book

Inside ColdFusion™ MX

by John Cummings, Neil Ross, Robi Sen

August 2002

Intermediate to advanced

864 pages

16h 15m

English

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Dedication
Who This Book Is ForOverviewConventions
The HistoryColdFusion MX OverviewUnderstanding the New ColdFusionNew Technology BriefSummary
Installing and Configuring ColdFusionInstalling ColdFusion MX on WindowsInstalling ColdFusion MX on UNIX SystemsSummaryWorking with Dreamweaver MXDreamweaver MX WorkspaceCreating Sites in Dreamweaver MXConnecting to Datasources in Dreamweaver MXCreating Queries in Dreamweaver MXDisplaying Dynamic ContentDebugging in Dreamweaver MXColdFusion Components in Dreamweaver MXIntegration of ColdFusion StudioGetting to Know ColdFusion StudioThe Studio InterfaceUsing ColdFusion StudioTag Insight, Function Insight, and Tag CompletionExpression BuilderQuery BuilderUsing Code SnippetsCode SweepersRemote Development Services (RDS) and Development MappingsWorking with ProjectsUnderstanding ProjectsCreating a ProjectWorking with ProjectsDeploying a ProjectDebugging in ColdFusion StudioCustomizing ColdFusion StudioCustom QuickBarKeyboard ShortcutsSummarySummary
Application ArchitectureUnderstanding Tiered ArchitectureTwo-Tier ArchitecturesN-Tier ArchitecturesApplication LayersThe Presentation LayerThe UILayoutColorsScreen ResolutionFontsImagesClient-Side ScriptingBrowser CompatibilityThe Business LayerBusiness RulesBusiness Process LogicData Interface LayerData LayerSummaryResource PlanningEnvironment ConsiderationsOSsChoosing a DatabaseAssessing the Needs of Your ApplicationPlanning Ahead for ScalabilitySummaryDevelopment MethodologiesFuseboxCore FilesFusedocsFusebox BasicsFusebox ConventionsEncapsulationSummarizing FuseboxcfObjectsClassesMethodsSmartObjectsOther Established MethodologiesSwitch_boxBlackBoxDeveloping a Personal MethodologySummarySummary

