I came up with the following example by creating some functionality around the DataGrid mouse movements to display a "tooltip" (in reality a Menu instance) at the mouse position. Rather than digging into the framework to try and extend the ToolTip class to make it "stick" when moused over, I realized we've got popup menu functionality like that already. Slap a custom menu item renderer in there, skin it, and you've got a mousable, interactive tooltip instance.

I could have gone the extra mile and created a custom DataGrid instance using this new functionality, but I'm lazy so I'm just going to post the instance I implemented and let you figure out how to implement it for yourself :-) The idea being that it could be just as easily implemented on any List based control, and even with a bit of work any component in the Flex framework. Just modify the renderer to fit the content you need!

Example Here

Source Here

Excel is able to recognize an HTML table format and pastes the structure into appropriate cells. The following example is tailored to that type of structure, but can really be formatted to whatever needs you have by modifying the createHTML() (or more appropriately named) method.

View example here : Example

And source here : Source Code

See Full List

A good indication of great things to come in 2008!

I registered a couple of domain names back in 05 while doing contract work through recruiting agencies. It didn't take long for me to establish a sincere dislike for recruiters, and although I'm sure there are great ones out there, I feel the vast majority aren't qualified to do their jobs.

But enough about that...

I registered both riajobs.com and riacareers.com with the intention of creating a marketplace where developers could get in contact "directly" with employers... and vice versa... I noticed another site recently (www.nauglegroup.com) founded by Kevin Langdon and upon seeing it though "that's what I intended to do".

However, given time and commitment constraints, it hasn't happened yet, and probably won't for quite a while.

So that leaves me to ask the question, what/where/how can these be put to best use? I'd obviously love to sell them for a million bucks, but that's unlikely. I talked with John/Tom over at 360 Conferences about using them for their recent ideas on RIACommunity.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this topic?

- an RIA design tool

- allows designers to create rich internet applications with logic embedded

- allows them to wire up interactivity without working any code

- allows them to use dynamic data without having access to the data source

- seamless workflow for developers working with flex builder

- can access Flex source code for the design

- taking a layered image from photoshop, and importing the psd file into Thermo generates layout and code for that layout.

- converting artwork to components on the fly (wow, very cool)

- they take a rectangle graphic, right click, convert to a TextInput component, and it retained the text within the graphic (made default text of TextInput component), all style information on the graphic is transferred to component (including font styles)

- highlight multiple graphical elements, and converted the group to a list, and creates a design time data set with the selected images to power the list

- changed padding on list items, and an onion skin of original image placement was retained for reference but just with reduced opacity

- edited an item in the list in place, and added an event to it to go to a new state, applied a transition to the state change. The state change was a size change, and was able to preview the increase in size, with the transition effect applied. Added some text information underneath the new state, which had fade effects applied to it. Was able to stagger effect play times using a simple gantt chart type tool.

- automatically provides lorem ipsum text for testing, and can define the number of words to show for it.

- takes two selected rectangle and converts to a scrollbar instance (seriously?... no way...) Able to identify the different layers of the graphic selection as the different components of a scrollbar. Associates the new scrollbar with the list using a wiring handle to simply drag over the list that it should affect, binding the two components together.

- able to easily add new items to the design time data collection

- and it all just works... amazing... bring on the applause :-)

- thermo and flexbuilder share the same project format, meaning designers and developers can very easily collaborate during development cycle.

- can expect early alpha/beta next year (2008).

In addition, I use Google Analytics for stats tracking on my own personal sites, and while their interface for use is great, I love the fact that Nicolas has put together a Flex/AIR interface for this. I'll be getting involved in testing/giving feedback, and I'd encourage others to check it out and do the same. I'd like to think this blog appeals to the more "charting-oriented" of us, so hopefully there's a few of you who will enjoy this as much as I do... :-)

http://www.aboutnico.be/index.php/google-analytics-air-beta-sign-up/

Then this morning, for the first time ever, I overheard a couple of guys above me discussing Flex. Well that's kind of neat isn't it... a sure sign that the Flex buzz is really catching on. I caught bits of the conversation, and the two guys (one with a background in Flash) had nothing but positive things to say about the framework, and ability to create "cool" things easily.

So a word of caution... don't sit close to me on the train if you want your privacy ;-)

360 Flex - Seattle

http://www.stretchmedia.ca/code_examples/chart_range_selection/main.html

http://www.stretchmedia.ca/code_examples/chart_range_selection/main.html

Three words... "I love Flex"...

Have to give credit to Ely Greenfield (for his data generation function, and let's face it, for being The Man) as well as Doug McCune for his Dual Slider component (which is better than the one I did, which is why I used it here).

Anyway... the solution I came up with was to specify a selectionEasingFuction style which returned "0".

  
  
  
      private function myEasingFunction(t,b,c,d):Number
      {
          return 0
      }