Core ColdFusion 11 Training (3 days)

ColdFusion is the wildly popular server-side language that allows non-programmers to quickly produce data-driven websites. Since the content is stored in a database, the pages are created dynamically. In addition to learning basic ColdFusion techniques, you will learn basic database concepts using Microsoft Access, including how to create Data Source Names (DSN), SQL statements and relational database basics.

We will use real-life examples to show you how to query the database using the <cfquery> tag and display your resulting records using <cfoutput>, <cftable>, <cfselect> and more. Additionally, we will create an administration section that will allow you and your staff to add, edit or delete records in the database.

No previous database or programming experience is required. Knowledge of HTML is all you will need! In class we will write our code from scratch using Dreamweaver, ColdFusion Builder, CFEclipse or your favorite text editor (If you are interested in using Dreamweaver's WYSIWYG functions to build dynamic pages, see the class entitled "Using Dreamweaver to Build Data-Driven Websites.")

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, attendees will be proficient with the basics of ColdFusion. They will be able to:

• Get data from a database and display it on the page
• Insert, Edit and Delete records from a database
• Pass data from one page and receive it on another using HTML Forms
• Create Dynamic Form Fields including Dynamic Select Lists
• Build a Search Interface
• Use Session Variables to provide Password Protection
• Call ColdFusion Components (CFCs) and Custom Tags

Audience

All Attendees should have some experience with HTML. They should be able to write HTML tables and forms from scratch, format text and insert images. Experience with CSS and databases is a plus, but is not required. SQL experience is helpful, but not required.

Course Outline (3 days)

Part 1: Introduction to ColdFusion

• Static pages vs. Dynamic pages
• Server-side Web Technologies
• Database Alphabet Soup: ODBC/JDBC, DSNs and SQL
• Course Objectives and Prerequisites
• Introduction to Course Project

Part 2: ColdFusion Basics

• Using CFML
  • Code Editors
  • Dreamweaver Interface
  • Tag Updaters / Extensions
  • Tag Editing Dialog Boxes
• Embedded Tag Help
• Using ColdFusion Comments
• Creating Variables
  • <cfset> and <cfoutput>
• Variable Scope/Prefixes
• Built-in ColdFusion Functions
  • CF Function Reference (Dreamweaver specific)
  • Online Reference (http://livedocs.adobe.com)
  • Tip: (http://cfquickdocs.com)
• Demo: Built-in Functions
• Demo: Date / Time Functions
• Using <cfinclude> to reuse code
  • Demo: Create Header and Footer with <cfinclude>
  • Exercise 1: Build Dynamic Page Footer using Variables and Date Functions

Part 3: Dynamic Data: Querying the Database

• Database Basics
  • Introduction to SQL
  • Select Statement
  • Update Statement
  • Insert Statement
  • Delete Statement
  • Data Source Name (DSN) / Remote Development Server (RDS)
  • The DSN Used in This Class: movieList
• Course Project Database
• Querying the database with <cfquery>
  • <cfdump> for Quick Output
  • Exercise 2: Query the database
• Customizing Display with <cfoutput>
• Demo: Using <cfoutput>
• Building Dynamic Tables
• Shortcut: <cftable>
• Shortcut: Dynamic Table Tool (in Dreamweaver)
• Exercise 3: Display Resulting Records manually with <cfoutput>

Part 4: Creating a Drill-down Interface

• Passing Variables between Pages
  • “Two-page method”
  • Demo: Pass Variables via Links
  • Demo: List of Actors with links
• Receive Variables through the URL
  • Using a WHERE clause in a SQL Statement
  • Protecting Against SQL Injection Attacks with <cfqueryparam>
  • Exercise 4: Drill-down for More Detail

Part 5: Conditional Statements and Forms

• Conditional Statements
  • <cfif>, <cfelseif> and <cfelse>
  • Comparison Operators
  • Operator
  • Description
  • Demo: Conditional Statements
  • Using the isDefined() function
  • Exercise 5: Conditional Statements – Data Validation
• HTML Form Review
  • Demo: Pass Variable through a Form
  • Exercise 6: Process Form Submission
• Self-Submitting Forms
  • Using the <cfparam> tag to set a default value
  • Quick Examination of a ColdFusion Framework (Methodology): Fusebox
  • Exercise 7: Self-submitting Form
• Dynamically Populating Select Lists
  • HTML Review: <select> tags
  • Demo: Dynamic Select List
  • Introducing the <cfform> Tag
  • Shortcut: <cfselect>
  • Exercise 8: Create a Dynamic Select List

