How to Create a Dynamic Form

Question

Hi All,
I am trying to build a dynamic form in Flex. The idea is to
have a generic form component that contains a standard header and
footer with a dynamically generated body. The body ( all the form
items ) will be generated dynamically by an XML File. In theory to
create any form all I would do is use the generic form and create
the xml for the body and I'm done.
I have been searching all over for a sample and have yet to
find one. Has anyone done something like this? I see several
similar questions in this forum but they have gone unanswered. I
would greatly appreciate any help you can offer.
Thanks
STeveR

Answer 1

Using State the following program does work and have
something similar to your requirements..
though not being generated according to an xml structure it
does create form controls dynamically.
I myself am trying to create several form items from xml
files and the content of the xml file I am not aware of completely.
It might have n number of occurances of a group of form
controls all depending on the out put of the xml file which in
itself ois generated dynamically from a server side script.
I have not really been successful in doing what I need. But I
hope to solve this problem using the approach taken in this
example. but I believe there must be a better way to do what I am
trying to do. AM trying to figure this out since yesterday and yeah
I am making progress and hope to resolve it soon...
I need to comeplete it today itself..
will get back with more that comes to my mind.
If anyone has any thoughts on it Please do post back..
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- states\StatesDefInstan.mxml -->
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="
http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
initialize="initializeApplication();">
<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import mx.core.*;
import mx.states.*;
private function initializeApplication():void {
//Code for adding a static button.
// Create the Button to be added
var newButton:Button = new Button();
newButton.label = "New Button";
// Create an AddChild object that adds the button.
var addChild:AddChild = new AddChild();
addChild.relativeTo = myPanel;
addChild.target = newButton;
// Create a State object
var newState:State = new State();
newState.name = "added";
newState.overrides = new Array();
newState.overrides.push(addChild);
// Initialize the states property of the Application.
// and add the new state.
states = new Array ();
states.push(newState);
//Code for adding a dynamically created button.
// Create an add AddChild object that adds the button.
var addChildDyn:AddChild = new AddChild();
addChildDyn.relativeTo = myPanel;
// Explicitly set the AddChild targetFactory property
// to a factory
// that runs the createMyButton method to create the button.
addChildDyn.targetFactory =
new DeferredInstanceFromFunction(createMyButton);
// Create State object with the addChildDyn override.
var newState2:State = new State();
newState2.name = "dynAdded";
newState2.overrides = new Array();
newState2.overrides.push(addChildDyn);
//Add the state to the Application's states property.
states.push(newState2);
// Function to create a new Button control.
public function createMyButton():Object {
var newButton:Button = new Button();
newButton.label = "New Dynamic Button";
return newButton;
]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:Panel id="myPanel"
title="Static and dynamic states"
width="300" height="150">
<!-- If the current state is not the added state, change
to the
added state; if the current state is the added state,
change to the base state. -->
<mx:Button id="myButton" label="Toggle Static Button"
click="currentState = currentState == 'added' ? '' :
'added';"/>
<!-- If the current state is not the dynAdded state,
change to the
dynAdded state; if current state is the dynAdded state,
change to the base state. -->
<mx:Button id="myButton2"
label="Toggle Dynamic Button"
click="currentState =
currentState == 'dynAdded' ? '' : 'dynAdded';"/>
</mx:Panel>
</mx:Application>
Thanks,
Bijay