topic Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget in ArcGIS API for Flex Questions

Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:12:51 GMT

I have an Identify widget and a Search widget in a single flex application. The process is that the user performs a search for point features using the search widget, which places a graphic layer on top of points that meet the search criteria. The user can then use the Identify widget to click on those points to get information.

Instead of the user having to look for the idenify tool in the menu, I would rather have a button in the Search widget window that the user can click on to open the Identify widget. I have seen some posts related to mxmls calling other mxmls, but I think they are performing more complex operations that what I am trying to do. I am just trying to setup an alterntive method to opening an existing widget.

I am attaching a zip file with the two MXML widget files for Identify and Search. The Identify MXML also has a configuraton xml file.

Thanks.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:00:36 GMT

Bill,

From the calling widget use this code once you determine the widgets Id Number

Widgets are assigned a sequential number as they are loaded in the Viewer

So if you have three widgets then your widgets id would be 0, 1, or 2

SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, 1));

I would normally suggest using a function that would return the widgets id number based off of the widgets label, but is sounds like you are wanting to keep things pretty simple.

But if you are intrested then here is the code that needs to be added to your SiteContainer.mxml

//Add this to the private declarations
private var configData:ConfigData;

//This goes in the SiteContainer Init function
//listen for the config data to be loaded
SiteContainer.addEventListener(AppEvent.CONFIG_LOADED, config);

//Add these functions any where 
private function config(event:AppEvent):void
{     
 configData = event.data as ConfigData;
}
          
public function getWidgetId(widgetLabel:String):Number
{
 var id:Number;
 for (var i:Number = 0; i < configData.configWidgets.length; i++)
 {
  if (configData.configWidgets.label == widgetLabel)
   id = configData.configWidgets.id;
 }
 return id;
}

//then you can use it like this in your code
var id:Number = SiteContainer.getInstance().getWidgetId("Identify");
SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, id));

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:11:27 GMT

I put the code in the Site Container.mxml as suggested. But having issues with the following:
var id:Number = SiteContainer.getInstance().getWidgetId(5);

I assume I am to put the widgetId in place of the "identify" text you specified.

Then added the following to a button:
<mx:Button label="Id Tool" click="SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, id))"/>

I get the following error that is tied to the first line of code above:
1152: A conflict exists with inherited definition mx.core:UIComponent.id in namespace public mx.core:IDeferredInstantiationUIComponent.

What am I missing here?

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:24:11 GMT

Bill,

Actually the whole purpose of that function is to get the widgets I'd number for you from the widgets label. So enter the label of the widget as you named it in the main config.xml

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:31:44 GMT

Still not working.

Here is what I have in my config.xml for the Identify Widget:
<widget label="Identify Features" icon="com/esri/solutions/flexviewer/assets/images/icons/i_info.png" menu="menuWidgets" config="com/esri/solutions/flexviewer/widgets/IdentifyWidget.xml" shortcutmenu="true">com/esri/solutions/flexviewer/widgets/IdentifyWidget.swf</widget>

Here is what I have in the Site Container.mxml:
private var configData:ConfigData;

This was added to the init() function in the Site Container.mxml:
SiteContainer.addEventListener(AppEvent.CONFIG_LOADED, config);

This is in the Site Container.mxml as new functions:
private function config(event:AppEvent):void
{
configData = event.data as ConfigData;
}

public function getWidgetId(widgetLabel:String):Number
{
var id:Number;
for (var i:Number = 0; i < configData.configWidgets.length; i++)
{
if (configData.configWidgets.label == widgetLabel)
id = configData.configWidgets.id;
}
return id;
}

This is in the widget MXML file that will be calling the identify tool:
var id:Number = SiteContainer.getInstance().getWidgetId("Identify Features");

<mx:Button label="Id Tool" click="SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, id))"/>

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:33:22 GMT

Can this be done by just hard coding the widget id I want to open to a buttons click event? I don't need to do anything that automatically determines an id.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:38:21 GMT

Bill,

Yep, you can hardcode it if you want.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:41:53 GMT

How would I hard code it? I believe the widget id is '5'.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:45:59 GMT

Bill,

Look back at my first response to you and the first code block use that and just replace the number 1 with 5

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:55:16 GMT

So where do I put that inside the button tag? Sorry, I am just confused at this point.
This is what I have for the button. I don't have any other code added to my project, just this now.
<mx:Button id="test" click="SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, 5))"/>

When I save I get the following errors:
Access of undefined property AppEvent.
Access of undefined property SiteContainer
Call to a possibly undefined method AppEvent.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:00:39 GMT

Bill,

I am replying from by blackberry so I don't have the code in front of me so I can not give exacts be all you need to do is in your widget is add import statements for the SiteContainer and AppEvent

Something like:

import com.esri.viewer.AppEvent;
Import com.esri.viewer.SiteContainer

once again I and writing that code from memory.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:17:10 GMT

Thanks again. When I add the two import statements to the widget that is trying to call the identify tool, I get the following errors:
Definition com.esri.viewer:AppEvent could not be found.
Definition com.esri.viewer:SiteContainer could not be found.

So this must be something new to the 2.0 API, as I am still on 1.3. So I guess this isn't going to work.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:35:50 GMT

Bill,

Like I said I am doing this from memory, so you have to do some work on your end and search the code for the exact import statement. This is not something new for 2.x . I would look in the MapManager to find the exact import statements that you need to use as I obviously don't recall the exact text from memory.

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

BillBass — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:48:52 GMT

Robert,

Ok. I finally got it. The import statements for the 1.3 API are:
import com.esri.solutions.flexviewer.AppEvent;
import com.esri.solutions.flexviewer.SiteContainer;

So I added those to the MXML of the widget that contains the button to launch the identify tool, and the MXML for the button is:
<mx:Button id="idButton" label="Identify Features" click="SiteContainer.dispatchEvent(new AppEvent(AppEvent.WIDGET_MENU_CLICKED, false, false, 5))"/>

Thanks again and I appreciate your patience with someone new to Flex.

Bill

Re: Running an MXML widget from another MXML widget

RickyGonzalez — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:36:09 GMT

Thanks for this snippet of code. I was looking for the same functionality and it works great.