Re: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start
Like it was mentioned earlier, we at the Silicon Valley Flex User Group give free training and cast it on the net. Our third session is tonight (PST time zone) Details can be found at http://silvafug.org . I hope this can help you. Thanks, Tom User Group Manager Silicon Valley Flex User Group http://www.silvafug.org On 1/8/07, Muzak [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.adobe.com/training/ Should have a list with training centers somewhere, worldwide. regards, Muzak - Original Message - From: oneproofdk [EMAIL PROTECTED] mark%40koalit.dk To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 7:25 AM Subject: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start Hi Dan Right on the money there [:-s] - Who want's to go from guru to noob - not me. Well this time the decision is made, I WILL learn OOP with AS3 - am looking for some Flex2 training courses in Europe, pref. GB so the training will be in English. Not sure my employer are willing to pay for a trip to the states right now. Other than that, it's just a matter of putting the right effort into it, (I hope), lot's of material out there. Thanks for your help on this topic. Cheers, Mark
RE: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start
Ya if you come from just coding ASP/VBScript those 2 technologies ain't going to help learn OOP, they are really bad for that. Perhaps what you need is a beginners Java class to teach the OOP basics and that will make eveyrthing come to light when using ActionScript. I'm sure you can find something on the net as well... perhaps: http://javadevices.org/javacourses/foundation_module/lectures/lecture1.html Dimitrios Gianninas RIA Developer Optimal Payments Inc. From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of oneproofdk Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 2:19 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start Thanks for all your great reply's. My prior programming experiences is primarily programming VBscript, for ASP pages and standalone VBscripting. I've been programming VBscript for perhaps 4-5 years now, but never did make the jump to OOP - PHP or .NET at any time before now. (If it works - dont fix it, was my idea) I'm looking at Flex2 to develop new and better UI for my web applications. I am working at a publishing company that makes a magazine 10 times a year. I've made a web application where the magazine is stitched together, using HTML, ASP and javascript (lowend dhtml). It communicates with several database servers, (mysql and MS SQL) pulling data from various sources (MediaBank DAM and MS Dynamics (Navision)) allowing the users to place articles and insertions on each page, finally creating the entire magazine in a webbrowser - very cool indeed. Now we are looking to create a web app that has some drag'n'drop features, perhaps even some push technology, so other users will get updated real-time if a page gets content placed. And then ofcourse all the nice UI effects that Flex offers, transitions, zoom, etc. So basicly all the backend stuff, making XML services (propably with ASP though) and database query's is not a problem at all - got that covered for years. I've been through the Flex2 - Getting started making all the examples - working and all. Have been fiddling around with different properties etc. to see what influences what. I feel pretty comfotable in the Flex2 enviroment. It's the whole classes and OOP that throw's me off. I hate to write code that dont make sense to me or that I dont understand - very frustrating. I live (and work) in Denmark - not sure if there's any local training in Flex2, I dont think so, but I'll investigate today. I'll have alook at roundpeg and Lynda also, to see what they can offer. Think I'll go get a copy of Essential Actionscript 2.0 essential training or similar, as suggested. Thanks for your help and pointers. Best wishes, Mark --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com mailto:flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com , greg h [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mark, I am glad to see that you are sticking with getting mastery of Flex 2. In time you will see that it is definately worth the effort :-) Following below are pointers and links to a startguide for the true newbie. Before getting to that, I want to echo Danny's post Please do provide us more detail about what your prior programming, development and design experience may be. Also, please tell us what successes you have had with Flex 2 thus far? For instance, have you gone through the Lessons in the Getting Started with Flex 2 documentation? (Such as Create Your First Application: http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/docs/0065.html http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/docs/0065.html ) Also, in many cases Flex is the front end to complex back end computer architectures. And in most full blown production applications Flex is only one part in what frequently is at minimum a 3 tier architecture: 1) Flex UI 2) Application Server middle tier using Java or PHP or ColdFusion, or .NET, etc. 3) Database Are you skilled in any application servers or databases? (Each tier is a specialty unto itself. In team environments, it is not uncommon for individual developers to work supporting just one tier.) Also, what type of applications do you anticipate building? If you let us know, there may be working sample applications applications that we can point you to. Regarding training, I concur with Simeon's advice. There is a huge advantage to having a live instructor. You mention that after reading the docs and the Training from the Sorce book your mind is a bit blown and way out of my league. The benefits of a live instructor is that: a) they are the living book; and, b) they are dynamic. You can ask questions and the instructor can summarize the broad and complex body of knowledge in ways that you you may find easier to grasp. Or, they may be able to provide you answers even before are able to verbalize the question ;-) You can find the list of instructor led courses here: http://www.adobe.com/support/training/products/flex.html http://www.adobe.com/support/training/products