Basic CFMLColdFusion Development ProcessTag SyntaxCommentsData TypesVariablesVariable ScopesExpressionsOperatorsFunctionsSummaryBringing Data to the BrowserOutputting ValuesLoopingLooping with CFLOOPIndex LoopConditional LoopQuery LoopList LoopCollection LoopEnding a LoopLooping with CFOUTPUTConditional Processing LogicIF StatementsSWITCH StatementsIIf Inline Conditional ProcessingSummaryInteracting with Database RecordsUnderstanding DatasourcesSelecting and Displaying DataInserting Records—CFINSERTUpdating Records—CFUPDATEDeleting RecordsSummary
CFINCLUDECustom TagsCFX Custom TagsUser-Defined Functions (UDFs)Using UDFsAdvanced UDF ConceptsUsage Considerations for UDFsSummary
Building Your First CFCCreating CFCsCFC InteractionUsing CFINVOKEInteracting with CFC Using FormsCFCs Using URLsUsing CFScript with CFCsUsing Component Using the Flash GatewayRetrieving CFC OutputSummaryAdvanced ColdFusion Component DevelopmentDealing with Exceptions in CFCsSecuring Your CFCsBuilding Role-Based Component Method SecurityColdFusion Component PackagesComponent InheritanceColdFusion Components and MetadataSummarySummary
Using CFDUMPQueriesCreating Query ObjectsOutputting Query ObjectsListsCreating a ListOutputting a ListList FunctionsCreating a List DynamicallyArraysCreating an ArrayAdding Elements to an ArrayOutputting an ArrayArray FunctionsStructuresCreating a StructureAdding Elements to a StructureOutputting a StructureStructure FunctionsSummary
Web StatelessnessLocking Shared Variable AccessUsing CFLOCKWhen to LockColdFusion Lock CheckingApplication FrameworkApplicationwide SettingsApplication.cfmOnRequestEnd.cfmCustom Error HandlingApplication SecurityEnabling Variable ScopesApplication VariablesCFAPPLICATION TagUsing Application VariablesSession VariablesUser SessionsUnderstanding Session VariablesEnabling Session VariablesUsing Session VariablesEnding a User SessionServer VariablesCookiesUnderstanding CookiesUsing CookiesClient VariablesUnderstanding Client VariablesEnabling Client VariablesStoring Client VariablesUsing Client VariablesSummary
Error TypesRuntime ErrorsCompiler ErrorsInput ErrorsMissing Template ErrorsTry/Catch/Throw RoutinesTry/CatchUsing CFTHROWCustom ErrorsUsing CFERRORSite-Wide Error HandlersSummary
Basic SyntaxMetacharactersPOSIX Character ClassesFinding StringsReplacing StringsSummary
Preparing Your EnvironmentCFMAILAttaching Files to Your MessagesCFPOP and Message ManagementSummary
CFFILEUploading Files to the ServerCFFTPCFDIRECTORYCFREGISTRYACTION="getAll"ACTION="get"ACTION="set"ACTION="delete"Summary
BenefitsCFScript SyntaxCommenting CodeConditional ProgrammingWorking with Data StructuresLoopingFor LoopFor-Inwhiledo-whilebreakcontinueswitchFunctionsOutputHandling ExceptionsCFScript Exception SyntaxSummary
Debugging and the ColdFusion AdministratorDebugging Settings PageDebugging IP Address RestrictionsCFTRACESummary
Considering Code MaintenanceComment, Comment, CommentUse CFSCRIPT for Long Variable Assignment BlocksScope All VariablesCoding for PerformanceLocking of Server, Application, and Session VariablesAssigning Values to Application Variables for Each Page RequestOveruse of CFOUTPUTAvoid Using SubqueriesUse CFPARAM to Set Default ValuesUse CFSWITCH Instead of Multiple CFIF StatementsTwo Function Calls to a Database to Retrieve the Unique ID of Inserted RecordsDo Not Overuse the # SymbolReplace() Function Instead of CFLOOPUse Function Calls Instead of Comparisons in CFIF StatementsReduce Whitespace with CFSETTING, CFSILENT, and CFPROCESSINGDIRECTIVERequest ScopeUse Functions to Resolve CriteriaSummary
Working the Web—the Power of CFHTTP and CFCONTENTCFHTTPUsing CFHTTP to GET InformationCreating a Query ObjectPosting DataUsing CFCONTENTSummaryCFOBJECT and COMA Little About COM and DCOMWorking with COM Objects and ColdFusionProperties and MethodsBest Practices When Using COM ObjectsSummaryFlash Remoting with ColdFusionFlash and ColdFusion TemplatesSummarySummary
