[flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Well, we're using Cairngorm on this project, so I think I'm going to use
Cairngorm events and commands and centralize this, instead of trying to
establish any tight coupling between components. It's a control bar with
checkboxes effecting the view of another visual componet in another part of the
app. Thanks everyone, great discussion.
Jason Merrill
Bank of America
Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
eTools & Multimedia
Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default.aspx>
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.
RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
I think that's if you actually use I generally write my own model singletons and customize the change events. IMHO, it also makes it easier to reflect the model in the URL in BrowserMgr. But the two Mikes actually do this for money and I don't so maybe there's stuff they know that makes a difference. From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Nimer Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 10:36 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another Be careful here. There is a possible performance problem with a application level central model. If you push all of your data through a central model, then whenever you change ANY property in the model a propertyChangeEvent is thrown from the model class. So every UI element in your application which is bound to any property in the central model will invalidate their display and re-render itself.. even if it's not on screen. I'm with mike on this, bubble the data you need up as needed, but, keep things as local as possible. You might need to go to a global central model for some data, every app has a little global data (logged in user, etc). But in practice, most of the data I've ever referenced is usually pretty specific to a component or two. So I let the child tell the parent with an event and the parent can decide which other children need to know. Children can't tell each other what to do. Or in other words, let the parent component be the "model" for sub-components under it. Hope that helps, ---nimer From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alex Harui Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 10:38 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another My vote would be for changes in A to affect a central model. B would watch the model change and reflect those changes. Everything B needs from A would be reflected in the model. That's pretty much what Mike said, except I'm not a fan of "throwing events up" if that means "bubbling". A should dispatch events that the app listens to in order to change the central model. However, I would think that there is some syntax that should have got this past the compiler. If you use the MXMLC -keep option you can see what it generated and maybe figure out why it didn't work. From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael Labriola Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 8:20 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another Jason, In an ideal world, component A would throw events up. Those events would be caught in the application (in this case) and call corresponding methods in component B. You really, really don't want to start coupling these components together by calling the internals of one from the other in this way. Especially when they really are peers in your application. Just my 2 cents, Mike --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com <mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com> , "Merrill, Jason" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I thought this would be simple - having one custom display object modify another through a reference: > > > > > > > I want to have MyComponentA refer to objects/methods inside of MyComponentB. I tried passing a reference in: > > > > > > > But I get an error saying, "Access of possibly undefined property myComponentA through a reference with static type flash.display:DisplayObject." > > I tried calling "parent.myComponentA" from actionscript inside of MyComponentB.MXML, but it couldn't find the instance of "myComponentA". > > How do you handle this? I know this probably isn't ideal architecture, but would there have to be scripts that listen for events in one component in the main app and then modify the other component? I guess I could do that if it is best practice. I need the two components to be separated because they are two different parts of the UI, but need to interact. One has controls that change the view and data in the other. Does it have to modify the other component from actionscript on the main app or can I just pass a reference into one component like I have tried? > > Thanks. > > > Jason Merrill > Bank of America > Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD > eTools & Multimedia > > Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default <http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default> .aspx> > > Are you a Bank of America associ
[flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, "Jason" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks Alex and Mike, I was kinda starting to suspect I needed to do > it that way, even as I was writing the e-mail. Makes perfect sense, > I'll do that. Thanks! It's not best practice, but you absolutely can pass references to things outside an object's scope into the object. I did this with a component I wanted to "reparent," i.e. I had a series of components duplicated in a Repeater, and when you clicked on one of them, it would grab the component I'd passed a reference to and add it to itself. I was doing this to make something that looked like an Accordion but could take a dataprovider and recycle the same object rather than having multiple copies. Essentially, you just put a property on the component with type UIComponent and push it in through the ClassFactory if it is an itemRenderer or you can set it directly if it is not. If you set up an interface that the component you are referring to has to adhere to, you can actually do this without requiring tight coupling. I didn't need to worry about that, because the only thing I did was addChild(). However, you may want to consider just having the components bound to the same data and have the data push the changes. HTH; Amy
RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Be careful here. There is a possible performance problem with a
application level central model. If you push all of your data through a
central model, then whenever you change ANY property in the model a
propertyChangeEvent is thrown from the model class. So every UI element
in your application which is bound to any property in the central model
will invalidate their display and re-render itself.. even if it's not
on screen.
I'm with mike on this, bubble the data you need up as needed, but, keep
things as local as possible. You might need to go to a global central
model for some data, every app has a little global data (logged in user,
etc). But in practice, most of the data I've ever referenced is usually
pretty specific to a component or two. So I let the child tell the
parent with an event and the parent can decide which other children need
to know. Children can't tell each other what to do. Or in other words,
let the parent component be the "model" for sub-components under it.