Re: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start
Hi Mark, One of my first languages was VB/VBA with which I did windows applications and classic ASP development (some of which I still have to delve into thesedays). I first started learning OOP with ActionScript2.0 and .net at the same time. Whilst the learning curve is pretty daunting and frustrating at first (who wants to go from being guru to noob?) it is definitely well worth the effort and will certainly help you develop and enrich your career plus make you more employable. Another good book for OOP is a new book from the O'Reilly Head First series called Object Oriented Analysis and Designhttp://www.amazon.com/Head-First-Object-Oriented-Analysis-Design/dp/0596008678. Learn OOP it will make you a better programmer and earn you more money than traditional VB and ASP ;). Dan On 08/01/07, oneproofdk [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thanks for all your great reply's. My prior programming experiences is primarily programming VBscript, for ASP pages and standalone VBscripting. I've been programming VBscript for perhaps 4-5 years now, but never did make the jump to OOP - PHP or .NET at any time before now. (If it works - dont fix it, was my idea) I'm looking at Flex2 to develop new and better UI for my web applications. I am working at a publishing company that makes a magazine 10 times a year. I've made a web application where the magazine is stitched together, using HTML, ASP and javascript (lowend dhtml). It communicates with several database servers, (mysql and MS SQL) pulling data from various sources (MediaBank DAM and MS Dynamics (Navision)) allowing the users to place articles and insertions on each page, finally creating the entire magazine in a webbrowser - very cool indeed. Now we are looking to create a web app that has some drag'n'drop features, perhaps even some push technology, so other users will get updated real-time if a page gets content placed. And then ofcourse all the nice UI effects that Flex offers, transitions, zoom, etc. So basicly all the backend stuff, making XML services (propably with ASP though) and database query's is not a problem at all - got that covered for years. I've been through the Flex2 - Getting started making all the examples - working and all. Have been fiddling around with different properties etc. to see what influences what. I feel pretty comfotable in the Flex2 enviroment. It's the whole classes and OOP that throw's me off. I hate to write code that dont make sense to me or that I dont understand - very frustrating. I live (and work) in Denmark - not sure if there's any local training in Flex2, I dont think so, but I'll investigate today. I'll have alook at roundpeg and Lynda also, to see what they can offer. Think I'll go get a copy of Essential Actionscript 2.0 essential training or similar, as suggested. Thanks for your help and pointers. Best wishes, Mark --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com, greg h [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mark, I am glad to see that you are sticking with getting mastery of Flex 2. In time you will see that it is definately worth the effort :-) Following below are pointers and links to a startguide for the true newbie. Before getting to that, I want to echo Danny's post Please do provide us more detail about what your prior programming, development and design experience may be. Also, please tell us what successes you have had with Flex 2 thus far? For instance, have you gone through the Lessons in the Getting Started with Flex 2 documentation? (Such as Create Your First Application: http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flex/2/docs/0065.html ) Also, in many cases Flex is the front end to complex back end computer architectures. And in most full blown production applications Flex is only one part in what frequently is at minimum a 3 tier architecture: 1) Flex UI 2) Application Server middle tier using Java or PHP or ColdFusion, or .NET, etc. 3) Database Are you skilled in any application servers or databases? (Each tier is a specialty unto itself. In team environments, it is not uncommon for individual developers to work supporting just one tier.) Also, what type of applications do you anticipate building? If you let us know, there may be working sample applications applications that we can point you to. Regarding training, I concur with Simeon's advice. There is a huge advantage to having a live instructor. You mention that after reading the docs and the Training from the Sorce book your mind is a bit blown and way out of my league. The benefits of a live instructor is that: a) they are the living book; and, b) they are dynamic. You can ask questions and the instructor can summarize the broad and complex body of knowledge in ways that you you may find easier to grasp. Or, they may be able to provide you answers even before are able to verbalize the question ;-) You can find the list of instructor led courses here:
Re: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start
http://www.adobe.com/training/ Should have a list with training centers somewhere, worldwide. regards, Muzak - Original Message - From: oneproofdk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 7:25 AM Subject: [flexcoders] Re: Flex2 - Where to start Hi Dan Right on the money there [:-s] - Who want's to go from guru to noob - not me. Well this time the decision is made, I WILL learn OOP with AS3 - am looking for some Flex2 training courses in Europe, pref. GB so the training will be in English. Not sure my employer are willing to pay for a trip to the states right now. Other than that, it's just a matter of putting the right effort into it, (I hope), lot's of material out there. Thanks for your help on this topic. Cheers, Mark