ColdFusion Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Books for Professionals by Professionals) [Paperback]

Jen deHaan (Author), Peter deHaan (Author), Massimo Foti (Author), Curtis Hermann (Author), Simon Horwith (Author), Edoardo Zubler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2004 | Series: Books for Professionals by Professionals

ColdFusion Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 explores the exciting web development partnership between ColdFusion—a fantastically powerful but easy-to-learn server-side scripting language—and Dreamweaver, Macromedia's world-class visual web authoring tool. With Dreamweaver, you can set up your ColdFusion website, connect it to your database, put together all the code for the pages, and style themall with surprisingly little effort.

The book is full of practical examples. It begins by teaching the basics of the ColdFusion language and showing you how to use ColdFusion to perform tasks such as connecting to databases, decision making, reading XML, querying, and error handling. Further on, it delves into more advanced topics, such as ColdFusion extensions, custom functions, and Flash remoting (using Dreamweaver MX as the IDE). The book is supplemented by an extensive case study that shows you how to put together everything you've learned to build a fully operational, dynamic, real-world website. It also explores common web applications like blogs, review pages, and user registration/login forms.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A bio is not available for this author.

Curtis P. Hermann is a seasoned senior internet application developer with specialties in Flash and ColdFusion development. Curtis focuses on cutting-edge web technologies, is a certified Macromedia Flash MX developer, and an experienced Java and ColdFusion developer. Along with his dedication to software development, Curtis focuses on how quality assurance integrates into the software development process to ensure the best possible products. Curtis has established a leadership role in the Flash development community by authoring articles published through the ColdFusion Developer's Journal (http://www.sys-con.com/coldfusion). His articles cover topics such as Flash development guidelines, ActionScript 2.0, and Flash MX 2004/ColdFusion MX web services integegration. He owns and operates a web development consulting firm, iindwell, Inc. (http://www.iindwell.com), heads the Flash MX development and quality assurance department for WisdomTools.com (http://www.wisdomtools.com), and is the Internet outreach developer for Friends United Meeting (http://www.fum.org).

Simon Horwith, senior consultant at Fig Leaf Software in Washington, D.C., has been using ColdFusion since version 1.5. He is a Macromedia-certified advanced ColdFusion and Flash developer and is a Macromedia-certified instructor. In addition to administering the CFDJ-List listserv and presenting at D.C.-area CFUGs, Simon is a contributing author to several books on ColdFusion and writes a monthly column in ColdFusion Developer's Journal.

Edoardo Zubler is a multimedia developer who specializes in creating rich media applications for a wide range of devices and platforms. He has produced both front-end and back-end solutions for tablet PCs, set-top boxes, and handheld PDAs. During his career, he has been involved in pioneering projects such as the development and implementation of a content repurposing system based on Macromedia Generator for the first regular digital terrestrial (DVB-t) data broadcasting service in Europe. He has developed many Flash-based rich client applications for fixed and mobile devices. As a Team Macromedia volunteer, Edoardo has written several articles and developed a numerous extensions for many Macromedia products, including FlashBang! with Joseph Lowery. He also runs Aftershape.com, his personal website where he showcases his "digital oddities."

Massimo Foti began using Dreamweaver on the very day the first beta was available, and he has used Dreamweaver ever since. Massimo has been a prolific extension developer since the pioneering days of Dreamweaver 1. He is the creator of the site Massimo's Corner and winner of the Macromedia Best Extension Developer award in 2000 and Top New Extension award for Dreamweaver MX. He also cofounded http://www.dwteam.com. His extensions are featured on the Macromedia Exchange for Dreamweaver and have been featured in many books and magazines. A Team Macromedia member for Dreamweaver, he is both a certified Dreamweaver developer and a certified Advanced ColdFusion developer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Apress; 1 edition (April 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590592379
• ISBN-13: 978-1590592373
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,154,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Practical Book, July 22, 2004

By 

neihtn (Princeton, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ColdFusion Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Books for Professionals by Professionals) (Paperback)

This book starts out slowly if you already know ColdFusion, but then it jumps quickly into dynamic Web development using ColdFusion MX 6.1 in conjunction with Dreamweaver MX 2004. Most other Dreamweaver books usually try to do too much by also covering ASP, PHP, or JSP. Such books have failed where this one succeeds in giving the reader a comprehensive and well illustrated guide to one technology, rather than gloss over several at the same time. In addition to the bread and butter things you can or should do in ColdFusion for a Web site, the book devotes two whole chapters XML and Web Services, and the last chapter gives a case study of a complete ColdFusion-based Web site. Yet, despite having six authors, it comes in below 500 pages and does not look at all like those bloated volumes which try to explain everything under the information technology sun. If you are looking for a reference book covering all the details on ColdFusion or Dreamweaver, look elsewhere. If you want a book you can read and use in your day to day work, this is definitely it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for fast learners, August 4, 2004

By 

Lisa J Wilson (Rocklin, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ColdFusion Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Books for Professionals by Professionals) (Paperback)

The title of this book is a straight-forward description of the contents - a book designed to meet the needs of new ColdFusion developers who are learning CFMX 6.1 by using Dreamweaver MX (DMX) 2004.

Compared to the CFMX "bible" - Web Application Construction Kit, this book is lean, comfortable, and informal. The basics of working with databases, writing in ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML), using conditional logic, and form processing are covered in the first half of the book. The topics are covered briefly with simple examples. If you don't grasp the concepts and usages presented, you may need a second reference for more detailed information.

You'll definitely need a database-specific reference if you're not familiar with Structure Query Language (SQL) or your datasource is something other than MS Access. The authors' hints about writing queries and CFML code suggest best practices for making easy to read, reusable code. Queries are designed using the built-in DMX 2004 panels and tools. This gives a developer coming from the webmaster side of the internet assistance in composing SQL with filters and sorts, then allows you to view the generated SQL.

The authors list the most useful tags to know with simple, clear explanations of what they do. Practical examples are used to display both code and the resulting browser output. Be warned though, there are typos and odd phrasing in some spots.

More advanced chapters cover topics like maintaining state by storing information in persistent variables, exception handling for error management, and code reuse through User-Defined Functions (UDF), custom tags and CF components (CFC's). Topics are limited to a few pages each, so there is not a lot of in-depth coverage. A full chapter is devoted to working with XML and another to Flash MX 2004 and web services.

A nice feature of the book is the last chapter which pulls it all together into a web site featuring an image gallery, login administration and content management. Overall, it's a good book for a fast learner, although you may need more in-depth coverage as you grow in your development.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for starters, September 29, 2005

By 

Ajas Mohammed (Chattanooga, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ColdFusion Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 (Books for Professionals by Professionals) (Paperback)

This is a step by step guide if you want to get started with Coldfusion. I didnt have any experience in Coldfusion and this book gave me confidence that I would be able to learn it quickly. I have brought it for a month now and it looks good. I also brought ColdFusion 7 book by Ben Forta as another reference. I will start with Apress book first and then the Forta as I believe it will cover more topics and would be helpful if I knew the basics first. Good book, handy for starters in Coldfusion using Dreamweaver as their dev tool. Amazon service was good. Reached me in time. Would buy again from here for sure.