Table of Contents

Foreword; Preface; Who This Book Is For; How This Book Is Organized; What You Need to Use This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; Using Code Examples; Safari® Books Online; Comments and Questions; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1: Introducing Flex; 1.1 Understanding Flex Application Technologies; 1.2 Using Flex Elements; 1.3 Working with Data Services (Loading Data at Runtime); 1.4 The Differences Between Traditional and Flex Web Applications; 1.5 Understanding How Flex Applications Work; 1.6 Understanding Flex and Flash Authoring; 1.7 What’s New in Flex 3; 1.8 Summary; Chapter 2: Building Applications with the Flex Framework; 2.1 Using Flex Tool Sets; 2.2 Creating Projects; 2.3 Building Applications; 2.4 Deploying Applications; 2.5 Summary; Chapter 3: MXML; 3.1 Understanding MXML Syntax and Structure; 3.2 Making MXML Interactive; 3.3 Summary; Chapter 4: ActionScript; 4.1 Using ActionScript; 4.2 MXML and ActionScript Correlations; 4.3 Understanding ActionScript Syntax; 4.4 Variables and Properties; 4.5 Inheritance; 4.6 Interfaces; 4.7 Handling Events; 4.8 Error Handling; 4.9 Using XML; 4.10 Reflection; 4.11 Summary; Chapter 5: Framework Fundamentals; 5.1 Understanding How Flex Applications Are Structured; 5.2 Loading and Initializing Flex Applications; 5.3 Understanding the Component Life Cycles; 5.4 Loading One Flex Application into Another Flex Application; 5.5 Differentiating Between Flash Player and the Flex Framework; 5.6 Caching the Framework; 5.7 Understanding Application Domains; 5.8 Localization; 5.9 Summary; Chapter 6: Managing Layout; 6.1 Flex Layout Overview; 6.2 Making Fluid Interfaces; 6.3 Putting It All Together; 6.4 Summary; Chapter 7: Working with UI Components; 7.1 Understanding UI Components; 7.2 Buttons; 7.3 Value Selectors; 7.4 Text Components; 7.5 List-Based Controls; 7.6 Pop-Up Controls; 7.7 Navigators; 7.8 Control Bars; 7.9 Summary; Chapter 8: Customizing Application Appearance; 8.1 Using Styles; 8.2 Skinning Components; 8.3 Customizing the Preloader; 8.4 Themes; 8.5 Runtime CSS; 8.6 Summary; Chapter 9: Application Components; 9.1 The Importance of Application Components; 9.2 MXML Component Basics; 9.3 Component Styles; 9.4 Summary; Chapter 10: Framework Utilities and Advanced Component Concepts; 10.1 Tool Tips; 10.2 Pop Ups; 10.3 Cursor Management; 10.4 Drag-and-Drop; 10.5 Customizing List-Based Controls; 10.6 Focus Management and Keyboard Control; 10.7 Summary; Chapter 11: Working with Media; 11.1 Overview; 11.2 Adding Media; 11.3 Working with the Different Media Types; 11.4 Summary; Chapter 12: Managing State; 12.1 Creating States; 12.2 Applying States; 12.3 Defining States Based on Existing States; 12.4 Adding and Removing Components; 12.5 Setting Properties; 12.6 Setting Styles; 12.7 Setting Event Handlers; 12.8 Using ActionScript to Define States; 12.9 Managing Object Creation Policies (Preloading Objects); 12.10 Handling State Events; 12.11 Understanding State Life Cycles; 12.12 When to Use States; 12.13 Summary; Chapter 13: Using Effects and Transitions; 13.1 Using Effects; 13.2 Creating Custom Effects; 13.3 Using Transitions; 13.4 Creating Custom Transitions; 13.5 Summary; Chapter 14: Working with Data; 14.1 Using Data Models; 14.2 Data Binding; 14.3 Enabling Data Binding for Custom Classes; 14.4 Data Binding Examples; 14.5 Building Data Binding Proxies; 14.6 Summary; Chapter 15: Validating and Formatting Data; 15.1 Validating User Input; 15.2 Formatting Data; 15.3 Summary; Chapter 16: Client Data Communication; 16.1 Local Connections; 16.2 Persistent Data; 16.3 Communicating with the Host Application; 16.4 Summary; Chapter 17: Remote Data Communication; 17.1 Understanding Strategies for Data Communication; 17.2 Working with Request/Response Data Communication; 17.3 Web Services; 17.4 Real-Time/Socket Connection; 17.5 File Upload/Download; 17.6 Summary; Chapter 18: Application Debugging; 18.1 The Flash Debug Player; 18.2 Using FDB; 18.3 Debugging with Flex Builder; 18.4 Remote Debugging; 18.5 Logging Using trace() Within an Application; 18.6 The Logging Framework; 18.7 Debugging Remote Data; 18.8 Summary; Chapter 19: Building Custom Components; 19.1 Component Framework Overview; 19.2 Component Life Cycle; 19.3 Component Implementation; 19.4 Adding Custom Properties and Events; 19.5 Adding Styling Support; 19.6 Summary; Chapter 20: Embedding Flex Applications in a Web Browser; 20.1 Embedding a Flex Application in HTML; 20.2 Integrating with Browser Buttons and Deep Linking; 20.3 Flash Player Security; 20.4 Using Runtime Shared Libraries; 20.5 Summary; Chapter 21: Building AIR Applications; 21.1 Understanding AIR; 21.2 Building AIR Applications; 21.3 Working with AIR Features; 21.4 Distributing AIR Applications; 21.5 Summary; Chapter 22: Building a Flex Application; 22.1 Introducing the Sample Application; 22.2 Utilizing Best Practices; 22.3 Using Blueprints and Microarchitectures; 22.4 Abstracting Common Patterns; 22.5 Summary; Colophon;