topic Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication in ArcGIS Viewer for Flex Questions

FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 19:36:39 GMT

I'm trying to get a custom addToFavs ("Add to Favorites") button in the PopUpRendererSkin to send data into the custom RequestWidget. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Joe

CODE SEGMENTS

Here's the code from the PopUpRendererSkin. The code to initialize the Request widget is working but I'm getting a "Call to a possibly undefined method" message on the "addSharedData" line.

private function addToFavs_clickHandler(event:MouseEvent):void
{
[INDENT]var msArr:ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection();
msArr.addItem("Board Name");
msArr.addItem("Location");
msArr.addItem("Street Side");
msArr.addItem("Facing");
addSharedData("MiniSearch_Search", msArr)
//The code to initialize the Request widget if needed
AppEvent.dispatch(AppEvent.WIDGET_RUN,ViewerContainer.getInstance().widgetManager.getWidgetId("Request Board Information"));[/INDENT]
}

Here's the code from the Request widget. I'm not getting any errors on this code but of course cannot test it until I'm able to send the data from the PopUpRendererSkin.

protected function PopUpRendererSkin_initializeHandler(event:FlexEvent):void
{
[INDENT]AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_PUBLISH, sharedData);
AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_SENT, sharedData2);
fetchSharedData();[/INDENT]
}

private function sharedData(event:AppEvent):void
{
[INDENT]if (data.key == "MiniSearch_Search")
{
if (data.collection[0]){
com.esri.viewer.customskins.PopUpRendererSkin(data.collection[0]);[/INDENT]
}
}
}

private function sharedData2(event:AppEvent):void
{
[INDENT]var dataTable:Hashtable = event.data as Hashtable;
if (dataTable.containsKey("MiniSearch_Search"))
{
var recAC:ArrayCollection = dataTable.find("MiniSearch_Search") as ArrayCollection;
if (recAC[0]){
com.esri.viewer.customskins.PopUpRendererSkin(recAC[0]);[/INDENT]
}
}
}

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 07:35:09 GMT

Joseph,

Well there are several things here that make no sense to me... In your Request widget you need to be calling these line from the function that is called when the widgetConfigLoaded event is fired (normally called init function):

                AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_SENT, sharedDataUpdated2);
                fetchSharedData();

I tend to put them right under this line in the init:

                AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_PUBLISH, sharedDataUpdated);

I am not sure if that what you are trying to do with the PopUpRendererSkin_initializeHandler function... but why would you call it PopUpRendererSkin_initializeHandler if it is in the Request widget?

Everything in your sharedData2 function looks OK (I would probably change the key from "MiniSearch_Search" to something more applicable to you), except this line:

com.esri.viewer.customskins.PopUpRendererSkin(recAC[0]);

What exactly is this line suppose to be doing? I looks as if you are treating PopUpRenderSkin as a function...? I think you want to replace that line with a function in your Request widget that you are wanting to call with the data that has been passed. Same comment with your sharedData function.

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 21:40:17 GMT

Robert - Once again, thank you very much for your input and guidance. I'm working with ESRI's SDK team on this issue but haven't been getting nearly the immediate response/direction that you've provided.

I've made the following changes based on your comments. As you look at these, please keep in mind that I'm

1. Very (!) new to Flex development
2. Trying to work from your previous posts along with code recommendations from ESRI

Also, the "mailme" function is still under development but I've added that function to the sharedDataUpdated and sharedDataUpdated2 functions.

Obviously, I'm still struggling.

REQUEST WIDGET CODE:

   private function widgetConfigLoaded(event:AppEvent):void
   {
    AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_PUBLISH, sharedDataUpdated);
    AppEvent.addListener(AppEvent.DATA_SENT, sharedDataUpdated2);
    fetchSharedData();
   }

   private function sharedDataUpdated(event:AppEvent):void
   {
    if (data.key == "Board_Data")
    {
     if (data.collection[0]){
      mailme();
     }
    }
   }

   private function sharedDataUpdated2(event:AppEvent):void
   {
    var dataTable:Hashtable = event.data as Hashtable;
    if (dataTable.containsKey("Board_Data"))
    {
     var recAC:ArrayCollection = dataTable.find("Board_Data") as ArrayCollection;
     if (recAC[0]){
      mailme();
     }
    }
   }

   private function mailme():void
   {
    var u:String = "";
    u+= "mailto:cartapisana@gmail.com";
    u+= "?";
    u+= "subject=";
    u+= "Board Request from " + emailSubject.text;
    u+= " ";
    u+= "&body=Request Submitted By:"
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"
     + "Name: " + emailName.text
     + "%0D%0A"
     + "Company: " + emailSubject.text
     + "%0D%0A"
     + "Phone: " + emailPhone.text
     + "%0D%0A"
     + "Email: " + emailEmail.text
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"
     + "Contact Me: " + contactBox.selected
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"
     + "Comments: "
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"
     + emailComment.text
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"
     + "Billboards:"
     + "%0D%0A + %0D%0A"
     + emailBillboards.text
     + "%0D%0A" + "%0D%0A"

   }

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 22:06:51 GMT

Joe, Its going to be best If you post your widgets mxml code.

