This area shows the code of the
MXML file when Source is selected and a visual representation of the MXML file when Design is
selected. In this Design view, you can also drag and drop components. Let??™s give that a shot now.
Figure 1-6. The MXML Editor
A first look at Flex components
Designing in Flex is much more about using prebuilt components that
get modified and customized than starting from scratch every time.
This is how Flex allows you to create sophisticated applications more
quickly and easily than you normally would be able to within other
programs. It also gives you the tools to customize the look, movement,
and interaction of the components to create creative personalized
interfaces. These components can be found in the Components panel
(see Figure 1-7).
The first thing that you should notice is that there are a heck of a lot
of them. The reason for this is because they can do a lot of the heavy
lifting when it comes to building applications, and they can cover most
application needs. They are used to control the layout, as with a panel,
or interactions, as with buttons, or control navigation, as with a tabbed
menu system.
Figure 1-7. The Components
panel
8
CHAPTER 1
4. Our first component is the Panel component. You can find it in the Layout folder in the
Components panel. Drag and drop the Panel component into the MXML Editor, and it should
wind up looking something like Figure 1-8.
Figure 1-8. Interface with the Panel component in the MXML Editor
This is a good time to have a look at what MXML is exactly and what dragging a component into the
MXML Editor does.
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