Adobe® Flex® 4 Language Reference
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mx.managers 
ISystemManager 
Packagemx.managers
Interfacepublic interface ISystemManager extends IEventDispatcher , IChildList , IFlexModuleFactory
Implementors SystemManager, WindowedSystemManager

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

An ISystemManager manages an "application window". Every application that runs on the desktop or in a browser has an area where the visuals of the application will be displayed. It may be a window in the operating system or an area within the browser. That is an "application window" and different from an instance of mx.core.Application, which is the main "top-level" window within an application.

Every application has an ISystemManager. The ISystemManager sends an event if the size of the application window changes (you cannot change it from within the application, but only through interaction with the operating system window or browser). It parents all displayable items within the application, such as the main mx.core.Application instance and all popups, tooltips, cursors, an so on. Any object parented by the ISystemManager is considered to be a "top-level" window, even tooltips and cursors.

The ISystemManager also switches focus between top-level windows if there are more than one IFocusManagerContainer displayed and users are interacting with components within the IFocusManagerContainers.

All keyboard and mouse activity that is not expressly trapped is seen by the ISystemManager, making it a good place to monitor activity should you need to do so.

If an application is loaded into another application, an ISystemManager will still be created, but will not manage an "application window", depending on security and domain rules. Instead, it will be the content of the Loader that loaded it and simply serve as the parent of the sub-application

The ISystemManager maintains multiple lists of children, one each for tooltips, cursors, popup windows. This is how it ensures that popup windows "float" above the main application windows and that tooltips "float" above that and cursors above that. If you examine the numChildren property or getChildAt() method on the ISystemManager you are accessing the main application window and any other windows that aren't popped up. To get the list of all windows, including popups, tooltips and cursors, use the rawChildren property.



Public Properties
 PropertyDefined By
  cursorChildren : IChildList
[read-only] An list of the custom cursors being parented by this ISystemManager.
ISystemManager
  document : Object
A reference to the document object.
ISystemManager
  focusPane : Sprite
A single Sprite shared among components used as an overlay for drawing focus.
ISystemManager
  isProxy : Boolean
[read-only] The LoaderInfo object that represents information about the application.
ISystemManager
  loaderInfo : LoaderInfo
[read-only] The LoaderInfo object that represents information about the application.
ISystemManager
 InheritednumChildren : int
[read-only] The number of children in this child list.
IChildList
  numModalWindows : int
The number of modal windows.
ISystemManager
  popUpChildren : IChildList
[read-only] An list of the topMost (popup) windows being parented by this ISystemManager.
ISystemManager
 InheritedpreloadedRSLs : Dictionary
[read-only] The RSLs loaded by this IFlexModuleFactory before the application starts.
IFlexModuleFactory
  rawChildren : IChildList
[read-only] A list of all children being parented by this ISystemManager.
ISystemManager
  screen : Rectangle
[read-only] The size and position of the application window.
ISystemManager
  stage : Stage
[read-only] The flash.display.Stage that represents the application window mapped to this SystemManager
ISystemManager
  toolTipChildren : IChildList
[read-only] A list of the tooltips being parented by this ISystemManager.
ISystemManager
  topLevelSystemManager : ISystemManager
[read-only] The ISystemManager responsible for the application window.
ISystemManager
Public Methods
 MethodDefined By
 Inherited
Adds a child DisplayObject after the end of this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
Adds a child DisplayObject to this child list at the index specified.
IChildList
 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
Calls the Security.allowDomain() method for the SWF associated with this IFlexModuleFactory plus all the SWFs assocatiated with RSLs preloaded by this IFlexModuleFactory.
IFlexModuleFactory
 Inherited
Calls the Security.allowInsecureDomain() method for the SWF associated with this IFlexModuleFactory plus all the SWFs assocatiated with RSLs preLoaded by this IFlexModuleFactory.
IFlexModuleFactory
 Inherited
callInContext(fn:Function, thisArg:Object, argArray:Array, returns:Boolean = true):*
A way to call a method in this IFlexModuleFactory's context
IFlexModuleFactory
 Inherited
Determines if a DisplayObject is in this child list, or is a descendant of an child in this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
create(... parameters):Object
A factory method that requests an instance of a definition known to the module.
IFlexModuleFactory
  
