What is Flex?

Flex is a convoluted term for sure. As the history of the product has evolved it
has been a j2ee server, an as framework, a compiler and and IDE among other
things.

In todays day and age we are at a released version 3, with version 4 in beta.
The term flex typically refers to a way of developing flash platform application
using the components in the open source framework developed by adobe.

Flex applications are written as a combination of xml markup (mxml) and

actionscript much in the same vein that html applications are written with JS.
The big difference is that the output of all your mxml and actionscript files is a
single swf that can be embedded in a web page and displayed to the world. You
can also use Flex to develop AIR applications, applications that can be installed
on a users desktop.

Although Adobe produces an IDE to help in developing Flex applications it is not

a requirement.

Taking Things Further: ActionScript 3.0

While MXML defines the structure of your Flex application, ActionScript

3.0 defines your application's behaviour.

Now, you may be thinking, "Hang on. If I can do so much with MXML,
why do I need ActionScript 3.0?" Well here's the confusing part; MXML
is actually a pretty form of ActionScript 3.0. In fact, MXML is converted
to ActionScript 3.0 when you compile it. Let's look at an example that
shows how similar MXML and ActionScript 3.0 are. The following code
creates the same component (a Button), first in MXML, and then in
ActionScript 3.0:

layout="absolute" creationComplete="init()">

The application that results when you compile this file will look like
this:
You still need to use ActionScript in your application, however; you'll
need to define what happens when that button is clicked, for example.
Look at it in this way: you design your application with MXML, and you
make it work with ActionScript 3.0. By using MXML and ActionScript,
you're separating the structural code from the programming logic. This
is an important philosophy to remember when building Flex
applications -- especially when you're building complex components
down the track.

ActionScript 3.0 is an ECMAScript-based scripting language, which

means that it adopts the ECMA scripting language standards.
ActionScript 3.0 is a giant leap forward from is predecessor,
ActionScript 2.0. The reason for this is that ActionScript 3.0 is now a
truly object oriented programming (OOP) language. In fact, the entire
framework of Flex is made up of object classes that have been written
by Adobe.

If you want to develop complex RIAs, I'd recommend that you invest
some time in understanding OOP. Most of the programming done in
Flex is event-driven, which means that functions are run when a
component triggers an event (for example, when a mouse clicks a
button on the page). The Adobe Livedocs site has some great
examples of object-oriented ActionScript.
The full details of ActionScript 3.0 syntax and OOP are beyond the
scope of this article, but if you've done any JavaScript programming
before, you are certainly well on your way.
Flex interview Questions

Q 1. Types of Binding
Ans: Using the curly braces ({}) syntax
Using ActionScript expressions in curly braces
Using the tag in MXML
Using bindings in ActionScript(BindingUtils)

Q 2. How to create your own event

Ans: Creating a subclass from the Event class
Using the Event metadata tag
Dispatching an event

Q 3. Event Bubbling
Ans: The mechanism through which event objects are passed from the objects that
generates an event up through the containership hierarchy

Q 4. Life cycle of Flex Application/Component?

Ans: Preinitialize: The application has been instantiated but has not yet created
any child components.
Initialize: The application has created child components but has not yet laid out
those components.
creationComplete: The application has been completely instantiated and has laid
out all components

Q 5. How you implement MVC in your Application

Ans: Cairngorm is based on the MVC model. It is specifically designed to facilitate
complex state and data synchronization between the client and the server, while
keeping the programming of the View layer detached from the data implementation.
The role of the View layer in a Cairngorm application is to throw events and bind to
data stored in the Model. Components on the View can bind to Value Objects or other
properties in the Model (data) layer.
In a Cairngorm Model, related data are stored in Value Objects (VOs), while simple
variables can be stored as direct properties of the ModelLocator class. A static
reference to the ModelLocator singleton instance is used by the View layers to locate
the required data.
The Controller is the most sophisticated part of the Cairngorm architecture. The
Controller layer is implemented as a singleton FrontController. The FrontController
instance, which receives every View-generated event, dispatches the events to the
assigned Command class based on the event's declared type.
The Command class then processes the event by running the Command class'
execute() method, which is an ICommand interface method. The event object may
include additional data if required by the developer. The execute() method can
update the central Model, as well as invoke a Service class which typically involves
communication with a remote server. The IResponder interface, which is also
implemented by the Command class, includes onResult and onFault methods to
handle responses returned from the invoked remote service.

