Discussion

In Chapter 20 of “Developing Rich Clients with Macromedia Flex”, attention is turned to the Data Service features of Macromedia Flex and the MXML markup language that allow business logic deployed within a J2EE application server to be integrated with a rich-client interface delivered to the browser using MXML markup.

In addition, Webster and McLeod discuss a number of design patterns and techniques that will be familiar to J2EE developers from the Core J2EE Pattern catalogue, showing how these patterns can be implemented using the ActionScript 2.0 programming language, allowing the development of Rich Internet Applications using techniques and methods that will be instantly familiar to the J2EE development community.

Read Flex Integration with J2EE

Developing Rich Clients with Macromedia Flex

It is widely accepted that the Internet has not yet delivered on the online promise; web applications have extended the reach of enterprises to customers, offering anywhere and anytime access. However, this has been at the expense of the overall user-experience, which is diminished by delivery through the web browser. Rich Internet Applications address this problem, by coupling the ubiquity, small-footprint and interactive capabilities of the Flash Player with server-side technologies such as J2EE and .NET, to deliver highly effective and intuitive applications. What has been missing so far is a way for traditional enterprise software developers to deliver these Rich Internet Applications using familiar technologies that fit within their existing development workflow.

Enter Macromedia Flex: a presentation server solution that provides an XML-based language MXML for describing rich-client interfaces, and integrating them with new and existing infrastructure deployed within a J2EE or .NET environment. If you have ever developed dynamic enterprise web application with technologies like JSP or ASP, you should have no problem transferring those skills to developing rich-client solutions with Flex.

By splitting the discussion of Flex into presentation, business and integration tiers, authors Steven Webster and Alistair McLeod explore the software feature by feature, building towards the development and deployment of a typical real-world Flex application. More than a reference manual, the book is full of worked examples, and aims to impart real-world development experience of building large-scale applications using Macromedia Flex, with discussion of topics including design patterns, strategies for technical architecture, and integrating Flex with your existing applications.

• Learn to develop rich-client interfaces using MXML and ActionScript 2.0
• Learn to build scalable, maintainable and performant Flex applications with a focus on design patterns and architectural strategies
• Deliver rich-client applications upon new and existing J2EE and .NET technical infrastructure
• Authors Steven Webster and Alistair McLeod are recognized leaders in the Rich Internet Application development community, for their frequent contributions to the software engineering of Enterprise RIAs, and have worked with the Flex product since its initial stages of development.

Combo tutorial and reference provides both the technological grounding and real-world know-how needed to deliver rich-client interfaces and interactive experiences with Flex.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steven Webster is Technical Director at iteration::two, a Scottish Software Consultancy focused on delivering enterprise Rich Internet Applications using agile development methods.

As a founder of iteration::two, Steven is recognized as a Software Engineer with a strong understanding of J2EE Design, Architecture, and development methodologies, working at the forefront of rich-client development using Flash MX 2004, Flex, Enterprise Java and .NET.

Recognised within the development community as an authority on Rich Internet Application development using Flash, Flex and J2EE, Steven is the author of "Reality J2EE - Architecting for Flash MX" from Macromedia Press, "ActionScript 2.0 Design Patterns for Rich Internet Applications" in the ActionScript 2.0 Dictionary from New Riders, and has written about Rich Internet Application development for FlashMagazine and Enterprise Development Journal.

Alistair McLeod is Development Director at iteration::two, a Scottish Software Consultancy focused on delivering Rich Internet Applications using agile development methods.
With extensive experience in the financial sector, Alistair has a proven track record in delivering performant, scalable and robust enterprise solutions. Alistair now drives the development of rich client enterprise solutions using Flash MX 2004, Flex, Enterprise Java and .NET.

Alistair developed the ActionScript 2 testing framework, AS2Unit, available at www.as2unit.org, which has been contributed to the Flash community. Alistair is the co-author of “ActionScript 2.0 Design Patterns for Rich Internet Applications” in the ActionScript 2.0 Dictionary from New Riders and also contributes Rich Internet articles to FlashMagazine.