From ArrayCollection to Array in DataBinding

Question

Hi,
I am trying to use somebody else's visual component (have src code of that mxml),
which uses Array items as a DataSource.
In my program I use ArrayCollection to hold my data (from the data feed - changes in real time).
I need to pass some data from my ArrayCollection into that component inside the binding,
something like:
<view:Component1  items="{dataArrayCollection}"?? />
currently have in Component1.mxml:
public function set items(a:Array):void {...}
Since that component is pretty complicated, I would not want to break its logic,
so I am thinking of adding some data adapter, public method to Component1 like:
public function set dataProvider(ac:ArrayCollection):void {
Array tempArr = new Array();
// copy some data from ac -> tempArr
items(tempArr);
and do: <view:Component1  dataProvider="{dataArrayCollection}" />
Is there a more efficient way of doing that (I guess, "set dataProvider" will be called a lot, on each update)?
I don't think I can just straight convert ArrayCollection -> Array, need just a small subset of data.
Please advise.
TIA,
Oleg.

Answer 1

Alex,
A friend suggested me another solution, which I tried and it seems to work and be more straightforward:
main.xml:
[Bindable]
  private var ac : ArrayCollection;
<component dataProvider="{ac}" />
Component.xml:
[Bindable]       
public var dataProvider:ArrayCollection;
private function onCreationComplete():void {
   dataProvider.addEventListener(CollectionEvent.COLLECTION_CHANGE, onDataProviderUpdate);
public function onDataProviderUpdate(e:*=null):void {
                if (dataProvider == null) {                  
                    return;
                var aca:Array = dataProvider.source;                                
                var dev1:Object = aca[0];    // process only 1 element of that AC                   
                var dev:Device = new Device();
                dev.cpu = dev1["cpu"];
                // pass to items array
                if (_items == null) {    // if new                    // _items - component's data array              
                    _items = new Array();
                    _items.push(dev);                                                
                } else {                   
                    _items.push(dev);    
                    updateData();                   
                updateView();                          
Do you like that solution ?
The only problem I see is that when the feed runs, the size of the browser memory grows fast,
so by element 60 it slows down, by 95 memory consumption grows to 1.4GB and browser crashes.
I do not think it is related to that data binding, but not positive.
Can it be array.push() ?
Any way to force garbage collection in Flex ?
Please advise,
Oleg.