Flex Quick Starts: Handling Data

There is a 4-part overview for handling data with Flex in the Flex Quick Starts area of the Adobe Flex Development Center.

1. Defining data models: Data models are defined and used in Flex applications to store application-specific data in a structured format. You can define data models in an MXML tag, ActionScript function or an ActionScript class. An example was provided that illustrated the use of a Transfer Object (aka Value Object), which contains just the data required to interact with a piece of business logic.
2. Using data binding: You can tie data between one object and another with binding. Data binding can be achieved by using curly braces syntax, using ActionScript expressions in curly braces, using the tag in MXML, or using bindings in ActionScript.
3. Validating data: Flex has built-in mechanisms you can use to validate data entered by users. Validation logic can be implemented using MXML and/or ActionScript.
4. Formatting data: Flex formatters are components that give you the ability to format currency, dates, numbers, phone numbers and ZIP codes.