Flex 3 Cookbook
Flex 3 Cookbook Code-Recipes, Tips, and Tricks for RIA Developers By Joshua Noble, Todd Anderson
May 2008
Pages: 704

| Table of Contents | Bonus Chapters

Table of Contents

  1. Chapter 1 Flex and ActionScript Basics

    1. Create a Flex Project in Flex Builder

    2. Create a Flex Library Project in Flex Builder

    3. Create an ActionScript Project

    4. Set Compiler Options for the MXML Compiler in Flex Builder

    5. Compile a Flex Project Outside of Flex Builder

    6. Add an Event Listener in MXML

    7. Set Properties of a Child Defined in MXML in ActionScript

    8. Define Arrays and Objects

    9. Set the Scope of Variables in ActionScript

    10. Create a Component in ActionScript

    11. Use Event Bubbling

    12. Use a Code-Behind Model to Separate MXML and ActionScript

    13. Make Properties of a Component Bindable

    14. Use Custom Events and Dispatch Data with Events

    15. Listen for a Keyboard Event

    16. Define Optional Parameters for Methods

    17. Determine the Type of an Object

    18. Define and Implement an Interface

  2. Chapter 2 Menus and Controls

    1. Listen to a Button Click

    2. Create a Set of Buttons That Toggle

    3. Use a ColorPicker to Set Canvas Color

    4. Load a SWF by Using the SWFLoader

    5. Set Tab Indexes for Components

    6. Set a labelFunction for a Control

    7. Provide Data for Menus

    8. Dynamically Populate Menus

    9. Create EventHandlers for Menu-Based Controls

    10. Display an Alert in an Application

    11. Use the Date from a Calendar Control

    12. Display and Position Multiple Pop-ups

    13. Create a Custom Border for a Pop-up Window

    14. Handle focusIn and focusOut Events

  3. Chapter 3 Containers

    1. Position Children by Using Layout Management

    2. Position and Size Containers via Percentage Positioning

    3. Track Mouse Position Within Different Coordinate Systems

    4. Dynamically Add and Remove Children from a Container

    5. Use Constraint-Based Layout for Containers

    6. Set Maximum and Minimum Sizes for Children Within Containers

    7. Specify Constraint Rows and Columns for a Container

    8. Create Layout Flows for Text Using Constraints

    9. Control Scrolling and Overflow Within Containers

    10. Control the Layout of Box Components

    11. Use Containers for Initialization

    12. Create a TitleWindow

    13. Control a ViewStack via a LinkBar

    14. Bind the Selected Index of a ViewStack to a Variable

    15. Use Delayed Instantiation to Improve Startup Time

    16. Create and Control Resizable Containers

    17. Create, Enable, and Disable TabControls Within a TabNavigator

    18. Create a TabNavigator with Closeable Tabs

    19. Create and Control an Alert

    20. Size and Position a Dialog Box Based on Its Calling Component

    21. Manage Multiple Pop-up Dialog Boxes

    22. Scroll to a Specific Child in a Container

    23. Create a Template Using IDeferredInstance

    24. Manually Lay Out a Container

    25. Measure and Alter Container Size

    26. Control the Visibility and Layout of Children

    27. Create a Tile Container with Simple Reorganization

    28. Set a Background Image and Rounded Corners in an HBox

    29. Control Positioning and Scrolling of Child Components

  4. Chapter 4 Text

    1. Correctly Set the Value of a Text Object

    2. Bind a Value to TextInput

    3. Create a Suggestive TextInput

    4. Create an In-Place Editor

    5. Determine All Fonts Installed on a User’s Computer

    6. Create a Custom TextInput

    7. Set the Style Properties for Text Ranges

    8. Display Images and SWFs in HTML

    9. Highlight User-Input Text in a Search Field

    10. Manipulate Characters as Individual Graphics

    11. Specify Styles for HTML in a TextField

    12. Use the RichTextEditor

    13. Apply Embedded Fonts with HTML

    14. Add a Drop Shadow to Text in a Text Component

    15. Find the Last Displayed Character in a TextArea

  5. Chapter 5 Lists, Tiles, and Trees

    1. Create an Editable List

    2. Set Icons for Items in a List

    3. Add Effects to a List to Indicate Changes

    4. Set a Basic Item Renderer for a TileList

    5. Set XML Data for a Tree

    6. Create an Item Renderer for a Tree

    7. Use Complex Data Objects in a Tree Control

