ColdFusion Training - Beginning ColdFusion

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Course Number: 300
Duration: 3 days
view class outline

ColdFusion Training Overview

Learn to build data-driven Web applications using ColdFusion in this challenging and enjoyable ColdFusion training class! This course teaches attendees the core ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML) skills they need to successfully build database-driven Web sites with ColdFusion.

Location and Pricing

Most Accelebrate courses are taught on-site at our clients' locations worldwide for groups of 3 or more attendees and are customized to their specific needs. Please visit our client list to see organizations for whom we have recently delivered training. These courses can also be delivered as live, private online classes for groups that are geographically dispersed or wish to save on the instructor's or students' travel expenses. To receive a customized proposal and price quote private training at your site or online, please contact us.

In addition, some courses are available as live, online classes for individuals. To see a schedule of online courses, please visit http://www.accelebrate.com/online_training/adobe.htm.

Alternative ColdFusion Training Course

This ColdFusion training class focuses more on teaching attendees CFML coding practices and less on using Dreamweaver to automatically generate the ColdFusion code. If you are looking for a training class that is oriented to using Dreamweaver's "drag and drop" features to automatically generate code, please see the description for Building ColdFusion Web Sites with Dreamweaver training.

ColdFusion Training Prerequisites

All Beginning ColdFusion training students must be fluent in HTML, including text layout, image placement, hyperlinks, tables, and forms. Prior SQL and programming experience is helpful but not required.

Hands-on/Lecture Ratio

This class is 70% hands-on, 30% lecture, with the longest lecture segments lasting for 20 minutes.

ColdFusion Training Materials

All students receive a copy of Macromedia Press' ColdFusion Web Application Construction Kit, as well as copies of the instructor's presentation.

Software Needed on Each PC

Windows XP, Vista, or 7; or Mac OSX
ColdFusion 8, 9, or later - ColdFusion should be set up to run as a stand-alone server for purposes of the class
Adobe Dreamweaver 8, Dreamweaver CS3, Dreamweaver CS4, or later
Microsoft Access
Firefox 2.0 or later or Internet Explorer 6 or later
1GB RAM or higher

ColdFusion Training Objectives

To teach students the fundamentals of CFML and how to properly configure the ColdFusion Server
To show attendees the CFML skills they need to develop applications that process forms and select, insert, update, and delete records in databases
To give students the regular expression experience they need to validate user input
To teach attendees how to use the CFMAIL tag to generate confirmations and other messages

ColdFusion Training Outline

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

ColdFusion Basics

Using CFML
Code Editors - Dreamweaver vs. HomeSite+

Dreamweaver 8 Interface

Arguments for use of Dreamweaver
HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio Interface
Arguments for use of HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio
Tag Editing Dialog Boxes
Embedded Tag Help
Using ColdFusion Comments

Creating Variables

<cfset> and <cfoutput>
Variable Scope/Prefixes

Built-in ColdFusion Functions

Insert Expression (HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio specific)
CF Function Reference (Dreamweaver specific)
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

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>

Passing Variables between Pages to create a "Drill-down" interface

"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
Exercise 4: Drill-down for More Detail

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
Fusebox: Perhaps the Ultimate Self-submitting Form
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

CFForm

Masks
Automatic Form Validation

Introduction to JavaScript and Ajax

Ajax Controls
Demo: Using <cfgrid> to page through records
Exercise 9: Paging through Records with <cfgrid>

Creating a Search Interface

Demo: Using the LIKE clause
Using % and _ in a LIKE Statement
Demo: Building Dynamic SQL Statements
Exercise 10: Create a Search Interface

Inserting Records

SQL Insert Statement
Demo: Insert Record Step 1 - the Form
Insert Record Step 2 - the Insert
Shortcut: <cfinsert>
Redirect Users with <cflocation>
Important note about <cflocation>!
Exercise 11: Insert a New Actor in the Database

Automated Form Validation

Client-side vs. Server-side validation: When does the validation code run?
Exercise 12: Automatic Client-side (or Server-side) Form Validation

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 13: Edit a Record

Deleting Records

Note on Deleting records
Review of the SQL Delete Statement
"Deleting" without deleting
No <cfdelete>

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 14: Calling a Custom Tag to Display a List of Years

User Defined Functions (UDFs)

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 15: UDFs

Session Variables

Creating Password Protected Pages
Password-protect.cfm (the included page)
demo-password-form.cfm
Application.cfm
Locking Session and Application variables with <cflock>
Exercise 16: Password Protecting Pages (optional)

Demo: setting cookies

Note: When Using Cookies and ColdFusion 5.0
Exercise 17: Cookies

Using ColdFusion to Send Email

<cfmail> Tag Syntax
Demo: Sending an email
Exercise 18: Sending Automated Emails

Conclusion