Advanced Flex 3 Training (3 days)

Advanced Flex Training Overview

In this Adobe Flex training class, students will learn the advanced features of Adobe Flex to create sophisticated rich internet applications.

Advanced Flex Training Course Goals

• Learn to use Formatters and Validators
• Learn to use the History Manager
• Learn to customize the look and feel of a Flex 3 application
• Learn to work with server-side objects
• Learn to visualize data
• Learn to create transitions and behaviors
• Learn to print from Flex 3 applications (if time allows)
• Learn to use Shared Objects (if time allows)
• Learn to debug Flex 3 applications (if time allows)

Advanced Flex Training Course Prerequisites

Experience in the following areas is required:

• Experience with Flex as taught in Webucator's introductory course
• Basic XML knowledge

Experience in the following areas would be beneficial.

• Object-oriented programming

Advanced Flex Training Course Outline

1. Using Formatters and Validators
   1. Introducing Formatters and Validators
   2. Using a Formatter Class to Display Currency Information in the E-Commerce Application
   3. Using Validator Classes
   4. Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 1)
   5. Using Regular Expressions to Validate Data (Part 2)
   6. Building a Custom Validator Class
   7. What You Have Learned
2. Implementing History Management and Deep Linking
   1. Introducing History Management
   2. Implementing History Management within a Navigator Container
   3. Building a Custom History Manager
   4. Introducing Deep Linking
   5. What You Have Learned
3. Customizing the Look and Feel of a Flex 3 Application
   1. Applying a Design with Styles and Skins
   2. Applying Styles
   3. Changing CSS at Runtime
   4. Skinning Components
   5. What You Have Learned
4. Accessing Server-Side Objects
   1. Uploading Files to the Server
   2. Using RemoteObject to Save an Order
   3. Mapping ActionScript Objects to Server Objects
   4. The Flex 3 Builder Data Wizards
   5. What You Have Learned
5. Visualizing Data
   1. Exploring Flex 3 Charting Components
   2. Laying Out Initial Charts
   3. Populating Charts
   4. Adding Legends to Charts
   5. Limiting the Labels Shown on an Axis
   6. Interacting with Charts
   7. Adding Chart Events
   8. Adding Animations to Charts
   9. Customizing Chart Appearance with Styles
   10. What You Have Learned
6. Creating Modular Applications
   1. Introducing Modular Applications in Flex 3
   2. Using Flex Modules
   3. Understanding Runtime Shared Libraries (RSLs)
   4. Using the Flex Framework RSL Caching
   5. Creating a Library Project
   6. What You Have Learned
7. Deploying Flex Applications
   1. Compiling a Deployment Version of Your Application
   2. Breaking Out of the Browser with the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR)
   3. Creating an AIR Application
   4. What You Have Learned
8. Creating Transitions and Behaviors
   1. Introducing Behaviors and Transitions
   2. Implementing Effects on a Component
   3. Adding Effects to View States
   4. What You Have Learned
9. Printing from Flex (if time allows)
   1. Introducing Flex Printing
   2. Printing for the First Time from Flex
   3. Using the PrintDataGrid in a Nonvisible Container
   4. Building the Printable View in a Separate Component
   5. Scaling the Printed Output
   6. Printing a Receipt from the Checkout Process
   7. What You Have Learned
10. Using Shared Objects (if time allows)
    1. Introducing Shared Objects
    2. Building a SharedObject to Store Shopping Cart Data
    3. Reading Data from an Existing Shared Object
    4. What You Have Learned
11. Debugging Flex Applications (if time allows)
    1. Introducing Debugging Techniques
    2. Watching Client/Server Data Exchange
    3. Learning More About the Debugger
    4. Handling Errors with try-catch
    5. What You Have Learned
12. Profiling Flex Applications (if time allows)
    1. Flash Player Memory Use
    2. Memory Profiling a Flex Application
    3. Performance Profiling a Flex Application
    4. What You Have Learned
    5. Appendix A. Setup Instructions
    6. Installing Flex Builder
    7. Installing Lesson Files
    8. Installing the ColdFusion Server
    9. Starting the ColdFusion Server
    10. Installing Flash Debug Player

Advanced Flex Training Course Materials

Each student will receive a copy of Adobe Flex 3: Training from the Source by Jeff Tapper, Mike Labriola, Matt Boles and James Talbot, which will serve as a guide for the class.

Each student will also receive a one-year subscription to Webucator's online reference library, which contains hundreds of the most current electronic technology books - a $149.95 per student value.

Advanced Flex Training Technical Requirements

1. Operating Systems Options
   • Operating System Options
     • Windows Vista
     • Windows XP with Service Pack 2
   • Macintosh
2. Flex 3 Requirements
   1. Adobe Flex Builder 3
      • Download
      • System Requirements
   2. Adobe Flex 3 SDK
      • Download
   3. Sun Java Runtime Environment 1.4.2 or later
      • Download
3. Flash Player (latest version)
   • Download
4. Eclipse 3.1 or later
   • Download
5. Browser Options
   • Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
     • Download
   • Firefox
     • Download
   • Safari
     • Download

Class Files for Advanced Flex Training

The class files for this course are included on a CD that is shipped with the book.