Deploy or remove mouse shields.
ISystemManager
 Inherited
Dispatches an event into the event flow.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
Gets the child DisplayObject at the specified index in this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
Gets the child DisplayObject with the specified name in this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
Gets the index of a specific child in this child list.
IChildList
  
Converts the given String to a Class or package-level Function.
ISystemManager
 Inherited
Get the implementation for an interface.
IFlexModuleFactory
 Inherited
Returns an array of DisplayObjects that lie under the specified point and are in this child list.
IChildList
  
Gets the system manager that is the root of all top level system managers in this SecurityDomain.
ISystemManager
  
Attempts to get the system manager that is the in the main application.
ISystemManager
  
Get the bounds of the loaded application that are visible to the user on the screen.
ISystemManager
 Inherited
Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
Returns a block of key/value pairs that hold static data known to the module.
IFlexModuleFactory
  
Attempt to notify the parent SWFLoader that the application's size may have changed.
ISystemManager
  
Returns true if the required font face is embedded in this application, or has been registered globally by using the Font.registerFont() method.
ISystemManager
  
Returns true if this ISystemManager is responsible for an application window, and false if this application has been loaded into another application.
ISystemManager
  
Tests if this system manager is the root of all top level system managers.
ISystemManager
 Inherited
Register an implementation for an interface.
IFlexModuleFactory
 Inherited
Removes the specified child DisplayObject from this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
Removes the child DisplayObject at the specified index from this child list.
IChildList
 Inherited
removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void
Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object.
IEventDispatcher
 Inherited
Changes the index of a particular child in this child list.
IChildList
 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

cursorChildren

property
cursorChildren:IChildList  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

An list of the custom cursors being parented by this ISystemManager.

An ISystemManager has various types of children, such as the Application, popups, top-most windows, tooltips, and custom cursors. You can access the custom cursors through the cursorChildren property.

The IChildList object has methods like getChildAt() and properties like numChildren. For example, cursorChildren.numChildren gives the number of custom cursors (which will be either 0 or 1) and, if a custom cursor exists, you can access it as cursorChildren.getChildAt(0).



Implementation
    public function get cursorChildren():IChildList

document

property 
document:Object

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A reference to the document object. A document object is an Object at the top of the hierarchy of a Flex application, MXML component, or AS component.



Implementation
    public function get document():Object
    public function set document(value:Object):void

focusPane

property 
focusPane:Sprite

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A single Sprite shared among components used as an overlay for drawing focus. You share it if you parent a focused component, not if you are IFocusManagerComponent.



Implementation
    public function get focusPane():Sprite
    public function set focusPane(value:Sprite):void

isProxy

property 
isProxy:Boolean  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The LoaderInfo object that represents information about the application.



Implementation
    public function get isProxy():Boolean

loaderInfo

property 
loaderInfo:LoaderInfo  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The LoaderInfo object that represents information about the application.



Implementation
    public function get loaderInfo():LoaderInfo

numModalWindows

property 
numModalWindows:int

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The number of modal windows.

Modal windows don't allow clicking in another windows which would normally activate the FocusManager in that window. The PopUpManager modifies this count as it creates and destroy modal windows.



Implementation
    public function get numModalWindows():int
    public function set numModalWindows(value:int):void

popUpChildren

property 
popUpChildren:IChildList  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

An list of the topMost (popup) windows being parented by this ISystemManager.

An ISystemManager has various types of children, such as the Application, popups, tooltips, and custom cursors. You can access the top-most windows through the popUpChildren property.

The IChildList object has methods like getChildAt() and properties like numChildren. For example, popUpChildren.numChildren gives the number of topmost windows and you can access them as popUpChildren.getChildAt(i).



Implementation
    public function get popUpChildren():IChildList

rawChildren

property 
rawChildren:IChildList  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A list of all children being parented by this ISystemManager.

An ISystemManager has various types of children, such as the Application, popups, tooltips, and custom cursors.

