• Course length - 3 days

Fast Track to ColdFusion 8 is a 3-day course that provides experienced Web developers with the knowledge and hands-on practice they need to start building and maintaining dynamic and interactive Web applications using ColdFusion 8.

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Set up and manage the ColdFusion development environment
• Set up a Dreamweaver site
• Use ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML)
• Connect to a database
• Build queries to retrieve data from a database
• Display recordset data on web pages
• Create a search form
• Perform client-side and server-side validation
• Build a data drill-down interface
• Create insert, update and delete interfaces
• Incorporate custom tags, user defined functions, and ColdFusion components into your application
• Authenticate users and secure access to pages

To gain the most from the class, you should already have:

• A familiarity with Web terminology
• An understanding of Web server characteristics
• Experience with the HTML tag set and syntax
• Familiarity with the SQL command set, including SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE

• Unit 1: Introducing the Course
  • Meeting the Prerequisites
  • Understanding the Course Format
  • Reviewing the Course Outline
• Unit 2: Getting Started with ColdFusion
  • Understanding Dynamic Web Pages
  • Introducing ColdFusion
  • Exploring Dreamweaver CS3
  • Creating ColdFusion Variables
  • Displaying Variable Values
  • Including Files
  • Commenting Code
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 3: Publishing Database Content
  • Connecting to a Database
  • Querying a Database Table
  • Viewing Debug Data
  • Dumping a Recordset to a Browser
  • Displaying Database Data
  • Using the Dynamic Table Tool
  • Using the Resultset Structure Data
  • Introducing CurrentRow
  • Using ColdFusion Functions
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 4: Building Forms with ColdFusion
  • Understanding HTML Forms
  • Enabling Debug Output
  • Self-Posting Forms
  • Determining Form Submission
  • Evaluating Form Variables
  • Introducing ColdFusion Forms
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 5: Building Search Interfaces
  • Using Form Data in Dynamic Queries
  • Preserving Form Data
  • Creating Dynamic SQL for Multiple Search Criteria
  • Using Text Searches
  • Using List Searches
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 6: Building a Drill-Down Interface
  • Using Dynamic URL Parameters
  • Creating a Data Drill-Down
  • Creating on-the-fly PDF Documents
  • Displaying Data in a Tabbed Interface
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 7: Inserting New Data
  • Building an Insert Interface
  • Building an Insert Form Page
  • Validating ColdFusion Forms
  • Building Insert Action Logic
  • Redirecting Process Flow
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 8: Updating and Deleting Data
  • Updating Database Data
  • Building an Update Form Page
  • Building Update Logic
  • Deleting Records from the Database
  • Improving SQL Security
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 9: Reusing Templates
  • Reusing Code
  • Using Custom Tags
  • Using User-Defined Functions
  • Introducing ColdFusion Components
  • Implementing Best Practices
• Unit 10: Securing an Application
  • Addressing the Web's Statelessness
  • Using the Application Framework
  • Using Application Variables
  • Persisting State Variables
  • Working with Session Variables
  • Implementing Best Practices