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 10:18:37 GMT

Robert - Sounds great. Here's the Request widget and the PopUpRendererSkin mxml files (attached). Also, in the code segments I posted yesterday for the Request widget, I used the mailme function in the sharedDataUpdated functions. As I'm thinking about it, I'm going to want to develop a separate function to load the shared data from the PopUpRendererSkin into the Request widget form. This will give the user an opportunity to see all of the data (favorites) he/she has selected before clicking the Request widget form's submit button.

Again, thanks so much for all of your help! This is the last piece before the map application goes live. Speaking of which, would it help to see the test version of the full map application? It can be accessed at:

www.carteroutdoor.com/carterwebmap

Thank you!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:51:14 GMT

Joe,

OK, I have made changes to your files and tested to make sure they work and commented my changes so you can learn from them.

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:45:55 GMT

Robert - Once again, I cannot thank you enough. I'll integrate your changes into my code and go over your comments so that I can see how you did it. Truly, thank you!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:58:33 GMT

Robert - I integrated your recommended code into my project and did not get any errors when compiling. However, when I tested the "Add to Favorites" button to add the board data into the Request widget, I got the error message below. Any suggestions?

Also, thank you for designing the function to populate the data for the favorites into the Request widget. What part of the widget would the data go? Into the Billboards box? That's what my ultimate goal would be, so that the user could see the favorites before clicking submit.

Again, thanks so much!

Joe

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at widgets.Request::RequestWidget/sharedData()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at com.esri.viewer::AppEvent$/dispatch()
at com.esri.viewer.customskins::PopUpRendererSkin/addSharedData()
at com.esri.viewer.customskins::PopUpRendererSkin/addToFavs_clickHandler()
at com.esri.viewer.customskins::PopUpRendererSkin/__addToFavsButton_click()

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:25:58 GMT

Joe,

So what is at line 42 in your Request widget?

What part of the widget would the data go?

??? That is up to you, and your desired workflow as the developer you would have the best knowledge of what you are attempting to do here.

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:38:14 GMT

Robert - Line 42 in the Request widget contains just the close bracket for the sharedDataUpdated function:

private function sharedDataUpdated(event:AppEvent):void
   [INDENT]{
    if (data.key == "Board_Data")
    {
     if (data.collection[0]){
      add2favs(data.collection[0]);
     }
    }
   }[/INDENT] //The line directly above with the close bracket is line 42

Understood about the location of where the shared data come in; I'll work on that now.

Thank you!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:44:25 GMT

Joe,

Just to double chack what version of the Flex Viewer are you using?

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:34:50 GMT

The pre-release of 3.0. We had so much custom code, the owner decided that, rather than have me complete the migration to the final release now, we would wait and do it after the site is live.

Thank you!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:47:04 GMT

Joe,

Hmm... Can't say I agree with that decision even slightly. There are so many things that got fixed from pre release to the final... Pre-Releases are NEVER intended to be used on production sites. Anyway I can not guarantee that the provided code is pre-release compatable. But I can say with some changes to library names I did test this in Flex Viewer 3.0 Final and I had the code working as far as transferring data from the popup to the widget and displaying an alert window with the data.

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:55:24 GMT

Robert - Understood and agreed. I'll work with the code you provided and see if I can get it to work in our current build. Thanks, again, for all your help!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:28:02 GMT

Robert - I've gotten it to work, at least on the first click. When I replaced the Request widget mxml file with the one you sent I also had to re-specify the Flex Module for the Request widget. When I did that, the message appeared on the first "Add to Favorites" click event.

Now, however, it's not continuing to work with subsequent clicks. In other words, the shared data message only appears when the Request widget has been opened with the first "Add to Favorites" click. Is there a separate var I need to add to the addToFavs_clickHandler function to have the shared data message appear on subsequent clicks/after the Request widget has been opened?

This is looking very good!

Thank you!

Joe

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:42:33 GMT

Joe,

Update this:

            private function sharedDataUpdated(event:AppEvent):void             {                 if (event.data.key == "Board_Data")                 {                     if (event.data.collection[0]){                         //mailme();                         add2favs(event.data.collection[0]);                     }                 }             }

Re: FV 3.0 Widget Communication

JosephGrubbs — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:01:52 GMT

Robert - That's got it. The shared data message works now with the initial click (along with opening the Request widget), subsequent clicks, and after closing/re-opening the Request widget. Cannot thank you enough!

My next/final step will be to pass the board information from the alert into the actual Request widget form and, when the user clicks the "Submit Request" button, the email message. I'm working on that now.

Again, thank you so much!

Joe