Transcript ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API

ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex
API
Jeremy Bixby
City of Lenexa, KS
December 2nd, 2008
What is Flex?
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Powerful toolkit offering prepackaged
code modules.
Based on ActionScript.
Open-Source, owned by Adobe
Adobe sells FlexBuilder, an integrated
development environment (IDE).
What is Actionscript?
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Common Descendent of ECMAScript
(originally JavaScript), the web
scripting standard.
Syntax is C-like, but easier to work
with then a full programming
language
Flex and ActionScript
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The programmer develops highlyinteractive web sites by using the
Flex framework, and the ActionScript
language.
ActionScript compiles into the .swf
format, or Shockwave Flash Format.
What is the SWF format?
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Format that the Flash player “plays” when
an internet user browses to a site which
invokes an SWF file.
Flash player is currently installed on
approx. 98.9% of all internet-enabled
computers.
Adobe offers javascript functions to allow
the user to easily download the Flash
Player if developer-specified version is not
currently installed.
Flex examples
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http://www.canvaspress.com/index.
html
http://www.toyota.com
Non-Flex examples
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http://southport.jpl.nasa.gov/
Why Flex? Why not JavaScript or
Web ADF?
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WebADF is much more powerful then
the JavaScript or Flex APIs, but not
needed for our uses.
No good IDEs available for
JavaScript.
JavaScript API heavily uses Dojo.
• Doesn’t always work
• Frequently changes
• Poorly documented
Here’s why Flex!!!
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Fun to program with
Easier to implement design patterns
Flex, by virtue of being privately
developed is:
• Supported and maintained
• Documented
• Always works
• Highly-Scalable
• Generous and Helpful User Community
Here’s why Flex (more)
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Flex toolkit is very powerful and
allows development of very
interactive, powerful web
applications.
Mxml + ActionScript = whole lotta
fun!
FlexBuilder Demo
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IDE Tools for RIA
• Debug
• Profile: This is cool.
• Tools to make your life easier, like
AutoComplete, error-checking, etc.
• Compare and Contrast: JavaScript vs.
ActionScript/Flex
Tour of Flex and ArcGIS Flex APIs
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A Quick look at both APIs…
How have I adapted?
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Started with MVC, and very strong
tendencies towards abstraction, but
switched to more of a componentdriven architecture.
Result is kind of a hybrid approach to
RIA development.
Thanks!
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Any questions?