Q 6. Difference btw Java and Flex Getters Setters

Ans: When it comes to getters and setters, Java and AS are quite different, in that
getters and setters are part of the core ECMAScript language, whereas in Java,
getters and setters are done through a naming convention.
In Java, it is almost never a good idea to make member variables public. If you do
decide to make member variables public and then later want to change the interface
to use getter/setter functions, you will have to modify all callers of your interfaces,
which is onerous at best and in many cases, not possible (expecially when you are
creating code that is used by other people).
Meanwhile, in ECMAScript, the externally visible interface doesn’t change when I go
from a member variable to a getter/setter and back again. In some sense, the
interface hiding is already accomplished in the language. Creating public member
variables is “safe” in this sense.
Perhaps this is already obvious to all the AS-heads out there, but it took me a bit of
time to get used to the concept.

Q 7. How many events are fired when your focus goes in one text box, you enter
some text and then press tab.
Ans: PreinitializeHandler(), initializeHandler(), itemEditBegin, itemEditEnd,
creationComplete()

Q 8. How you use styles different ways of using Style sheet

Ans: Using external style sheets, Using local style definitions, Using the
StyleManager class ,Using the setStyle() and getStyle() methods, Using inline
stylesLoading style sheets at run time

Q 9. How can you use two Styles at the same time

Ans: Using external style sheets and use Inline style commands

Q 10. Try to remember properties of few imp components

Ans:
< id="WeatherService" wsdl="http:/example.com/ws/WeatherService?wsdl"
useproxy="false">
< !-- Bind the value of the ZIP code entered in the TextInput control to the ZipCode
parameter of the GetWeather operation. -->
< name="GetWeather">

<>{zip.text}
< /mx:request>
< /mx:operation>

Q 11. What is the difference between Flex 2.0 and Flex 3.0
Ans: Enhanced Features like Faster compilation time, SWF file size reduction,
Flex/Ajax bridge, Advanced Datagrid, Interactive debugging, Cross-Domain,
Versionable, Easy to Use,Security and Code Signing,Failover and Hosting,Cross-
Domain RSL, Advanced DatagridDeep Linking, Resource Bundles and Runtime
Localization, Flex Component Kit for Flash CS3, Compilation, Language
IntelligenceRefactoring, Class Outline,Code Search, Profiler, Module Support, Multiple
SDK Support, Skin Importer, Design View Zoom/Pan,Design Mode support for
ItemRenderers, Advanced Constraints, CS3 Suite integration, CSS Outline, CSS
Design View, Flex 3 SDK Skinning/Style Enhancements

Q 12. How will you call Java method from Flex?

Ans: Using RemoteObject. Explain the process to interviewer
Q 13. What are the config files used for connecting Java and Flex?
Ans:
data-management-config.xml,
messaging-config.xml,
proxy-config.xml,
remoting-config.xml,
services-config.xml

Q 14. What are the channels and their types

Ans: The Channel class is the base message channel class that all channels in the
messaging system must extend.
Channels are specific protocol-based conduits for messages sent between
MessageAgents and remote destinations. Preconfigured channels are obtained within
the framework using the ServerConfig.getChannel() method. You can create a
Channel directly using the new operator and add it to a ChannelSet directly
In Flex AMFChannel is used mostly. Action Message Format
Methods
applySettings (),connect(),connectFailed(),connectSuccess(),
connectTimeoutHandler()
disconnect(),disconnectFailed(),disconnectSuccess(),flexClientWaitHandler(),
getMessageResponder(),internalConnect(),internalDisconnect(),internalSend(),logout
()
send(),setCredentials()
Properties
authenticated,channelSets,connected,connectTimeout,endpoint,failoverURIs,protocol,
reconnecting,recordMessageSizes,recordMessageTimes,requestTimeout,uri

Q 15. Give the name of Collection which can be mapped to java and Flex and vice-
versa
Ans: java.lang.String String
java.lang.Boolean, boolean Boolean
java.lang.Integer, int int
java.lang.Short, short int
java.lang.Byte, byte[] int
java.lang.Byte[] flash.utils.ByteArray
java.lang.Double, double Number
java.lang.Long, long Number
java.lang.Float, float Number
java.lang.Character, char String
java.lang.Character[], char[] String
java. math.BigInteger String
java.math.BigDecimal String
java.util.Calendar Date
java.util.Date Date
java.util.Collection mx.collections.ArrayCollection(for example,
java.util.ArrayList)java.lang.Object[] Arrayjava.util.Map Object (untyped). For
example, a java.util.Map[] is converted to an array (of objects).
java.util.Dictionary Object (untyped)
org.w3c.dom.Document XML object
java.lang.Object (other than previously listed types) Typed Object
Objects are serialized by using JavaBean introspection rules and also include public
fields. Fields that are static, transient, or nonpublic, as well as bean properties that
are nonpublic or static, are excluded.

