BluePrint!!. Got bored to search in Google :)

Folks.. Found an interesting plug-in for Flex Builder / Flash Builder. BluePrint!!. Yes, but don’t get into wrong perspective.

I am a flex developer and usually don’t wanna keep the syntax of all APIs (in and out) in mind. But I know the purpose of APIs in terms of which class should be more appropriate to which scenario.

How to get the syntax and piece of example?. There is a way as everybody knows GOOGLE. I am a lazy developer and got bored to search in google with right key word.
That’s where BluePrint comes. Yes, just install it, you can see syntax and example for all APIs without moving out of “Flex Builder/Flash Builder”!!. Click here to know more about BluePrint.

Developers (except meJ) should try to create some stuff that can help to create application without writing single line of code. Basically I am a lazy developerJ.

AS3 namespace

The AS3 namespace provides a convenient mechanism for choosing between the two sets of properties and methods. If you do not use the AS3 namespace, an instance of a core class inherits the properties and methods defined on the core class's prototype object. If you decide to use the AS3 namespace, an instance of a core class inherits the AS3 versions because fixed properties are always preferred over prototype properties. In other words, whenever a fixed property is available, it is always used instead of an identically named prototype property.

You can selectively use the AS3 namespace version of a property or method by qualifying it with the AS3 namespace. For example, the following code uses the AS3 version of the Array.pop() method:

var nums:Array = new Array(1, 2, 3);
nums.AS3::pop();
trace(nums); // output: 1,2

Alternatively, you can use the use namespace directive to open the AS3 namespace for all the definitions within a block of code. For example, the following code uses the use namespace directive to open the AS3 namespace for both the pop() and push() methods:

use namespace AS3;

var nums:Array = new Array(1, 2, 3);
nums.pop();
nums.push(5);
trace(nums) // output: 1,2,5

ActionScript 3.0 also provides compiler options for each set of properties so that you can apply the AS3 namespace to your entire program. The -as3 compiler option represents the AS3 namespace, and the -es compiler option represents the prototype inheritance option (es stands for ECMAScript). To open the AS3 namespace for your entire program, set the -as3 compiler option to true, and the -es compiler option to false. To use the prototype versions, set the compiler options to the opposite values. The default compiler settings for Adobe Flex Builder 2 are -as3 = true and -es = false.

Flex 2.0.1 ComboBox with icon support.

Sometimes a ComboBox with icons in the list as well as in the text display area can be useful. However the out of the box Flex ComboBox component dosn’t support this. Here is one way of doing it.


Jason Hawryluk made good component. you can get here

eval API for Flex™ 2

The D.eval() (read DEE-val) API is a SWC library for Flex™ 2 applications to execute text strings of dynamic ActionScript expressions and programs. The language used in D.eval() is Deval, a subset of the ActionScript 3 (AS3). It supports all the AS3 expressions (including E4X) and most flow control statements; it can access any AS3 classes and functions; it does not define functions and classes. D.eval() opens a whole new world to Flex™ 2 applications and application development.

download here

Artemis

Artemis is a community focused project aimed at bringing external libraries
to the Flex / Flash environment. The goal of Artemis is to provide features in the
Flex / Flash desktop application domain that are not currently available. The Artemis
framework allows a developer to create their own custom libraries (currently written
in java with plans to support other languages) that integrate with a Flex / Flash
Apollo application. Developers will be encouraged to share Artemis libraries they’ve
built and discuss new features through this web site.

For Flex Developers:

Artemis provides a way for developers to collaborate on building extension to
theApollo framework. Nearly any java API can be encapsulated in an Artemis Library and
exposed to an Apollo application through the Artemis framework.

The Java Artemis Bridge developers have the capability of interfacing with
hardware on Bluetooth and other communication ports, are able to off load expensive
tasks like XSLT to the java process, and in the end let Flex do what Flex does
best: present an engaging and interactive user interface. No more hang ups in having
the Flash player fight for processing resource, an Artemis developer can tap into a
multi-threaded environment provided using java.