Application SecurityUser AuthenticationApplication.cfmChecking for LoginLoginform.cfmAuthorizationLogging OutSummaryContent ManagementBuilding an Application for Content ManagementAccess to ContentCreating ContentEditing ContentContent WorkflowDefining WorkflowsMaking Use of Existing ComponentsSpectra Community Source (Brief Discussion)Competing ComponentsCommonSpot Content ServersoEditorCMS100SummaryE-CommerceBuilding a CatalogDetailsBuilding a Shopping CartAdd to Cart/Update CartCheckout and Payment ProcessingSummaryPersonalizationSimple Personalization with ColdFusionSummarySummary
Caching StrategiesAdministrative Caching OptionsTemplate Cache SizeTrusted CacheLimit Maximum Number of Cached QueriesSummary of Administrative Caching SettingsQuery CachingCFCACHEOther Caching MethodsSummary
XML 101MetadataWell-FormednessUnderstanding Document Type DefinitionsElement DeclarationCharacter Data ContentAny (or Mixed) ContentEmpty ContentElement ContentAttribute-List DeclarationWorking with XML SchemasDefining ElementsExpressing Cardinalities of ElementsNamespacesComparisonWrapping UpXML Syntax RulesCreating XMLUsing XML with ColdFusion MXSummary
How ColdFusion Parses XMLSAXDOMWorking with the XML Document ObjectAdding, Deleting, and Modifying XML ElementsAdding ElementsDeleting ElementsUsing XML-Related TechnologiesUsing XPathLocation PathsPath ExpressionsXPath AxesPredicatesXPath ExpressionsXSLT with ColdFusionUsing XPath Functions in XSLTcountnumberpositionsubstringsumWorking with WDDXValidating WDDX DataUsing JavaScript ObjectsConverting CFML Data to a JavaScript ObjectTransferring Data from the Browser to the ServerStoring Complex DataSummary
Web Service BasicsCommunicationDescription and DiscoveryFinding Web Services with UDDIInvoking a Web ServiceBuilding Web ServicesOther Web Service Options with ColdFusionSummary
A Bit of Background on J2EEColdFusion and JSPUsing Tag LibrariesMixing JSPs and ColdFusionWorking with Java Classes and Java BeansDealing with Java ExceptionsWorking with EJBsSummary
Relational DatabasesUnderstanding DatabasesKeysRelationshipsIndexesDatasourcesODBCJDBC DriversSummaryWorking with SQLUnderstanding SQLQueriesSELECTINSERTUPDATEDELETEThe WHERE ClauseSummaryStored ProceduresCFSTOREDPROCCFPROCPARAMCFPROCRESULTSummaryTransactionsCFTRANSACTIONBEGINCOMMITROLLBACKSummarySummary
Dynamic SQLQuery CachingQuery of Queries (CFSQL)Summary
Server SettingsSettingsSettings—Helpful HintsLimit Simultaneous RequestsTimeout Requests After x SecondsCachingCaching—Helpful HintsClient VariablesMemory VariablesMappingsMail ServerChartingJava and JVM SettingsArchives and DeploymentSettings SummaryData and ServicesData SourcesVerity CollectionsWeb ServicesDebugging and LoggingDebugging SettingsDebugging IP AddressesLogging SettingsLogging FilesScheduled TasksSystem ProbesCode AnalyzerExtensionsJava AppletsCFX TagsCustom Tag PathsCORBA ConnectorsSecurityCF Admin PasswordRDS PasswordSandbox SecurityStep 1—Add a New SandboxStep 2—Configuring Your New SandboxSummary
Measuring PerformanceHow to Test for PerformanceEnhancing ScalabilityLinear Scalability ExplainedLoad TestingInterpretation of Load Test DataFinding the Sweet SpotTesting MethodologyOther Performance ConsiderationsSummary
Using the Code Compatibility AnalyzerDeprecated or Changed CFML TagsDeprecated or Changed CFML FunctionsSummary
Design for ReusabilityValidating Data Received from the ClientUse Application.cfm to Make Your Code Faster and More PortableUsing Session Variables with CareProtect YourselfCodingTestingEstablishing Standard Prefixes in Your ColdFusion CodeServer-Side Redirections in CFMXGroup Totals and Details in One Database QueryStoring and Displaying Hierarchical DataSummary
