Discover what's possible with the latest version of Flash Builder and Flex. This hands-on guide helps you dive into the Adobe Flash Platform: through a series of quick step-by-step tutorials, you'll learn the process of building, debugging, and deploying a complete Rich Internet Application with Flex 4. Each tutorial includes complete code samples and pre-built Flex components. Follow the tutorials in sequence or simply jump to the areas that interest you. Ideal for experienced developers with or without a background in Flex, Getting Started with Flex 4 shows you how to take advantage of your existing skills. You'll quickly discover how easy RIA development can be. Create a Flex application that retrieves, displays, and modifies database records Easily add, update, and delete data in the database Test and debug the application Deploy your Flex application to a web server Change the application’s appearance with styling and skinning Use Flex components to add charts and graphs "Alaric and Elijah do a great job of guiding a newbie Flex developer through the myriad of components offered by this hugely popular framework. Flex novices will find it well worth a read." --Jodie O'Rourke, Adobe Certified Expert (Flash Platform) & Community Professional Community Leader, Adobe User Group Program

Learn Adobe Flex 4 in a fun and engaging way with this book's unique, hands-on approach. Using clear examples and step-by-step coaching from two experts, you'll create four applications that demonstrate fundamental Flex programming concepts. Throughout the course of this book, you’ll learn how to enhance user interaction with ActionScript, and create and skin a user interface with Flex’s UI components (MXML) and Adobe's new FXG graphics format. You'll also be trained to manage dynamic data, connect to a database using server-side script, and deploy applications to both the Web and the desktop. Learning Flex 4 offers tips and tricks the authors have collected from years of real-world experience, and straightforward explanations of object-oriented programming concepts to help you understand how Flex 4 works. Work with Flash Builder 4 and the Eclipse IDE Learn the basics of ActionScript, MXML, and FXG Design a Flex application layout Build an engaging user interface Add interactivity with ActionScript Handle user input with rich forms Link Flex to a server with PHP and MySQL Gather and display data Style applications and add effects, filters, and transitions Deploy applications to the Web, or to the desktop using Adobe AIR

Discover how easy RIA development can be with this one-of-a-kind handbook from the Adobe Developer Library. Several clear, step-by-step mini-tutorials teach you about web services, event handling, designing user interfaces with reusable components, and more. After finishing this guide, you'll be able to build Flash applications ranging from widgets to full-featured RIAs using the Flex SDK and Flex Builder 3.0. With Getting Started with Flex 3, you will: Walk through sample RIA projects and see examples of amazing applications people have built with Flex Work with ActionScript 3.0 and the MXML markup language Build user interfaces using the controls and tools available with the framework Get a tour of controls available commercially and through open source Learn how Flex integrates with ASP.NET, ColdFusion, PHP, and J2EE in the server Build Flex-based widgets that let you display real-time data Use advanced controls to build 3D graphs, data dashboards, mapping applications, and more You'll find complete code for video players, a slideshow, a chat client, and an RSS reader, just to name a few. You also get plenty of tips, tricks, and techniques to leverage your existing programming skills, whether you come from an open source or Visual Studio-intensive background.

Special Features: · How to architect your applications· Use charting to build interactive dashboards· Improve productivity with network monitoring and unit testing· Give your apps a unique look with themes and skins About The Book: Flex 4 in Action is a comprehensive tutorial that introduces Flex to web designers and developers. It starts with the basics-forms and data-and moves through core concepts like navigation, drag-and-drop, and events. Even if you're new to Flex, this book is all you'll need to make your applications pop using the new Spark components, data services, charting, special effects, and more.

The Complete Insider’s Guide to Building State-of-the-Art Components with Adobe’s Flex 4 Platform Using Adobe’s Flex 4 framework, developers can build rich, immersive solutions more easily and quickly than ever. Much of Flex 4’s remarkable power is based on its component-based approach. Adobe provides many components “out of the box,” but you can accomplish even more by building your own. In Developing Flex 4 Components, world-renowned Flex and Flash developer Mike Jones thoroughly demystifies all facets of Flex component development, showing how to quickly create and deliver high-value components to the widest possible audience. Jones introduces the Flex 4 component architecture, reviews its built-in components, and shows how they can be extended or incorporated into new components. Next, he walks through developing components from scratch, covering issues ranging from events to skinning. Finally, he turns to distribution, introducing best practices for everything from integration to documentation. Jones draws on nearly 15 years’ experience developing with Flex and Flash. You’ll find extensive sample code, plus dozens of practical tips that are available nowhere else. After reading this book, you'll be able to · Set up your Flex and Flash Builder development environment · Understand key differences between Flex 3 and Flex 4 component frameworks · Learn how Flex components are typically structured, developed, and rendered · Leverage ActionScript and MXML to quickly create components · Implement view states, transitions, effects, and events · Manipulate and store complex data collections · Use Flex 4’s FXG and MXMLG to support skinning and styling · Create components with Flash Professional CS5’s drawing tools · Integrate components with Flash Builder · Package components for easy distribution with or without source code · Streamline implementation with manifests, design view extensions, and metadata If you’re an experienced Flash, Flex, or AIR developer, this book will help you create any component you can imagine–and deliver solutions others can only dream about.