Book Image

Flex 3 with Java

Book Image

Flex 3 with Java

Overview of this book

Flex 3 is a great technology for developing Rich Internet Applications for the Web as well as for the desktop. If you are a developer looking to design great-looking and sophisticated user interfaces that resemble desktop-based applications, and want to utilize an existing server technology such as Java to develop RIAs, this book is for you. Targeting developers who want to get started with Adobe Flex 3 programming, this simple and clear handbook introduces Flex technology quickly and straightforwardly. Utilizing your existing knowledge of Java, it gives you the insight and hands-on experience to program with Flex 3. This book provides comprehensive information on various aspects of Flex 3 and ActionScript 3.0. These include developing simple applications, handling events, creating custom components and events, using RPC services, integration with Java and BlazeDS, styling and formatting, and how to package and deploy Flex applications. You will start with downloading, installing and configuring Flex 3 SDK and Flex Builder 3 and learn basic concepts such as what MXML and ActionScript are, understanding UI components, controls, compilers, and more. Further you will develop simple applications and slowly advance into more depth where you will learn advanced concepts such as creating custom components, debugging, integrating with Java, using RPC services, styling, internationalizing, and deploying Flex applications, and more. One of the things you're really going to love about this book is that you will develop a full-blown e-commerce application using a combination of Flex 3, ActionScript 3.0, BlazeDS 3.2, and Java. At the end of the book you will have the knowledge and experience needed to develop Rich Internet Applications.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Flex 3 with Java
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
Preface
8
Communicating with Server-side Java

How Flex works


Flex is an MXML- and ActionScript-based framework that is compiled into Flash applications with a .swf file extension. It is also commonly known as SWF files, which render on Flash Player embedded in browser.

Typically, .swf files are hosted in HTML wrappers using the <embed> tag. Flex Builder will automatically generate HTML wrapper file using the HTML template provided with the Flex SDK whenever you build or compile the Flex project.

Note

The<embed> tag defines embedded content, such as a plugin. In this case, it refers to a Flash Player plugin.

This HTML wrapper file along with the SWF can be hosted on any web server environment and can be accessed through any web browser.

The following illustration will give you an idea about this process:

Flex applications are generally built on client-server architectures with server technologies such as Java. In this case, Flex applications require an extra server-side layer to be deployed on web server so that it can communicate...