How to Learn ColdFusion

Here are a few tips for how to go about learning ColdFusion

• Adobe Documentation (http://www.adobe.com/support/coldfusion/ then click on "Developer Documentation." This is a terrific resource. Look for two items in particular:
• Developing ColdFusion 9 Applications - this is basically a free text book It is 1317 pages long!! It explains how to do a heck of a lot - for free!
• ColdFusion 9 CFML Reference - This one is the dictionary. It is a listing of each tag and function. But, it doesn’t explain HOW to do anything.
• CFQuickDocs (http://www.adobe.com/support/coldfusion/)
• a quick interface for the reference mentioned above. It is a faster interface
• Safari Books online (http://my.safaribooksonline.com/) - this one is not free, but it lets you search through hundreds (maybe thousands) of books including some that have not been released yet (Rough Cuts - like Ben Forta's Web Application Construction Kit for CF9)
• ColdFusion Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/coldfusionmeetup/) - This is an online user group which records the meetings, so you can go back to older topics which you didn't need then, but do need now.
• Take a class - I also am a ColdFusion instructor, so I teach classes. Take a look at courses available online or in person.
• Online Blogs - It is amazing how many tutorials are available online. Learn to fine tune your search techniques and you can find a ton of help.
• Practice practice practice - actual need is the best teacher in a way. The more you just try things out, the more you learn!

Word Wrap in CFBuilder

Contrary to popular belief, CFBuilder DOES allow word-wrap. It is just a little buried in the menus.

Find it here:

* Open Window --> Preferences --> HTML --> Editors
* Click the Advanced Tab
* Check "Enable Word Wrap"
* Restart CF Builder.

Passing by Reference vs. Passing by Value in ColdFusion

I just received a great question from a former student regarding passing by reference vs. passing by value in ColdFusion.

I know in some languages you can choose whether you are passing by reference or by value. In CF, it is kind of tricky.

Basically, if you pass a simple value (regular variable or array) will be passing by value, but if you pass a complex object (cfc, struct, query, etc) you will be passing by reference.

I found this great blog posting from Ray Camden which explains it very well. Check it out!

Create CFCs entirely in - "generate script style code"

Maybe one of the coolest new features in CF9 is the ability to create entire CFC's using a <cfscript> style syntax. And, the CFBuilder will help you build the structure of the code when you check the box labeled "generate script style code."

Learn more from Budd Wright.

Here is an example of the basic structure:

component  displayname="jhjh" hint="Sample Utitility" output="false"
{
 property name="x" type="any";

 public any function getX()
 {
  return x;
 }

 public void function setX( required any x )
 {
  x = arguments.x;
 }

 public  function Hello World()
 {

 }

}

Getting Started with the CF Builder

Here is a quick demo on how to get started with the CF Builder.

Script Functions Implemented as CFCs

One of the big restrictions in using the tag was the inability to use any ColdFusion tags. That meant you could not query the database, send an email or use other powerful tags.

That changes in ColdFusion 9!

ColdFusion 9 allows the following tags to be exposed as CFCs.

ftp (cfftp)
http (cfhttp)
mail (cfmail)
pdf (cfpdf)
query (cfquery)
storedproc (cfstoredproc)

Check out this example in the documentation on how to create a query object by calling the query CFC.

ColdFusion Meetup online

If you have not yet found the online ColdFusion MeetUp, you will love it! They have experts discussing topics from beginner level to very advanced.

Sign up and check out the meeting archive.

Terrific Tutorial on ColdFusion 9

Dan Vega from the Cleveland CFUG has written a great tutorial called Three new user interface controls in ColdFusion 9.

Read it!

ColdFusion Builder released

Adobe's new IDE for ColdFusion has been released. I was at a Cleveland ColdFusion User Group (CFUG) meeting last year where Adobe's Product Manager for ColdFusion showed off many of the features and it looks tremendous. It has had two rounds in beta.

Read more about the new Adobe ColdFusion Builder.

PS - It includes a free copy of the Flash Builder Standard!