Note: This article was originally written about the Macromedia Flash MX 2004 component architecture. The component architecture in Flash 8 is largely unchanged from that of Flash MX 2004.

Version 2 of the Macromedia Flash 8 component architecture offers a robust architecture for building highly usable, visually rich interfaces for the web or for creating custom user interface controls and components. Engineered to give you the best possible experience building rich, interactive web application interfaces using industry-standard controls and components, it introduces a number of enhancements over its predecessor. These improvements are the result of new possibilities made available by the new version of the ActionScript language specification and a wholly re-engineered component architecture.

Macromedia built this new architecture on a robust foundation that raises the ceiling on the possibilities of component and application development. It makes available a number of system-level managers for ensuring that applications built with the architecture perform well, adhere to interface standards, and deliver a high-quality end-user experience.

Here are a few things that are part of the new component architecture:

• Differentiation of controls and containers means you can build more sophisticated components while leveraging specialized concepts unique to the component
• ECMA 3–supported, JavaScript 2–compliant event model lets you write more familiar code in an object-oriented manner
• SWC format for compiled components protects source code by putting a layer of obfuscation between component developers and component consumers
• CSS-based style and skinning APIs let you easily change the look and feel of some or all components in a single project or across all projects
• Accessibility implementations create better end-user experiences

Some key features of Flash 8 facilitate improvements in the component architecture. This article outlines these enhancements in both the language and architecture.

Requirements

Flash 8 Professional

• Try
• Buy

v2 architecture source code

Find version 2 (v2) architecture source code in the following locations:

• Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\[User Folder]\Local Settings\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash 8\[Language Code]\Configuration\Classes
• Macintosh: HD:\Users\[User Folder]\Library\Application Support\Macromedia\Flash 8\[Language Code]\Configuration\Classes

You can also find it precompiled, in SWC format, in Flash Professional 8.

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