3
Dernière mise à jour le 19/6/2011
Chapitre 2 : Getting started
Developing applications in MXML
MXML is an XML language that you use to lay out user interface components for applications built in Adobe® Flex®.
You also use MXML to declaratively define nonvisual aspects of an application, such as access to server-side data
sources and data bindings between user interface components and server-side data sources.
For information on MXML syntax, see « MXML syntax » à la page 21.
About MXML
You use two languages to write applications in Flex: MXML and ActionScript. MXML is an XML markup language
that you use to lay out user interface components. You also use MXML to declaratively define nonvisual aspects of an
application, such as access to data sources on the server and data bindings between user interface components and data
sources on the server.
Like HTML, MXML provides tags that define user interfaces. MXML will seem very familiar if you have worked with
HTML. However, MXML is more structured than HTML, and it provides a much richer tag set. For example, MXML
includes tags for visual components such as data grids, trees, tab navigators, accordions, and menus, as well as
nonvisual components that provide web service connections, data binding, and animation effects. You can also extend
MXML with custom components that you reference as MXML tags.
One of the biggest differences between MXML and HTML is that MXML-defined applications are compiled into SWF
files and rendered by Adobe® Flash® Player or Adobe® AIR™, which provides a richer and more dynamic user interface
than page-based HTML applications.
You can write an MXML application in a single file or in multiple files. MXML also supports custom components
written in MXML and ActionScript files.
Using Spark and MX component sets
Flex defines two sets of components: MX and Spark. The MX component set was included in previous releases of Flex,
and is defined in the mx.* packages. The Spark component set is new for Flex 4 and is defined in the spark.* packages.
The Spark components use a new architecture for skinning and have other advantages over the MX components.
The MX and Spark component sets contain many of the same components. For example, both component sets defines
a Button control, TextInput control, and List control. However, while you can use MX components to perform most
of the same actions that you can perform by using the Spark components, Adobe recommends that you use the Spark
components when possible.
Writing a simple application in MXML
Because MXML files are ordinary XML files, you have a wide choice of development environments. You can write
MXML code in a simple text editor, a dedicated XML editor, or an integrated development environment (IDE) that
supports text editing. Flex supplies a dedicated IDE, called Adobe® Flash™ Builder™, that you can use to develop your
applications.
Join the conversation about this product
Here you can share what you think about the Adobe Flex 4.5. If you have a question, first carefully read the manual. Requesting a manual can be done by using our contact form.