Introduction to ColdFusion Training

Introduction to ColdFusion Training (CFM101)

Course Length: 3 days
Delivery Methods: Available as private class only
Course Overview

This is an introductory ColdFusion class for Web designers who are brand new to ColdFusion. You will learn to process forms, manage sessions, write reusable code and create database-driven ColdFusion-based websites.

Course Benefits
  • 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
Course 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. Tag Updaters / Extensions
      3. 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
    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>
  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
Class Materials

Each student will receive a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all the class examples.

Class Prerequisites

Experience in the following is required for this ColdFusion class:

  • HTML

Experience in the following would be useful for this ColdFusion class:

  • SQL
  • JavaScript
  • CSS
Live Private Class
  • Private Class for your Team
  • Live training
  • Online or On-location
  • Customizable
  • Expert Instructors
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