Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Lesson 1. Understanding Rich Internet Applications

The Evolution of Computer Applications

The Break from Page-Based Architecture

The Advantages of Rich Internet Applications

RIA Technologies

Lesson 2. Getting Started

Getting Started with Flex Application Development

Creating a Project and an MXML Application

Understanding the Flash Builder Workbench

Running Your Application

Exploring the Flash Builder Debugger

Getting Ready for the Next Lessons

Lesson 3. Laying Out the Interface

Learning About Layouts

Laying Out the E-Commerce Application

Working with Constraint-Based Layouts

Working with View States

Refactoring

Lesson 4. Using Simple Controls

Introducing Simple Controls

Displaying Images

Building a Detail View

Using Data Binding to Link a Data Structure to a Simple Control

Using a Form Layout Container to Lay Out Simple Controls

Lesson 5. Handling Events

Understanding Event Handling

Handling System Events

Lesson 6. Using Remote XML Data

Using Embedded XML

Using XML Loaded at Runtime

Retrieving XML Data via HTTPService

Searching XML with E4X

Using Dynamic XML Data

Using the XMLListCollection in a Flex Control

Lesson 7. Creating Classes

Building a Custom ActionScript Class

Building a Value Object

Building a Method to Create an Object

Building Shopping Cart Classes

Manipulating Shopping Cart Data

Lesson 8. Using Data Binding and Collections

Examining Data Binding

Being the Compiler

Understanding Bindable Implications

Using ArrayCollections

Refactoring ShoppingCartItem

Lesson 9. Breaking the Application into Components

Introducing MXML Components

Splitting Off the ShoppingView Component

Breaking Out a ProductItem Component

Creating Components to Manage Loading the Data

Lesson 10. Using DataGroups and Lists

Using Lists

Using DataGroups

Virtualization with Lists

Displaying Grocery Products Based on Category Selection

Lesson 11. Creating and Dispatching Events

Understanding the Benefits of Loose Coupling

Dispatching Events

Declaring Events for a Component

Identifying the Need for Custom Event Classes

Building and Using the UserAcknowledgeEvent

Understanding Event Flow and Event Bubbling

Creating and Using the ProductEvent Class

Lesson 12. Using DataGrids and Item Renderers

Spark and MX

Introducing DataGrids and Item Renderers

Displaying the ShoppingCart with a DataGrid

Using the AdvancedDataGrid

Lesson 13. Using Drag and Drop

Introducing the Drag and Drop Manager

Dragging and Dropping Between Two DataGrids

Dragging and Dropping Between a DataGrid and a List

Using a Non-Drag-Enabled Component in a Drag-and-Drop Operation

Dragging a Grocery Item to the Shopping Cart

Lesson 14. Implementing Navigation

Introducing Navigation

Creating the Checkout Process as a ViewStack

Integrating CheckoutView into the Application

Lesson 15. Using Formatters and Validators

Introducing Formatters and Validators

Using Formatter Classes

Examining Two-Way Bindings

Using Validator Classes

Lesson 16. Customizing a Flex Application with Styles

Applying a Design with Styles and Skins

Cleaning Up the Appearance

Applying Styles

Changing CSS at Runtime

Lesson 17. Customizing a Flex Application with Skins

Understanding the Role of Skins in a Spark Component

The Relationship between Skins and States

Creating a Skin for the Application

Lesson 18. Creating Custom ActionScript Components

Introducing Components with ActionScript 3.0

Building Components Can Be Complex

Understanding Flex Components

Why Make Components?

Defining a Component

Creating the Visuals

Adding Functionality to the Component

Creating a Renderer for the Skin

Appendix A. Setup Instructions

Minimum System Requirements

Software Installation

Importing Projects

Index