Class overview :

Class goals :

Learn to get data from a database and display it on the page
Learn to insert, Edit and Delete records from a database
Learn to pass data from one page and receive it on another using HTML Forms
Learn to create Dynamic Form Fields including Dynamic Select Lists
Learn to build a Search Interface
Learn to use Session Variables to provide Password Protection
Learn to call ColdFusion Components (CFCs) and Custom Tags

Content of Training ColdFusion / Introduction

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
      2. Dreamweaver Interface
      3. Tag Updaters / Extensions
      4. Tag Editing Dialog Boxes
   2. Embedded Tag Help
   3. Using ColdFusion Comments
   4. Creating Variables
      1. <cfset> and <cfoutput>
   5. Variable Scope/Prefixes
   6. Built-in ColdFusion Functions
      1. CF Function Reference (Dreamweaver specific)
      2. Online Reference (http://livedocs.adobe.com)
      3. Tip: (http://cfquickdocs.com)
   7. Using <cfinclude> to reuse code
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
   4. Customizing Display with <cfoutput>
      1. Building Dynamic Tables
      2. Shortcut: <cftable>
      3. Shortcut: Dynamic Table Tool (in Dreamweaver)
4. Creating a Drill-down Interface
   1. Passing Variables between Pages
      1. « Two-page method »
   2. Receive Variables through the URL
      1. Using a WHERE clause in a SQL Statement
      2. Protecting Against SQL Injection Attacks with <cfqueryparam>
5. Conditional Statements and Forms
   1. Conditional Statements
      1. <cfif>, <cfelseif> and <cfelse>
      2. Comparison Operators
      3. Operator
      4. Description
      5. Using the isDefined() function
   2. HTML Form Review
   3. Self-Submitting Forms
      1. Using the <cfparam> tag to set a default value
      2. Quick Examination of a ColdFusion Framework (Methodology): Fusebox
   4. Dynamically Populating Select Lists
      1. HTML Review: <select> tags
      2. Introducing the <cfform> Tag
      3. Shortcut: <cfselect>
6. Quick Introduction to RSS and Ajax with <cfform>
   1. Reading an RSS Feed
   2. Introducing the <cfform> Tag
   3. Building a Mask with <cfform>
   4. Automatically Build a Dynamic Select List with <cfselect>
7. Search Interface
   1. Creating a Search Interface
      1. Using % and _ in a LIKE Statement
8. Insert Records into the Database
   1. Inserting Records
      1. SQL Insert Statement
      2. Insert Record Step 2 – the Insert
      3. Shortcut: <cfinsert>
      4. Redirect Users with <cflocation>
   2. Automated Form Validation
      1. Client-side vs. Server-side validation: When does the validation code run?
9. Edit (Update) Database Records
   1. Updating records
      1. SQL UPDATE Statement Review
      2. Passing the Primary Key
      3. Page 2 – View Current Data in a Form
      4. Page 3 – Perform the Update to the Database
      5. Shortcut: <cfupdate>
   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. Where to store Custom Tags
       2. CALLER and ATTRIBUTE scopes
       3. Using <cfmodule>
       4. A Note about CFX tags
    3. User Defined Functions (UDFs) and ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
       1. Creating UDFs with the <cffunction> tag
       2. Using ColdFusion Components (CFCs)
    4. Creating Components
       1. Calling or Invoking Components
       2. Passing Arguments to Components
       3. The Component Code
       4. The main CFML page
       5. View a Component directly in the browser
11. Using Session Variables for Password Protection
    1. Session Variables
       1. Using Application.cfc to Enable Session Management
       2. Creating Password Protected Pages
       3. Password-protect.cfm (the included page)
       4. Application.cfm
       5. Locking Session and Application variables with <cflock>
12. Tracking User Information with Cookies (optional)
    1. Using Cookies to Track Users
13. Sending email with <cfmail> (optional)
    1. Using ColdFusion to Send Email
       1. <cfmail> Tag Syntax