    8. Allow Only Certain Items in a List to Be Selectable

    9. Format and Validate Data Added in a List’s Item Editor

    10. Track All Selected Children in a TileList

    11. Use and Display Null Items in an Item Renderer

    12. Create a Right-Click Menu for a List

    13. Customize the Appearance of a Selection in a List

  6. Chapter 6 DataGrid and Advanced DataGrid

    1. Create Custom Columns for a DataGrid

    2. Specify Sort Functions for DataGrid Columns

    3. Enable Multicolumn Sorting in a DataGrid

    4. Filter Items in a DataGrid

    5. Create Custom Headers for an AdvancedDataGrid

    6. Handle Events from a DataGrid/AdvancedDataGrid

    7. Select Items in an AdvancedDataGrid

    8. Enable Drag-and-Drop in a DataGrid

    9. Edit Items in a DataGrid

    10. Search Within a DataGrid and Autoscroll to the Match

    11. Generate a Summary for Flat Data by Using GroupingCollection

    12. Create an Async Refresh for a GroupingCollection

  7. Chapter 7 Renderers and Editors

    1. Create Your Own Renderers

    2. Use the ClassFactory to Generate Renderers

    3. Access the Component That Owns a Renderer

    4. Create a Single Component to Act as Renderer and Editor

    5. Create an Item Editor to Handle Data with Multiple Fields

    6. Display SWF Objects as Items in a Menu by Using an Item Renderer

    7. Select a DataGrid Column with a CheckBox Header Renderer

    8. Create a Self-Contained CheckBox itemRenderer for Use in a DataGrid

    9. Efficiently Set Images in a Renderer

    10. Use Runtime Styling with itemRenderers and itemEditors

    11. Use States and Transitions with an itemEditor

    12. Create a CheckBox Tree Control

    13. Resize Renderers Within a List

  8. Chapter 8 Images, Bitmaps, Videos, Sounds

    1. Load and Display an Image

    2. Create a Video Display

    3. Play and Pause an MP3 File

    4. Create a Seek Bar for a Sound File

    5. Blend Two Images

    6. Apply a Convolution Filter to an Image

    7. Send Video to an FMS Instance via a Camera

    8. Access a User’s Microphone and Create a Sound Display

    9. Smooth Video Displayed in a Flex Application

    10. Check Pixel-Level Collisions

    11. Read and Save a User’s Webcam Image

    12. Use Blend Modes with Multiple Images

    13. Handle Cue Points in FLV Data

    14. Create a Video Scrubber

    15. Read ID3 Data from an MP3 File

    16. Display a Custom Loader while Loading Images

    17. Enable Image Upload in Flex

    18. Compare Two Bitmap Images

  9. Chapter 9 Skinning and Styling

    1. Use CSS to Style Components

    2. Override the Default Application Style

    3. Embed Styles by Using CSS

    4. Override Base Style Properties

    5. Customize Styles at Runtime

    6. Load CSS at Runtime

    7. Declare Styles at Runtime

    8. Create Custom Style Properties for Components

    9. Use Multiple Themes in the Same Application

    10. Compile a Theme SWC

    11. Use Embedded Fonts

    12. Embed Fonts from a SWF File

    13. Skin with Embedded Images

    14. Apply Skins from a SWF File

    15. Programmatically Skin a Component

    16. Programmatically Skin a Stateful Control

    17. Create Animated Skins from a SWF File

    18. Customize the Preloader

  10. Chapter 10 Dragging and Dropping

    1. Use the DragManager Class

    2. Specify a Drag Proxy

    3. Drag and Drop Within a List

    4. Drag and Drop Between Lists

    5. Enable and Disable Drag Operations

    6. Customize the DragImage of a List-Based Control

    7. Customize the Drop Indicator of a List-Based Control

  11. Chapter 11 States

    1. Set Styles and Properties in a State

    2. Create Transitions to Enter and Leave States

    3. Use the AddChildAction and RemoveChildAction

    4. Filter Transitions to Affect Only Certain Types of Children

    5. Apply Parts of a Transition to Certain Children

    6. Base a State on Another State

    7. Integrate View States with HistoryManagement

    8. Use Deferred Instance Factories with States

    9. Use Data Binding with Objects Added in a State

    10. Add and Remove Event Listeners in State Changes

    11. Add View States to a Flash Component

    12. Work with State Change Events

    13. Dynamically Generate and Use New States and Transitions

    14. Create Custom Actions to Use in a State

  12. Chapter 12 Effects

