Why is my class not recognized? - apache-flex

Question

When I try to run the following mxml file using Flexbuilder, I get the error message
1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: AlertDataObject.
This code is from the main.mxml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
layout="vertical"
horizontalAlign="center"
verticalAlign="middle"
xmlns:components="components.*"
xmlns:ConferenceRequestForm="components.core.ConferenceRequestForm.*"
xmlns:ConferenceHomeScreen="components.core.ConferenceHomeScreen.*"
xmlns:ConferenceLoginForm="components.core.ConferenceLoginForm.*"
xmlns:debug="components.debug.*"
xmlns:RandomUserMaker="components.debug.RandomUserMaker.*"
xmlns:RandomConferenceMaker="components.debug.RandomConferenceMaker.*"
initialize="initializeApplication();"
creationComplete="openConferenceHomeScreen();">
<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import flash.events.MouseEvent;
public function debugButtonHandler(event:MouseEvent):void{
userCredentials.logIn('admin', 'admin', "John", "Admin", 7, 99,0)
openReportsForm();
}
]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:Button label="Debug Button" id="debugButton_btn" click="debugButtonHandler(event);" enabled="true" visible="false"/>
<RandomConferenceMaker:RandomConferenceMaker id="rcm" visible="false"/>
<RandomUserMaker:RandomUserMaker id="rum" visible="false"/>
<mx:Script source="../classes/ConferenceApp_action.as"/>
</mx:Application>
This is the top of the ConferenceApp_action.as file, which contains most of the application logic, including the Import to the class that is defining the class that is failing AlertDataObject.
//Built-In Classes
import mx.managers.PopUpManager;
//events
import mx.events.CloseEvent;
//custom events
import classes.AlertDataObject;
This is the line in the ConferenceApp_action.as file that is creating the error.
private function showChoiceWindow(data:AlertDataObject):void{
.
.
.
}
This is the AlertDataObject class.
package classes
{
public class AlertDataObject
{
/****************
Constants
****************/
static public var TITLE_ALERT:String = "Alert";
static public var TITLE_CONFIRM:String = "Please Confirm";
static public var TITLE_DEBUG:String = "Debug";
static public var TITLE_SUCCESS:String = "Success";
static public var TITLE_FAILURE:String = "Failure";
static public var TITLE_ERROR:String = "Error";
/****************
Properties
****************/
private var __title:String;
private var __text:String;
.
.
/****************
Getters / Setters
****************/
public function get title():String{
return __title;
}
.
.
.
/****************
Constructor
****************/
public function AlertDataObject($text:String, $title:String="Alert", $yesFunction:Function=null, $yesFunctionArguments:Object=null, $noFunction:Function=null, $noFunctionArguments:Object=null, $dataProvider:Object=null, $icon:Class=null){
//store basic props
__title = $title;
__text = $text;
//store confirm props
__yesFunction = $yesFunction;
__yesFunctionArguments = $yesFunctionArguments;
__noFunction = $noFunction;
__noFunctionArguments = $noFunctionArguments;
//store dataProvider object
__dataProvider = $dataProvider;
//store misc. props
__icon = $icon;
}
}
}
Why does Flex not see the AlertDataObject class properly?

Answer 1

I'm guessing from the way you import the ConferenceApp_action.as file that the classes directory which contains the AlertDataObject class is stored in the root directory of your project. If this is the case, try moving the classes folder to the src directory in which the main.mxml file was created. By default this is the main source folder for projects setup using Flex Builder and the place the compiler looks for custom classes.
Note that you can change the default source folder or specify an additional source folder under the flex build path options in the project properties dialogue, but in your case I don't think you need to do either of these.

Answer 2

I would be willing to bet that you have a syntax error either in your ConferenceApp_Action.as file or in your main.mxml file that is preventing things from completely compiling. Essentially what you're doing is an "include" rather than using a proper Class, and you don't get very good error messages when you do this. Possibly because the Flex team forgot that they left the door open for people to do this (which isn't a great practice).
IMO, you're lucky you got any kind of compile errors at all. I once inherited a project that used these types of includes where the developer forgot to add some of the files into version control. I didn't get error message one--it simply silently failed to compile.
My advice is use at least decent OOP of the type the Flex team had in mind (in other words proper Class files), and get the full weight of the compiler helping you. Failing that, try moving your script tag that points to your .as file above the other script tag. Or even making sure that all of your import statements are in the same script block.
FWIW, I believe there are some variables starting with "$" in the bowels of the Flex Framework, and the meaning of this prefix is "these are the original variables/methods defined by the Flash Player which we are pushing to the background and overwriting with our own version." I don't think that's your intent, looking at your code but if it is there is nothing wrong with leaving your variables named that way.

Answer 3

Nowhere in the code you've provided are you actually instantiating the AlertDataObject class. Because of that, the compiler doesn't compile it, and you don't see it at runtime. Another thing that may cause problems is using PHP coding conventions when working with actionscript. I don't think I've ever tried to start my variable names with a '$', but at the very least it goes against all good actionscript practices, and at the most, it might cause the strange runtime issues you're experiencing.