The IChildList object has methods like getChildAt() and properties like numChildren.



Implementation
    public function get rawChildren():IChildList

screen

property 
screen:Rectangle  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The size and position of the application window. The Rectangle object contains x, y, width, and height properties.



Implementation
    public function get screen():Rectangle

stage

property 
stage:Stage  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The flash.display.Stage that represents the application window mapped to this SystemManager



Implementation
    public function get stage():Stage

toolTipChildren

property 
toolTipChildren:IChildList  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

A list of the tooltips being parented by this ISystemManager.

An ISystemManager has various types of children, such as the Application, popups, topmost windows, tooltips, and custom cursors.

The IChildList object has methods like getChildAt() and properties like numChildren. For example, toolTipChildren.numChildren gives the number of tooltips (which will be either 0 or 1) and, if a tooltip exists, you can access it as toolTipChildren.getChildAt(0).



Implementation
    public function get toolTipChildren():IChildList

topLevelSystemManager

property 
topLevelSystemManager:ISystemManager  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The ISystemManager responsible for the application window. This will be the same ISystemManager unless this application has been loaded into another application.



Implementation
    public function get topLevelSystemManager():ISystemManager
Method Detail

deployMouseShields

()method
public function deployMouseShields(deploy:Boolean):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Deploy or remove mouse shields. Mouse shields block mouse input to untrusted applications. The reason you would want to block mouse input is because when you are dragging over an untrusted application you would normally not receive any mouse move events. The Flash Player does not send events across trusted/untrusted boundries due to security concerns. By covering the untrusted application with a mouse shield (assuming you are its parent) you can get mouse move message and the drag operation will work as expected.

Parameters

deploy:Booleantrue to deploy the mouse shields, false to remove the mouse shields.

getDefinitionByName

()method 
public function getDefinitionByName(name:String):Object

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Converts the given String to a Class or package-level Function. Calls the appropriate ApplicationDomain.getDefinition() method based on whether you are loaded into another application or not.

Parameters

name:String — Name of class, for example "mx.video.VideoManager".

Returns
Object — The Class represented by the name, or null.

getSandboxRoot

()method 
public function getSandboxRoot():DisplayObject

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Gets the system manager that is the root of all top level system managers in this SecurityDomain.

Returns
DisplayObject — the highest-level systemManager in the sandbox

getTopLevelRoot

()method 
public function getTopLevelRoot():DisplayObject

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Attempts to get the system manager that is the in the main application.

Returns
DisplayObject — The main application's systemManager if allowed by security restrictions or null if it is in a different SecurityDomain.

getVisibleApplicationRect

()method 
public function getVisibleApplicationRect(bounds:Rectangle = null):Rectangle

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Get the bounds of the loaded application that are visible to the user on the screen.

Parameters

bounds:Rectangle (default = null) — Optional. The starting bounds for the visible rect. The bounds are in global coordinates. If bounds is null the starting bounds is defined by the screen property of the system manager.

Returns
Rectangle — a Rectangle including the visible portion of the this object. The rectangle is in global coordinates.

invalidateParentSizeAndDisplayList

()method 
public function invalidateParentSizeAndDisplayList():void

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

Attempt to notify the parent SWFLoader that the application's size may have changed.

isFontFaceEmbedded

()method 
public function isFontFaceEmbedded(tf:flash.text:TextFormat):Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns true if the required font face is embedded in this application, or has been registered globally by using the Font.registerFont() method.

Parameters

tf:flash.text:TextFormat — The TextFormat class representing character formatting information.

Returns
Booleantrue if the required font face is embedded in this application, or has been registered globally by using the Font.registerFont() method.

isTopLevel

()method 
public function isTopLevel():Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Returns true if this ISystemManager is responsible for an application window, and false if this application has been loaded into another application.

Returns
Booleantrue if this ISystemManager is responsible for an application window.

isTopLevelRoot

()method 
public function isTopLevelRoot():Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Tests if this system manager is the root of all top level system managers.

Returns
Booleantrue if the SystemManager is the root of all SystemManagers on the display list, and false otherwise.