Lynda.COM Flash Builder 4 and Flex 4 Essential Training

Author:
David Gassner

Duration:
10h 28m

Released on:
3/22/2010

Exercise files:
Yes

Software works on:
Windows only


Adobe's open source programming framework, Flex SDK, combined with Flash Builder (formerly named Flex Builder) simplifies and streamlines the process for building rich internet applications, or RIAs. Author David Gassner explores the newest release of this powerful toolset in Flash Builder 4 and Flex 4 Essential Training, explaining critical information for developers who are upgrading from Flex 3, but also for those who are new to RIA development. The course culminates in the development of a complete application, integrated with a PHP application server and a MySQL database. Exercise files accompany the course.
Topics include:

    Understanding the history of Adobe Flex
    Installing the Flash Builder components
    Using Eclipse views and editors
    Programming with MXML and integrating MXML and ActionScript
    Debugging Flex applications
    Adding visual controls to a Flex application interface
    Displaying images and dynamic data
    Formatting with CSS
    Skinning Spark components with MXML graphics
    Creating data entry form components
    Integrating with Apache, PHP and MySQL




Introduction
Welcome           01m 22s
Using the exercise files           02m 00s
Understanding the prerequisites           01m 18s

1. Getting Started
Introducing the history of Adobe Flex           04m 41s
Installing Flash Builder on Windows           03m 51s
Installing Flash Builder on Mac OS X           02m 08s
Installing Flash Builder as an Eclipse plug-in           04m 31s
Creating the Hello World application           09m 12s
Understanding the anatomy of web applications           06m 37s
Creating a release build           05m 12s

2. Using Flash Builder 4
Choosing a workspace           03m 01s
Importing and exporting projects as FXP files           04m 30s
Setting Flash Builder preferences           06m 02s
Using Eclipse views and editors           04m 32s
Using Flash Builder perspectives           03m 45s

3. Using Flex Programming Languages
Understanding MXML           06m 32s
Setting properties and styles with MXML           06m 32s
Translating MXML to ActionScript 3           04m 04s
Using ActionScript in MXML files           04m 55s
Declaring and using variables           05m 52s
Understanding ActionScript data types           07m 47s
Getting language and API help           05m 31s

4. Using Flash Builder Debugging Tools
Using the debug version of Flash Player           05m 27s
Starting and stopping debugging sessions           06m 22s
Tracing application execution           07m 01s
Using breakpoints           07m 30s
Using the Variables view           07m 19s
Watching ActionScript expressions           03m 28s
Using watchpoints to detect state changes           03m 17s

5. Using Visual Controls
Understanding MX and Spark components           04m 40s
Declaring visual controls with MXML           10m 36s
Declaring visual controls with ActionScript           07m 47s
Using text display controls           05m 12s
Displaying rich text           04m 57s
Using text input controls           04m 19s
Using button controls           05m 59s
Loading images at runtime           05m 01s
Embedding images           06m 02s
Presenting Flash content           04m 21s
Passing data with binding expressions           07m 30s

6. Using the Flex Event Architecture
Handling dispatched events           07m 02s
Using inline event handlers in MXML           02m 37s
Using custom event handler functions           03m 45s
Understanding event objects           08m 41s
Using event listener functions           07m 03s

7. Laying Out an Application
Setting the application's layout property           04m 45s
Using Spark Group containers           05m 49s
Using the Spark Panel container           06m 25s
Using the Application and Panel control bars           03m 34s
Using the BorderContainer           06m 09s
Using constraint-based layout properties           06m 45s
Declaring view states           07m 17s
Changing view states at runtime           04m 54s

8. Using Custom Components
Defining MXML components           04m 50s
Instantiating components in MXML           04m 57s
Instantiating components in ActionScript           03m 16s
Declaring and using custom properties           07m 27s
Declaring and using custom methods           05m 26s
Declaring and setting component states           05m 29s
Dispatching events from custom components           08m 18s
Creating custom event classes           06m 30s
Dispatching and handling custom events           05m 56s

9. Managing Application Navigation
Using the ViewStack container           05m 38s
Managing navigation with ActionScript           05m 25s
Using the ButtonBar component           03m 51s
Using the TabNavigator and Accordion containers           04m 13s

10. Using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Understanding inline CSS declarations           06m 03s
Using embedded style sheets           07m 22s
Using type, style name, and id selectors           06m 58s
Using descendant and global selectors           05m 42s
Using external style sheets           05m 05s
Setting and getting styles with ActionScript           07m 46s
Loading styles at runtime           06m 46s

11. Skinning Spark Components with MXML and FXG
Drawing vector graphics with MXML           08m 44s
Exporting FXG files from Illustrator and Fireworks           07m 50s
Using FXG files in Flex applications           03m 40s
Creating a custom application skin           11m 15s
Using custom component skins           05m 22s
Assigning skins to multiple components           03m 06s
Loading skins at runtime           03m 29s

12. Managing Data
Embedding data with <fx:Model>           07m 42s
Managing data with ArrayList and ArrayCollection           07m 37s
Creating value object classes           04m 57s
Using value objects in MXML           04m 29s
Using value objects in ActionScript           05m 34s
Wrapping value objects in data collections           08m 16s

13. Displaying Dynamic Data
Using the List and DropDownList controls           05m 46s
Using the labelField property           02m 53s
Using the labelFunction property           07m 48s
Creating custom item renderers           07m 14s
Managing List layout           03m 34s
Using the DataGrid control           06m 39s
Using labelFunction with a DataGrid column           03m 53s
Using advanced DataGrid cell rendering           04m 17s
Working with List control events and properties           05m 53s
Displaying data items with DataGroup           04m 43s
Adding scrollbars to groups           03m 32s

14. Creating Data Entry Form Components
Building a custom data entry form component           07m 29s
Validating data entry           07m 23s
Packaging data with a value object class           08m 04s
Sharing data using custom event classes           07m 03s

15. Integrating with Application Servers
Installing Apache, PHP, and MySQL on Windows           03m 58s
Installing Apache, PHP, and MySQL on Mac OS X           04m 28s
Importing a database into MySQL           04m 13s
Adding server properties to a Flex project           04m 11s
Retrieving data with RPC components           05m 58s
Handling the RPC result event           04m 46s
Handling the RPC fault event           03m 29s
Using the CallResponder class           03m 00s
Creating a PHP data connection to a MySQL table           07m 36s
Retrieving data with a PHP data connection           03m 46s
Generating a data entry form           04m 19s
Sending data to the server           06m 56s

16. Conclusion
Goodbye           00m 41s