Do you want prevent flex loader from start up your application?

Here's a really simple trick you can use to prevent the Flex loader from showing when you start up your application. All you have to do is hide the window, and show it when the Application is ready.

In MyApplication-app.xml:

"<"rootContent systemChrome="standard" transparent="false" visible="false">[SWF reference is generated]


"</"rootContent">"

This sets your application manifest to make the root window invisible. Then, you just make it visible when everything's ready:

In MyApplication.mxml:

"<"mx:MyApplication xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="absolute" creationComplete="window.visible = true" ">"



Can you specify data types of the elements of the array?!

Hey don't worry, actually you con't specify the data types of the elements of the array.But you can able to do using by [META DATA] .Look into following syntax

[ArrayElementType("String")]
public var stringArray:Array = new Array();
......

[ArrayElementType("Number")]
public var numberArray:Array = new Array();
....

You have foure options to specify as a data type of [ArrayElementType("-- ")].There are String,Number,Class and Interface.I hope that it would be helpful.You may get more useful tips often.. who knows...

What is Metadata How can use on FLEX 2.0 ?

The Flex compiler recognizes component metadata statements in your ActionScript class files and MXML files. The metadata tags define component attributes, data binding properties, events, and other properties of the component. Flex interprets these statements during compilation; they are never interpreted during run time.

Metadata statements are associated with a class declaration, an individual data field, or a method. They are bound to the next line in the file. When you define a component property or method, add the metadata tag on the line before the property or method declaration.

In an ActionScript file, when you define component events or other aspects of a component that affect more than a single property, you add the metadata tag outside the class definition so that the metadata is bound to the entire class, as the following example shows:

// Add the [Event] metadata tag outside of the class file.
[Event(name="enableChange", type=flash.events.Event)]
public class ModalText extends TextArea
{
...
// Define class properties/methods
private var _enableTA:Boolean;
// Add the [Inspectable] metadata tag before the individual property.
[Inspectable(defaultValue="false")]
public function set enableTA(val:Boolean):void
{
_enableTA = val;
this.enabled = val;

// Define event object, initialize it, then dispatch it.
var eventObj:Event = new Event("enableChange");
dispatchEvent(eventObj);
}
}

Runtime CSS in Flex 2.0.1

We have fabulous features in newly updated flex platform, called runtime CSS .It provides compiler option to directly compile CSS into swf.

To proceed , use MXMLC Stylesheet.css comment in commant line or If you are using Flex 2.0.1 straight away you can right click on CSS file and press on "Compile CSS to SWF".

And If you don't have any idea about css style of flex component, don't worry you have
Flex 2 Style Explorer . The style explorer has facility to generate css style as what you feel components should be.

Fullscreen mode in Adobe flash browser player

Now you have option to get fullscreen mode in browser player too.Already stand-alone player has this implementation.now they have added new actionscript that will work in both stand-alone and browser player, and a new HTML parameter allowFullScreen to enable the fullscreenmode

The fullscreen mode initiated through Actionscript and you can terminate through Actionscript or by the user switching focus to another window.

But the problem is that You con't enter the text in textbox while in fullscreen mode.your keyboard input and key-related actionscript would be disabled while in fullscreen,except key borad shortcut that take user out of fullscreen mode.

To enable the fullscreen mode you have to install 9,0,28,0 or greater of Flash Player.

Hey Let's go towards FLEX 3.0

The good news for flex geek is that adobe now starts talking about FLEX 3.0.You can register
your interest to join an advisory panel here.

Flex 3.0 targets the release version of Flash Player 9 and will be widely deployable to over 90% of computers, well over 1 Billion computers, the day it ships.And To sum up what Ted says the main subject is that about Flex 3.0's target. see more here

Im evidently looking the way of coming flex3.0. I belive that you too.........