Part 6: Quick Introduction to RSS and Ajax with <cfform>

• Reading an RSS Feed
• Demo: Consuming an RSS Feed
  
• Demo: Creating an RSS Feed
  
• Introducing the <cfform> Tag
  
• Building a Mask with <cfform>
  
• Automatically Build a Dynamic Select List with <cfselect>
• Demo: Creating an Auto Suggest Text Field with <cfform>

Part 7: Search Interface

• Creating a Search Interface
  • Demo: Using the LIKE clause
  • Using % and _ in a LIKE Statement
  • Demo: Building Dynamic SQL Statements
  • Exercise 9: Create a Search Interface

Part 8: Insert Records into the Database

• Inserting Records
  • SQL Insert Statement
  • Demo: Insert Record Step 1 – the Form
  • Insert Record Step 2 – the Insert
  • Shortcut: <cfinsert>
  • Redirect Users with <cflocation>
  • Exercise 10: Insert a New Actor in the Database
• Automated Form Validation
  • Client-side vs. Server-side validation: When does the validation code run?
  • Exercise 11: Automatic Client-side (or Server-side) Form Validation

Part 9: Edit (Update) Database Records

• Updating records
  • SQL UPDATE Statement Review
  • Demo: Update Record Page 1 – select the record to edit
  • Passing the Primary Key
  • Page 2 – View Current Data in a Form
  • Page 3 – Perform the Update to the Database
  • Shortcut: <cfupdate>
  • Exercise 12: Edit a Record
• Deleting Records
  • Note on Deleting records
  • Review of the SQL Delete Statement
  • “Deleting” without deleting
  • No <cfdelete>!

Part 10: Reusing Code

• Reusing code with <cfinclude> and <cflocation>
• Custom Tags
  • Demo: custom tags
  • Where to store Custom Tags
  • Demo: Custom Tag with Parameters
  • CALLER and ATTRIBUTE scopes
  • Using <cfmodule>
  • A Note about CFX tags
  • Exercise 13: Calling a Custom Tag to Display a List of Years
• User Defined Functions (UDFs) and ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
  • Creating UDFs with the <cffunction> tag
  • Using ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
• Creating Components
• Calling or Invoking Components
• Passing Arguments to Components
• The Component Code
• The main CFML page
• View a Component directly in the browser
• Exercise 14: UDFs

Part 11: Using Session Variables for Password Protection

• Session Variables
  • Using Application.cfc to Enable Session Management
  • Creating Password Protected Pages
  • Password-protect.cfm (the included page)
  • Application.cfm
  • Locking Session and Application variables with <cflock>
  • Exercise 15: Password Protecting Pages (optional)

Part 12: Tracking User Information with Cookies (optional)

• Using Cookies to Track Users
  • Demo: setting cookies
• Exercise 16: Cookies

Part 13: Sending email with <cfmail> (optional)

• Using ColdFusion to Send Email
  • <cfmail> Tag Syntax
  • Demo: Sending an email
  • Exercise 17: Sending Automated Emails

Appendicies

• Appendix A: Resources
• Appendix B: Set-up Notes
• Appendix C: Create a Dreamweaver “Site”
• Location of our course files
• Site Creation – Basic
• The Advanced Tab – Additional Categories:
• Site Files Panel
• “Create a Site” vs. “FTP or RDS Server Connection” 224
• Appendix D: Selecting Among ColdFusion Code Reuse Methods

See also:

Adobe ColdFusion Training Courses

• Core ColdFusion 9 Training (3 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion 9 Training: Components, Error Handling and Complex Objects (2 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion 9 Training: XML, External Data and File System (2 days)
• ColdFusion 9 and Reporting (2 days)
• ColdFusion 9 and Ajax (2 days)
• What's New in ColdFusion 9 (2 days)

• Core ColdFusion 8 (3 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion 8: Components, Error Handling and Complex Objects (2 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion 8: XML, External Data and File System (2 days)
• ColdFusion 8 and Reporting (2 days)
• ColdFusion 8 and Ajax (2 days)
• What's New in ColdFusion 8 (2 days)

• Introduction to ColdFusion MX 7 (3 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion MX 7 (4 days)

• Introduction to ColdFusion MX (2 days)
• Advanced ColdFusion MX (3 days)
• ColdFusion MX, Web Services and XML (2 days)
• FuseBox 4.1 Training (2 day)
• Building Data-driven Websites with Dreamweaver 8(using ColdFusion, PHP, ASP.NET or ASP) (2 days)
• Flash Remoting MX: Integrating Flash and ColdFusion (2 days)