MXML component representation

[Alan G.]

MXML separates component declaration from the class declaration.  Example: MyWindow (a Window) with a declared

Code:

<s:Button id="MyButtton" />

is a composition, but until compilation, these members are not part of the *real* class.  Thus it is not seen as anything except its ActionScript members by UML4AS when reverse engineered.

If you compile MyWindow.mxml with -keep, you can see the generated interface and declaration ActionScript files, its that interface (MyButton will become a public var of the MyWindow class there).  I'd like to see the generated interface become part of my graphical classes, perhaps in a separate section for clarity.  Is this doable at the moment?

[Cristian]

Hello Alan,

I think I understand. But could you give an example: MXML Source -> generated elements (by -keep) -> what exactly would you like to see in the model?

Regards,
Cristian.

[Alan G.]

Hi Cristian,

By -keep I mean the compiler argument for mxmlc, which seems to work as an alias for keep-generated-actionscript=true.

Here is some example code to better explain what I mean.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Group xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx" width="400" height="300"
creationComplete="creationComplete(event)">
<fx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import mx.events.FlexEvent;
public var station: int;

protected function btnRockTheCasbah_click(event:MouseEvent):void
{
station++;
}

protected function creationComplete(event:FlexEvent):void
{
station = 0;
}
]]>
</fx:Script>
<s:Button x="10" y="10" id="btnRockTheCasbah" label="Rock the casbash"
click="btnRockTheCasbah_click(event)"/>
</s:Group>

Now when I drop MyGroup into a diagram I see only 3 elements; the station property (attribute) and the two event handler methods (operations).  All these elements come out of the <Script /> section, the MXML-declared components are ignored.  btnRockTheCasbah is missing; it is only added to the class at compilation by mxmlc.

So I'd like to have the MXML-declared components like that button added to the UML class nodes.

[Cristian]

Dear Alan,

We will add this feature in a future release of UML4AS.

Best regards,
Cristian.

[Alan G.]

Thanks, looking forward to it.

[DivideByZer1]

I think I'm having the same problem here (complete beginner):

When i try to add the main class of the project (an mxml file) to the diagram, and I try to "Display missing elements and add relations", it only shows "WindowedApplication" with the "generalization" arrow.  However, reverse engineering works fine for standard .as files.  I was wondering if I was doing something wrong, or if there's a potential workaround for this.  (I'm working on a project with very poor commenting and documentation, so I'm trying to figure out what's inheriting from what without having to map it out manually, if possible)

[Cristina]

Hello,

Could you please tell us what kind of relations/elements did you expected to see and they weren't displayed after running "Display missing elements and add relations"?

Best regards,
Cristina

[DivideByZer1]

Well I don't have the code in front of me now but it would only show inheritance between .as files, .mxml files would only show the graphical components associated with them when I clicked for it to show dependencies (such as PopupWindow or something, I don't remember exactly.)  I can post a bit of the code tomorrow, although if there's any part in particular you think would help let me know.
Thanks

[Cristina]

Hi,

When classes are reverse engineered, dependencies are not created because there isn't a source code sequence from where they can be taken.

Only inheritance relations (such as generalizations and interface realizations) are created automatically.
For more information, please take a look at this post:
http://www.uml4as.com/forum/index.php?topic=97.msg343#msg343

Best regards,
Cristina