Flex 3: A Beginner's Guide Book

Acknowledgments     xi
Introduction     xiii
Flex Fundamentals     1
The Origins of Flex     3
ActionScript     4
MXML     4
Understanding Flex     5
LiveCycle Data Services     5
Using LiveCycle Data Services with the Flex Builder     8
Flex's Forte     10
Audio     10
Video     11
Object Manipulation     11
Consistent API     11
Open Source     11
Flex Limitations     12
Flex vs. HTML/Ajax     13
Dynamic HTML     13
DOMs     13
Ajax     13
Cross-Platform Support with Single Binary     14
Flex Versions     14
Initial Releases     15
Adobe Flex 2.01     15
Adobe Flex 3     16
How Flex Works     16
Design and Configure     17
Build     17
Deploy     18
Securing Your Application     19
Installation and Modules     21
Installing Flex     22
Flex Distributions     22
Flex BuilderDistribution     23
Flex SDK     23
Apache/IIS Runtime Module     24
Installing Flex Builder     25
Macintosh OS X     28
Flex Builder Projects     30
Workspaces     30
Managing Projects in a Workspace     30
Creating a Test Project     31
General Requirements for the SDK     37
Downloading the SDK Installation     38
Removing the Flash Plug-in     38
Installing the Flex SDK     39
Running Samples     41
Apache/IIS Flex Module     42
Requirements     43
Installer Download     43
Testing the Compiler Module     46
Getting Started     47
Principles of MXML     49
XML     50
Principles of ActionScript     50
ActionScript Timeline     51
Proper Syntax     52
Variables     54
Declaring     54
Naming     54
Types     55
Modifying Variable Types     56
Expressions     57
Functions and Methods     57
Defining     58
Testing Output     58
Named Functions     59
Flow Control and Looping     61
If Statement     61
Switch Statement     62
Looping     63
Event Handlers     65
Create an Event Handler That Displays an Alert     65
MXML Conversion     67
OOP     67
Encapsulation     67
Classes     67
Methods     70
Defining     70
Instantiation     72
Static Methods     74
Inheritance     75
Class Specifications     75
Understanding MXML Namespaces     76
The Flex Config File     76
The Manifest File     76
Referencing Namespaces in Your Code     77
Working with Flex Builder     79
Flex Builder Modes     81
Development     82
Debugging     84
Building a User Interface     86
Containers     86
The Application Container     87
Constraint-Based Layout     87
Controls     90
Arrays     92
Text-Based Controls     93
Data Provider Controls     94
Menu Controls     94
Modifying Controls     96
Class Hierarchy of Controls     97
Sizing Controls     97
Positioning Controls     99
Changing the Appearance of Controls     99
Text Controls     100
Text Property     100
The htmlText Property     101
Select and Modify Text     101
TextArea     102
TextInput     102
RichTextEditor     104
Label Control     104
Menu Control     105
Menu Attributes     106
Data Provider Types     106
Menu Control Creation     107
MenuBar Control     109
Create a MenuBar Control     109
Running Your Applications     112
States, Transitions, and Behaviors     115
States and Transitions     117
Creating States     118
Apply States     118
Properties     123
Styles     123
Event Handlers     123
Effects and Transitions     124
Creating a Transition     125
Triggers      128
Creating Behaviors     129
Invoke Using Flex Events     131
Fading in a RichTextEditor with a Button Click     131
Composite Effects     133
Binding Variables     134
Declaring     134
Referencing     135
Modifying Your Application's Appearance     139
Categories of Customization     141
Styles and Skins     141
Enhanced Constraints     142
CSS Property Inspector     144
Themes     145
Setting Styles     149
Skins     154
Graphical Skinning     154
Data Access     159
Local Versus Remote Data     161
Security Implications     161
Cross-Domain File     162
XML HTTP Service Requests     164
Creating an Application to Display Amazon Vampire Books     166
Proxy     166
Getting the Data     170
Debugging and Profiling     179
Profiling     181
Saving and Loading Profiling Data     187
Live Objects Panel     188
Memory Snapshot Panel     190
Loitering Objects Panel      191
Object References Panel     193
Allocation Trace Panel     194
Performance Snapshot Panel     196
Launch Dialog     198
Debugging with fdb     200
Launching     201
Commands     203
Debugging with Trace     206
Working with Media Assets/Deploying     209
Managing Media Assets     211
Embedding vs. Runtime Referencing     211
Supported Media Types     212
Sound     213
Playing Embedded Sounds     213
Playing Referenced Sounds     216
Including a Referenced Image     217
Including an Embedded Image     218
Embedding Movies     219
Deploying     220
Wrappers     220
Publishing Your Application     223
ActionScript and MXML Reference     229
ActionScript 3.0     230
Global Functions     230
Global Constants     232
Global ActionScript Classes     232
Language Reference     234
MXML-Only Components     243
Keyboard Shortcuts in Flex Builder     244
Online Resources      246
Online Communities     246
Documentation     247
Tools     248
Quick Reference Sheets     249
Interesting Flex-Based Sites     249
Glossary     253
Index     269