     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     /**
+     *  Class-global flag set by Design View in Builder to always display 
+     *  bitmaps instead of native StageText components.
+     */
+    mx_internal static var alwaysShowProxyImage:Boolean = false;
+    
+    /**
      *  A reference to the ActiveWindowManager is necessary for detecting when a
      *  popup is displayed. If that popup obscures any StyleableStageText, the
      *  StageText within needs to be hidden so it doesn't draw on top of the

    private var textImage:Bitmap = null;
    private var showTextImage:Boolean = false;
    private var numEffectsRunning:int = 0;
    
    /**
     *  DesignView need to always display a bitmap instead of a StageText so it
     *  can draw its adornments and prevent users from interacting with the
     *  component.
     */
    private var _alwaysShowProxyImage:Boolean = false;
    
    /**
     *  Because StageText exists outside of the display hierarchy, its visiblity

            {
                // If alwaysShowProxyImage is set, don't dispose the image.
                // We shouldn't get here in this case; this is just a backstop.
                if (!alwaysShowProxyImage)
                    disposeProxyImage();
                
                // assignFocus doesn't bring up the soft keyboard. We need to
                // ask for it.
                requestSoftKeyboard();
                stageText.assignFocus();
            }
        }
