MXD setup for multiple species display in flex

[LauraBlackburn]

I am at the very beginning stages of creating a flex site.  I have a single layer with nearly 80 species distributions, represented by separate fields.  I am hoping to create something like a drop down box in my flex app that will allow the user to choose which species distribution they would like to view.  My problem is that I am not sure how to best setup my mxd to be used as the map service/operational layer.  In IMS, I copied and pasted the layer several times in my TOC until all of the species were represented.  This required a lot of manipulation and time that I am hoping to avoid.  Is there some way to have the distribution database (a single layer) in my mxd's TOC and then use some kind of query to dynamically display a particular species distribution when the user selects the species from a list. 

Can anyone out there offer some advice or guidance?  I am pretty stuck on this one.

[KenBuja]

You could use one of the Renderers to classify the colors and symbology for each of the features. For example, you could set up a class break renderer (see this sample) and change the attribute property of the renderer by using the field that the user chooses. You can get more complex by adding other renderers if you want to show different breaks for the species or using variables for the minValue and maxValue.

[DasaPaddock]

You can use either one of these properties to dynamically filter the layer to the selected species:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/webapi/flex/apiref/com/esri/ags/layers/FeatureLayer.html#definitionExpress...
http://help.arcgis.com/en/webapi/flex/apiref/com/esri/ags/layers/ArcGISDynamicMapServiceLayer.html#l...

[LauraBlackburn]

So when I set up my MXD/map service, do I even need to bother symbolizing my data?  Could I just throw the distribution layer in there and then set up all of the symbology directly in my flex code?

It seems like I was just trying to make this harder than it needs to be.

[DasaPaddock]

If you're using ArcGIS Server 10 the FeatureLayer will used the layer's symbology by default, but you can just define your own renderer on the Flex FeatureLayer instead.

[LauraBlackburn]

Thanks so much for your help!

I'm still using 9.3.1.  I work for the feds and they seem to like being well behind the curve. 

If I understand you correctly...I can still just assign the symbology I need in flex, right?

[KenBuja]

Yes you can. I'm using 9.3.1 and the Flex API v1.3 on projects where I set the symbology with a renderer. The added step you'll have to take is to put the features on a graphic layer where they can be symbolized.

[DasaPaddock]

Here's one example:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/webapi/flex/samples/index.html?sample=TimeSliderPlayFeature