Page 260
 Identifying the Need for Custom Event Classes......Page 261
 Building and Using the CategoryEvent......Page 262
 Creating and Using the ProductEvent Class......Page 266
  Using ProductEvent to Remove a Product from the Cart......Page 270
  Using ProductEvent to Add a Product to the Cart......Page 272
 Understanding Event Flow and Event Bubbling......Page 275
LESSON 10 Creating Custom Components with ActionScript 3.0......Page 282
 Creating the Structure of the Class......Page 283
 Overriding the createChildren() Method......Page 286
  Using the addChild() Method to Add the Button to Your Component......Page 287
  Understanding chrome and rawChildren......Page 288
  Using addChild() on rawChildren to Add Elements to the Chrome......Page 289
 Sizing and Positioning in Flex......Page 293
 Understanding the measure() Method......Page 294
 Overriding the updateDisplayList() Method......Page 295
LESSON 11 Using DataGrids and Item Renderers......Page 305
 Adding a Generic DataGrid to ChartPod......Page 306
 Adding HTTPService Calls to Dashboard......Page 308
 Displaying the Shopping Cart with a DataGrid......Page 312
  Add Inline Editing Control for DataGridColumn......Page 314
  Create an MXML Item Renderer for Displaying the Product......Page 315
  Create an Inline MXML Item Renderer for Displaying the Remove Button......Page 317
  Update ShoppingCartItem with Set and Get Functions......Page 323
  Sorting the AdvancedDataGrid......Page 324
  Sorting in Expert Mode......Page 326
  Styling the AdvancedDataGrid......Page 327
  Grouping Data......Page 331
  Displaying Summary Data......Page 337
LESSON 12 Using Drag and Drop......Page 348
 Introducing the Drag and Drop Manager......Page 349
 Dragging and Dropping Between Two DataGrids......Page 350
 Dragging and Dropping Between a DataGrid and a List......Page 353
 Using a Nondrag-Enabled Component in a Drag-and-Drop Operation......Page 358
 Dragging a Grocery Item to the Shopping Cart......Page 364
LESSON 13 Implementing Navigation......Page 372
 Introducing Navigation......Page 373
 Using a TabNavigator in the DataEntry Application......Page 376
 Adding a Home Page and Checkout Page in the E-Commerce Application......Page 379
 Creating the First Step of the Checkout Process Displayed by a ViewStack......Page 383
 Completing the Checkout Process Using the ViewStack......Page 390
LESSON 14 Using Formatters and Validators......Page 398
 Introducing Formatters and Validators......Page 399
 Using a Formatter Class to Display Currency Information in the E-Commerce Application......Page 400
 Using Validator Classes......Page 403
 Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 1)......Page 407
 Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 2)......Page 409
 Building a Custom Validator Class......Page 411
LESSON 15 Implementing History Management and Deep Linking......Page 418
 Introducing History Management......Page 419
 Implementing History Management within a Navigator Container......Page 421
 Building a Custom History Manager......Page 423
  Adding Deep Linking to Your Application......Page 428
LESSON 16 Customizing the Look and Feel of a Flex Application......Page 437
 Applying Styles......Page 438
  Setting Styles Inline with Tag Attributes......Page 439
  Understanding Style Inheritance......Page 441
  Setting Styles with the  Tag......Page 442
  Using Flex Builder Tools for Working with CSS......Page 444
  Setting Styles with CSS Files......Page 446
 Changing CSS at Runtime......Page 456
  Creating a SWF from a CSS File......Page 457
 Skinning Components......Page 458
  Importing Skins Created in CS3......Page 459
  Programmatic Skins......Page 462
LESSON 17 Working with Web Services......Page 471
 Introducing Server Communication......Page 472
 Configuring an Application to Work Locally......Page 473
 Using a Web Service in the Dashboard......Page 475
  Handling Web Service Results......Page 478
  Calling Web Service Methods......Page 481
 Using a Web Service in the DataEntry Application......Page 483
 Using the Web Service Introspection Wizard......Page 488
 Using the Generated Code in Your Application......Page 490
 Refactoring with Flex Builder......Page 493
 Completing the Integration of the Generated Code......Page 494
 Updating and Deleting Products......Page 495
LESSON 18 Accessing Server-Side Objects......Page 499
 Uploading Files to the Server......Page 500
