Adobe® Flex® 4 Language Reference
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mx.core 
IVisualElement 
Packagemx.core
Interfacepublic interface IVisualElement extends ILayoutElement , ILayoutDirectionElement , IEventDispatcher
Implementors GraphicElement, SpriteVisualElement, UIComponent, UIMovieClip

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

The IVisualElement interface defines the minimum properties and methods required for a visual element to be laid out and displayed in a Spark container.



Public Properties
 PropertyDefined By
  alpha : Number
Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified.
IVisualElement
 Inheritedbaseline : Object
The vertical distance in pixels from the anchor target to the control's baseline position.
ILayoutElement
 InheritedbaselinePosition : Number
[read-only] The y-coordinate of the baseline of the first line of text of the component.
ILayoutElement
 Inheritedbottom : Object
The vertical distance in pixels from the bottom edge of the component to the anchor target's bottom edge.
ILayoutElement
  depth : Number
Determines the order in which items inside of containers are rendered.
IVisualElement
  designLayer : DesignLayer
Specifies the optional DesignLayer instance associated with this visual element.
IVisualElement
 InheritedhasLayoutMatrix3D : Boolean
[read-only] Contians true if the element has 3D Matrix.
ILayoutElement
  height : Number
Indicates the height of the display object, in pixels.
IVisualElement
 InheritedhorizontalCenter : Object
The horizontal distance in pixels from the center of the component to the center of the anchor target's content area.
ILayoutElement
 InheritedincludeInLayout : Boolean
Specifies whether this component is included in the layout of the parent container.
ILayoutElement
  is3D : Boolean
[read-only] Contains true when the element is in 3D.
IVisualElement
 InheritedlayoutDirection : String
Specifies the desired layout direction for an element: one of LayoutDirection.LTR (left to right), LayoutDirection.RTL (right to left), or null (inherit).
ILayoutDirectionElement
 Inheritedleft : Object
The horizontal distance in pixels from the left edge of the component to the anchor target's left edge.
ILayoutElement
  owner : DisplayObjectContainer
The owner of this IVisualElement object.
IVisualElement
  parent : DisplayObjectContainer
[read-only] The parent container or component for this component.
IVisualElement
 InheritedpercentHeight : Number
Number that specifies the height of a component as a percentage of its parent's size.
ILayoutElement
 InheritedpercentWidth : Number
Number that specifies the width of a component as a percentage of its parent's size.
ILayoutElement
  postLayoutTransformOffsets : mx.geom:TransformOffsets
Defines a set of adjustments that can be applied to the object's transform in a way that is invisible to its parent's layout.
IVisualElement
 Inheritedright : Object
The horizontal distance in pixels from the right edge of the component to the anchor target's right edge.
ILayoutElement
 Inheritedtop : Object
The vertical distance in pixels from the top edge of the component to the anchor target's top edge.
ILayoutElement
 InheritedverticalCenter : Object
The vertical distance in pixels from the center of the component to the center of the anchor target's content area.
ILayoutElement
  visible : Boolean
Controls the visibility of this visual element.
IVisualElement
  width : Number
Indicates the width of the display object, in pixels.
IVisualElement
  x : Number
Indicates the x coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer.
IVisualElement
  y : Number
Indicates the y coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer.
IVisualElement
Public Methods
 MethodDefined By
 Inherited
addEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false, priority:int = 0, useWeakReference:Boolean = false):void
Registers an event listener object with an EventDispatcher object so that the listener receives notification of an event.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
Dispatches an event into the event flow.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
getBoundsXAtSize(width:Number, height:Number, postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the x coordinate of the element's bounds at the specified element size.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getBoundsYAtSize(width:Number, height:Number, postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the y coordinate of the element's bounds at the specified element size.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getLayoutBoundsHeight(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's layout height.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getLayoutBoundsWidth(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's layout width.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getLayoutBoundsX(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the x coordinate that the element uses to draw on screen.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getLayoutBoundsY(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the y coordinate that the element uses to draw on screen.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
Returns the transform matrix that is used to calculate the component's layout relative to its siblings.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
Returns the layout transform Matrix3D for this element.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getMaxBoundsHeight(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's maximum height.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getMaxBoundsWidth(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's maximum width.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getMinBoundsHeight(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's minimum height.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getMinBoundsWidth(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's minimum width.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getPreferredBoundsHeight(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's preferred height.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
getPreferredBoundsWidth(postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):Number
Returns the element's preferred width.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
An element must call this method when its layoutDirection changes or when its parent's layoutDirection changes.
ILayoutDirectionElement
 Inherited
removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void
Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
setLayoutBoundsPosition(x:Number, y:Number, postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):void
Sets the coordinates that the element uses to draw on screen.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
setLayoutBoundsSize(width:Number, height:Number, postLayoutTransform:Boolean = true):void
Sets the layout size of the element.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
setLayoutMatrix(value:Matrix, invalidateLayout:Boolean):void
Sets the transform Matrix that is used to calculate the component's layout size and position relative to its siblings.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
setLayoutMatrix3D(value:Matrix3D, invalidateLayout:Boolean):void
Sets the transform Matrix3D that is used to calculate the component's layout size and position relative to its siblings.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
transformAround(transformCenter:Vector3D, scale:Vector3D = null, rotation:Vector3D = null, translation:Vector3D = null, postLayoutScale:Vector3D = null, postLayoutRotation:Vector3D = null, postLayoutTranslation:Vector3D = null, invalidateLayout:Boolean = true):void
A utility method to update the rotation, scale, and translation of the transform while keeping a particular point, specified in the component's own coordinate space, fixed in the parent's coordinate space.
ILayoutElement
 Inherited
Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type.
IEventDispatcher
Property Detail

alpha

property
alpha:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified. Valid values are 0 (fully transparent) to 1 (fully opaque). The default value is 1. Display objects with alpha set to 0 are active, even though they are invisible.



