Flash® Catalyst™ CS5 Bible

Chapter 9. Converting Artwork to Components

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding components

• Convert layers and groups to custom components

• Convert artwork to a button

• Convert artwork to a toggle button

• Convert artwork to a text field

• Convert artwork to sliders

• Create radio buttons and checkboxes

• Create data lists and scroll panels

• Convert artwork to a scrollbar

When you create a project in Catalyst, you are creating the groundwork for a Flex project. Flex is a component-based application framework, and Flex developers working in Flash Builder or coding in some other environment create modular applications. That is, they avoid creating single, large files with all of the code for their application, and instead create a series of smaller files, each with a distinct purpose.

These individual modules are known to Flex developers as components. Almost everything a Flex developer works with is a component, from large application-specific modules such as a shopping cart down to individual user interface items like buttons and text fields.

In order for your Catalyst project to be easily imported into Flash Builder, you will want to define the contents of your artwork as components. Catalyst has the ability to convert artwork into a number of common Flex components, as well as custom, generic components.

Almost everything in your Catalyst project needs to be converted into a component before you hand the project over to your developer. Almost the only thing not converted to a component is the background of ...