Basically (And someone, please correct me if I'm wrong), Flex is just a framework of ActionScript classes to create user interface components. They handle much of the groundwork for you so you don't have to.
MXML is a markup language that allows you to write an application using an XML like language. When you compile the application, MXML code is converted to ActionScript and then the ActionScript code is compiled into a SWF that runs in the virtual machine of the Flash Plug-In. If you don't want to use MXML, you don't have to - you can write the entire application in ActionScript. So, this is the way I think of it: Flash is for designers who want to create graphics and move them around on screen. It still has the underlying Actionscript available to program different user interface events but the timeline is key. Flex is for programmers who want to design user interfaces for data centric applications. User interface events are key. Animation is available from various classes. HTH Steve --- In [email protected], "gardnerpomper" <gard...@...> wrote: > > Hi, > > I have been reading web posts (starting with Bruce Eckels a while ago) about > Flex and the more I read the more confused I get. Let me summarize what I > think I have learned and then maybe the more knowledgeable here can correct > me and point me to a write up that makes more sense. > > It sounds like Flex is really just Actionscript 3 wrapped in XML, which uses > MXML for layout. All the examples I have looked at in the Tour de FLEX seem > to be just a scripting language that runs in the Adobe Flash web plugin (yes, > I have heard of Adobe Air, but just to keep it simple, lets stay with the > browser). > > I am not sure how all this actually relates to Flash. I have never done Flash > development (I am a server side guy, mostly, with some VB and C# on windows), > but my impression is that Flash is an animation package, with timelines and > layers and stuff. What does that have to do with Flex, other than having the > Flex VM in the Flash player? > > I appreciate whatever overview you can point to. All the docs I find describe > the bits and pieces; I can't find how they fit together so that I can get a > better feeling on what it is good for. > > Thanks, > - Gardner Pomper >