CFABORTDescriptionAttributesCFAPPLETDescriptionAttributesCFAPPLICATIONDescriptionAttributesCFARGUMENTDescriptionAttributesCFASSOCIATEDescriptionAttributesCFAUTHENTICATE (Obsolete)DescriptionCFBREAKDescriptionCFCACHEDescriptionAttributesCFCASEDescriptionCFCATCHDescriptionCFCHART (New in MX)DescriptionAttributesCFCHARTDATADescription:Attributes:CFCHARTSERIESDescriptionAttributesCFCOLDescriptionAttributesCFCOLLECTIONDescriptionAttributesCFCOMPONENTDescriptionAttributesCFCONTENTDescriptionAttributesCFCOOKIEDescriptionAttributesCFDEFAULTCASEDescriptionCFDIRECTORYDescriptionAttributesCFDUMPDescriptionAttributesCFELSEDescriptionExampleCFELSEIFDescriptionExampleCFERRORDescriptionAttributesCFEXECUTEDescriptionAttributesCFEXITDescriptionAttributesCFFILEDescriptionAttributesCFFLUSHDescriptionAttributesCFFORMDescriptionAttributesCFFTPDescriptionAttributesCFFUNCTIONDescriptionAttributesCFGRAPHDescriptionCFGRIDDescriptionAttributesCFGRIDCOLUMNDescriptionAttributesCGGRIDROWDescriptionAttributesCGGRIDUPDATEDescriptionAttributesCFHEADERDescriptionAttributesCFHTMLHEADDescriptionAttributesCFHTTPDescriptionAttributesCFHTTPPARAMDescriptionAttributesCFIFDescriptionCFIMPORTDescriptionAttributesCFINCLUDEDescriptionAttributesCFINDEXDescriptionAttributescfinputDescriptionAttributescfinsertDescriptionAttributescfinvokeDescriptionAttributescfinvokeargumentDescriptionAttributescfldapDescriptionAttributescflocationDescriptionAttributescflockDescriptionAttributescflogDescriptionAttributesCFLOGIN (New in MX)DescriptionCFLOGINUSER (New in MX)DescriptionAttributescflogout (New in MX)DescriptioncfloopIndex LoopConditional LoopQuery LoopList/File LoopCOM Collection/Structure LoopDescriptionAttributescfmailDescriptionAttributesCFMAILPARAMDescriptionAttributescfmoduleDescriptionAttributesCFOBJECTDescriptionAttributescfobject type = "com"cfobject type = “component”cfobject type = “corba”cfobject type = “java”cfobject type = “webservice”CFOBJECTCACHEDescriptionAttributescfoutputDescriptionAttributescfparamDescriptionAttributescfpopDescriptionAttributescfprocessingdirectiveDescriptionAttributescfprocparamDescriptionAttributescfprocresultDescriptionAttributescfpropertyDescriptionAttributescfqueryDescriptionAttributescfqueryparamDescriptionAttributescfregistryaction = “getAll”action = “get”action = “set”action = “delete”DescriptionAttributescfreportDescriptionAttributescfrethrowDescriptioncfreturnDescriptionAttributesCFSAVECONTENTDescriptionAttributescfscheduleDescriptionAttributescfscriptDescriptioncfsearchDescriptionAttributesCFSELECTDescriptionAttributesCFSERVLETDescriptionCFSERVLETPARAMDescriptionCFSETDescriptionAttributesCFSETTINGDescriptionAttributesCFSILENTDescription:CFSLIDERDescriptionAttributesCFSTOREDPROCDescriptionAttributescfswitchDescriptionAttributescftableDescriptionAttributescftextinputDescriptionAttributescfthrowDescriptionAttributescftraceDescriptionAttributescftransactionDescriptionAttributescftreeDescriptionAttributescftreeitemDescriptionAttributescftryDescriptionAttributescfupdateDescriptionAttributescfwddxDescriptionAttributescfxmlDescriptionAttributes
AbsDescriptionExampleACosDescriptionExampleArrayAppendDescriptionExampleArrayAvgDescriptionExampleArrayClearDescriptionExampleArrayDeleteAtDescriptionExampleArrayInsertAtDescriptionExampleArrayIsEmptyDescriptionExampleArrayLenDescriptionExampleArrayMaxDescriptionExampleArrayMinDescriptionExampleArrayNewDescriptionExampleArrayPrependDescriptionExampleArrayResizeDescriptionExampleArraySetDescriptionExampleArraySortDescriptionExampleArraySumDescriptionExampleArraySwapDescriptionExampleArrayToListDescriptionExampleAscDescriptionExampleASinDescriptionExampleAtnDescriptionExampleBitAndDescriptionExampleBitMaskClearDescriptionExampleBitMaskReadDescriptionExampleBitMaskSetDescriptionExampleBitNotDescriptionExampleBitOrDescriptionExampleBitSHLNDescriptionExampleBitSHRNDescriptionExampleBitXorDescriptionExampleCeilingDescriptionExampleChrDescriptionExampleCjustifyDescriptionExampleCompareDescriptionExampleCompareNoCaseDescriptionExampleCosDescriptionExampleCreateDateDescriptionExampleCreateDateTimeDescriptionExampleCreateObjectDescriptionCOM