7 Interesting Changes In Flex 4 Enhance Flex Development

By Author: Harry Barter
Total Articles: 21
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Since its introduction in the software development world Flex has been widely acclaimed as a rich internet application development platform. We have seen different versions of Flex varying in features each better than the previous. The latest addition to the Flex family is Flex 4 which as per the company would make Flex development richer. It has been designed in a way that a Flex developer would not find it difficult to get hands on with it.

7 interesting features of Flex 4 which a flex developer would love to use for flex development can be listed as below:

1.Alliance with Adobe Catalyst:
Flex development is all about creating RIA and Adobe catalyst can help a Flex developer do so without writing any code. Designers and developers do not work the same way. It is hard to find a combination of both in a single person. Catalyst aims to make it easy for the developers and the designers to work as they would like to in their own traditional manner. Hence changes have been made in Flex 4 to integrate Adobe catalyst. ...
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2.Incredible Spark Component Library:
A component library for Flex usually includes buttons, data grids, and layout containers etc., which make flex development much smooth. Each version of Flex has a unique name for the component library. In Flex 4 it is named Spark. What's new in Spark is that the layout, core logic and skinning have been disintegrated so that each can be handled independent of the other. Spark effects will now support animation of different types of superficial objects.

3.MXML 2009:
Flex 4 includes MXML 2009 which is useful for supporting tools like IDE and now Catalyst. It is also useful in laying out the design for the user side view portions of the applications and includes assistance for decoupling skinning, core and layout behaviors.

4.Enhanced View States:
Earlier difficult to make changes in the view component have been made easier with view states wherein change in a view component can be simply made by changing the state. In the latest version for Flex development view states have been enhanced to simplify the syntax which would ultimately make them easy to use.

5.FXG Assistance:
FXG is known to add portability to assets to be used between tools. FXG assistance for Flex 4 will ensure that the designers are able to create assets in CS4 illustrator or catalyst. It will also assure that the Flex developer will be able to import and use the assets so created.

6.Skinning Improvements:
Restoring skins is one of the biggest additions a Flex developer can find in the Spark component. With this a developer can now check all visual aspects of the Spark components as well as shorten logic outside the scope of the components.

7.Up to date Layout Effigy:
Built-in layouts used for flex development have been separated in Flex 4 and are handled by allotment. With this traditional containers like VBox for vertical layout, HBox for horizontal layout etc., used for providing layouts are no more needed.

iFlexweb a company that aims to take Flex development to new levels believes that like the previous versions of Flex, Adobe Flex 4 will also be revolutionary to the Flex world.