    1. Call an Effect in MXML and in ActionScript

    2. Build a Custom Effect

    3. Create Parallel Series or Sequences of Effects

    4. Pause, Reverse, and Restart an Effect

    5. Create Custom Effect Triggers

    6. Create Tween Effects

    7. Use the DisplacementMapFilter Filter in a Flex Effect

    8. Create an AnimateColor Effect

    9. Use the Convolution Filter to Create a Tween

  13. Chapter 13 Collections

    1. Add, Sort, and Retrieve Data from an ArrayCollection

    2. Filter an ArrayCollection

    3. Determine When an Item Is Modified in an ArrayCollection

    4. Create a GroupingCollection

    5. Create a Hierarchical Data Provider for a Control

    6. Navigate a Collection Object and Save Your Position

    7. Create a HierarchicalViewCollection Object

    8. Filter and Sort an XMLListCollection

    9. Sort on Multiple Fields in a Collection

    10. Sort on Dates in a Collection

    11. Create a Deep Copy of an ArrayCollection

    12. Use Data Objects with Unique IDs

  14. Chapter 14 Data Binding

    1. Bind to a Property

    2. Bind to a Function

    3. Create a Bidirectional Binding

    4. Bind to Properties by Using ActionScript

    5. Use Bindable Property Chains

    6. Bind to Properties on XML by Using E4X

    7. Create Customized Bindable Properties

    8. Bind to a Generic Object

    9. Bind to Properties on a Dynamic Class

  15. Chapter 15 Validation, Formatting, and Regular Expressions

    1. Use Validators and Formatters with TextInput and TextArea Controls

    2. Create a Custom Formatter

    3. Create a More-International Zip Code Validator by Using Regular Expressions

    4. Create a Validator to Validate UPCs

    5. Validate Combo Boxes and Groups of Radio Buttons

    6. Show Validation Errors by Using ToolTips in a Form

    7. Use Regular Expressions for Locating Email Addresses

    8. Use Regular Expressions for Matching Credit Card Numbers

    9. Use Regular Expressions for Validating ISBNs

    10. Create Regular Expressions by Using Explicit Character Classes

    11. Use Character Types in Regular Expressions

    12. Match Valid IP Addresses by Using Subexpressions

    13. Use Regular Expressions for Different Types of Matches

    14. Match Ends or Beginnings of Lines with Regular Expressions

    15. Use Back-References

    16. Use a Look-Ahead or Look-Behind

  16. Chapter 16 Charting

    1. Create a Chart

    2. Add Effects to Charts

    3. Select Regions of a Chart

    4. Format Tick Marks for a Chart

    5. Create a Custom Label for a Chart

    6. Create a Drill-Down Effect for a Columnar Chart

    7. Skin Chart Items

    8. Use ActionScript to Dynamically Add and Remove Columns for a Chart

    9. Overlap Multiple ChartSeries

    10. Drag and Drop Items in a Chart

    11. Create an Editable Line Chart

  17. Chapter 17 SharedObjects

    1. Create a SharedObject

    2. Write Data into a SharedObject

    3. Save a Local SharedObject

    4. Read Data from a SharedObject

    5. Remove Data from a SharedObject

    6. Serialize Typed Objects

    7. Access a SharedObject Between Multiple Flash Applications

    8. Remember TextInput Values for Returning Users

  18. Chapter 18 Working with Services and Server-Side Communication

    1. Configure an HTTPService

    2. Use RESTful Communication Between Flex Applications

    3. Configure and Connect to a RemoteObject

    4. Use Flex Remoting with AMFPHP 1.9

    5. Use the IExternalizable Interface for Custom Serialization

    6. Track Results from Multiple Simultaneous Service Calls

    7. Use Publish/Subscribe Messaging

    8. Register a Server-Side Data Type Within a Flex Application

    9. Communicate with a WebService

    10. Add a SOAP Header to a Request to a WebService

    11. Parse a SOAP Response from a WebService

    12. Communicate Securely with AMF by Using SecureAMFChannel

    13. Send and Receive Binary Data via a Binary Socket

    14. Communicate Using an XMLSocket

  19. Chapter 19 XML

    1. Load an XML File

    2. Navigate an XML Document in E4X

    3. Use Regular Expressions in E4X Queries

    4. Add an XMLList to an XML Object

    5. Bind to an XMLList or an E4X Query

    6. Generate XML Objects from Arrays

    7. Handle Namespaces in XML Returned by a Service

    8. Encode an ActionScript Data Object as XML