Hope that helps,
---nimer
From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Alex Harui
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 10:38 AM
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
My vote would be for changes in A to affect a central model. B would
watch the model change and reflect those changes. Everything B needs
from A would be reflected in the model. That's pretty much what Mike
said, except I'm not a fan of "throwing events up" if that means
"bubbling". A should dispatch events that the app listens to in order
to change the central model.
However, I would think that there is some syntax that should have got
this past the compiler. If you use the MXMLC -keep option you can see
what it generated and maybe figure out why it didn't work.
From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Michael Labriola
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 8:20 AM
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Jason,
In an ideal world, component A would throw events up. Those events
would be caught in the application (in this case) and call
corresponding methods in component B.
You really, really don't want to start coupling these components
together by calling the internals of one from the other in this way.
Especially when they really are peers in your application.
Just my 2 cents,
Mike
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com <mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com>
, "Merrill, Jason"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> I thought this would be simple - having one custom display object
modify another through a reference:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I want to have MyComponentA refer to objects/methods inside of
MyComponentB. I tried passing a reference in:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> But I get an error saying, "Access of possibly undefined property
myComponentA through a reference with static type
flash.display:DisplayObject."
>
> I tried calling "parent.myComponentA" from actionscript inside of
MyComponentB.MXML, but it couldn't find the instance
of "myComponentA".
>
> How do you handle this? I know this probably isn't ideal
architecture, but would there have to be scripts that listen for
events in one component in the main app and then modify the other
component? I guess I could do that if it is best practice. I need
the two components to be separated because they are two different
parts of the UI, but need to interact. One has controls that change
the view and data in the other. Does it have to modify the other
component from actionscript on the main app or can I just pass a
reference into one component like I have tried?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Jason Merrill
> Bank of America
> Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
> eTools & Multimedia
>
> Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default
.aspx>
>
> Are you a Bank of America associate interested in innovative
learning ideas and technologies?
> Check out our internal GT&O Innovative Learning Blog
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau
lt.aspx> & subscribe
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo
uts/SubNew.aspx?List=\{41BD3FC9-BB07-4763-B3AB-A6C7C99C5B8D\}
&Source=http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P
osts/Archive.aspx> .
>
[flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Thanks Alex and Mike, I was kinda starting to suspect I needed to do
it that way, even as I was writing the e-mail. Makes perfect sense,
I'll do that. Thanks!
Jason Merrill
Bank of America
Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
eTools & Multimedia
Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
Are you a Bank of America associate interested in innovative learning
ideas and technologies?
Check out our internal GT&O Innovative Learning Blog & subscribe.
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, "Alex Harui" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> My vote would be for changes in A to affect a central model. B
would
> watch the model change and reflect those changes. Everything B
needs
> from A would be reflected in the model. That's pretty much what
Mike
> said, except I'm not a fan of "throwing events up" if that means
> "bubbling". A should dispatch events that the app listens to in
order
> to change the central model.
>
>
>
> However, I would think that there is some syntax that should have
got
> this past the compiler. If you use the MXMLC -keep option you can
see
> what it generated and maybe figure out why it didn't work.
>
>
>
>
>
> From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
> Behalf Of Michael Labriola
> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 8:20 AM
> To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
>
>
>
> Jason,
>
> In an ideal world, component A would throw events up. Those events
> would be caught in the application (in this case) and call
> corresponding methods in component B.
>
> You really, really don't want to start coupling these components
> together by calling the internals of one from the other in this
way.
> Especially when they really are peers in your application.
>
> Just my 2 cents,
> Mike
>
> --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com <mailto:flexcoders%
40yahoogroups.com>
> , "Merrill, Jason"
> wrote:
> >
> > I thought this would be simple - having one custom display object
> modify another through a reference:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I want to have MyComponentA refer to objects/methods inside of
> MyComponentB. I tried passing a reference in:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > But I get an error saying, "Access of possibly undefined property
> myComponentA through a reference with static type
> flash.display:DisplayObject."
> >
> > I tried calling "parent.myComponentA" from actionscript inside of
> MyComponentB.MXML, but it couldn't find the instance
> of "myComponentA".
> >
> > How do you handle this? I know this probably isn't ideal
> architecture, but would there have to be scripts that listen for
> events in one component in the main app and then modify the other
> component? I guess I could do that if it is best practice. I need
> the two components to be separated because they are two different
> parts of the UI, but need to interact. One has controls that change
> the view and data in the other. Does it have to modify the other
> component from actionscript on the main app or can I just pass a
> reference into one component like I have tried?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> > Jason Merrill
> > Bank of America
> > Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
> > eTools & Multimedia
> >
> > Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
>
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default
> <http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default>
> .aspx>
> >
> > Are you a Bank of America associate interested in innovative
> learning ideas and technologies?
