Programming Flash Communication Server

This is the Title of the Book, eMatter Edition

Copyright © 2007 O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Communication Components

Macromedia introduced components with the release of Flash MX. Components

allow a Flash designer or developer to quickly add interface elements or interactive

behaviors to a Flash movie. The default installation of Flash MX 2004 enables the UI

components, which are basic GUI enhancements, such as scrollbars, list boxes, and

push buttons. Macromedia has continued to release additional component packages

for Flash MX 2004, especially those to complement Macromedia MX server prod-

ucts such as Flash Remoting MX and Flash Communication Server MX. In this chap-

ter, you will learn about the communication components and how the essential

components can be used to create basic FlashCom applications.

Before you begin this chapter, make sure you have downloaded and installed the lat-

est communication components.

If using Flash MX, obtain the communication components here:

http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashcom/download/components

If using Flash MX 2004 or Flash MX Pro 2004, download the updated components

here:

http://www.macromedia.com/support/flashcom/downloads_updaters.html

You don’t have to rely solely on Macromedia’s components. You can download

third-party components from the Flash Communication Server category of the

Exchange (http://www.macromedia.com/cfusion/exchange) and install them with the

Macromedia Extension Manager. You can also create your own custom components

as described in Chapter 13.