    9. Populate a Component with Complex XML Data

    10. Decode XML from a Web Service into Strongly Typed Objects

  20. Chapter 20 Browser Communication

    1. Link to an External URL

    2. Work with FlashVars

    3. Invoke JavaScript Functions from Flex

    4. Invoke ActionScript Functions from JavaScript

    5. Change the HTML Page Title via BrowserManager

    6. Parse the URL via BrowserManager

    7. Deep-Link to Data via BrowserManager

    8. Deep-Link Containers via BrowserManager

    9. Implement Custom History Management

  21. Chapter 21 Development Strategies

    1. Use the Flex Component Kit to Create Components

    2. Use the ContainerMovieClip to Create Flex Containers in Flash

    3. Import Components from Flash CS3

    4. Get Started with the Cairngorm Architecture

    5. Create a Cairngorm View, Event, and Model

    6. Create Cairngorm Commands and a Business Delegate Class

    7. Create a Cairngorm FrontController and a ServiceLocator

    8. Generate an Application Structure with the Cairngen Framework Generator

    9. Learn Common Performance-Tuning Tricks

    10. Create Custom Metadata Properties for a Component

  22. Chapter 22 Modules and Runtime Shared Libraries

    1. Create a Runtime Shared Library

    2. Use Cross-Domain Runtime Shared Libraries

    3. Use the Flex Framework as a Runtime Shared Library

    4. Optimize a Runtime Shared Library

    5. Create an MXML-Based Module

    6. Create an ActionScript-Based Module

    7. Load a Module by Using ModuleLoader

    8. Use ModuleManager to Load Modules

    9. Load Modules from Different Servers

    10. Communicate with a Module

    11. Pass Data to Modules by Using Query Strings

    12. Optimize Modules by Using Linker Reports

  23. Chapter 23 The Adobe Integrated Runtime API

    1. Create an AIR Application Leveraging the Flex Framework

    2. Understand the AIR Command-Line Tools

    3. Open and Manage Native Windows

    4. Create Native Menus

    5. Read and Write to a File

    6. Serialize Objects

    7. Use the Encrypted Local Store

    8. Browse for Files

    9. Use the AIR File System Controls

    10. Use the Native Drag-and-Drop API

    11. Interact with the Operating System Clipboard

    12. Add HTML Content

    13. Cross-Script Between ActionScript and JavaScript

    14. Work with Local SQL Databases

    15. Detect and Monitor a Network Connection

    16. Detect User Presence

    17. Create System Tray and Dock Applications

  24. Chapter 24 Unit Testing with FlexUnit

    1. Create an Application That Uses the FlexUnit Framework

    2. Create an Application to Run FlexUnit Tests

    3. Create a FlexUnit Test Case

    4. Add a Test Case to a Test Suite

    5. Run Code Before and After Every Test

    6. Share Test Data Between Test Cases

    7. Handle Events in a Test Case

    8. Test Visual Components with FlexUnit

    9. Install and Configure Antennae

    10. Generate Automated Test Suites

  25. Chapter 25 Compiling and Debugging

    1. Use Trace Statements Without Flex Builder

    2. Use the Component Compiler

    3. Install the Flex Ant Tasks

    4. Use the compc and mxmlc Tasks in the Flex Ant Tasks

    5. Compile and Deploy Flex Applications That Use RSLs

    6. Create and Monitor Expressions in Flex Builder Debugging

    7. Install the Ant View in the Stand-Alone Version of Flex Builder

    8. Create an Ant Build File for Automating Common Tasks

    9. Compile a Flex Application by Using mxmlc and Ant

    10. Generate Documentation by Using ASDoc and Ant

    11. Compile Flex Applications by Using Rake

    12. Use ExpressInstall for Your Application

    13. Use Memory Profiling with Flex Builder 3 to View Memory Snapshots

  26. Chapter 26 Configuration, Internationalization, and Printing

    1. Add an International Character Set to an Application

    2. Use a Resource Bundle to Localize an Application

    3. Use the ResourceManager for Localization

    4. Use Resource Modules for Localization

    5. Support IME Devices

    6. Detect a Screen Reader

    7. Create a Tabbing Reading Order for Accessibility

    8. Print Selected Items in an Application

    9. Format Application Content for Printing

    10. Control Printing of Unknown Length Content over Multiple Pages

    11. Add a Header and a Footer When Printing

    Return to Flex 3 Cookbook