Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sample Application
Uses upcoming.org REST API to show events
ColdFusion End
basic CFC to call API (getCountryList, getStateList, getEvent, search, etc)
Mate
easily handle flex events
tag-based
dependency injection
supports modules
flex messaging support
extensible (extensions available)
Typical Process
view — event –> main.mxml -> eventMap (remote objects to CF) -> manager
result is then injected into the view
Terminology
EventMap:
EventHandlers
RemoteObjectInvoker
ResultHandlers
MethodInvoker
EventAnnouncer
Injectors
Manager
Setting up your Flex App
Enable CF remoting
Include mate.swc
Typical folder structure
Mate [...]
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The same 3 ways (WebService, HTTPService and RemoteObject) to connect to CF from AIR that existed in CF8 will continue in 9.
New things in Centaur
Fast Remoting
made several times faster
direct data translation between ActionScript and CF types
circular ref bug is fixed
no code changes required
support the old style remoting for backwards compatibility
ActionSript proxies to access CF tags
access [...]
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Important skill
Why?
Everything isn’t always out of the box
open source
times are rough (set yourself apart)
Real world examples
Tips
become familiar with class hierarchy
FB keyboard shortcuts
source location (including default CSS)
finding component that best fits needs
preserve compiler generated code
Class Hierarchy
important to know wehre you are so you know whats available
UIComponent is base case for all visual components
ref docs contain inheritance [...]
I had heard about these conferences for quite some time but this is the first one that I have attended. It definitely lived up to everything I’ve heard and will definitely be back! I like that it rotates and can’t wait for which town I will attend in next!
I took numerous [...]
Magic you say?
4 lines of code to get data from app server to clients
CF –> Adobe CF 7+ works but 8+ has LCDS baked in. No Railo/BlueDragon/etc.
LCDS –> middleware app designed to move data
Flex –> 2.0.1+
Data –> any serializable data including DB, LDAP, email, FTP, mapping software, web services, etc.
LCDS – expensive? yes and no.
BlazeDS [...]
The why?!?
CF request/response applications
Flex RIA
persisted data is not refreshed automatically
stateful approach to managing data – no more sessions
refreshed through manual client interactions or AS
Flex Real-time Apps
persisted data is refreshed via interactions w/ server
stateful approach w/ server side sync
refreshed through polling, long polling, or RTMP
data management service – life cycle service – provides data sync between [...]
Using SVG for edit in place in Flex apps – clients complained about size/speed.
Advantages
reduce file size
library caching
code reuse
faster compile time
single point of distribution/update
collaborative and community work
Disadvantages
cross domain issues
can’t create signed RSLs
debugging
quick editing
must download the whole RSL (doesn’t trim unused classes)
RSLs act like diet pills for the size.
What is an RSL
Purpose
To quickly reduce your apps file [...]
History
Rehabilitation Act – 1973
you can’t discriminate based on disability
Section 508 – 1998
required federal agencies to make their technology accessible to people with disabilities
any group that gets money from the federal government also falls under this
ie. universities, benefits,
http://section508.gov/
Principles of accessibility (developed by WCAG)
perceivable
operable
understandable
robust
Compliance
How do you know? test, find impaired user, combination of automated tools/best judgement
Is the [...]
I sat through half of this session but felt lost because I know nothing about Mate
Seems like a great framework that is headed in the right direction without much overhead. Definitely going to look into it more.
What is skinning?
graphical – quick and easy files from Creative Suite. nice for distribution (Scale Nine)
programmatic – not style-able with CSS, animation limited to component itself, inflexible when acting as a generic skin
stateful – not really a skinning style
programmatic skinning provides the power to create a skin that is just as flexible, if not more, [...]
