This document provides an overview of building a Rich Internet Application (RIA) using Adobe Flex and a PHP backend. It discusses using the Yii framework to create models, controllers and define web services to connect the Flex frontend to the PHP backend using a MySQL database. Code examples are provided to demonstrate integrating Flex and PHP using web services.

1. RIA with Flex & PHP
Tulsa TechFest 11/06/2009
Jason Ragsdale & Tommy Falgout
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2. What?
• Rich Internet Application
• Flex or AIR based
• Web Service Backend
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3. MySQL
• Create table “Customers”
• Create table “Inventory”
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4. Yii Framework
• Used CLI interface to create the project
• Configure for DB connection
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5. Yii Framework
• Use CLI create model & CRUD
• Use CLI create controller “soap”
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6. Yii Framework
• Define the Service provider
• Declaring Web Service Action
• Mapping the Class
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7. Let’s Code It!
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8. What is an RIA?
• RIA is an application that runs in the
traditional browser, but utilizes an
intermediate layer that can bypass the
traditional page refresh.
• AJAX ( Async JS & XML)
• OpenLaszlo (Flash Player + AJAX)
• Flex/Flash
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9. What is Adobe Flex?
• Client Side, deployed as Flash .swf
• Written as MXML (Macromedia XML)
• Similar to XHTML
• UI Components
• Class Libraries
• Evolved from Flash
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10. Benefits of Flex:
• Any language as backend
• SWF can be served by any HTTP
webserver
• Can serve as UI for different apps
• With AIR, can work as Desktop Client
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11. Benefits of Flex:
• Code once. Port to Web/Desktop (any browser!)
• Comes with WYSIWYG designer
• CSS Skinning
• Rich + Reach
• Designer + Developer
• Flash has 99% reach
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12. Available Elements
• Layout/Navigation
• Canvas, Form,VBox, HBox, Accordion
• Controls
• Button, Checkbox, ComboBox, TextInput,
Live, Label, Tree
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13. Available Elements
• Charts
• Bar Chart, Pie Chart, Line Chart
• Data connectivity
• HTTPService, RemoteObject,
Webservice, XML
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14. Available Elements
• Validation
• Email, Date, ZipCode
• Effects
• Zoom, Resize, Move, Fade
• Databinding
• "Glues" Data from source to Dest
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15. Language
• ActionScript = Javascript + Java
• MXML - ActionScript
• Familiar syntax (Similar to C++, Java, C#, JS)
• Dynamic Language
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16. Let’s Code It!
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17. Q&A
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18. Links
• twitter: @jasrags & @snoopykiss
• yiiframework.com
• adobe.com/flex
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