Programming Flex 2: The Comprehensive Guide to Creating Rich Internet Applications with Adobe Flex Book

Foreword     xi
Preface     xxi
Introducing Flex     1
Understanding Flex Application Technologies     1
Using Flex Elements     6
Working with Data Services (Loading Data at Runtime)     7
Understanding the Differences Between Traditional (HTML) and Flex Web Applications     9
Understanding How Flex Applications Work     10
Understanding Flex and Flash Authoring     11
Understanding Flex 1.5 and Flex 2     12
Summary     12
Building Applications with the Flex Framework     13
Using Flex Tool Sets     13
Creating Projects     15
Building Applications     19
Deploying Applications     31
Flash Player Security     31
Understanding HTML Wrappers     33
Using SWFObject     34
Using Runtime Shared Libraries     35
Summary     42
MXML     43
Understanding MXML Syntax and Structure     43
Making MXML Interactive     50
Summary     52
ActionScript     53
Using ActionScript     54
MXML and ActionScript Correlations     57
Understanding ActionScript Syntax     58
Variables and Properties     61
Inheritance     72
Interfaces     73
Handling Events     74
Error Handling     76
Using XML     78
Reflection     82
Summary     85
Framework Fundamentals     86
Understanding the Flex Application Life Cycle     86
Differentiating Between Flash Player and Framework     88
Bootstrapping Flex Applications     89
Understanding Application Domains     92
Understanding the Preloader     94
Summary     95
Managing Layout     96
Flex Layout Overview     96
Making Fluid Interfaces     116
Putting It All Together     117
Summary     120
Working with UI Components     121
Understanding UI Components     122
Buttons     128
Value Selectors     129
Text Components     130
List-Based Controls     131
Pop-Up Controls     140
Navigators     143
Control Bars     147
Summary      149
Framework Utilities and Advanced Component Concepts     150
Tool Tips     150
Pop-Ups     156
Cursor Management     162
Drag and Drop     164
Customizing List-Based Controls     172
Focus Management and Keyboard Control     183
Summary     188
Working with Media     189
Adding Media     191
Working with the Different Media Types     197
Summary     210
Managing State     211
Creating States     211
Applying States     212
Defining States Based on Existing States     213
Adding and Removing Components     214
Setting Properties     216
Setting Styles     217
Setting Event Handlers     218
Using ActionScript to Define States     218
Managing Object Creation Policies (Preloading Objects)     228
Handling State Events     230
When to Use States     231
Summary     231
Using Effects and Transitions     232
Using Effects     232
Creating Custom Effects     244
Using Transitions     251
Creating Custom Transitions     256
Summary     257
Working with Data     258
Using Data Models     258
Data Binding     268
Enabling Data Binding for Custom Classes     277
Data Binding Examples     280
Building Data Binding Proxies     284
Summary     287
Validating and Formatting Data     288
Validating User Input     288
Formatting Data     308
Summary     314
Customizing Application Appearance     315
Using Styles     316
Skinning Components     333
Customizing the Preloader     344
Themes     348
Runtime CSS     351
Summary     354
Client Data Communication     355
Local Connections     356
Persistent Data     360
Communicating with the Host Application     374
Summary     379
Remote Data Communication     380
Understanding Strategies for Data Communication     381
Working with Request/Response Data Communication     382
Web Services     395
Real-Time/Socket Connection     406
File Upload/Download     407
Summary     408
Application Debugging     409
The Flash Debug Player     409
Using FDB     413
Debugging with Flex Builder 2     414
Remote Debugging     418
Logging Using trace() Within an Application     419
The Logging Framework     421
Debugging Remote Data     425
Summary     426
Application Components     427
The Importance of Application Components     428
MXML Component Basics     429
Component Styles     440
Summary     443
Building Custom Components     444
Component Framework Overview     444
Component Life Cycle     446
Component Implementation     449
Adding Custom Properties and Events     457
Adding Styling Support     460
Summary     462
Index     463