Q 16. How can you call JavaScript from MXML

Ans: IExternalInterface.call()

Q 17. How can you access a var defined in 1 MXML flex in to another MXML file
Ans: Create 1 object of MXML fiel into another MXML File

Q 18. Is it possible to make httpService Requests synchronous?

Ansvar mytoken:AsyncToken = yourservice.send();
mytoken.addResponder(new ItemResponder(function,errorFunction));
OR
You can create a result handler to your HTTPService.
remoteObjectName.Your method
name.addEventListener("result",HandlerFunction,false,0,true);

Q 19. I need to load an image from flickr into my application. Do I need a

crossdomain.xml file on flickr?
Ans: every SWF file you view runs locally on your machine. This means that a SWF
would have HTTP access to all machines behind the company firewall. To prevent
this, every server other than the one the SWF is loaded from, needs to have a
crossdomain.xml file in its root, listing all domains that have access to that particular
server

Q 20. What is the difference between httpService and Data Service?

Basically, Flex allows three types of RPC services: HttpService, WebServices, and
RemoteObject Services. In Flex, using the “RemoteObjects specifies named or
unnamed sources and connects to an Action Message Format (AMF) gateway,
whereas using the HTTPService and WebService use named services or raw URLs
and connect to an HTTP proxy using text-based query parameters or XML”.
Specifically, HTTPServices use raw HTTP requests, WebServices use the SOAP
protocol and RemoteObjects uses AMF3.

Q 21. How do you generate random numbers within a given limit with actionscript?
Ans:var randNum:Number = Math.random()*100;

Q 22. Have you built any components with actionscript? If so explain how you did it?
Ans:
package myComponents{
import mx.controls.Button;
public class MyButton extends Button {
public function MyButton() {
super();
label="Submit";
}}}

Q 23. How do you implement push on a flex applications?

Ans
Messaging systems let separate applications communicate asynchronously as peers
by passing packets of data called messages back and forth through a Message
Service. A message usually consists of a header and a body. The header contains an
identifier and routing information. The body contains application data.
So, you will be building an application that allows you to asynchronously send data
through the DS message service to our Flex client application. Here are some key DS
messaging terms:

Producer: Producers are applications that create/send messages to the destination.

Consumer: Consumers are applications that receive messages from the destination.
Message Destination: Destinations are the resources used for both publish-subscribe
and point-to-point messaging.
Message Channel: The channel is the method for connecting producers and
consumers to the destination (using an endpoint).
Message Endpoint: An endpoint is the interface responsible for encoding and
decoding data into messages.
Message Adaptor: The adaptor defines the messaging implementation. Options
include using the ActionScriptAdapter provided with DS, or an external Java Message
Service (JMS) provider.

Q 24. I am going to add images into a tag. How will it resize itself?

Q 25. What is a resource Manager??

Q 26. What are the similarities between java and flex?

Q 27. What is the dynamic keyword used for?

Q 28. How do you implement push with flex data services?

Q 29. What are the methods called when a UI component is intialized?

Q 30. How do you implement drag and drop on components that do not support
ondrag and ondrop?

Q 31. Can you write to the file system from flex?

Q 32. What is a drag manager?

Ans: Manages the drag-and-drop operations; for example, its doDrag() method
starts the drag operation.

Q 33. How do you call javascript from Flex?

Ans:flash.external.ExternalInterface.call(function_name: String[, arg1, ...]):Object;

Q 34. How do you use a repeater?

Ans:
< id="rp" dataprovider="{dp}">
< height="49" width="50" click="Alert.show(String
(event.currentTarget.getRepeaterItem()) + ' pressed')" label="{String
(rp.currentItem)}">
< /mx:repeater>

Q 35. What are three ways to skin a component in flex?

Ans: Graphical skins: Images that define the appearance of the skin. These images
can JPEG, GIF, or PNG files, or they can be symbols embedded in SWF files. Typically
you use drawing software such as Adobe® PhotoShop® or Adobe® Illustrator® to
create graphical skins.
Programmatic skins: ActionScript or MXML classes that define a skin. To change
the appearance of controls that use programmatic skins, you edit an ActionScript or
MXML file. You can use a single class to define multiple skins.
Stateful skins: A type of programmatic skin that uses view states, where each view
state corresponds to a state of the component.The definition of the view state
controls the look of the skin. Since you can have multiple view states in a
component, you can use a single component to define multiple skins.

