Programming coldfusion

ColdFusion is a powerful platform for creating and deploying dynamic web applications. Developers like ColdFusion because its simple, tag-based language makes it easy to handle simple tasks, like processing form data and querying databases. ColdFusion is easy to learn, yet powerful enough to deliver highly scalable, robust applications.

Programming ColdFusion covers everything you need to know to create effective web applications with ColdFusion and includes numerous examples that you can use for your own applications. The book starts with ColdFusion basics and quickly progresses to topics like sharing application data, accessing databases, and maintaining state information. It also provides chapters on advanced database techniques, working with the Verity search engine, and interacting with other data sources, including LDAP directories, email servers, and other web servers. Finally, the book explores more advanced topics, such as creating custom tags, sharing data with WDDX, and calling external objects.

Preface

1. Introducing ColdFusion
     What Is Allaire's ColdFusion?
     ColdFusion Architecture
     Getting Started with ColdFusion

2. ColdFusion Basics
     Getting Started
     Datatypes
     Variables
     Expressions
     Writing Output
     Conditional Processing
     Looping
     Including Other Templates

3. Passing Data Between Templates
     Passing Parameters via URL
     Passing Data Using Forms
     Dealing with Nonexistent Parameters

4. Database Basics
     Configuring Data Sources
     Introducing CFQUERY
     A Quick SQL Primer
     Retrieving and Displaying Data
     Sorting Query Results
     Grouping Output
     Looping Over a Query Result Set
     Formatting Techniques

5. Maintaining Database Records
     Inserting Records
     Updating Existing Records
     Deleting Records

6. Complex Datatypes
     Lists
     Arrays
     Structures
     Query Objects

7. Maintaining State
     Setting Up the Web Application Framework
     Using Persistent Variables
     Browser Redirection
     Portal Example

8. Security
     Security Basics
     Implementing Security from Scratch
     Using ColdFusion's Built-in Advanced Security Services

9. Error and Exception Handling
     Basic Exception Handling
     Custom Exception Handling
     Rethrowing Exceptions
     Error Handling Within the Web-Application Framework
     Server-wide Error Handling

10. Dynamic Form Controls
     Combining HTML and CFML Form Controls
     Data Validation
     Basic Input Controls
     Textual Input
     A Selection Control
     Sliders
     Grids
     Trees
     Custom Controls
     Form Controls in Version 5.0

11. Advanced Database Techniques
     Display Techniques
     Drill-Down Queries
     Query Caching
     Advanced SQL
     CFSQL
     Calling Stored Procedures
     Transaction Processing

12. Manipulating Files and Directories
     Working with Directories
     Dealing with Files
     Performing FTP Operations

13. Working With Email
     Sending Email
     Dealing with Undeliverable Email
     Retrieving Messages
     Building a Web-Based Email Client

14. Interacting with Other Web Servers Using HTTP
     Retrieving Information
     Parsing Data
     Generating Static HTML Pages
     Posting Information
     CFHTTP Considerations

15. Interfacing with LDAP-Enabled Directories
     LDAP Basics
     Querying an LDAP Directory
     Modifying LDAP Entries
     Modifying the Distinguished Name

16. Working with the Verity Search Interface
     Creating Collections
     Populating Collections
     Searching Collections
     The Verity Search Language
     Updating Collections
     Maintaining Collections
     Advanced Techniques

17. Regular Expressions in ColdFusion
     Regular-Expression Syntax
     Finding Strings
     Replacing Strings
     Back References
     Useful Regular Expressions
     Input Considerations
     Regular Expression Builder

18. Scripting
     Scripting Syntax
     Writing Output
     CFScript Statements
     User-Defined Functions

19. Creating Custom Tags
     Getting Started
     Calling Custom Tags
     Passing Data
     Returning Data
     Attribute Validation and Error Handling
     Advanced Techniques
     Protecting Your Tags
     CFX Tags

20. Sharing Data with WDDX
     WDDX Basics
     Serializing and Deserializing Data
     Storing WDDX Packets
     Server-to-Server WDDX
     Server-to-Browser WDDX Using JavaScript

21. Working with the System Registry
     Getting Registry Keys and Values
     Setting Registry Keys and Values
     Deleting Registry Keys and Values

22. Using the ColdFusion Scheduler
     Scheduling Tasks with the ColdFusion Administrator
     Scheduling Tasks with CFSCHEDULE
     Additional Considerations

23. Calling External Objects
     Connecting to External Objects
     Executing Programs
     Invoking Java Servlets

24. Graphing and Charting
     Creating a Simple Graph
     Graphing Query Results
     Drilling Down on Graph Data

A. Tag Reference

B. Function Reference

C. Example Database Tables

D. ColdFusion Resources

Index