Adobe Flex Introduction - Developing Rich Client Applications — A 3-day course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Synopsis

Flex: Developing Rich Internet Client Applications provides experienced application developers with hands-on, practical experience using Flex. This three day course introduces developers to all the primary features of Flex they'll need to know in order to build a fully functional, well architected front end for a Rich Internet Application (RIA).

Course Objectives

This Adobe Flex training course will enable delegates to:

• Create your first Flex application
• Constraint-based layout in MXML
• Add user interface controls
• Use the DataGrid control
• Understand Flex Containers
• Exchange Data Between Components
• Create Application Navigation
• Retrieve XML Data with HTTPService

Suitable for

• This course is designed for object-oriented developers who want to bring the power of Rich Internet Applications to their web applications.

Course Prerequisites

This course is designed for object-oriented developers who want to bring the power of Rich Internet Applications to their web applications. To gain the most from this class, you should:

• Be familiar with an object oriented programming language such as Java or C++
• Be familiar with XML terminology

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Course Contents

Introducing Flex 3: Developing Rich Client Applications

• Introducing Mastery Learning
• Understanding the Course Format
• Reviewing the course prerequisites
• Reviewing the course outline
• Setting up the application files

Introducing Adobe Flex 3

• Understanding rich Internet applications
• Understanding Adobe Flex
• Understanding Adobe Flex Builder
• Understanding the foundation of the RIA: Flash Player/Flash

Virtual Machine

• Understanding the Flex application process flow
• Accessing remote data resources from a Flex application
• Getting help and other resources

Getting Started with Flex

• Understanding the relationship between Eclipse and Flex Builder
• Exploring the Flex Builder interface
• Creating a project and your first application
• Debugging a Flex application
• Accessing help in Adobe Flex Builder

Learning Flex Fundamentals

• Creating a simple Flex application
• Displaying images
• Laying out a Flex application with containers
• Using the Panel container
• Using the ControlBar container
• Adding user interface controls
• Creating data bindings between components
• Architecting an application with MXML components
• Creating properties and methods for MXML components

Handling Events

• Understanding events
• Creating event handlers using inline ActionScript
• Handling events within ActionScript functions
• Placing ActionScript functions in external files
• Understanding the Event object
• Using the addEventListener() method

Laying out an Application Using Constraint-Based Layout

• Understanding absolute positioning
• Positioning components within a Canvas container
• Creating a constraint-based layout using Flex Builder
• Creating a constraint-based layout via MXML
• Using Enhanced Constraints
• Using constraint-based layouts within nested containers

Using View States for Application Design

• Understanding view states
• Controlling view states
• Reviewing the generated MXML code
• Creating view states that include custom component states

Creating Application Navigation

• Understanding navigator containers and controls
• Using the LinkBar control
• Using the TabBar control
• Using the ViewStack container
• Using the TabNavigator container
• Using the Accordion container
• Using ButtonBar & ToggleButtonBar
• Using the ApplicationControlBar container

Customizing the Application

• Customizing Flex application look and feel
• Modifying Styles to change look-and-feel
• Using Themes
• Applying behaviors to components
• Applying transitions to view state changes

Using ActionScript Data Models

• Using the MVC design pattern
• Creating an MXML data model
• Using ActionScript classes as a data model
• Creating an ActionScript constructor with parameters
• Defining class methods

Exchanging Data Between Components Using Custom Events

• Understanding the problem with bindings
• Creating custom events
• Sending data with a custom event

Creating Data Entry Forms

• Using the Form container
• Sharing Form Data
• Validating form data
• Triggering validation with events
• Triggering validation with ActionScript

Retrieving XML Data with HTTPService

• Retrieving XML data at runtime
• Handling results
• Handling results using an event handler
• Handling faults
• Making HTTP requests to different domains
• Making HTTP requests with parameters

Displaying Data Using the DataGrid

• Using the DataGrid control
• Specifying DataGrid columns
• Formatting DataGrid columns
• Using item renderers and item editors
• Inline item renderers and item editors
• Item renderer and item editor components
• Using the TileList and HorizontalList
• Using events and selected items with list-based components