ColdFusion Fundamentals Training
ColdFusion® is one of the easiest and most flexible languages used to create dynamic or database-driven web pages.
ColdFusion runs on all the major server operating systems: Windows Server, Linux, Mac, and variations of Unix.
In this ColdFusion training class we will show you the fundamental concepts of programming in ColdFusion. You will be introduced to a basic web server program, the ColdFusion administration pages, and ColdFusion Builder to create CF pages.
By the end of the class, you will be able to create a secure web site with the ability to insert, update and search a database. You will also be able to use ColdFusion Builder to set up a site and use ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML).
Introduction to ColdFusion
We start by discussing the differences and advantages of static and dynamic web pages. We will also define key features of ColdFusion and how it generates dynamic pages. Then we will introduce you to ColdFusion Builder, an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to create ColdFusion (CF) pages. After Completing this section, you should be able to:
- Explain the advantages of dynamic web pages
- Define key features and components of ColdFusion
- Describe basic and enterprise development configurations
- Test the development environment
- Set a local variable
- Display variables on a page
- Comment Code
Retrieving and Displaying Database Content
One of the most commonly used and most powerful features of ColdFusion is the ability to connect and manipulate data from a wide variety of databases. We will use MySQL to retrieve and display data in a web page. In addition, we will examine various CF built-in functions. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Create a data source
- Query database tables
- Test a query and view debugging information
- Display query data on a page
Adding Forms Using ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML)
Forms are a common mechanism for gathering information on the web. Forms can be used for many things, including product orders, user registration and search criteria for searches. In this section, we will teach you how to create forms. In addition, we will teach you how to process forms by use of conditional logic. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Create an HTML form
- View form data in debug data
- Post form values to the form page
- Perform conditional logic
- Detect the presence of Form variables
Creating Search Interfaces with ColdFusion
Using SQL we will teach you how to generate dynamic queries that can be used for building search interfaces. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Use form data in a dynamic query
- Preserve user input upon form submission
- Use multiple search criteria in a dynamic query
- Use text and list searches
Creating a Drill-Down Interface
A drill-down interface is commonly used on web pages because it organizes the site in a logical manner. The interface is referred to as drill-down interface due to the user drilling down the data, layer for layer until the desired data has been found. In this section, we will discuss URL parameters and use it to create a drill-down interface. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Use URL parameters to pass data from one page to another
- Use URL parameters to create a dynamic data drill-down page
Inserting New Data with ColdFusion
Most web sites collect user data, such as user registration and user preferences. In this section, we teach you how to collect this data from forms and ensure its validity. We then insert this data into a database. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Create an insert form
- Implement user input validation
- Create insert logic
- Redirect processing to another page
Updating Data with ColdFusion
Information stored in databases must frequently be updated. For instance, a user's registration information might have to change when a user moves to a new location. In this section, we show you how to retrieve and display pre-filled forms that can be used to update the database. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Build an update form
- Pre-fill form controls
- Update a database using the <cfquery> tag and the SQL UPDATE statement
ColdFusion Templates
Reusing code can save time, make global changes easier and make your site more secure. In this section, we teach you how to reuse code through custom tags, user-defined functions and ColdFusion components. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Call CFML custom tags from your application
- Call User-Defined Functions
- Call ColdFusion Components from your application
Securing an Application with ColdFusion
This section will cover how to prevent unauthorized access by securing part or all of your website through login pages and authentication. After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Secure access to your web pages
- Use the application framework
- Use Application.cfc methods
Prerequisites:
- Previous experience with databases and HTML.
- Basic experience with CSS and JavaScript recommended.