Flex mobile list with large overhead datasets

Question

I am having a problem where it is taking quite a long time to load a list with 100 entries. I am using a pregenerated arraycollection to pass to the data provider and a custom item renderer consists of nested containers. The moment I call this list.dataProvider = arraycollection; , it sort of freezes for about 4 seconds then only the list appears.

Is there a workaround to address this problem?

The following is my code:

[Edit]

    private function populateList():void
        {
            array = new Array();

            for (var i:int =0;i<100;i++)
            {
                array.push({
                    dateLabel:"LIVE",
                    timeLabel:"06:05",
                    homeTeamLabel:"Liverpool",
                    homeScoreLabel:"1",
                    awayScoreLabel:"0",
                    awayTeamLabel:"Chelsea",
                    homeTeamHandicapLabel:"Liverpool",
                    homeHandicapLabel:"2/5",
                    awayTeamHandicapLabel:"Chelsea",
                    awayHandicapLabel:"",
                    priceHomeHandicapLabel:"1.950",
                    priceAwayHandicapLabel:"1.950"
                });
            }

            trace("done loading");

            testarr = new ArrayCollection(array);

            liveList.dataProvider = testarr;
        }

This is my list component:

    <s:Scroller width="100%" height="100%" horizontalScrollPolicy="off">
    <s:VGroup id="lists" gap="0" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0">
        <s:List id="liveList" width="100%" itemRenderer="customItemRenderer" creationComplete="populateList()"
                contentBackgroundColor="0xf0f0f0" useVirtualLayout="true" depth="0" horizontalScrollPolicy="off" verticalScrollPolicy="off">
            <s:layout>
                <s:VerticalLayout gap="0" variableRowHeight="true" requestedMinRowCount="1" useVirtualLayout="true"/>
            </s:layout>

        </s:List>
    </s:VGroup>
</s:Scroller>

Answer 1

It turns out that the performance is compromised when I wrap the list with the Scroller and VGroup. When I remove both of them, the list loads just fine.