Q 36. How do you use css styles in flex?

Ans: Using external style sheets, Using local style definitions, Using the
StyleManager class ,Using the setStyle() and getStyle() methods, Using inline
stylesLoading style sheets at run time.

Q 37. What is the difference between sealed class and dynamic classes?
Ans: Sealed Classes: ActionScript 3.0 introduces the concept of sealed classes. A
sealed class possesses only the fixed set of properties and methods that were
defined at compile time; additional properties and methods cannot be added. This
enables stricter compile-time checking, resulting in more robust programs. It also
improves memory usage by not requiring an internal hash table for each object
instance. Dynamic classes are also possible using the dynamic keyword. All classes in
ActionScript 3.0 are sealed by default, but can be declared to be dynamic with the
dynamic keyword.
Dynamic classes A dynamic class defines an object that can be altered at run time
by adding or changing properties and methods. A class that is not dynamic, such as
the String class, is a sealed class. You cannot add properties or methods to a sealed
class at run time.
dynamic class Protean
{ //Use dynamic keyword before the name of class
}

Q 38. What is e4X and XML?

Ans: E4X means "ECMAScript For XML
Using E4X, we can develop code with XML data faster than was possible with
previous programming techniques. E4X provides a set of classes and functionality for
working with XML data. ActionScript 3.0 includes the following E4X classes: XML,
XMLList, QName, and Namespace.
Here is an example of manipulating data with E4X:
var myXML:XML =
<>
< id="'1'">
<>burger
<>3.95
< /item>
< id="'2'">
<>fries
<>1.45
< /item>
< /order>
trace (myXML.item[0].menuName); // Output: burger
trace (myXML.item.(@id==2).menuName); // Output: fries
trace (myXML.item.(menuName=="burger").price); // Output: 3.95

Q 39. What is state? What is the difference between states and ViewStack?
Ans:View Stack is to handle different MXML file eg TAB control, and states is the
transition within single MXML file

Q 40. How does item renderer work? How do I add item renderer at runtime?

Q 41.. What keyword allows you to refer to private variables of a class?

Q 42. How polymorphism works on actionscript?

Q 43.. How do you overload functions in actionscript?

Q 44. What is dynamic keyword used for?

Ans: Those Classes which should be extended and changed are called Dynamic
classes

Q 45. What are sealed classes?

Ans: Classes whichyou cant extend. ex String

Q 46. What are runtime shared libraries?

Q 47. What is caringhorm? How do you use it? Have you worked with Cairngorms?

Q 48. What keyword allows you to implement abstraction better?

Q 49. What design patterns have you used? In Actionscript and java?

Q 50. What's the difference between Java and AS3 getters and setters? Ans: I have
to explicitly call a setter/getter function in Java, while AS3 allows me to Access my
setters and getters as though they are variables.
Q 51. Explain the component lifecycle.
Q 52. Tell me about dataServices
Q 53. understanding of MVC
Q 54. They ask what frameworks you aree familiar with When getting developers to
help create "standard" application, I'd weight a lot more heavily on the as3
questions. Aside from basic "show me how you'd write X" algorithm questions, you
can ask more in depth ones about the workings of the language:
Q 55. Explain how binding works in mxml components.

Q 56. Explain the ChangeWatcher.Wach()

Ans: You can detect when a binding occurs in your application. Flex includes the
mx.binding.utils.ChangeWatcher class that you can use to define a watcher for a
data binding. Typically, your event watcher invokes an event listener when the
binding occurs

Q 57. Why would you want to keep a reference to a ChangeWatcher and call
unwatch()?
Q 58. How do you add event listeners in mxml components. Now AS3 components?
Q 59. What does calling preventDefault() on an event do? How is this enforced?
Ans: Prevent defaults helps skipping the default behaviour or any componnent. Like
in radio Button when you will click it will get selected, but if you want only the skin to
be changed you can use preventDefault()

Q 60. (If applicable) Explain the lifecycle of a Cairngorm action.

Q 61. I was interviewed for a Flex position. The hiring manager kept on asking Java
and J2EE questions. So, I asked him politely: you are hiring me for a flex position,
why do you keep on asking Java questions?
Q 62. What are some ways to specify styles on components?

Q 63. What is the problem with calling setStyle()

Ans: When you are instantiating an object and setting the styles for the first time,
you should try to apply style sheets rather than use the setStyle() method because it
is computationally expensive. This method should only be used when you are
changing an object's styles during run time
Q 64. Explain the difference between creating an effect and setting the target as
opposed to adding an effectListener
Q 65. What do repeater components do?
Q 66. How do you identify a component created in a repeater?

