R – Where to put code that defines prototypes for base types in flex

actionscript-3apache-flexprototype

I've added functions to the Date prototype and I am wondering where is the best place to put the code in a Flex project?

Best Answer

The best practice for a Flex application is to create a utility class to manipulate instances of a class rather than to change the prototype of that class. For example, you might create a com.example.utils.DateUtil class with static functions that accept Date objects as arguments. The reason you want to follow this best practice is that Flex uses the compiler's strict setting by default, and trying to access non-standard functions added to the prototype of a sealed class will throw compiler errors. The alternative, turning off strict mode, is not advisable because the compiler will not be able to optimize your code as well as it could under strict mode.

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R – Best place to put prototype code in Flex project

In my honest opinion, it would be best to subclass or compose on Array, instead of modifying its prototype. Modifying the prototype can lead to confusion in the maintenance phase, which is one of the main reasons for using a framework like Cairngorm.

If creating a new class doesn't suit you, then also consider creating a utility class.

Flex actually already has a utility class called ArrayUtil and a function which does what you want: ArrayUtil.getItemIndex.

var obj1:Object = new Object();
var obj2:Object = new Object();
var myArray : Array = [obj1, obj2];
ArrayUtil.getItemIndex(obj1, myArray);    // returns 0
ArrayUtil.getItemIndex(obj2, myArray);    // returns 1
ArrayUtil.getItemIndex(obj3, myArray);    // returns -1

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R – Where does the Flex compiler put the .aso files

ASO are AS2-specific (and BTW FlashDevelop selectively cleans ASO files automatically).

For AS3, FlashDevelop hosts the Flex Compiler SHell (FCSH) which is included in the Flex 3 SDK. This nice tool keeps your code compiled in memory and it should recompile the classes which have changed.

In FlashDevelop, if the compiler plays dumb, you can just switch the active project - this will reset the shell.

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R – Best place to put prototype code in Flex project

R – Where does the Flex compiler put the .aso files

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