ColdFusion 8 Developer Tutorial (Paperback)

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Product Description

In Detail

Adobe ColdFusion is an application server, renowned for rapid development of dynamic websites, with a straightforward language (CFML), powerful methods for packaging and reusing your code, and AJAX support that will get developers deep into powerful web applications quickly.

This book is the most intense guide to creating professional ColdFusion applications available. Packed with example code, and written in a friendly, easy-to-read style, this book is just want you need if you are serious about ColdFusion.

This book will give you clear, concise and, of course, practical guidance to take you from the basics of ColdFusion 8 to the skills that will make you a ColdFusion developer to be reckoned with.

ColdFusion expert John Farrar will teach you how about the basics of ColdFusion programming, application architecture, and object reuse, before showing you a range of topics including AJAX library integration, RESTful Web Services, PDF creation and manipulation, and dynamically generated presentation files that will make you the toast of your ColdFusion developer town.

This book digs deep with the basics, with real-world examples of the how and whys, to get more done faster with ColdFusion 8.

This book also covers the new features of ColdFusion 8 Update 1.

What you will learn from this book?

• The basics of ColdFusion
• Basic debugging and exception handling techniques, and conditional processing
• Making your ColdFusion Components (CFCs) come alive with methods, using object inheritance, connecting to a database through the internal methods of our object/CFCs
• Keeping your object/CFCs thread safe when multiple users are running the same code segments
• Managing multiple products through common forms for listing, editing, and adding data
• Passing information into a custom tag, different methods of storing and accessing tags and tag libraries
• Wrapping the ThickBox JavaScript gallery functions into a custom tag for simple functional reuse
• Wrapping a Google map library into our code with a custom tag for simplified interactive maps, and creating a multi-state form list wrapped in a custom tag
• Controlling site content based on current user permissions
• ColdFusion AJAX Layout features and ColdFusion widgets
• Enhancing the user interface with AJAX
• Searching with a database, features of Verity search solution, how to integrate a third-party search solution
• Managing files, emails, and images for a dynamic website
• Integrating Feed, REST, and SOAP web services for interacting with other sites
• Creating data-driven reports in ColdFusion with several styles and interactions
• Presenting dynamic contents on your site using CFPresentation

Approach

This book is a fast-paced tutorial to developing ColdFusion applications, with an emphasis on real-world skills. Packed with examples and careful explanations, the book leads you through all the topics relevant to today's ColdFusion developer.

Who this book is written for?

This book is for web developers working with ColdFusion 8.

If your goal is to get a good grounding in the basics of the language as quickly as possible and put a site together quickly, this book is ideal for you. If you want to learn more about professional programming of ColdFusion, this book is definitely for you.

No prior knowledge of ColdFusion is expected, but basic knowledge of general web and software development skills is assumed.

About the Author

John Farrar

John started working with computer programming around 1977. He has had the opportunity to work on projects used by Apple, Blue Cross, Brunswick Recreation, Casio, GVSU, Johnson Controls, Sprint, and many others. This history covers over 30 years of knowledge and experience in the industry.

He started doing web development over 10 years ago. In the early days of the Web ColdFusion stood out to him not just as a way to make web pages into web applications but as a maturing solid platform good for the developer, site owner, and end users. He started at version 4.5 and has been enjoying each version upgrade more and more.

John owns a company called SOSensible. His company does work for large companies but has a special focus on also making sure technology is approachable beyond the enterprise. They have developed a number of Open Source solutions including COOP. COOP is a mix of Custom Tags and CFCs that provides structure while keeping development simpler. It demonstrates his love for the things that make ColdFusion/CFML a delightful language to build websites.

He has spoken at national and regional conferences, online meetings, and area user group meetings. He is also an Adobe User Group manager. John knows that community is a viable and productive tool to build developers and the companies they serve. He has learned much from great resources in the community including bloggers, books, conferences, and resources to great in number to mention here. He blogs at sosensible.com for the community.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Packt Publishing (July 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847194125
• ISBN-13: 978-1847194121
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #560,817 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great starting place, December 5, 2008

By	Jacob Munson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John's book is a good place to start if you are new to ColdFusion. Personally I have been writing ColdFusion for years, so I was reading this book from a review perspective, but it seems like it would be great for beginners. He starts with the very basics, like creating and using variables, and works up to more advanced topics like Ajax. I did find a couple of editing errors, but nothing too serious.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Content in This Book, July 13, 2008

By	Will Tomlinson Web Development (Greensboro, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really enjoyed reading most of this book. I say most, because I haven't gotten through it all - there's a lot of content here!

I was surprised by the range of material covered in one book. The CFC's section is excellent, AJAX, and such.

It looks like John Farrar spent quite a bit of time developing his content, and he delivers it in an easy-to-read fashion.

Thanks for a great ColdFusion book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What is a good ColdFusion Book these days?, May 1, 2009

By	Pablo N. Varando "Pablo Varando" (Morrisdale, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You know, I read books on ColdFusion all the time (I fly a lot) to stay up to par with things, but mostly to get different perspectives on how people see and use ColdFusion in their own lives. We all have our own perspective and uses; and I like to see how others use it and/or teach it.. (the teach it part intrigues me, because I teach it too.. so i do my best to learn from others and see what works and what doesn't so I can do it better myself).

Recently, I got my hands on a copy of John Farrar's [ColdFusion 8 Developer Tutorial] and I have to say.. I think it's clearly written...it covers a broad range of subjects, but I think what I like the most is that it goes above and beyond most books. He clearly focuses on the readers and does everything possible to get you to get it... (if that makes sense).

I am not one to recommend books, I think tutorials and "demonstrations" work better when it comes to learning things, but I think that this book can teach people quite a bit and really get them to understand and master the coding logic that is needed to become a good developer.

If you have yet to read this book, I suggest you pick up a copy.. It's not only worth the cash.. but will also be a good reference later on.. Lots of Ajax in there too.. which I haven't seen in many other books (other than WACK... but that is another story!).

Overall, I would give this book a 4.5 (out of 5 stars) because it delivers a good range of topics, clear communication, and most importantly it helps with next steps!

Great Job John!
Keep them coming!