4
votes

In a Flex DataGrid's first row, the itemRenderer will initialize twice. Tracing the results reveals that the flex framework is possibly creating two instances of the first row's itemRenderer. In a more complex application, where the itemRenderer contains a data-bound ColorPicker, we're seeing an infinite loop occur because of this problem. Only the first row's itemRenderer is initialized twice. Is there a way to override flex's behavior and stop this from occurring? The following code demonstrates the problem:

Main Application:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="absolute" initialize="on_initialize(event);">
<mx:Script>
<![CDATA[
/**
 * This experiment shows how the first row's itemrenderer is instantiated/added/initialized twice.
 * We've never even noticed this before we found that a data-bound ColorPicker enters a infinite
 * loop when it is within an itemRenderer.
 */
    import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
    import mx.events.FlexEvent;

    private var dg_array:Array;
    private var dg_arrayCollection:ArrayCollection;

    private function on_initialize(event:FlexEvent):void {
        dg_array = new Array();
        dg_arrayCollection = new ArrayCollection();
        dg_arrayCollection.addItem("item 1");
        dg_arrayCollection.addItem("item 2");

        dg.dataProvider = dg_arrayCollection;
    }
]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:DataGrid id="dg" width="100%" height="100%" rowCount="5">
    <mx:columns>
        <mx:DataGridColumn headerText="Name" itemRenderer="SimpleItemRenderer"/>
    </mx:columns>
</mx:DataGrid>
</mx:Application>

SimpleItemRenderer:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Canvas xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" width="400" height="300" initialize="//on_initialize(event);">
<mx:Script>
    <![CDATA[
        import mx.events.FlexEvent;

        [Bindable]
        override public function set data(value:Object):void { _data = value; }                 
        override public function get data():Object { return _data; }
        private var _data:Object;

        private function on_initialize_textInput(event:FlexEvent):void {
            trace("initialize:event.target="+event.target+", " + _data); // runs twice, for the first item only

        }

        private function on_creationComplete_textInput(event:FlexEvent):void {
            trace("creationComplete:event.target="+event.target+", " + _data); // runs twice, for the first item only
        }
    ]]>
</mx:Script>
<mx:TextInput text="{data}" id="textInput" initialize="on_initialize_textInput(event);" creationComplete="on_creationComplete_textInput(event);"/>
</mx:Canvas>

Abbreviated Output:

initialize:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer12.textInput, null initialize:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer24.textInput, null creationComplete:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer24.textInput, item 1 initialize:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer29.textInput, null creationComplete:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer29.textInput, item 2 creationComplete:event.target=ItemRenderers0.dg...SimpleItemRenderer12.textInput, item 1

3
I see three different objects being created. Are you sure the first item is duplicated?dirkgently
Can you provide the output of the traces?ForYourOwnGood
What would really be helpful is for you to drop a breakpoint in the initialize method and see the corresponding stacks for both runs. That might give some insight into how or why the init is happening twice.cliff.meyers
I did try putting a breakpoint in the initialize method, which didn't help me much since I'm yet unfamiliar with the internals of the rather large Flex framework. After stepping through well over a hundred lines of Adobe's code, I gave up.user56512
Have you logged this to Adobe's defect tracking system? I found one item there that might be the same as your issue: bugs.adobe.com/jira/browse/FLEXDMV-1988. You might want to add your clear STR to this. CheersRichard Haven

3 Answers

1
votes

Your itemRenderer isn't really implemented properly, and this might be the cause of your issues

The overridden set data method should set super.data = value. You do not need to implement your own _data property as the Flex Containers implement IDataRenderer and already have it. I think, without running your code, that you are running into a problem with the cache/recycling.

What I generally prefer to do is create a [Bindable] private myProperty:Object (usually a custom MyObjectVO that extends EventDispatcher). Then, in my set data method, I will set super.data = value followed by if(value!=null) myProperty=value.

This allows me to strongly type my actual data, leave the mechanisms intact in regards to the IDataRenderer interface implemented by the Canvas (or other container) and insures that the data is properly recycled.

Initialize ad creationComplete are poor evets in itemRenderers because they are actually recycled and these methods do not behave as one might expect or want them to.

I can't express how beneficial this series by Peter Ent on itemRenders was for me.

0
votes

Well, he is right, I have same bug, first itemRenderer is called twice, you can see my post in official forum here :

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/604259

and a bug is filled here:

https://bugs.adobe.com/jira/browse/SDK-26010