I create my first ever Flash document.
I am using XMLConnector, DataSet and a DataGrid to connect to a Web Service
and display a directory of users in a Data grid.
Now I am trying to expand my application but I am hitting a wall because I
cannot find any information on this, anywhere not even using google.
I want to add a text box so when the user starts entering letters it will
select the row with that starting letter(s).
Does anybody know how to do this?
thanks

Does anybody read these messages???

Try This:

Instead of using a text field, use a TextInput component and the following
actionscript:

If that does not work, you could use a "for loop" to pass through the values
in your data set when the input changes, it may take a while if you have alot
of names.

var listenerObject:Object = new Object();
listenerObject.change = function(eventObject:Object) {
dataSet.addSort("id", ["name","id"]);
if(dataSet.find([textInputInstance.text])){
ID = dataSet.getItemId();
dataGrid.focusedCell = {columnIndex:1, itemIndex:ID};
}
};
textInputInstance.addEventListener("change", listenerObject)

Thanks for the tip :D

I got it working but I noticed that ONLY when you type in the full value of
the search, it finds it.
for example
my grid has three columns (First Name, Last Name, Extension)
when I start typing something like... John
it does not find it until I type the full name, it does not do partial string
search.

I am working on this and hope to have a solution sometime in the future.

FYI: This is part of my code:
---------------------------

myDirReceiveXMLConnector.trigger();

var listenerObject:Object = new Object();
listenerObject.change = function (eventObject:Object) {
if (myDirDataSet.hasSort("FirstName")){
myDirDataSet.useSort("FirstName");
}else{
myDirDataSet.addSort("FirstName",["FirstName"]);
}
trace([txtInput.text] + ' ' + myDirDataSet.findFirst([txtInput.text]));
if (myDirDataSet.find([txtInput.text])) {
trace([txtInput.text]);
Extension = myDirDataSet.getItemId();
myDirDataGrid.focusedCell = {columnIndex:1, itemIndex:ID};
}
};
txtInput.addEventListener("change", listenerObject);

:P
This is for anybody that is looking for something like this:
.Datagrid
.txtInput
.Dataset
.XMLConnector
and some web service
in this example I am connecting to a user directory (XML)
.First Name
.Last Name
.Extension
(this is just an example and this is my first time doing this, I do not know
if this is the best way but it works!!!).
:beer; cheers!
--------------

import mx.controls.gridclasses.DataGridColumn;
myDirDataGrid.doLater(this,'updateCols');
myDirReceiveXMLConnector.trigger();

var listenerObject:Object = new Object();
listenerObject.change = function (eventObject:Object) {
if (myDirDataSet.hasSort("FirstName")){
myDirDataSet.useSort("FirstName");
}else{
myDirDataSet.addSort("FirstName",["FirstName"]);
}

var index:Number;
var strTmp:String;
var txtTmp:String;
try{
myDirDataSet.first();
while (myDirDataSet.hasNext()) {
strTmp = myDirDataSet.currentItem.FirstName.toString().toLowerCase();
txtTmp = [txtInput.text].toString().toLowerCase();
index = strTmp.indexOf(txtTmp);
if (index == 0)
break;
myDirDataSet.next();
}
}catch(myError:Error){
trace('error cauaght: ' + myError);
}

if (index == 0) {
Extension = myDirDataSet.getItemId();
myDirDataGrid.focusedCell = {columnIndex:1, itemIndex:ID};
index = myDirDataGrid.selectedIndex;
myDirDataGrid.vPosition = index;
}
};

function updateCols() {
var dgCol = myDirDataGrid.getColumnAt(0);
dgCol.headerText = 'First Name';
dgCol = myDirDataGrid.getColumnAt(1);
dgCol.headerText = 'Last Name';
}

txtInput.addEventListener("change", listenerObject);
txtInput.setFocus();