http://blog.vivisectingmedia.com/2008/05/flex-4-new-mxml-states-specification/ Looking at the world of media: from music to RIA. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:39:09 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blog.vivisectingmedia.com/2008/05/flex-4-new-mxml-states-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-745 webnesto Mon, 12 May 2008 13:11:53 +0000 http://blog.vivisectingmedia.com/2008/05/flex-4-new-mxml-states-specification/#comment-745 <p>It's funny to me that form elements have been around in internet technology for this long and yet, to most <em>WITHIN THE INDUSTRY</em> the inherent complexity of forms is still often overlooked.<br><br>Complex form flow created in such a way as to be easily maintainable and reusable is extremely difficult, no matter what the tech.<br><br>That being said, I think that states in Flex is one of the most efficient tools available to developers to address this particular problem. The thought that the Flex team would mess that up, is very disheartening.<br><br>I understand the challenge: how to make states easy to use <em>AND</em> as robust as necessary.<br><br>Now that I think about it, if Adobe were to provide a flex library/UI for creation of form-flow (I guess it would be useful to define what I mean by form-flow: form elements that determine the presence of or the validation rules of subsequent form elements) in a reasonable to use interface, I guess I could be content with a variety of ways that could be implemented. But only if it was rock solid and easily editable (from either a GUI or code approach). Having tried to create the logic structure behind such a tool myself, I can honestly say that it is an extremely large challenge. It seems simple (and is), right up to a single jump in complexity, that immediately takes it into the realm of nigh-impossible.<br><br>Anyway, yeah... I agree with your concerns and appreciate (as always), you watching out for the developer in the street. Those of us with no patience for reading tech-specs would never have known about this if not for your timely reporting. :)</p> It’s funny to me that form elements have been around in internet technology for this long and yet, to most WITHIN THE INDUSTRY the inherent complexity of forms is still often overlooked.

Complex form flow created in such a way as to be easily maintainable and reusable is extremely difficult, no matter what the tech.

That being said, I think that states in Flex is one of the most efficient tools available to developers to address this particular problem. The thought that the Flex team would mess that up, is very disheartening.

I understand the challenge: how to make states easy to use AND as robust as necessary.

Now that I think about it, if Adobe were to provide a flex library/UI for creation of form-flow (I guess it would be useful to define what I mean by form-flow: form elements that determine the presence of or the validation rules of subsequent form elements) in a reasonable to use interface, I guess I could be content with a variety of ways that could be implemented. But only if it was rock solid and easily editable (from either a GUI or code approach). Having tried to create the logic structure behind such a tool myself, I can honestly say that it is an extremely large challenge. It seems simple (and is), right up to a single jump in complexity, that immediately takes it into the realm of nigh-impossible.

Anyway, yeah… I agree with your concerns and appreciate (as always), you watching out for the developer in the street. Those of us with no patience for reading tech-specs would never have known about this if not for your timely reporting.

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