ObjectsCORBA ObjectsJava Object FunctionsCreateODBCDateDescriptionExampleCreateODBCDateTimeDescriptionExampleCreateODBCTimeDescriptionExampleCreateTimeDescriptionExampleCreateTimeSpanDescriptionExampleCreateUUIDDescriptionExampleDateAddDescriptionExampleDateCompareDescriptionExampleDateConvertDescriptionExampleDateDiffDescriptionExampleDateFormatDescriptionExampleDatePartDescriptionExampleDayDescriptionExampleDayOfWeekDescriptionExampleDayOfWeekAsStringDescriptionExampleDayOfYearDescriptionExampleDaysInMonthDescriptionExampleDaysInYearDescriptionExampleDEDescriptionExampleDecimalFormatDescriptionExampleDecrementValueDescriptionExampleDecryptDescriptionExampleDeleteClientVariableDescriptionExampleDirectoryExistsDescriptionExampleDollarFormatDescriptionExampleDuplicateDescriptionExampleEncryptDescriptionExampleEvaluateDescriptionExampleExpDescriptionExampleExpandPathDescriptionExampleFileExistsDescriptionExampleFindDescriptionExampleFindNoCaseDescriptionExampleFindOneOfDescriptionExampleFirstDayOfMonthDescriptionExampleFixDescriptionExampleFormatBaseNDescriptionExampleGetAuthUserDescriptionExampleGetBaseTagDataDescriptionExampleGetBaseTagListDescriptionExampleGetBaseTemplatePathDescriptionExampleGetClientVariablesListDescriptionExampleGetCurrentTemplatePathDescriptionExampleGetDescriptor_htmlDescriptionGetDirectoryFromPathDescriptionExampleGetExceptionDescriptionExampleGetFileFromPathDescriptionExampleGetFunctionListDescriptionExampleGetHttpRequestDataDescriptionExampleGetHttpTimeStringDescriptionExampleGetK2ServerCollectionsDescriptionExampleGetK2ServerDocCountDescriptionExampleGetK2ServerDocCountLimitDescriptionExampleGetLocaleDescriptionExampleGetMetaDataDescriptionExampleGetMetricDataDescriptionModeGetPageContextDescriptionExampleGetProfileSectionsDescriptionExampleGetProfileStringDescriptionExampleGetServiceSettingsDescriptionExampleGetTempDirectoryDescriptionExampleGetTempFileDescriptionExampleGetTickCountDescriptionExampleGetTimeZoneInfoDescriptionExampleGetTokenDescriptionExampleHashDescriptionExampleHourDescriptionExampleHTMLCodeFormatDescriptionExampleHTMLEditFormatDescriptionExampleIIfDescriptionExampleIncrementValueDescriptionExampleInputBaseNDescriptionExampleInsertDescriptionExampleIntDescriptionExampleIsArrayDescriptionExampleIsBinaryDescriptionExampleIsBooleanDescriptionExampleIsCustomFunctionDescriptionExampleIsDateDescriptionExampleIsDebugModeDescriptionExampleIsDefinedDescriptionExampleIsK2ServerABrokerDescriptionExampleIsK2ServerDocCountExceededDescriptionExampleIsK2ServerOnlineDescriptionExampleIsLeapYearDescriptionExampleIsNumericDescriptionExampleIsNumericDateDescriptionExampleIsObjectDescriptionExampleIsQueryDescriptionExampleIsSimpleValueDescriptionExampleIsStructDescriptionExampleIsUserInRoleDescriptionExampleIsWDDXDescriptionExampleIsXmlDocIsXmlElementDescriptionIsXmlRootDescriptionJavaCastDescriptionExampleJSStringFormatDescriptionExampleLCaseDescriptionExampleLeftDescriptionExampleLenDescriptionExampleListAppendDescriptionExampleListChangeDelimsDescriptionExampleListContainsDescriptionExampleListContainsNoCaseDescriptionExampleListDeleteAtDescriptionExampleListFindDescriptionExampleListFindNoCaseDescriptionExampleListFirstDescriptionExampleListGetAtDescriptionExampleListInsertAtDescriptionExampleListLastDescriptionExampleListLenDescriptionExampleListPrependDescriptionExampleListQualifyDescriptionExampleListRestDescriptionExampleListSetAtDescriptionExampleListSortDescriptionExampleListToArrayDescriptionExampleListValueCountDescriptionExampleListValueCountNoCaseDescriptionExampleLJustifyDescriptionExampleLogDescriptionExampleLog10DescriptionExampleLSCurrencyFormatDescriptionExampleLSDateFormatDescriptionExampleLSEuroCurrencyFormatDescriptionExampleLSIsCurrencyDescriptionExampleLSIsDateDescriptionExampleLSIsNumericDescriptionExampleLSNumberFormatDescriptionExampleLSParseCurrencyDescriptionExampleLSParseDateTimeDescriptionExampleLSParseEuroCurrencyDescriptionExampleLSParseNumberDescriptionExampleLSTimeFormatDescriptionExampleLTrimDescriptionExampleMaxDescriptionExampleMidDescriptionExampleMinDescriptionExampleMinuteDescriptionExampleMonthDescriptionExampleMonthAsStringDescriptionExampleNowDescriptionExampleNumberFormatDescriptionExampleParagraphFormatDescriptionExampleParseDateTimeDescriptionExamplePiDescriptionExamplePreserveSingleQuotesDescriptionExampleQuarterDescriptionExampleQueryAddColumnDescriptionExampleQueryAddRowDescriptionExampleQueryNewDescriptionExampleQuerySetCellDescriptionExampleQuotedValueListDescriptionExampleRandDescriptionExampleRandomizeDescriptionExampleRandRangeDescriptionExampleREFindDescriptionExampleREFindNoCaseDescriptionExampleRemoveCharsDescriptionExampleRepeatStringDescriptionExampleReplaceDescriptionExampleReplaceListDescriptionExampleReplaceNoCaseDescriptionExampleREReplaceDescriptionExampleREReplaceNoCaseDescriptionExampleReverseDescriptionExampleRightDescriptionExampleRJustifyDescriptionExampleRoundDescriptionExampleRTrimDescriptionExampleSecondDescriptionExampleSetEncodingDescriptionExampleSetLocaleDescriptionExampleSetProfileStringDescriptionExampleSetVariableDescriptionSgnDescriptionExampleSinDescriptionExampleSpanExcludingDescriptionExampleSpanIncludingDescriptionExampleSqrDescriptionExampleStripCRDescriptionExampleStructAppendDescriptionExampleStructClearDescriptionExampleStructCopyDescriptionExampleStructCountDescriptionExampleStructDeleteDescriptionExampleStructFindDescriptionExampleStructFindKeyDescriptionExampleStructFindValueDescriptionExampleStructGetDescriptionExampleStructInsertDescriptionExampleStructIsEmptyDescriptionExampleStructKeyArrayDescriptionExampleStructKeyExistsDescriptionExampleStructKeyListDescriptionExampleStructNewDescriptionExampleStructSortDescriptionExampleStructUpdateDescriptionExampleTanDescriptionExampleTimeFormatDescriptionExampleToBase64DescriptionToBinaryDescriptionExampleToStringDescriptionExampleTrimDescriptionExampleUCaseDescriptionExampleURLDecodeDescriptionExampleURLEncodedFormatDescriptionExampleURLSessionFormatDescriptionExampleValDescriptionExampleValueListDescriptionExampleWeekDescriptionExampleWriteOutputDescriptionExampleXmlChildPosDescriptionExampleXmlElemNewDescriptionExampleXmlFormatDescriptionExampleXmlNewDescriptionExampleXmlParseDescriptionExampleXmlSearchDescriptionExampleXmlTransformDescriptionExampleYearDescriptionExampleYesNoFormatDescriptionExample

Content preview from Inside ColdFusion™ MX

Chapter 16. Further Extending Your Applications

This chapter covers three very important topics: the CFHTTP and CFCONTENT tags, CFOUTPUT and the component object model (COM), and Flash integration. You might wonder what these three topics have to do with one another. Well, they all relate to integrating and working with applications and technologies outside the ColdFusion MX Server. As you run into more real-world needs in your projects, you have to develop more complex and sophisticated web applications that must integrate and work with other technologies. The technology areas covered in this chapter are areas that you are going to need to address.