My advice.. First learn the basics of OOP and AS, how MXML relates to AS, how to factor an application into multiple components, and how events work. You can learn a lot about these topics my experimenting with only a few simple components such as Canvas and Button. But once you understand these things well, that knowledge will pay off. Next, pick the components that you're most likely to use in your apps and become familiar with their standard capabilities. Write simple apps that use standard components in standard ways. Don't get fancy. Later, learn about Flex's invalidation/revalidation model, how to create components dynamically, states, data binding, item renderers, embedding, skinning, and data access. Postpone things like writing components from scratch, complex subclassing, and understanding Flash-level classes until you're competent in the other stuff. In short, walk before you run. Don't take making things like Ely's custom components as your initial goal as they're probably too advanced for someone who is relatively new to programming. Gordon Smith Adobe Flex SDK Team
________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jehanzeb Musani Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 6:38 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [flexcoders] Best Way to learn Flex Hello Paul, I agree with you to some extent but not 100 percent. To develop controls like the one Sheriff shows, I believe you need to know Flash internal and it's framework. You can have my example. I have almost 5 five years devlopment experiencein Microsoft Technologies like .NET and C++ and hardly a couple of months experience in Flex development. Currently, I am working on the Web front-end for our server to be developed in Flex. I am sure I will learn alot while developing that application. But I will not learn much about UI Component development in Flex as month of our features (controls) are based on datagrid. I am on Sheriff's side. I am looking for books and resources that can teach me Flex/Flash Internals and Frameworks which can help me in designing advanced UI controls like Flex Dashboard. Regards, Jehanzeb --- Paul Andrews <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:paul%40ipauland.com> > wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Sheriff > To: [email protected] <mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 12:27 AM > Subject: [flexcoders] Best Way to learn Flex > > > So I have been trying to learn flex now for almost > 9 month and i pretty much still don't know much to > get me anywhere. This is also my first programming > language to learn. I know enough to make everything > work on its own but i still can't create stuff like > this > > http://demo.quietlyscheming.com/displayShelf/index.html <http://demo.quietlyscheming.com/displayShelf/index.html> > or any of the adobe Examples. So i was wondering, > how long does it take to actually start doing some > of that stuff and what is the best way to learn. > Looking at the source code doesn't help much since > there are too many files and its split up and the > functions get spread out all over. > > > Pick a small project to build. Develop it and stick > it through to the very end. Start with nothing > finish with the working program. > > If you get stuck as here and I'm sure we'll push > you forward if you get stuck. > > Before you start coding decide exactly what you want > - keep it simple. > > Try and work out a basic user interface. > > Consider the components and classes you might need > to support the application and UI. > > There will be loads of problems that you encounter > along the way that you won't expect, just > refine/redo until you overcome them. > > We have all been there. > > Get going! > > (Where in the world are you?) > > Paul __________________________________________________________ Get easy, one-click access to your favorites. Make Yahoo! your homepage. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs <http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs>
