Beginning ActionScript 2.0

Chapter 11. Controlling Components

Macromedia Flash has, since MX 2004, the capability for components to pass data between each other automatically. This is done through the concept of data binding, in which component inputs and outputs are linked to each other. You can set up data bindings either through the Component Inspector panel or by using the set of bindings classes. This book introduces how to set up bindings only through the Component Inspector panel because using the bindings classes is a complicated process that would almost require its own book.

Introducing the Component Inspector Panel

The Component Inspector panel (Window

The Parameters tab, open in Figure 11-1, is a duplicate of the Parameters tab in the Properties panel. It contains basic startup information such as the URL for the XML file to load for the XMLConnector component.

The Bindings tab (see Figure 11-2) provides the means to link components together. One component can bind to multiple properties on multiple different components.

The Schema tab, open in Figure 11-3, shows the properties that are available for binding with other components. For the XMLConnector component, you can link specific tags in your XML file to different components by adding information about the XML data. You can also define custom properties that can send and receive data.

Figure 11.1. Figure 11-1

Figure 11.2. Figure 11-2

Figure 11.3. Figure ...