TRAINING FLEX 4 - 2010 Calendar

Developing Rich Internet Applications using Flex 4 SDK and Flash Builder

Mastering the power of Flex 4 SDK and Flash Builder 4

Prerequisiti

Knowledge of programming and web development concepts. Knowledge of ActionScript and Java are preferable.

Overview

Flex 4 is the new version of Adobe technology to define development and runtime environments, allowing developers to create highly interactive front ends that exploit the advantages of Flash Player, which is well known. Flex 4 applications, which in fact are defined as Rich Internet Applications, interact with the Business Logic part via web services, Java (POJO, EJB3, Spring, Hibernate) public methods or with HTTP calls with any server side technologies (PHP, Coldfusion, .NET,Ruby on Rails), and can be inserted into complex Enterprise (J2EE) architectures, all the while guaranteeing aspects such as safety and separation between presentation and logic.
 
The Flex 4 version enriches SDKs even more, providing new components to make web applications even richer, such as, for example, the new, powerful AdvancedDataGrid, or the integration wth Flash CS5 and other Adobe Creative Suite  products, or even the possibility of exporting the application onto the desktop to create an AIR project .
 
The course has been updated with new topics on Flash Builder 4 and Flex 4 SDKs.

Il corso è stato aggiornato con l'aggiunta di nuovi topic sulle versioni di Flash Builder 4 e Flex 4 SDK.

Training objectives

This course guides students in a step-by-step learning process that begins from the basic notions of Flex 4 and Flex Builder 4 to the development of complex front end applications that communicate with remote data sources.

PC requirements

Each participant should come with his/her own notebook with the following minimum requirements to partecipate in the Developing Rich Internet Applications using Flex 4 SDK and Flash Builder:

• Intel Pentium 4 processor
• Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows Server 2003
• 1 GB of memory
• 300 MB of available hard-disk space to install

Those who are not equipped with a notebook with the above characteristics may rent a PC for the entire course. Please inform us a few days in advance if you require this service.

Teaching material

The course will provide each student the following text book:
Flex Solutions: Essential Techniques for Flex Developers
Editor: Friends of Ed

Or in alternative:

Flex 4 Cookbook: Real-world recipes for developing Rich Internet Applications
Editor: O'Reilly
Authors: Joshua Noble, Todd Anderson , Garth Braithwaite , Marco Casario , Rich Tretola

This course is coordinated by Marco Casario

Outline

Flex 4 Development: Getting Started

The Rich Internet Application approach

Flex 4 product family

Flash Player 10 and theFlash Virtual Machine

Flash Builder and Eclipse

Installing Flash Builder and Flex 4 SDK

A Flex 4 application, behind the scene

Asynchronous applications

Using Flash Builder

Understanding the IDE

Flash Builder Workspaces

Using the Code View

Using the Design View

Debugging with Flash Builder

Using the Network Monitor

Using the Package Explorer

Generating code: event handlers and getter/setter methods
Refactoring classes and components
Importing Flash components
Customizing file templates
Using FlexUnit

Generating the ASDoc tooltips

Using the Profiler and the "Object References" report

Flex 4 Application Architectures

The MXML language

ActionScript 3

Using the MXML namespaces

Creating your first Flex 4 application

Understanding the Spark architecture component model

Using Spark component

The new FXG language
FXG and MXML graphics

Understanding Skin States
Spark primitives
Simple Spark components

Creating a Spark component
Using the Metadata HostComponent
Data-driven Spark components (Lists)

Using Flex Controls and Containers

Creating a visual layout Containers

Using the User Interface Controls

Creating navigation between objects with the Navigation Containers

Using the Text Layout framework (TLF) of Flash Player 10

Managing the PopUpManager

Data Binding

Understanding Flex data binding
Using the <mx:Binding> tag
The BindingUtil ActionScript class
MXML vs. ActionScript
Using the ChangeWatcher class
Components Data binding
Binding Methods, Objects and propoerties
Using the [Bindlable] Metadata

Bi-directional data binding

Using the Flex events

Document Object Model (DOM) Level 3 events model
Understanding the Event flow of Flex 4
Event phases: capturing, targeting, and bubbling
Using the flash.events. Event
Using Event listeners and event handlers
The addEventListener() method
Invoking the removeEventListener()
The event object
Event object properties: currentTarget, target and type
Dispatching events using the dispatchEvent()
Mouse and Keyboard events
Customize and extent the Event class

Creating User Interfaces with Flex

Using Visual Components
Laying out components
Using CSS
Creating Contraint Based Layout
Switching to Design Mode

Working with Styles and Skins
Using Cascading Style Sheets namespaces
Using CSS ID and descendant selectors

Skinning a Spark component
Embedding FXG graphics in Flex 4

Data Models, Data Providers and ActionScript 3 Value Objects

Data Models in Flex 4
MXML Data Models

Data-driven Spark components (Lists)
Load XML using Data Models
ActionScript 3 Data Models
Using Data Binding with Data Models
Converting MXML Data Models into Actionscript Data Models
Understanding the Data Provider property
Using the List based controls
Populating List controls

Validating and Formatting Data

Using Validator classes
Applying Validators to Form items
Customizing error messages
Extending and customizing Validator classes
Validating a Data Model
Formatting data with the Formatter classes

The Collection classes

Collection subclasses
Using the ArrayCollection
Converting an MXML Data Model into an ArrayCollection
Getting and setting items in an ArrayCollection
Adding and removing data in an ArrayCollection
Using the XMLListCollection
The Collection interfaces
Grouping data using the GroupingCollection class
Structuring data with the Hierarchical collection
Using the SummaryField, SummaryObject and SummaryRow classes
Filtering data
Ordering data
Using cursors and bookmarks

Remote Procedure Calls: HTTPService and WebService class

Connecting to remote data
Using the HTTPService
Handling the result e fault events
Loading remote xml files
Calling a server side script
Using the resultFormat property
Consuming web services
Binding data into visual components
Upload files using the FileReferenceList class

Using the List-based controls

Using the new List controls
Using the mx:ComboBox
Using the TileList and HorizontalList components
Displaying data into list based controls
Getting the selected item
Using the DataGrid control
Using the AdvancedDataGrid control
Implementing drag and drop operation between controls
Displaying data with the new DataGroup container
Understanding the item renderers and item editors
Passing data to an item renderer
Customizing an item renderer
Displaying data dynamically in a custom item renderer
Skinning the DataGroup container

Using the DataGrid control

Using the DataGrid control

Formatting the DataGrid control
Using item renderers and item editors
Handling item renderer events
Handling the DataGrid itemClick

The AdvancedDataGrid control

Grouping data into an AdvancedDataGrid

Using the Summary Collection class to group data
Ordering multiple columns

Selecting cells and rows

Using the Tree control with the Hierarchical collection

Displaying grouped data

ItemRenderer and ItemEditor with the AdvancedDataGrid control

Porting web application to the desktop with Adobe AIR

Creating an AIR project
Using the Windows APIs
Accessing to the local file system
Reading and writing file
Exporting the AIR application

Participation price

1.200 euro + iva.

For:

• Planning customised course plans
• Client based courses
• Corporate courses

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