I've clarified the issue - posting so that if someone else runs into a similar issue they can work around it.
In Flex Builder, the "Additional compiler arguments" field that is available in "Project->Properties->Flex Compiler" is only applied when the debug swf is built. They are not applied for the non-debug swf (or at least the keep-as3-metadata argument isn't). This obviously is a bug, but it is a bug in Flex Builder specifically and not in the Flex2 compiler or sdk. If you want to use custom metadata in run mode you will have to build your project with Ant. I recommend using the new-ish Flex Ant tasks even though they are quirky. The additional problem with these is that the mxmlc task doesn't support the keep-as3-metadata argument. I am guessing that a corresponding stub hasn't yet been included in the Ant task to route the argument to mxmlc. To get around this you will need to create a configuration file for your project. It might be named "myProject-config.xml" and might look like this: <?xml version="1.0"?> <flex-config xmlns="http://www.adobe.com/2006/flex-config";> <compiler> <keep-as3-metadata> <name>Collection</name> </keep-as3-metadata> <keep-generated-actionscript>true</keep-generated-actionscript> </compiler> </flex-config> Where "Collection" is the custom metadata tag we want to use in our code. You can put multiple <name> tags inside the <keep-as3-metadata> tag. Now instead of just having this in your <mxmlc> ant task: <load-config filename="${FLEX_HOME}/frameworks/flex-config.xml"/> You will need this: <load-config filename="${FLEX_HOME}/frameworks/flex-config.xml"/> <load-config filename="myProject-config.xml"/> It will first process the default config file and then bring in your additional configuration information. Let me know if I am mistaken with any of the above, but we are up and running now with custom metadata. We just develop in debug mode and then use an Ant task to build and deploy a run mode swf to JBoss when applicable. Joe --- In [email protected], "gtuhl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ely, > > Thanks for the response. Here is a brief example. I am now aware of > the [ArrayElementType] tag, but it still illustrates the issue well. > > We have a value object that has some properties marked with metadata > like this: > > ---- > public class ContactVO{ > [Collection(type="String")] > public var phoneNumbers: ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection(); > > // more properties and methods follow > } > ---- > > Now we have some code that attempts to read the "type" attribute out > of the [Collection] metadata tag we used. Here is a intentionally > drawn out example that uses hardcoded values to illustrate the problem. > > ---- > var contact:ContactVO = new ContactVO(); > > // get the E4X XML object description > var typeInfo:XML = describeType(contact); > > // get the phoneNumbers property we marked up with metadata > var phoneDesc:XMLList = typeInfo..accessor.(@name == "phoneNumbers"); > > // grab the "Collection" metadata description > var phoneMetaData:XMLList = > phoneDesc..metadata.(@name == "Collection"); > > // grab the "type" argument from the "Collection" metadata > var metaDataDesc:XMLList = phoneMetaData..arg.(@key == "type"); > > // finally, grab the value of this "type" argument > var typeValue:String = [EMAIL PROTECTED]; > > Alert.show(typeValue); > ---- > > In debug mode all of the above works perfectly, and we see an alert > box with "String". In run mode at some point in the metadata reading > code I get the following: > > ---- > ReferenceError: Error #1065: Variable is not defined > at global/flash.utils:getDefinitionByName() > // more stuff, but in our code > ---- > > It is difficult to show you where exactly the failure occurs because > in debug mode it works great - this prevents me from using > breakpoints, getting line numbers, or using trace. > > Now to debug this in some manner, we added an Alert.show(typeInfo) > immediately after: > var typeInfo:XML = describeType(contact); > > In debug mode, it looks roughly like this (clipped out stuff that > isn't relevant). > > ---- > <type name="ContactVO" ...> > <accessor name="phoneNumbers" ...> > <metadata name="Bindable" .../> > <metadata name="Collection" .../> > </accessor> > </type> > ---- > > In run mode, it looks like this: > > ---- > <type name="ContactVO" ...> > <accessor name="phoneNumbers" ...> > <metadata name="Bindable" .../> > </accessor> > </type> > ---- > > Note that the only difference is that in run mode, the second > <metadata> tag corresponding with our custom [Collection] tag has been > thrown out. We can provide a more complete example if desired, but > the xml difference really makes us believe the tag is being dropped. > > In ALL of the above we are using a "-keep-as3-metadata+=Collection" > argument. Literally the only difference is whether or not we are > running in debug mode. > > I appreciate any assistance with this, > > Joe Uhl > > --- In [email protected], "Ely Greenfield" <egreenfi@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I checked around internally, and the feature is supposed to work in > > release mode, and evidently we have some proof that it does, at least in > > our scenarios. > > > > So a simple sample that shows it failing might help. > > > > Ely. > > > > > > p.s. the reason metadata is stripped by default is for SWF size reasons. > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of gtuhl > > Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 6:08 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [flexcoders] Re: Flex 2 Compiler / Metadata Question > > > > > > > > Sure thing, > > > > The ideal scenario for us would be to use our own custom metadata tags > > in our Flex code. We have built a DWR wrapper that lets us use DWR in > > Flex 2, and many of the methods that automate this would benefit > > enormously from being able to read various things from an ActionScript > > object's metadata at run-time. > > > > As examples, two of the cases that would be extremely helpful are: > > > > - Mark properties of our IValueObject classes as transient such that > > the conversion code knows to skip them > > - Mark both the key type and value type of a hashmap-style data > > structure (like the Java Map interface and its various implementations) > > - Mark up classes such that their persistence policies can be > > specified in a declarative manner and then handled through a common > > set of functions > > > > Flex has this metadata construct that is pretty powerful ([Bindable], > > [Effect], [Embed], etc) but it only allows you to use a small set of > > adobe-specified metadata tags that the core adobe code is aware of and > > uses. > > > > We want to create and use our own custom metadata tags. Just as an > > example, if we made that transient tag, it could be as simple as: > > > > [Transient] > > public var someProperty : String; > > > > Now our code can read the metadata of an objects properties and > > determine at run-time which ones it can skip. > > > > Flex lets you add your own metadata tags, and if you use the > > -keep-as3-metadata+=Transient compiler flag it works beautifully in > > Debug mode. But when you switch to run mode, it goes back to throwing > > out all metadata tags it doesn't understand. > > > > We just want to find a way to keep them around in both run and debug > > modes. It seems like this metadata construct could be incredibly > > powerful for certain types of applications, especially libraries and > > tools. > > > > --- In [email protected] <mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com> > > , Tom Chiverton <tom.chiverton@> > > wrote: > > > > > > On Thursday 01 Feb 2007, gtuhl wrote: > > > > Anyone have any ideas? > > > > > > Remind us of the problem you are trying to solve. > > > > > > -- > > > Tom Chiverton > > > Helping to professionally strategize visionary supply-chains > > > > > > **************************************************** > > > > > > This email is sent for and on behalf of Halliwells LLP. > > > > > > Halliwells LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in > > England and Wales under registered number OC307980 whose registered > > office address is at St James's Court Brown Street Manchester M2 2JF. > > A list of members is available for inspection at the registered > > office. 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