AIR: Building Desktop Applications with Flex 3

Description

This hands-on training class is designed to equip experienced Adobe Flex developers with the skills needed to begin developing robust desktop applications using Adobe AIR. This is one of the training classes needed to help a student prepare for the Adobe Flex with AIR certification examination.

ecstatic-businessman-builds-desktop-application-using-adobe-flex-with-air-on-his-laptopCourse length

Two days

Prerequisite

Flex 3: Developing Rich Client Applications course, or equivalent experience developing Flex applications.

Course outline

Introducing Adobe AIR

  • Exploring the Adobe AIR development toolset
  • Understanding the runtime application
  • Understanding the Adobe AIR SDK
  • Looking at Adobe Flex Builder’99 3
  • Reviewing the Adobe AIR tools for Flex Builder 3
  • Creating Adobe AIR projects
  • Exporting Adobe AIR applications

Getting started with Adobe AIR

  • Creating your first Adobe AIR application
  • Creating an Adobe AIR project
  • Creating a main application
  • Compiling an Adobe AIR application
  • Running an Adobe AIR application
  • Packaging and deploying applications
  • Exporting an application
  • Code-signing an application
  • Selecting application content
  • Installing an application
  • Learning Adobe AIR fundamentals
  • Understanding the application container
  • Exploring the Adobe AIR file format
  • Understanding the application descriptor
  • Understanding the application display attributes
  • Getting help and other resources

Creating native windows

  • Creating a window
  • Using the Window class
  • Adding content to a window
  • Modifying the window display
  • Changing the window type
  • Changing the window chrome
  • Setting window transparency
  • Going full screen
  • Manipulating windows
  • Getting an instance of the window
  • Resizing a window
  • Moving a window
  • Using window events
  • Identifying the window events

Using the file system

  • Using the File class
  • Creating directories
  • Moving and copying file system objects
  • Deleting file system objects
  • Using the Flex 3 Adobe AIR components
  • Reviewing the component types
  • Using file streams
  • Creating directories
  • Reading and writing files
  • Working with file formats
  • Using binary and encoded characters

Connecting applications

  • Communicating between applications
  • Using LocalConnection
  • Communicating with the browser
  • Using the URLRequest class
  • Using HTML content
  • Loading HTML content
  • Getting occasionally connected
  • Monitoring services
  • Detecting HTTP connectivity
  • Detecting Socket connectivity

Using the clipboard

  • Moving data with copy and paste
  • Using the clipboard
  • Getting data from the clipboard
  • Writing data to the clipboard
  • Using drag and drop
  • Exploring the drag-and-drop stages
  • Dragging with the clipboard

Persisting application data

  • Using embedded SQL databases
  • Understanding the database file
  • Opening a database
  • Creating a database
  • Using SQL statements
  • Managing the database
  • Managing the data
  • Using best practices with embedded databases
  • Working with data types
  • Using Date data
  • Using XML data
  • Using BLOB data

Understanding Adobe AIR security

  • Considering Adobe AIR security
  • Learning about security sandboxes
  • Understanding the domain considerations
  • Detecting Adobe AIR capabilities
  • Understanding the security best practices
  • Using Encrypted Local Storage
  • Understanding AIR application updating
  • Using the Updater class
  • Determining current version at runtime

Customizing application deployment

  • Setting the application’s desktop icon
  • Using application icons
  • Setting system tray notifications
  • Using the shell
  • Customizing application chrome
  • Understanding application chrome