June 2009 Archives

LiveCycle Data Service 3 Beta 1 is now available on Adobe Labs.

The new model-driven development features in LiveCycle Data Services 3 offer a huge leap in productivity and ease-of-use for end-to-end applications. You start an application by creating a data model (a simple XML file) in the new "Modeler" editor that plugs into Flash Builder. From that model, you automatically generate data access logic on the server and Flex client code for working with the server code.

You can even generate much of a model by dragging existing SQL database tables into the Modeler editor. When you save the model, client code is automatically generated. When you deploy the model to the server, a fully functional Data Management Service destination is automatically generated on the LiveCycle Data Services server. You can support even the most advanced Data Management Service features just by creating and deploying a model.

Using Flash Builder with LiveCycle Data Services, you can now build simple or complex data-driven applications without writing any server-side code or configuration files. You can also take full advantage of the new Flash Builder 4 features for building the client side of data-driven applications.

We would love to get your feedback on this release and the documentation. To learn more:

• Get the software


• Check out the videos


• Read the documentation

Here is new documentation on creating Flex Gumbo components in ActionScript. This document is for those who want to override commitProperties(), partAdded(), partremoved(), or getCurrentSkinState(), or want to create custom states in their skin classes.

Download the PDF: Advanced Spark Visual Components in ActionScript

Here is new documentation on Flex Gumbo List, DropDownList, and ButtonBar controls.

Download the PDF: Spark list-based controls

The Flex 4 Beta tutorials provide an excellent introduction to Flex, Flash Builder, and accessing remote data with the new features in Flash Builder 4.

I've just updated the tutorials to provide access to the database files necessary to run the tutorials on Paging and Data Management. I've also updated several of the tutorials to make sure they work as designed.

This version of the tutorials is more current than the one installed with Flash Builder 4 Beta.

We are currently working on improving and updating the tutorials. Your feedback can help us provide a better introduction to Flex 4 and Flash Builder.

Of course, we are interested in any bugs you might find. But feedback on the scope, content, complexity, and length of time it takes to complete a tutorial is useful.

I hope to provide additional updates to the tutorials during the Beta period.

We've generated a new set of docs for the Beta release of Flex 4 and Flash Builder 4.

When checking out the Beta documentation, notice that the TOC of the docs has been reorganized to make it easier to find topics. Of course, your feedback on the organization and content of the docs is always welcome.

The Flex 4 Beta Language Reference is also available online.

If you want to refresh the docs in your installation of Flash Builder, download flex4_beta_help_refresh.zip (26MB). In the Flash Builder help plugin directory, replace the html folder and toc.xml file with the contents in this file.

Here is the path to the Flash Builder help plugin directory:

<InstallDir>/Flash Builder Beta/plugins/com.adobe.flexbuilder.help_4.0.0.235740/

I want to tell you about Blueprint, which we released on Adobe Labs last week and just last night updated to include support for Mac, Windows, Flex Builder 3, and Flash Builder 4.

Blueprint is an innovative code-centric search application, initially delivered as an Eclipse plug-in. It is a custom search tool that searches only for code (for now, it searches just for MXML and ActionScript). So, for example, if you search for DataGrid, it returns a set of code examples that use the Flex DataGrid control. But what's really cool is that you can easily highlight, copy, and paste chunks of code right into your application, all without leaving Flex/Flash Builder.

For more information, see the Blueprint page on Adobe Labs

Hi everyone,
Today we shipped the public beta of Flex 4 and Flash Builder 4 on Adobe Labs. For the public beta, we have a whole bunch of learning resources and I'd like to take a minute to lay them out for you.

You should probably start by reading the introductions from our Product Managers:

• Matt Chotin's intro to Flex 4


• Tim Buntel's intro to Flash Builder 4

Although we still have a lot of work to do, we've provided a fairly rich set of beta documentation.

• Using Adobe Flex 4 (PDF) - Flex SDK and Framework usage content. This book combines the Flex Developer's Guide, Creating and Extending Flex Components, and Building and Deploying Flex Applications. Needless to say, the PDF of this content is huge (36Mb)!


• Using Adobe Flash Builder 4 ((PDF)) - Flash Builder usage content


• Adobe Flex 4 Tutorials (PDF) - Tutorials to help you get started with new Flex 4 and Flash Builder 4 features.


• Creating Data-Driven Applications with Adobe Flex 4 (PDF)- Usage content for data access in Flex. Includes information on new Flash Builder data service features.
  


• Adobe Flex 4 Feature and Migration (PDF-only)


• Flex 4 ActionScript Language Reference

And finally, if you really want background information, there are updated specs on opensource.adobe.com:

• IGraphicElement spec


• Horizontal & Vertical Layout


• Basic Layout


• DataGroup


• Group


• SkinnableDataContainer


• SkinnableContainer


• VideoPlayer

Known issues:

• The usage content includes running samples. However, some of the samples have runtime errors. We are working to fix these as soon as possible.

And I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge and thank the Flex Learning Resources team: Erich Champion, Janice Campbell, Linda Adler, Matt Horn, Pam Araki, Shimi Rahim, Stephen Gilson, and Vince Genovese. They've been working hard for quite a while and I really appreciate their excellence and their effort.

Regards,
Randy Nielsen