What's New In Version 2 Components - MACROMEDIA FLASH MX 2004-USING COMPONENTS Use Manual

What's new in version 2 components

The current version (version 2) of the Macromedia Component Architecture is very different
from the Macromedia Flash MX version (version 1). The following list provides an overview of
some of the changes that affect component developers:
New base classes
was FUIComponent. In version 2, the base classes are the
class. See "Selecting a parent class" on page
Manager classes
functionality. The version 2 architecture includes a Focus Manager
(mx.managers.FocusManager), Popup Manager (mx.managers.PopUpManager), Style Manager
(mx.styles.StyleManager), and a Depth Manager (mx.managers.DepthManager).
The built-in live preview
MX, you had to create a live-preview SWF file for each component. In Flash MX 2004,
Macromedia has made this much easier by allowing you to compile your component into an
SWC file or compiled clip that automatically contains a live-preview file. See
distributing a component" on page
Metadata tag attributes
(IDE) and compiler about the parameters and attributes of your component. For example, you
can specify component parameters in the component's class file rather than in the Component
Definition dialog box. See
The broadcaster/listener event model
listener. See "Dispatching events" on page
CSS-based styles
of components. See
ActionScript 2.0 class files
your code inside the FLA file in an
components, you write your code in ActionScript 2.0 in an external class file and specify the
component's class in the Linkage Properties and Component Definition dialog boxes. See
"Creating the ActionScript class file" on page
The SWC file format
needing to recompile code within those packages. See
on page 953.
916 Chapter 7: Creating Components
provide a new component hierarchy. In version 1 components, the base class
are system-level static classes that provide common, reusable pieces of
allows users to see changes to a component while authoring. In Flash
953.
allow you to inform the Flash Integrated Development Environment
"Adding component metadata" on page
provide a powerful, standards-based method for configuring the look and feel
"About styles" on page
contain all the component code. In Flash MX, you had to have all
#initclip #endinitclip
allows you to export your component in a package and prevents you from
UIObject class
924.
allows components to send events to more than one
948.
950.
930.
"Exporting and distributing a component"
and UIComponent
"Exporting and
935.
block. When creating version 2