Macromedia flex builder-using flex builder User Manual

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Chapter 4:  Building a Flex User Interface Visually

Resizing Flex components

You can resize MXML containers and controls visually with your mouse. 

Note: When you resize a component with this method, Flex Builder sets absolute width and height 
values. The component will not grow to accommodate its children, nor will it change size when the 
user resizes the application.

To resize an MXML component with the mouse:

1.

Select the component by clicking it in the layout or on the tag selector at the bottom of the 
Document window.

2.

Click a handle on the component to resize it.

Holding the Shift key while resizing constrains the item to its current proportions.

If you have trouble grabbing a handle, click the Expanded button on the Document toolbar to 
add padding around the component.

3.

To rapidly clear the width or height properties of controls and containers, right-click the 
component and select Size to Content from the context menu. 

This command is useful if you want the container to resize automatically according to its 
contents.

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Cutting, copying, and pasting Flex components

You can cut, copy, and paste components in Design view.

To cut, copy, and paste components in Design view:

1.

Select one or more components on the page and cut or copy them using your preferred cutting 
or copying method (for example, Control+X or Control+C).

You can use the keyboard shortcuts, the Edit menu, or right-click and use the context menu.

You can select multiple components by Control-clicking them. You can also select one or more 
components by clicking outside the outermost container and dragging.

If you have trouble selecting a component, click the Expanded button on the Document 
toolbar to add padding around objects on your page. 

2.

Paste the components elsewhere on the page or in another page using your preferred pasting 
method (for example, Control+V).

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