Flex Training: Macromedia Flex for Web Application Developers

Macromedia Flex for Web Application Developers provides experienced web application developers hands-on, practical experience using Flex. This four day course gets developers up and running with the primary features of Flex that they will need to know in order to build a fully functional and well architected Rich Internet Application (RIA). The server-side functionality is written in ColdFusion. This course is 4-days in length.

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

• Have experience with a web application development language, such as ColdFusion, ActionScript, JavaScript, or some other web development language.
• Be familiar with XML terminology.
• Have an understanding of object-oriented programming terminology.

To gain the most from this course you should already be familiar with:

• Web application development language
• Object-oriented programming terms
• XML terminology
  

Unit 1: Introducing the Course

• About the course
• Course objectives

Unit 2: Understanding Flex

• Evolution of applications
• Introducing Flex
• Flex elements
• Getting help

Unit 3: Learning Flex Fundamentals

• Creating a Flex application
• Laying out a Flex application with containers
• Adding user interface controls
• Creating bindings between components
• Architecting an application with MXML components
• Creating properties and methods of MXML components

Unit 4: Handling Events in Flex

• Understanding events
• Creating event handlers using inline ActionScript
• Handling events with ActionScript functions
• Placing ActionScript functions in external files
• Understanding the event object

Unit 5: Using Controls Flex

• Getting familiar with Flex controls
• Using text controls
• Displaying images
• Using controls that require data providers

Unit 6: Managing Application Layout

• Getting familiar with the Flex layout containers
• Using the DividedBox container
• Using the Form container

Unit 7: Managing Application Navigation

• Getting familiar with the Flex navigator containers
• Using the ViewStack navigator container
• Using the LinkBar with the ViewStack
• Using the TabBar with the ViewStack
• Using the TabNavigator container

Unit 8: Manipulating the Size and Look of Components

• Setting the size of components within containers
• Setting components styles
• Understanding style inheritance

Unit 9: Using MXML Data Models

• Using MVC
• Creating an MXML data model
• Populating and MXML data model with data from and XML file
• Validating data in a model
• Formatting data

Unit 10: Using ActionScript Data Models

• Defining ActionScript classes
• Creating class constructors
• Defining class properties
• Defining class methods
• Extending classes
• Instantiating Flex classes in ActionScript

Unit 11: Retrieving XML Data

• Understanding data retrieval options
• Embedding XML data at compile time
• Retrieving XML data at runtime
• Handling results using data bindings
• Handling results using an event handler
• Handling faults
• Making HTTP requests to other servers
• Creating named HTTPServices

Unit 12: Working with Data Sets

• Using the DataGrid control
• Specifying DataGrid columns
• Using the Tile container
• Duplicating controls using a Repeater
• Using the TileList

Unit 13: Exchanging Data Between Components

• Up to now: Exchanging data between components
• Now: A better way to exchange data between components
• Defining custom events
• Dispatching custom events
• Handling custom events
• Using data contained in the custom event object

Unit 14: Accessing Web Services and Remote Objects

• Using web services
• Invoking web service methods and using the results
• Using web service result and fault handlers
• Calling multiple methods from the same web service
• Passing arguments to web services
• Configuring the Flex proxy for web services
• Retrieving data directly from ColdFusion components
• Invoking methods of a remote object
• Using results of a remote object
• Configuring Flex to use remote objects
• Calling multiple methods from the same remote object
• Passing arguments to remote objects

Unit 15: Exchanging Data Between ActionScript and ColdFusion

• Exchanging built-in data types
• Exchanging custom ActionScript types
• Creating an ActionScript constructor with parameters
• Handling properties assigned values at the server
• Creating a CRUD component (Create, Read, Update, Delete) handling complex data

Unit 16: Implementing Drag and Drop

• Understanding drag and drop terminology
• Dragging dragEnabled() components
• Using drag and drop with non-dragEnabled() components
• Understanding drag events
• Using the doDrag() method
• Controlling dropping with formats
• Using data in drag and drop operations
• Understanding mouse manipulation