Adobe Flex 3 Help

Creating project resources

This section provides information about dialog boxes used to create project resources.

Setting New ActionScript Class dialog box options

The New ActionScript Class dialog box lets you rapidly create an ActionScript class.

  1. (Optional) Specify a package for your class.

    A package is a named collection of classes. If you don't specify a package, the class will be declared in the default package ("package { ... }").

    If you specify a package folder that does not exist, the wizard will create it.

  2. Name the class file.

    The filename defines the class name. For example, if you name the file LoginBox.as, the class is named LoginBox.

  3. Select one of the following modifiers:

    Public Specifies that the class is available to any caller. Classes are internal by default, which means that they are visible only within the current package. To make a class visible to all callers, you must use the public attribute.

    Internal Specifies that the class is available to any caller within the same package.

    Dynamic Specifies that the class is a dynamic class that can be altered at run time by adding or changing properties and methods.

    Final Specifies that the class cannot be extended.

  4. In the Superclass text box, specify the class from which you want to derive your new class.

    Container classes are commonly used as the superclasses of derived classes used for layout. For example, if you select the HBox class as the superclass, Flex Builder inserts the following code in your class:

    import mx.containers.HBox;
public class LoginBox extends HBox {

}
  5. Add any interface that contains constants and methods that you want to use in your new class.

    An interface is a collection of constants and methods that different classes can share. For more information on the Flex interfaces, see Adobe Flex Language Reference in Help.

  6. Select any of the following code generation options:

    Generate Constructor from Superclass Generates a constructor with a super() call. If the superclass constructor takes arguments, the arguments are included in the generated constructor and passed up in the super() call.

    Generate Functions Inherited from Interfaces Generates function stubs for each interface method. The stubs include a return statement that returns null (or 0 or false for primitive types) so that the stubs will compile.

    Generate Comments Inserts a "//TODO: implement function" in the bodies of any generated functions or constructors.

  7. Click Finish.

    Flex Builder saves the file in the specified package and opens it in the code editor.

    If you saved the file in the current project or in the source path of the current project, Flex Builder also displays the component in the Components view so that you can rapidly insert it in your applications. For more information, see Add components in MXML Design mode.

  8. Write the definition of your ActionScript class.

    For more information, see "Creating Simple Visual Components in ActionScript" in Creating and Extending Adobe Flex 3 Components.

Setting New ActionScript Interface dialog box options

The New ActionScript Interface dialog box lets you rapidly create an ActionScript interface.

  1. (Optional) Specify a package for your interface.

    A package is a named collection of classes and interfaces. If you don't specify a package, the interface will be declared in the default package ("package { ... }").

    If you specify a package folder that does not exist, the wizard will create it.

  2. Name the interface.
  3. Select one of the following modifiers:

    Public Specifies that the interface is available to any caller.

    Internal Specifies that the interface is available to any caller within the same package.

  4. In the Extended Interfaces area, add any interface that contains constants and methods that you want to use in your new ActionScript interface.

    Your new interface will be extended with the other interfaces. For more information on the Flex interfaces, see Adobe Flex Language Reference in Help.

  5. Add any constants or methods to your ActionScript interface that you want different classes to share.

Setting the New MXML Component dialog box options

The New MXML Component dialog box lets you rapidly create an MXML component.

  1. Specify the parent folder for your custom component file.

    Save the file in the current project or in the source path of the current project if you want the component to appear in the Components view.

  2. Specify the filename of the component.

    The filename defines the component name. For example, if you name the file LoginForm.mxml, the component is named LoginForm.

  3. Select the base component of your custom component.

    Custom components derive from existing components. Containers are commonly used as the base components of custom components.

  4. Click Finish.

    Flex Builder saves the file in the parent folder and opens it in the editor.

    If you saved the file in the current project or in the source path of the current project, Flex Builder also displays the component in the Components view so that you can rapidly insert it in your applications. For more information, see Add components in MXML Design mode.

  5. Develop your custom component.

    For more information, see Simple MXML Components in Creating and Extending Adobe Flex 3 Components.

Create Chart dialog box

The Create Chart dialog box lets you add charting components to your application rapidly. The dialog box has the following options:

ID Specifies the ID for the new chart.

Series Elements Lists the series of data in your chart. For more information, see About charting in Adobe Flex 3 Data Visualization Developer Guide.

Add Lets you add more than one data series to your chart. Enter the new series name in the dialog box that appears after you click the button.

Remove Lets you remove a data series selected in the list.

Up and Down Let you change the order of the data series.

Include Legend Lets you add a Legend control to your chart that displays the label for each data series in the chart and a key showing the chart element for the series.

Setting editor preferences

%embedded%MXMLCodeEditor | Setting Flex code editor preferences

This dialog box allows you to specify preferences that apply to the MXML, ActionScript, and CSS editors.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Flex > Editors:

    Indent Using (Tabs or Spaces) Specifies that closing braces are indented so that your code is properly formatted and easier to read.

    Auto Indent Braces When Typing Specifies that when you select a code expression's opening brace, the closing brace is highlighted in the code editor.

    Enable Code Folding Enables Content Assist to automatically provide code hints while entering code.

  2. Click OK.

Setting MXML editor preferences

This dialog box allows you to specify MXML editor preferences.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Flex > Editors:

    Automatically Show Design-related Views Specifies that when you switch into Design mode all of the design mode views are displayed.

    Enable Snapping Specifies that the components you place into the editor in Design mode snap to guidelines.

    Render Skins When Opening a File Specifies that when you load a MXML file into the MXML editor the skins will be rendered and displayed.

