The solution for this was actually quite simple.  I attached an event handler to the datagrid’s creationComplete event:


...
creationComplete="dgCreated(event);"
...

protected function dgCreated(event:FlexEvent):void {
dgEventListeners(event.target as DataGrid);
}

protected function dgEventListeners(dg:DataGrid):void {
dg.addEventListener(DataGridEvent.ITEM_EDIT_BEGINNING,setFieldToEdit);
dg.addEventListener(DataGridEvent.ITEM_EDITOR_CREATE,loadMetaDataCombo);
dg.addEventListener(DataGridEvent.ITEM_EDIT_END,onItemEditEnd);
dgLoad(dg);
}

protected function dgLoad(dg:DataGrid):void {
// code to load the actual datagrid with the appropriate data
}


There is some other code in there related to some inline editing code that I wrote, but my approach was essentially for the following to occur:

Given more time, I’ll likely convert the majority of the Flex to AS3 as I feel that the load process is much more transparent and easier to control, but for now, this is operating as intended.