Comprehensive ColdFusion Training

Delivery Options

• Customized Onsite Training (5 days): Request a Proposal

Class Description

Class Overview

Class Goals

• Learn how ColdFusion works
• Learn the basics of ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML)
• Learn to pass variables from page to page in ColdFusion
• Learn to process form data in ColdFusion
• Learn to write reusable code
• Learn to to use Ajax in ColdFusion
• Learn to manipulate database data with ColdFusion
• Learn to manage sessions and cookies with ColdFusion
• Learn to send email with ColdFusion
• Learn to send email with ColdFusion
• Learn to send email with ColdFusion
• Learn sophisticated data management techniques
• Learn to build and use Custom Tags
• Learn to build and use ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
• Learn to handle errors properly
• Learn to work with ColdFusion and XML

Class Outline

1. Introduction to ColdFusion
   1. Static pages vs. Dynamic pages
   2. Server-side Web Technologies
   3. Database Alphabet Soup: ODBC/JDBC, DSNs and SQL
   4. Course Objectives and Prerequisites
   5. Introduction to Course Project
2. ColdFusion Basics
   1. Using CFML
      1. Code Editors - Dreamweaver vs. HomeSite+
   2. Dreamweaver Interface
      1. Arguments for use of Dreamweaver
      2. HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio Interface
      3. Arguments for use of HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio
      4. Tag Editing Dialog Boxes
      5. Embedded Tag Help
      6. Using ColdFusion Comments
   3. Creating Variables
      1. <cfset> and <cfoutput>
      2. Variable Scope/Prefixes
   4. Built-in ColdFusion Functions
      1. Insert Expression
      2. CF Function Reference (Dreamweaver specific)
      3. Demo: Built-in Functions
      4. Demo: Date / Time Functions
   5. Using <cfinclude> to reuse code
      1. Demo: Create Header and Footer with <cfinclude>
      2. Exercise 1: Build Dynamic Page Footer using Variables and Date Functions
3. Dynamic Data: Querying the Database
   1. Database Basics
      1. Introduction to SQL
      2. Select Statement
      3. Update Statement
      4. Insert Statement
      5. Delete Statement
      6. Data Source Name (DSN) / Remote Development Server (RDS)
      7. The DSN Used in This Class: movieList
   2. Course Project Database
   3. Querying the database with <cfquery>
      1. <cfdump> for Quick Output
      2. Exercise 2: Query the database
      3. Customizing Display with <cfoutput>
      4. Demo: Using <cfoutput>
   4. Building Dynamic Tables
      1. Shortcut: <cftable>
      2. Shortcut: Dynamic Table Tool (in Dreamweaver)
      3. Exercise 3: Display Resulting Records manually with <cfoutput>
4. Creating a Drill-down Interface
   1. Passing Variables between Pages
      1. "Two-page method"
      2. Demo: Pass Variables via Links
      3. Demo: List of Actors with links
   2. Receive Variables through the URL
      1. Using a WHERE clause in a SQL Statement
      2. Exercise 4: Drill-down for More Detail
5. Conditional Statements and Forms
   1. Conditional Statements
      1. <cfif>, <cfelseif> and <cfelse>
      2. Comparison Operators
      3. Operator
      4. Description
      5. Demo: Conditional Statements
      6. Using the isDefined() function
      7. Exercise 5: Conditional Statements - Data Validation
   2. HTML Form Review
      1. Demo: Pass Variable through a Form
      2. Exercise 6: Process Form Submission
   3. Self-Submitting Forms
      1. Using the <cfparam> tag to set a default value
      2. Fusebox: Perhaps the Ultimate Self-submitting Form
      3. Exercise 7: Self-submitting Form
   4. Dynamically Populating Select Lists
      1. HTML Review: <select> tags
      2. Demo: Dynamic Select List
      3. Introducing the <cfform> Tag
      4. Shortcut: <cfselect>
      5. Exercise 8: Create a Dynamic Select List
   5. CFForm
      1. Masks
      2. Automatic Form Validation
6. ColdFusion and Ajax
   1. Introduction to JavaScript and Ajax
   2. Ajax Controls
   3. Demo: Using <cfgrid> to page through records
      1. Exercise 9: Paging through Records with <cfgrid>
7. Search Interface
   1. Creating a Search Interface
      1. Demo: Using the LIKE clause
      2. Using % and _ in a LIKE Statement
      3. Demo: Building Dynamic SQL Statements
      4. Exercise 10: Create a Search Interface
8. Insert Records into the Database
