Flex 4 is the next generation of a technology that revolutionized web applications. With nearly 98% of all web browsers, and a growing number of mobile devices, running the latest version of the Flash Player, a knowledge of Flex is indispensable for any serious web developer.

This book will show you how to create powerful Rich Internet Applications using Flex 4. After learning how to install and becoming familiar with the basics of the Flex Builder 4 software, you will explore in depth how to develop applications using the Flex XML-like scripting language, MXML, and ActionScript 3.0.

You will learn how to construct your applications using layout and navigation containers, and how to use states and transitions to maximize the ability of your application to respond to a large number of scenarios.

Rich Internet Applications rely on data, and this book shows how to bring data from various sources into your Flex application. You will see how to use XML, PHP, and ColdFusion data sources, as well as using Adobe’s powerful Live Cycle Data Services for powerful interactions with Java environments.

Going further, applications built for the Flash platform can now exist and function beyond the traditional confines of the web browser. Adobe AIR allows you to take your applications to the desktop, and this book shows how to reapply your Flex skills to take advantage of this new environment.

Finally, you will see how Adobe’s new Flash Catalyst will bring rapid prototyping and a better designer-developer workflow to your applications.

The Essential Guide to Flex 4 takes you through all the powerful features of Flex using a series of stand-alone, practical exercises. The skills acquired throughout the book are then brought together in the form of a fully-featured case study application showcasing essential techniques that can easily be applied to your own Flex Applications.

The fundamentals of the Flex environment Connecting your Flex application to a variety of data sources Interacting Flex with other Adobe programs