  Integrating the FileUpload Component with DataEntry......Page 504
 Using RemoteObject to Save an Order......Page 506
  Update Flex Compiler Command......Page 508
  Dispatch an Order Confirmed Event in the Checkout Process......Page 509
  Create and Call Remote Object......Page 510
  Pass ShoppingCart into the Checkout Component......Page 513
  Change the Application State Back to Welcome......Page 514
 Mapping ActionScript Objects to Server Objects......Page 515
 The Flex Builder Data Wizards......Page 517
  Creating a Server Project......Page 518
LESSON 19 Visualizing Data......Page 524
  Chart Packaging......Page 525
  Parts of a Chart......Page 526
 Laying Out Initial Charts......Page 527
  Specifying the Charts' Series......Page 529
  Adding Horizontal and Vertical Axes to Line and Column Charts......Page 535
 Adding Legends to Charts......Page 542
 Limiting the Labels Shown on an Axis......Page 543
 Adding Chart Events......Page 545
 Adding Animations to Charts......Page 550
 Customizing Chart Appearance with Styles......Page 552
LESSON 20 Creating Modular Applications......Page 556
 Introducing Modular Applications in Flex 3......Page 557
 Using Flex Modules......Page 558
  Using the Module Class......Page 559
  Replacing the Checkout Code with a ModuleLoader Tag......Page 560
 Understanding Runtime Shared Libraries (RSLs)......Page 562
  Understanding the Linker......Page 564
 Using the Flex Framework RSL Caching......Page 565
  Using Signed vs. Unsigned RSLs......Page 566
  Configuring Your Application to Use the Framework RSL......Page 567
 Creating a Library Project......Page 569
  Adding Classes and Assets to the Library......Page 570
  Using the FlexGrocerLibrary within the FlexGrocer Application......Page 571
LESSON 21 Deploying Flex Applications......Page 574
 Breaking Out of the Browser with the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR)......Page 575
  Installing the AIR Runtime......Page 576
  Installing a First Application......Page 577
  Creating a New AIR Project......Page 578
  Making the Dashboard Application into an AIR Application......Page 580
  Customizing the Application with the Application.xml file......Page 582
  Exporting the AIR File......Page 584
LESSON 22 Creating Transitions and Behaviors......Page 592
  Using Behaviors on Components......Page 593
  Using Transitions on View States......Page 595
 Implementing Effects on a Component......Page 597
 Adding Effects to View States......Page 599
LESSON 23 Printing from Flex......Page 603
 Printing for the First Time from Flex......Page 604
 Using the PrintDataGrid in a Nonvisible Container......Page 607
 Building the Printable View in a Separate Component......Page 610
 Scaling the Printed Output......Page 614
 Printing a Receipt from the Checkout Process......Page 616
LESSON 24 Using Shared Objects......Page 622
 Introducing Shared Objects......Page 623
  Creating Shared Objects......Page 624
  Reading Shared Objects......Page 625
 Building a SharedObject to Store Shopping Cart Data......Page 626
 Reading Data from an Existing Shared Object......Page 629
LESSON 25 Debugging Flex Applications......Page 634
 Watching Client/Server Data Exchange......Page 635
 Learning More About the Debugger......Page 636
  Learning More Details About Setting Breakpoints......Page 637
  Inspecting Variables and Their Associated Values in the Debugger......Page 638
 Handling Errors with try-catch......Page 644
  Using the try-catch Syntax......Page 645
  Using Multiple catch Blocks......Page 647
  Example Showing Bad Practice of Using the Error Base Class in the First catch Block......Page 648
  Using the finally Statement......Page 649
  Using the throw Statement......Page 650
  Creating Your Own Error Classes......Page 651
LESSON 26 Profiling Flex Applications......Page 656
  Passing by Reference or Value......Page 657
  Flash Player Garbage Collection......Page 658
  Garbage Collection......Page 661
  Reviewing the ProfilerTest Application......Page 664
  Profiling the ProfilerTest Application......Page 667
  Fixing the ImageDisplay Class......Page 672
  Profiling the ProfilerTest Application......Page 673
  Fixing the ProfilerTest Class......Page 676
 Installing Lesson Files......Page 679
 Hardware Requirements......Page 677
 Software Installation......Page 678
 Starting the ColdFusion Server......Page 680
 Installing Flash Debug Player......Page 681
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