Sams Teach Yourself ColdFusion in 21 Days quickly empowers you to create your own dynamic database-driven Web applications using Allaire's ColdFusion. Using client-proven methods, and the success of his popular ColdFusion tutorial for Wired, expert author Charles Mohnike provides you with an understanding of the ColdFusion Server and guides you through the use of the ColdFusion Studio, enabling you to create your own ColdFusion applications quickly and easily. Topics such as installing and configuring the ColdFusion Server, working with the ColdFusion Studio, working with SQL, optimizing your datasource, understanding templates and ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML), using ColdFusion tags, manipulating data, creating e-commerce solutions with ColdFusion, and debugging ColdFusion applications.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. WEEK 1. AT A GLANCE. 1. Introducing ColdFusion. What Is ColdFusion? Exploring a Sample ColdFusion Application. Why Should I Use ColdFusion? Database-Driven Sites. Ready for Business. Data Collection. Better Than CGI. Custom Applications. Dynamic Page Generation. Understanding Clients and Servers. How ColdFusion Works Within the Client/Server Relationship. Tag Processing. Database Connectivity. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 2. Anatomy of a ColdFusion Application. Connecting Your Database to the Web. Understanding Tables. The Fields. The Rows. The Key. Cross-Referencing Data. The Datasource and ODBC. Exploring the ColdFusion Template. The Query. HTML Markup. The Output. Exploring the Relationship Between Query and Output. Using URL Variables to Select Output. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 3. Setting Up ColdFusion and Defining a Datasource. Deciding What to Buy or Not to Buy. Questions to Ask a Potential ColdFusion Provider. ColdFusion Version. Number of Datasources Supported. Updating Datasources. Where to Put Your Database. Exploring ColdFusion Server Varieties. Professional Edition Compatibility. Enterprise Edition Compatibility. Installing ColdFusion Server on Windows Platforms. Installing ColdFusion Server on UNIX-Based Platforms. Verifying Server Setup. Understanding the ColdFusion Administrator. Server Options. Datasource Options and Setup. Datasource Name. ODBC Driver. Description. Database File. Verifying a Datasource. Logging Options. Automated Tasks. Extensions Options. Other Options. Starting and Stopping ColdFusion Service. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 4. Building a Database and Organizing Data. Database Software Supported by ColdFusion. ColdFusion as a Database-to-Web Gateway. ODBC. Creating a Data Map. Introducing Data Relationships. Designing the Database. Defining Fields. Data Types. The Importance of Keys. Creating Data Relationships. Table and Database Security. Table Permissions. Writing Data into a Database. The Input Form. Importing Data. Web Input. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 5. Finding the Data You Need: An Introduction to Queries and SQL. Examining the ColdFusion Query. Exploring the Basics of the SELECT Statement. Qualifying a SELECT Statement with Conditions. Relational Operators. Logical Operators. Using the IN and BETWEEN Operators. Using LIKE. Sorting and Evaluating Query Results. Ordering Output with ORDER BY. Checking For Duplicates with DISTINCT. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 6. Creating Your First Web Application. Defining a Sample Application. Examining the Database. Creating and Sharing Folders. Setting Up the Datasource. Constructing Your First Templates. The Query. The Header. The Output Section. The Footer Section. Viewing the Index Template. Basic Troubleshooting. Creating the Second Template Page. The Query. The Header and Output Sections. The Footer. Viewing the Details Template. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 7. Changing the Contents of a Database with ColdFusion. Defining a Sample Application. Introducing CFINSERT and CFUPDATE. Understanding Web Forms. Creating an Input Form to Insert Data. The Query. The Header. The Form. Testing the Template. Creating the Insert Page. The Insert. The Body and Footer. Creating the Edit Interface. Creating a Form to Edit Existing Data. The Query. The Header and Form Sections. Creating the Update Page. Troubleshooting Insert and Update Operations. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. WEEK 1. IN REVIEW. WEEK 2. AT A GLANCE. 8. Understanding ColdFusion Studio. Introducing ColdFusion Studio. Installing Studio. Studio Components. Editing Components. Resource Components. Accessing Remote Servers. Defining a Local or Remote Server. Viewing Files or Datasources in the Resources Area. Working with the Editor. Edit View. Browse View. Design View. Studios Helping Hand. Tag Tools. The Table Wizard. The Frame Wizard. The SQL Builder. Configuring Studio for Your Work. Studios Help and Reference Functions. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 9. Enhancing Your Applications with Variables and If-Then Statements. Defining a Sample Application. Introducing the CFIF Tag. The CFELSE Tag. Creating an Application with CFIF. The Password-Check Page. The Insert Page. The Query. Using Variable Scopes. The CFIF Statement. Defining Variables with CFSET. Creating the Counting Mechanism. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 10. Enhancing Output with Tables and Groups. Understanding CFTABLE. Creating Output Tables with CFTABLE. CFTABLE in Text Mode. CFTABLE in HTMLTABLE Mode. Creating Output Tables with HTMLs TABLE Tag. Grouping Data to Organize Output. Creating Output Using the GROUP Parameter. Making Long Pages Accessible with Index Links. Using SQLs DISTINCT to Create Dynamic Index Links. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 11. Enhancing Output withTables and Groups. Understanding CFFORM. Using CFFORM. The CFINPUT Tag. The CFTEXTINPUT Tag. The CFSELECT Tag. The CFSLIDER Tag. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 12. Using Advanced Form Techniques to Manage Input. Understanding SQL Updates, Inserts, and Deletes. Using SQLs INSERT Command. Using SQLs UPDATE Command. Using SQLs DELETE Command. Combining Multiple Form Actions. Understanding CFTREE and CFTREEITEM. Using CFTREE. Using CFTREEITEM. Understanding CFGRID. Using CFGRIDUPDATE. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 13. Using ColdFusion to Handle Email. Understanding the CFMAIL Tag. Using CFMAIL. Defining a Default Mail Server in ColdFusion Administrator. Using Queries to Autorespond and Create Content. Customizing Your Message with HTML Tags. Sending Attachments. Using Queries to Send Mail to a List. Getting Incoming Mail with CFPOP. Deleting Mail with CFPOP. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 14. Using ColdFusion Functions to Manipulate Data. Understanding Functions. General Function Rules. Function Input. Case-Insensitive Function Names. Delimiting Functions. Nesting Functions. Display and Formatting Functions. DateFormat(). DecimalFormat(). DollarFormat(). NumberFormat(). ParagraphFormat(). TimeFormat(). YesNoFormat(). Using String Functions. Find() and FindNoCase(). GetToken(). Insert(). LCase() and UCase(). Len(). LTrim() and RTrim(). RepeatString(). Replace(). Date and Time Functions. Defining Date/Time Objects. Working with Date/Time Objects. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. WEEK 2. IN REVIEW. WEEK 3. AT A GLANCE. 15. Using Lists, Structures, and Arrays to Package Data. Understanding ColdFusion Lists. Creating ColdFusion Lists. Populating a List with CFSET. Populating a List with CFSET and the ListAppend Function. Populating a List with a Query. Populating a List with Data Passed by a Form. Reading List Values with CFLOOP. Understanding ColdFusion Structures. Viewing the Contents of a Structure. Understanding ColdFusion Arrays. Defining and Populating Arrays. Reading Data from an Array. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 16. Using ColdFusion Client and Session Management. Understanding ColdFusions Web Application Framework. Using Application.cfm. Setting Values In Application.cfm. Understanding Statelessness. Understanding ColdFusions Client-State Management. Using Client-State Management. Reserved Client Variables. Checking and Listing Client Variables. Understanding Variable Scopes. Using Session Variables. Understanding Application Variables. Understanding Cookies. Setting Cookies. Reading Cookies. Removing Cookies. Secure Cookies. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 17. Finding Text with Verity. Understanding Verity. Defining Verity Collections with ColdFusion Administrator. Indexing a Collection with ColdFusion Administrator. Searching Verity Collections. The Search Form. The Results Page. Defining and Indexing Verity Collections with CFML Tags. Using CFCOLLECTION. Using CFINDEX. Integrating Databases into Verity Collections. Adding Query Data to an Index. Displaying Database Records as Search Results. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 18. Working with Files and Directories. Understanding How ColdFusion Works with Files. Using CFFILE to Accept Uploads. Assigning CFFILE Attributes Dynamically. Using CFFILE to Manage and Create Files. Copying, Renaming, and Deleting Files with CFFILE. The Copy ACTION. The Rename ACTION. The Delete ACTION. Viewing File Object Attributes. Reading and Writing with CFFILE. The Read ACTION. The Write and Append ACTIONs. Using CFDIRECTORY. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 19. Using Advanced SQL Techniques. Understanding Column Aliases. Understanding Aggregate Functions. Understanding Table Joins. Understanding SQL Subqueries. Understanding SQL Views. Creating Views. Accessing Views. Introducing Stored Procedures. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 20. Using ColdFusion for E-Commerce Applications. Considering Prewritten Commerce Applications. Planning an E-Commerce Site. Constructing an Administration Section. Constructing a Catalog. Creating a Display Page for Your Products. Constructing a Shopping Cart. Constructing Transaction Pages. Understanding E-Commerce Transaction Types. Secure Web Transactions. Email Ordering. Print-and-Fax Forms. Call-In Orders. Unsecure Web Transactions. Completing Your Store Application. checkout_process.cfm. checkout_complete.cfm. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. 21. Using ColdFusions Debugging Tools to Troubleshoot Your Code. Identifying the Source of Errors. Understanding Error Messages Generated by Your Web Server. Host Not Found. 404 File Not Found. URL Syntax Errors. ColdFusion Not Running. Understanding Error Messages Generated by ColdFusion. Mismatched Tags. Unrecognized Tag Attributes. Missing Pound Signs or Quotation Marks. Error Resolving Parameter. Understanding Error Messages Generated by Your ODBC Driver. Datasource Not Found. SQL Syntax or Logic Errors. Other SQL Errors. Understanding ColdFusions Debugging Tools. ColdFusion Administrators Debugging Features. Enabling Debug Information for Specific Templates. Restricting Debug Output to Certain Viewers. Using ColdFusion Studios Document Validator. Introducing ColdFusion Log Files. Summary. Q&A. Workshop. Quiz. Exercises. WEEK 3. IN REVIEW. Appendix A. Quiz Answers. Appendix B. ColdFusion Tags. Index.