    Collapse Data Binding Expressions Collapses data binding expressions in the code editor. You can expand these expressions using code folding.

  2. Click OK.

Setting ActionScript editor preferences

This dialog box allows you to specify ActionScript editor preferences.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Flex > Editors > ActionScript Editor:

    Keep Close Braces Correctly Indented Specifies that closing braces are indented so that your code is properly formatted and easier to read.

    Highlight Matching Braces Specifies that when you select a code expression's opening brace, the closing brace is highlighted in the code editor.

    Wrap Strings Automatically Wraps lines of code wrap to the size of the editor window.

  2. Click OK.

Setting MXML Code Assist preferences

This dialog box allows you to specify MXML formatting and Code Assist preferences.

Note: The Code Assist feature is also referred to as Content Assist and these terms are used interchangeably.

  1. From the main menu, select Window > Preferences.

    The Preferences dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Flex > Editors > MXML Editor > Code Assist preferences page and set the following preferences:

    Insert Closing Quote When Completing Attributes Automatically adds a closing quote (") when entering attribute values.

    Insert Close Tags When Completing Tags Automatically adds a closing tag (/>) when entering MXML tags.

    Insert New Line and Indent When Completing Tags Adds and properly indents a new line of code when a tag is completed.

    Insert Default Namespace Attribute for mx:XML, mx:XMList, and mx:request Automatically adds a namespace attribute to mx:XML, mx:XMList, and mx:request tags.

    Insert CDATA for mx:Script Inserts a CDATA construct when you enter an <mx:Script> tag.

    Insert CDATA for Child Event Attributes Inserts a CDATA construct for child event attributes.

    Insert CDATA for mx:htmlText Inserts a CDATA construct when you enter an <mx:htmlText> tag.

    Enable Auto-activation Enables Content Assist to automatically provide code hints while entering code.

    Set Auto-activation Delay Specifies in one hundreths of a second the delay before code hinting appears.

    Set Auto-activation Characters Sets the characters that trigger Content Assist.

  3. Click OK.

Setting running and debugging preferences

You can specify that the project is built before it is run as an application and also set other launch-related preferences in Flex Builder.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Run/Debug > Launching:

    Save Required Dirty Editors Before Launching Specifies that editors containing unsaved data will be saved (the options are Always, Never, or Prompt). The term dirty editor refers to editors that contain code that has not been saved.

    Wait for Ongoing Build to Complete Before Launching Allows you to set the wait before launching preference to Always, Never, or Prompt.

    Launch in Debug Mode When Workspace Contains Breakpoints Select Always, Never, or Prompt.

    Continue Launch if Project Contains Errors Select Always or Prompt.

    Build (If Required) Before Launching Is selected by default. If needed, builds the project specified in the launch configuration before launching the application.

    Remove Terminated Launches When a New Launch is Created Clears all of the terminated launches in the Debug view.

    Size of Recently Launched Applications List Specifies the number of recently launched applications that are displayed in the Run As menu. The default is 10.

  2. Click OK.

Setting Console view preferences

You can modify preferences that affect how text in the Console view is displayed.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Run/Debug > Console:

    Fixed Width Console Sets the Console view to a fixed width based on the maximum character width you enter.

    Limit Console Output Sets the Console view to a buffer size equal to the maximum buffer size (in characters) that you enter.

    Displayed Tab Width Sets the character width of tabs in the Console view.

    Show When Program Writes to Standard Out Shows the Console view (if hidden or inactive) when it is invoked by an application that creates output to the view.

    Show When Program Writes to Standard Error Shows the Console view (if hidden or inactive) when an error is encountered while an application is run or debugged.

    Standard Out Text Color Specifies the color of the standard output text.

    Standard Error Text Color Specifies the color of the error output text.

    Standard In Text Color Specifies the color of the text that you enter into the Console view.

    Standard Background Color Specifies the background color of the output text.

  2. Click OK.

Setting Run/Debug preferences

You can specify general settings for running and debugging your applications in Flex Builder.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Run/Debug:

    Reuse Editor When Displaying Source Code Displays all source files in the same editor, rather than opening a new editor for each source file.

    Activate the Workbench When a Breakpoint is Hit Activates the workbench title bar so that it flashes when a breakpoint is hit, alerting you that the debugger is active.

    Activate the Debug View When a Breakpoint is Hit Displays the Flex Debugging perspective when a breakpoint is hit.

    Skip Breakpoints During a 'Run to Line' Operation Is not supported in Flex Builder.

    Changed Value Color Specifies the text color of the changed value of a variable.

    Changed Value Background Color Specifies the background color for the text of the changed value of a variable.

    Memory Unbuffered Color Is not supported in Flex Builder.

    Memory Buffered Color Is not supported in Flex Builder.

  2. Click OK.

Setting Flex debugging preferences

You can specify debugging settings that are specific to the Flex Builder debugger.

  1. Open the Preferences dialog and select Flex > Debug:

    Warn When Trying to Launch Multiple Debugging Sessions Is selected by default. Firefox only supports one debugging session at a time; therefore, if you attempt to begin another debugging session, the current session will be terminated. If you deselect this preference, you will never receive a warning and the existing debugging session will be automatically terminated.

    Automatically Invoke Getter Functions Is selected by default. When debugging, if a getter function is displayed in the Variables view, the function is invoked. If you turn this preference off, you can manually invoke a getter function in the Variables view by selecting it, right-clicking (Control-clicking on Macintosh) to display the context menu and selecting Invoke Getter.

    Changing this preference does not affect the current debugging session, only subsequent debugging sessions.

  2. Click OK.