3 The Intricacies of Generation Workflow

3.1Creating a Project

Creating a project is the same as it is for every other BLU AGE project. There is only one difference when it comes to Flex applications: one has to define the path on which the Flex’s SDK can be found.

When the project creation wizard asks (in the last step), you should specify the following:

• The path (on the local disk) to the Flex SDK. It is normally located in the installation folder of the Flash Builder 4 for Eclipse plug-in: "<Directory_Installation_Flash_Builder>\sdks\4.1.0"
• The path to the Flex ANT tasks. It too is found in the Flash Builder installation folder: "<Directory_Installation_Flash_Builder>\sdks\4.1.0\ant\lib\flexTasks.jar"
• The path to the JAVA JDK that is being used
• The JAVA version of compilation

Figure 1 : Particular Configuration of a Flex Project

3.2Important Properties of Generation Workflow

3.2.1"Clean Folder" Property of the "Workflow appName" Node

This property should be turned to "false". It allows you to avoid the deletion of files from the projects generated in each generation. This property comes in handy when it comes time to build the mock-up. Indeed, a copying process is put in place that copies the elements of the mock-up that have been directly modified on the web project and redirects them to the mock-up folder of the BLU AGE project. This process will be explained later on.

Figure 3 : "Clean Folder" Property of the Workflow

3.2.2 "GenerateMxml" Property of the "com.netfective.bluage.bsp.flex4" BSP

This property can take on three values :

• new : allows you to create empty mxml files using the elements in the UML model. The generator will then construct the whole set of views defined in the diagrams of screen activity of the model. This option is useful for the first generation, so as to instantiate the set of views.

• save : enables you to copy the « mxml » files that were modified in the “mockup” folder of the BLU AGE project. Indeed, the view production (mxml files) is done directly within the generated project. We can thereby make screens with Flash Builder 4. Using this editor, we can then connect:
  1. dynamic zones (text fields, dynamical texts, drop-down lists, etc.) to model elements (pin-in/pin-out transferred to services/screens)
  2. the events modelled by way of activity diagrams.

• When the screens are being made during the implementation phase, this option comes in handy.

  copy : it makes the inverse operation of the save mode possible. In this case, the generator will copy the «mxml » files in the « mock-up » folder of the BLU AGE project and then will copy them into the generated web project. This option is useful when resuming a project or in the case of an installation within a continuously integrated process.

Figure 4 : "GenerateMxml" Property