Macromedia ColdFusion MX Development (Paperback)

A book that teaches rather than references, and fills the marketplace gap for a beginning-level ColdFusion resource.

• Tutorial-based format with numerous case studies.
• Three-point visual approach: discussion/example code/screen capture.
• Multiple sample ColdFusion scripts and output are presented per topic.

Macromedia's ColdFusion is a popular choice for making dynamic Web pages coupled to easy-to-maintain databases. Using ColdFusion requires a fairly broad knowledge base, though the beginning CF developer need only have a background in HTML. From his teaching experience, the author has found that students learn best by seeing several sample CF scripts and the output those scripts produce. This approach helps students set up the associations between the scripted instructions and what those instructions actually do. The author offers lots of example code that is well-commented, is discussed thoroughly prior to its introduction, and is associated with a screen capture that shows the code's output. This three-point methodology links how-to discussions with actual CF output in a visual, comprehendible manner. In the case studies, readers learn to build a corporate intranet directory, a conference registration site, and an online store. The book covers all important concepts and tools in ColdFusion and provides the user with the requisite skills to become a proficient CF developer.

Eric Ladd holds faculty appointments with both George Washington University in Washington, DC, and EEI Communications in Alexandria, VA, where he teaches dynamic Web technologies such as JavaScript, ColdFusion, and Active Server Pages. He helped develop training materials for courses offered at the Sleiman Training Institute in Falls Church, VA. Ladd is Principal and Senior Developer at NetLink Resource Group, Inc. (NLRG), a Web development firm specializing in custom application development for Internet, intranet, and extranet systems. Ladd has co-authored six books for Que Publishing, and has made authoring and technical editing contributions to more than half a dozen other Que titles.

Table of Contents

1. The ColdFusion Development Environment.
2. Variables and Variable Scope.
3. Implementing Conditional Logic.
4. Interacting with Databases: Retrieving Data.
5. Interacting with Databases: Inserting, Updating, and Deleting.
6. Using ColdFusion Lists, Arrays, and Structures.
7. Implementing ColdFusion Loops.
8. Sending E-Mail with ColdFusion.
9. Troubleshooting Your ColdFusion Code.
10. Adding JavaScript to Your Forms.
11. Maintaining State Information.
12. Using the ColdFusion Application Framework.
13. Creating a Search Engine with Verity.
14. Case Study: Corporate Intranet Directory.
15. Case Study: Conference Registration Site.
16. Case Study: Online Store.
A. ColdFusion Markup Language Tag Reference.
B. ColdFusion Markup Language Functions.