Implementation
    public function get alpha():Number
    public function set alpha(value:Number):void

depth

property 
depth:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Determines the order in which items inside of containers are rendered. Spark containers order their items based on their depth property, with the lowest depth in the back, and the higher in the front. Items with the same depth value appear in the order they are added to the container.

The default value is 0.



Implementation
    public function get depth():Number
    public function set depth(value:Number):void

designLayer

property 
designLayer:DesignLayer

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Specifies the optional DesignLayer instance associated with this visual element.

When a DesignLayer is assigned, a visual element must consider the visibility and alpha of its parent layer when ultimately committing its own effective visibility or alpha to its backing DisplayObject (if applicable).

A visual element must listen for layerPropertyChange notifications from the associated layer parent. When the effectiveAlpha or effectiveVisibility of the layer changes, the element must then compute its own effective visibility (or alpha) and apply it accordingly.

This property should not be set within MXML directly.

The designLayer property is not used for z-order control, please see depth.

The default value is null.



Implementation
    public function get designLayer():DesignLayer
    public function set designLayer(value:DesignLayer):void

See also

height

property 
height:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Indicates the height of the display object, in pixels. The height is calculated based on the bounds of the content of the display object. When you set the height property, the scaleY property is adjusted accordingly, as shown in the following code:

    var rect:Shape = new Shape();
    rect.graphics.beginFill(0xFF0000);
    rect.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
    trace(rect.scaleY) // 1;
    rect.height = 200;
    trace(rect.scaleY) // 2;

Except for TextField and Video objects, a display object with no content (such as an empty sprite) has a height of 0, even if you try to set height to a different value.



Implementation
    public function get height():Number
    public function set height(value:Number):void

is3D

property 
is3D:Boolean  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Contains true when the element is in 3D. The element can be in 3D either because it has 3D transform properties or it has 3D post layout transform offsets or both.



Implementation
    public function get is3D():Boolean

See also

owner

property 
owner:DisplayObjectContainer

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

The owner of this IVisualElement object. By default, it is the parent of this IVisualElement object. However, if this IVisualElement object is a child component that is popped up by its parent, such as the drop-down list of a ComboBox control, the owner is the component that popped up this IVisualElement object.

This property is not managed by Flex, but by each component. Therefore, if you use the PopUpManger.createPopUp() or PopUpManger.addPopUp() method to pop up a child component, you should set the owner property of the child component to the component that popped it up.

The default value is the value of the parent property.



Implementation
    public function get owner():DisplayObjectContainer
    public function set owner(value:DisplayObjectContainer):void

parent

property 
parent:DisplayObjectContainer  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

The parent container or component for this component. Only visual elements should have a parent property. Non-visual items should use another property to reference the object to which they belong. By convention, non-visual objects use an owner property to reference the object to which they belong.



Implementation
    public function get parent():DisplayObjectContainer

postLayoutTransformOffsets

property 
postLayoutTransformOffsets:mx.geom:TransformOffsets

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Defines a set of adjustments that can be applied to the object's transform in a way that is invisible to its parent's layout.

For example, if you want a layout to adjust for an object that is rotated 90 degrees, set the object's rotation property. If you want the layout to not adjust for the object being rotated, set its postLayoutTransformOffsets.rotationZ property.



Implementation
    public function get postLayoutTransformOffsets():mx.geom:TransformOffsets
    public function set postLayoutTransformOffsets(value:mx.geom:TransformOffsets):void

visible

property 
visible:Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Controls the visibility of this visual element. If true, the object is visible.

If an object is not visible, but the includeInLayout property is set to true, then the object takes up space in the container, but is invisible.

If visible is set to true, the object may not necessarily be visible due to its size and whether container clipping is enabled.

Setting visible to false, prevents the component from getting focus.

The default value is true.



Implementation
    public function get visible():Boolean
    public function set visible(value:Boolean):void

See also

width

property 
width:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Indicates the width of the display object, in pixels. The width is calculated based on the bounds of the content of the display object. When you set the width property, the scaleX property is adjusted accordingly, as shown in the following code:

    var rect:Shape = new Shape();
    rect.graphics.beginFill(0xFF0000);
    rect.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, 100, 100);
    trace(rect.scaleX) // 1;
    rect.width = 200;
    trace(rect.scaleX) // 2;

Except for TextField and Video objects, a display object with no content (such as an empty sprite) has a width of 0, even if you try to set width to a different value.



Implementation
    public function get width():Number
    public function set width(value:Number):void

x

property 
x:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Indicates the x coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. If the object is inside a DisplayObjectContainer that has transformations, it is in the local coordinate system of the enclosing DisplayObjectContainer. Thus, for a DisplayObjectContainer rotated 90° counterclockwise, the DisplayObjectContainer's children inherit a coordinate system that is rotated 90° counterclockwise. The object's coordinates refer to the registration point position.



Implementation
    public function get x():Number
    public function set x(value:Number):void

y

property 
y:Number

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 4
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 10, AIR 1.5

Indicates the y coordinate of the DisplayObject instance relative to the local coordinates of the parent DisplayObjectContainer. If the object is inside a DisplayObjectContainer that has transformations, it is in the local coordinate system of the enclosing DisplayObjectContainer. Thus, for a DisplayObjectContainer rotated 90° counterclockwise, the DisplayObjectContainer's children inherit a coordinate system that is rotated 90° counterclockwise. The object's coordinates refer to the registration point position.



Implementation
    public function get y():Number
    public function set y(value:Number):void