   1. Inserting Records
      1. SQL Insert Statement
      2. Demo: Insert Record Step 1 - the Form
      3. Insert Record Step 2 - the Insert
      4. Shortcut: <cfinsert>
      5. Redirect Users with <cflocation>
      6. Important note about <cflocation>!
      7. Exercise 11: Insert a New Actor in the Database
   2. Automated Form Validation
      1. Client-side vs. Server-side validation: When does the validation code run?
      2. Exercise 12: Automatic Client-side (or Server-side) Form Validation
9. Edit (Update) Database Records
   1. Updating records
      1. SQL UPDATE Statement Review
      2. Demo: Update Record Page 1 - select the record to edit
      3. Passing the Primary Key
      4. Page 2 - View Current Data in a Form
      5. Page 3 - Perform the Update to the Database
      6. Shortcut: <cfupdate>
      7. Exercise 13: Edit a Record
   2. Deleting Records
      1. Note on Deleting records
      2. Review of the SQL Delete Statement
      3. "Deleting" without deleting
      4. No <cfdelete>!
10. Reusing Code
    1. Reusing code with <cfinclude> and <cflocation>
    2. Custom Tags
       1. Demo: custom tags
       2. Where to store Custom Tags
       3. Demo: Custom Tag with Parameters
       4. CALLER and ATTRIBUTE scopes
       5. Using <cfmodule>
       6. A Note about CFX tags
       7. Exercise 14: Calling a Custom Tag to Display a List of Years
    3. User Defined Functions (UDFs)
       1. Creating UDFs with the <cffunction> tag
    4. Using ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
       1. Creating Components
       2. Calling or Invoking Components
       3. Passing Arguments to Components
       4. The Component Code
       5. The main CFML page
       6. View a Component directly in the browser
       7. Exercise 15: UDFs
11. Using Session Variables for Password Protection
    1. Session Variables
       1. Creating Password Protected Pages
       2. Password-protect.cfm (the included page)
       3. demo-password-form.cfm
       4. Application.cfm
       5. Locking Session and Application variables with <cflock>
       6. Exercise 16: Password Protecting Pages (optional)
12. Tracking User Information with Cookies (optional)
    1. Demo: setting cookies
       1. Exercise 17: Cookies
13. Sending email with <cfmail> (optional)
    1. Using ColdFusion to Send Email
       1. <cfmail> Tag Syntax
       2. Demo: Sending an email
       3. Exercise 18: Sending Automated Emails
14. Managing Data
    1. Creating a User Administration Page
       1. Displaying Users
       2. Adding Users
       3. Editing and Deleting Users
       4. Controlling Access to the Page
    2. Allowing Users to Add and Edit Data
       1. Displaying Data
       2. Adding Data using Stored Procedures
       3. Editing and Deleting Data
    3. Conclusion
15. Custom Tags
    1. Calling Custom Tags
       1. thisTag Structure
    2. Storing Custom Tags
    3. Other Ways of Calling Custom Tags
       1. CFMODULE
       2. CFIMPORT
    4. Conclusion
16. ColdFusion Components
    1. CFC Basics
    2. Creating CFCs
    3. Storing CFCs
    4. Invoking CFCs
       1. Passing Argument Values
    5. Extending ColdFusion Components
    6. Application.cfc
       1. Application.cfc Methods
       2. Application.cfc Benefits
    7. Conclusion
17. Handling Errors
    1. Handling Exceptions
       1. Compiler Exceptions
       2. Runtime Exceptions
    2. cftry/cfcatch
       1. Exception Types
    3. Locking Code to Prevent Errors
       1. Race Conditions
       2. Named Locks
    4. Conclusion
18. ColdFusion and XML
    1. XML Functions
       1. Creating New XML Documents
       2. Searching XML Documents
       3. Validating XML Documents
    2. Processing RSS Feeds
       1. Processing RSS Feeds with XmlSearch()
       2. Processing RSS Feeds with XmlTransform()
    3. ColdFusion and WDDX
       1. <cfwddx>
       2. WDDX vs. Web Services
    4. Conclusion

Class Materials

All students receive a course manual or book and all the class examples.

Students in private onsite classes will also receive:

• Technical Reference Library

Class Prerequisites

Experience in the following areas is required:

• HTML

Experience in the following areas would be beneficial:

• SQL
• JavaScript
• CSS

Technical Requirements

Our computer technical requirements and setup process is easy, with support just a click away.

• Course technical requirements and setup instructions.