Also, I hadn't heard this mentioned yet, but programming in Flex's XML (mxml) is very similar to the way you do it in ColdFusion - with tags and attributes. So if you are familiar with ColdFusion, Flex is easy to transition to.
Jason Merrill | E-Learning Solutions | icfconsulting.com >>-----Original Message----- >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:flashcoders- >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Theodore E Patrick >>Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 6:09 AM >>To: 'Flashcoders mailing list' >>Subject: RE: [Flashcoders] Why Flex? >> >>The particulars of MXML require a specialized editor that understands the >>model. I am not sure that Flash would be the right place for this. As we saw >>with Forms & Screens sometimes new paradigms in older tools just do not >>work. >> >>I do believe there needs to be a dramatically better UI for editing MXML and >>Flex Builder 2 is looking to be a great addition. There is some middle >>ground that Flex Builder 2 is missing in terms of exact layout. It would be >>nice to provide a nestable UI to provide exact positioning in each tag level >>so users could drill into the layout seeing only that level. The limitation >>with Flex Builder is more due to having to render an entire view from root >>down vs just showing a layout of a single node downward. Ideally the >>'designers' in Flex 2 could only render children of a selected node. This >>would dramatically change the usefulness of the toolset for graphical >>layout. >> >>There needs to be much better graphical tools for building Flex application. >>Although you can extend with Flash, extendibility is a bit disjointed. >> >>My 2 cents, >> >>Ted ;) >> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:flashcoders- >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael Bedar >>> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 9:20 AM >>> To: Flashcoders mailing list >>> Subject: Re: [Flashcoders] Why Flex? >>> >>> My question is why separate development environments... Could >>> FlexBuilder2 not be rolled into the Flash IDE? I don't know enough >>> about Flex to say for sure, but it would make the picture a lot >>> clearer if mxml was just another way to work in the flash ide >>> >>> >>> On Oct 28, 2005, at 1:58 AM, Theodore E Patrick wrote: >>> >>> >> My question for the Flex people is this, what does Flex bring to the >>> >> table that I can not already do with 04 Pro (not counting the new >>> >> AS 3.0)? >>> >> >>> > >>> > Allot! >>> > >>> > 1. There are tons of details in building apps in Flash 2004 Pro >>> > that just >>> > get removed when using Flex. All the small painful lessons that you >>> > needed >>> > to know disappear as they are built into the Flex Framework. This >>> > allows you >>> > to focus on the actual application you are building. >>> > >>> > 2. Better components and more of them. Containers, VBox, Repeaters, >>> > oh my! >>> > >>> > 3. Larger applications. Building very large scale applications in >>> > Flex is >>> > very feasible where it was hard to do this with Flash 2004 Pro. You >>> > can >>> > reuse blocks of MXML in Flex as a component. >>> > >>> > 4. MXML generates AS Classes. MXML is a code generator, it takes a >>> > simple >>> > XML hierarchy and generates an AS class representing your app just >>> > before >>> > compilation. As MXML is translated before compilation, tags can >>> > provide >>> > embedding of graphics, component generation, and UI generation that >>> > is very >>> > exact and detailed. In Flash the hierarchy of an application is >>> > hidden from >>> > the developer, where in Flex the hierarchy is directly what is >>> > added into >>> > the MXML XML tree. Flex is right aligned. >>> > >>> > I felt the same thing about Flex 10 months ago. It took being >>> > dropped into a >>> > Flex project to see it for myself. You can build much larger scale >>> > applications in Flex than you can in Flash and in Flex they are 20 >>> > times >>> > easier to maintain and change ongoing. Team development is also >>> > enhances >>> > with Flex. As apps are mostly ASCII text, Flex is easy to work with in >>> > version control. >>> > >>> > Take the leap and learn Flex. It is one of the best things you can >>> > do long >>> > term within the Flash Platform. You will loath learning a new >>> > toolset at >>> > first but soon you will be writing application faster than before >>> > and with >>> > less hassle. Plus as you know Flash, you can extend Flex with it! >>> > >>> > I though for a while that Flex was going to automate me out of a >>> > job. The >>> > reality is that once you know it, the project scope in Flex is much >>> > larger. >>> > I am working on better projects and earning a good bit having >>> > learned Flex. >>> > >>> > My 2 Cents, >>> > >>> > Theodore Patrick >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > -- >>> > No virus found in this outgoing message. >>> > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >>> > Version: 0.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: >>> > 10/21/2005 >>> > >>> > >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> > Flashcoders mailing list >>> > [email protected] >>> > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders >>> > >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Flashcoders mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders >>> >>> -- >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>> Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/149 - Release Date: 10/25/2005 >>> >> >>-- >>No virus found in this outgoing message. >>Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/149 - Release Date: 10/25/2005 >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Flashcoders mailing list >>[email protected] >>http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders NOTICE: This message is for the designated recipient only and may contain privileged or confidential information. 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