> > Check out our internal GT&O Innovative Learning Blog
>
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau
> <http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau>
> lt.aspx> & subscribe
>
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo
> <http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo>
> uts/SubNew.aspx?List=\{41BD3FC9-BB07-4763-B3AB-A6C7C99C5B8D\}
>
&Source=http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P
> <http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P>
> osts/Archive.aspx> .
> >
>
RE: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
My vote would be for changes in A to affect a central model. B would
watch the model change and reflect those changes. Everything B needs
from A would be reflected in the model. That's pretty much what Mike
said, except I'm not a fan of "throwing events up" if that means
"bubbling". A should dispatch events that the app listens to in order
to change the central model.
However, I would think that there is some syntax that should have got
this past the compiler. If you use the MXMLC -keep option you can see
what it generated and maybe figure out why it didn't work.
From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Michael Labriola
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 8:20 AM
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Jason,
In an ideal world, component A would throw events up. Those events
would be caught in the application (in this case) and call
corresponding methods in component B.
You really, really don't want to start coupling these components
together by calling the internals of one from the other in this way.
Especially when they really are peers in your application.
Just my 2 cents,
Mike
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com <mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com>
, "Merrill, Jason"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> I thought this would be simple - having one custom display object
modify another through a reference:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I want to have MyComponentA refer to objects/methods inside of
MyComponentB. I tried passing a reference in:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> But I get an error saying, "Access of possibly undefined property
myComponentA through a reference with static type
flash.display:DisplayObject."
>
> I tried calling "parent.myComponentA" from actionscript inside of
MyComponentB.MXML, but it couldn't find the instance
of "myComponentA".
>
> How do you handle this? I know this probably isn't ideal
architecture, but would there have to be scripts that listen for
events in one component in the main app and then modify the other
component? I guess I could do that if it is best practice. I need
the two components to be separated because they are two different
parts of the UI, but need to interact. One has controls that change
the view and data in the other. Does it have to modify the other
component from actionscript on the main app or can I just pass a
reference into one component like I have tried?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Jason Merrill
> Bank of America
> Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
> eTools & Multimedia
>
> Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default
<http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default>
.aspx>
>
> Are you a Bank of America associate interested in innovative
learning ideas and technologies?
> Check out our internal GT&O Innovative Learning Blog
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau
<http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau>
lt.aspx> & subscribe
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo
<http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo>
uts/SubNew.aspx?List=\{41BD3FC9-BB07-4763-B3AB-A6C7C99C5B8D\}
&Source=http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P
<http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P>
osts/Archive.aspx> .
>
[flexcoders] Re: One custom component referring to another
Jason,
In an ideal world, component A would throw events up. Those events
would be caught in the application (in this case) and call
corresponding methods in component B.
You really, really don't want to start coupling these components
together by calling the internals of one from the other in this way.
Especially when they really are peers in your application.
Just my 2 cents,
Mike
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, "Merrill, Jason"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> I thought this would be simple - having one custom display object
modify another through a reference:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I want to have MyComponentA refer to objects/methods inside of
MyComponentB. I tried passing a reference in:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> But I get an error saying, "Access of possibly undefined property
myComponentA through a reference with static type
flash.display:DisplayObject."
>
> I tried calling "parent.myComponentA" from actionscript inside of
MyComponentB.MXML, but it couldn't find the instance
of "myComponentA".
>
> How do you handle this? I know this probably isn't ideal
architecture, but would there have to be scripts that listen for
events in one component in the main app and then modify the other
component? I guess I could do that if it is best practice. I need
the two components to be separated because they are two different
parts of the UI, but need to interact. One has controls that change
the view and data in the other. Does it have to modify the other
component from actionscript on the main app or can I just pass a
reference into one component like I have tried?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> Jason Merrill
> Bank of America
> Global Technology & Operations & Global Risk L&LD
> eTools & Multimedia
>
> Join the Bank of America Flash Platform Developer Community
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/tlc/flash/default
.aspx>
>
> Are you a Bank of America associate interested in innovative
learning ideas and technologies?
> Check out our internal GT&O Innovative Learning Blog
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/defau
lt.aspx> & subscribe
http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/_layo
uts/SubNew.aspx?List=\{41BD3FC9-BB07-4763-B3AB-A6C7C99C5B8D\}
&Source=http://sharepoint.bankofamerica.com/sites/ddc/rd/blog/Lists/P
osts/Archive.aspx> .
>
