package com.lib
{
    import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
    import mx.controls.Alert;
    import mx.controls.ComboBox;
    import mx.events.FlexEvent;
    import mx.events.ListEvent;
    import mx.rpc.events.FaultEvent;
    import mx.rpc.events.ResultEvent;
    import mx.rpc.http.HTTPService;
    
    import mx.utils.ObjectUtil;
    
    public class DynComboBox extends ComboBox
    {
        private var savedSelectedIndex:int;
        public var selectionChanged:Boolean = false;
        
        // stuff to get the data
        public var type:String;
        public var selected:String;
        
        [Bindable]
        private var fDataLoader:HTTPService = new HTTPService();
        private var params:Object = new Object();
        
        public function DynComboBox()
        {
            super();
            this.enabled = false;
            
            this.addEventListener(ListEvent.CHANGE, onChange);
            this.addEventListener(FlexEvent.CREATION_COMPLETE, getData);
        }
        
        private function getData(e:FlexEvent):void
        {
            this.removeEventListener(FlexEvent.CREATION_COMPLETE, getData);
            
            savedSelectedIndex = this.selectedIndex;
            
            // This gets the form data from the DB, such as the
            // 50 states for instance
            fDataLoader.method = "POST";
            fDataLoader.url = "http://192.168.1.59/index.php/lib/formData";
            
            params.filter = type;
            fDataLoader.send(params);
            fDataLoader.addEventListener(ResultEvent.RESULT, fillComboBox);
            fDataLoader.addEventListener(FaultEvent.FAULT, fdlError);
        }
        
        private function fdlError(err:FaultEvent):void
        {
            Alert.show("Could not load form data");
        }
        
        public function fillComboBox(res:ResultEvent):void
        {
            // This works fine... takes the result and populates the ComboBox
            // with the data.
            var sts:ArrayCollection = res.result.root.formData as ArrayCollection;
            this.dataProvider = sts;
            this.enabled=true;
        }
        
        private function onChange(event:ListEvent):void
        {
            savedSelectedIndex = this.selectedIndex;
            
            // I have this commented, but it works. When you select an
            // item from the ComboBox it alerts the correct data.
            //Alert.show(this.dataProvider[selectedIndex].data.toString());
        }
        
        public function set setIndex(si:String):void
        {
            /**
             * Here's where I run into problems. When showing the
             * dataProvider I get an empty array.
             * */
            Alert.show(ObjectUtil.toString(this.dataProvider));
        }
        
        override public function set dataProvider(dp:Object):void
        {
            this.selectedIndex = savedSelectedIndex;
        }
    }
}

this.dataProvider = sts;

Alert.show(ObjectUtil.toString(this.dataProvider));

Alert.show(this.dataProvider.toString());

import mx.utils.ObjectUtil

package com.lib
{
    import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
    import mx.controls.Alert;
    import mx.controls.ComboBox;
    import mx.events.FlexEvent;
    import mx.rpc.events.FaultEvent;
    import mx.rpc.events.ResultEvent;
    import mx.rpc.http.HTTPService;
    
    public class DynComboBox extends ComboBox
    {
        public var type:String;
        public var selected:String;
        
        [Bindable]
        private var fDataLoader:HTTPService = new HTTPService();
        private var params:Object = new Object();
        
        public function DynComboBox()
        {
            super();
            this.enabled = false;
            
            this.addEventListener(FlexEvent.CREATION_COMPLETE, getData);
        }
        
        private function getData(e:FlexEvent):void
        {
            this.removeEventListener(FlexEvent.CREATION_COMPLETE, getData);
            
            // This url would be the path to the page that generates your data
            fDataLoader.url = parentApplication.config.serverLocation+"/lib/formData";
            fDataLoader.method = "POST";
            
            params.filter = type;
            fDataLoader.send(params);
            fDataLoader.addEventListener(ResultEvent.RESULT, fillComboBox);
            fDataLoader.addEventListener(FaultEvent.FAULT, fdlError);
        }
        
        private function fdlError(err:FaultEvent):void
        {
            Alert.show("Could not load form data");
        }
        
        private function fillComboBox(res:ResultEvent):void
        {
            var sts:ArrayCollection = res.result.root.formData as ArrayCollection;
            this.dataProvider = sts;
            
            this.enabled=true;
        }
        
        private function setIndex():void
        {
            if (this.dataProvider.length > 0)
            {
                for (var i:int; i<this.dataProvider.length; i++)
                {
                    if (this.dataProvider[i].data.toString() == selected)
                    {
                        this.selectedIndex = i;
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        
        override public function set dataProvider(dp:Object):void
        {
            super.dataProvider = dp;
            setIndex();
        }
    }
}