Q 67. What is state? What is the difference between states and ViewStack? Ans:
View Stack is to handle different MXML file eg TAB control.And states is the transition
within single MXML file ViewStack should be used where there is complete change in
the controls used and States should be used when you just want to add or remove
afew components based on certain conditions. Login/Registration/Forgot password is
the best example for using States as each page will either add or remove to the
already existing one.

Q 68. What is the difference between httpService and Data Service? Ans. The Flex
presentation layer communicates with the business layer by using Flex data services,
which are objects you insert in a Flex file. Specifically, you can use Flex data services
to interact with the following:
* Web services
* HTTP services
* Remote objects
A Flex data service is an object you insert in an MXML file to communicate with the
business layer of a multi-tier application. You use data services to send and receive
data from web services, HTTP URLs, and remote objects such as server-based Java
objects. An HTTP service is nothing more than an HTTP request to a URL. The
primary purpose of HTTP services is to retrieve XML data from an external source.

Q 69. Why you don’t Embed all images in your application

Ans: That increases the size of the SWF File

Q 70. What type of images can be loaded

Ans: (PNG, GIF, JPEG, SWF at run time and PNG, GIF, JPEG, SWF, SVG at compile
time)

Q 71. Explain ContainerCreationPolicy

Ans: This is used with the containers like Accordian, ViewStack etc. depending upon
the ContainerCreationPolicy you have set accordingly the child pages will be loaded.
ALL Immediately create all descendants.
AUTO: Delay creating some or all descendants until they are needed.
NONE: Do not create any children.
QUEUED: Add the container to a creation queue.

Q 72. What are the factory classes

Ans: Factory class The factory class creates an object of the instance class to
perform the effect on the target. You create a factory class instance in your
application, and configure it with the necessary properties to control the effect, such
as the zoom size or effect duration.

Q 73. Explain Metadata

Ans: You insert metadata tags into your MXML and ActionScript files to provide
information to the Adobe Flex compiler. Metadata tags do not get compiled into
executable code, but provide information to control how portions of your code get
compiled.

Q 74. I was asked too many questions on the event bubbling, Like how to capture
and event if the component is disabled.
Ans: addEventListner on the parents and enable the component in that handler

Q 75. obj.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, MouseClickHAndler); in this obj

should inherit which class?
Ans: DispachEvent
You can manually dispatch events using a component instance's dispatchEvent()
method. All components that extend UIComponent have this method
objectInstance.dispatchEvent(event:Event):Boolean

Q 76.Why we extent Sprite Class in our Graphical Classes?

Q 77.What is Layout Manager and explain the Properties and Methods?

AnsThe LayoutManager is the engine behind Flex's measurement and layout
strategy. Layout is performed in three phases; commit, measurement, and layout.
The commit phase begins with a call to validateProperties(), which walks through a
list (sorted by nesting level) of objects calling each object's
validateProperties()method.

The objects in the list are processed by nesting order, with the most deeply nested
object accessed first. This can also be referred to as bottom-up inside-out ordering.

The measurement phase begins with a call to validateSize(), which walks through
a list (sorted by nesting level) of objects calling each object's validateSize() method
to determine if the object has changed in size.

The layout phase begins with a call to the validateDisplayList() method, which
walks through a list (reverse sorted by nesting level) of objects calling each object's
validateDisplayList() method to request the object to size and position all
components contained within it (i.e. its children).

Property of LayoutManager
usePhasedInstantiation : Boolean
A flag that indicates whether the LayoutManager allows screen updates between
phases.

Q 78.How do you call a method in particular ItemRenderer. Also the ItemRenderer is

your own Custom Component.
Ans
<>
< id="comboBox" dataprovider="{statesXMLList}" labelfield="@name"
itemrenderer="ComboBoxItemRenderer">
< /mx:Application>
View ComboBoxItemRenderer.mxml
< ?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

< mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" stylename="plain">

< text="{data.@name}" onclick="MyOwnMethodThatIWantToCall()">
< /mx:VBox>

Q 79.How can you implement Singleton in Flex Application?

Ans:If you are a Java Programmer dont be mistaken by saying create Private
Constructor. We cant create private Constructor in Flex.

Q 80.Give similiarities btw Java and Flex

Ans: Both are object Oriented, Encapsulation, Inheritance, Abstraction and
Polymorphism are implemeted in both of the technologies.
*The package like imports
*Availability of Classes in the scripting language
*Capabilities Arrays & ArrayCollections
*On the UI end, similarities to SWING