The Amazing Coding Murloc:

Posted At : June 7, 2007 2:02 PM | Posted By : Murloc Oracle
Related Categories: Functions,Flex

Have a RemoteObject (WebService, HTTPRequest) call that takes a while to come back? Can't really do anything until it does come back? Give the user something to do! If you have a long running process and nothing for the user to see/do, they'll get distracted and move from your app to do something else.

PleaseWait.mxml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Panel
   xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml"
   title="Please Wait ..."
   horizontalAlign="center"
   width="285" height="90">

   <mx:Label
      text="Please wait while employee data is loaded"/>

   <mx:ProgressBar
      indeterminate="true"
      labelPlacement="center"/>

</mx:Panel>

This is basic, just a moving progress bar. But you could put a Sudoku game in there. Or trivia, or a porn slideshow, whatever!

import components.PleaseWait;
public var pw:PleaseWait = new PleaseWait();

private function init():void{
   ro.getEmployeeListXML();
   pw.x = (this.width-pw.width)/2;
   pw.y = (this.height-pw.height)/2;
   mx.managers.PopUpManager.addPopUp(pw, this, true);
}

The RemoteObject (ro) does its thing. We wait. We read 5 fascinating facts about cheese. Then the ro returns and the popup goes away.

private function setEmployeeList(event:ResultEvent):void{
mx.managers.PopUpManager.removePopUp(pw);
empByLead = event.result as XML;
}

Now because it's adding and removing the pw object as a modal popup and not reinitializing it anywhere, you should be able to put continuing content (crossword puzzle, short story, documentary) things in it. I haven't tested it, but in theory it would save the state of things next time the popup comes up, on another long running process in the application.

Phase 2: Would be cool to have the return call tell the popup it's done. Then you could switch states in the popup, adding/enabling a "close" button. So if someone's just about to solve the puzzle it won't suddenly disappear.