Getting Started with CFML in ColdFusion and Railo - Revision history

Jakeh: /* Further Reading */

2014-09-19T20:11:33Z

‎Further Reading

Jakeh: /* Accessing Databases with CFQuery */

2014-09-02T19:36:13Z

‎Accessing Databases with CFQuery

Jakeh: /* Accessing Databases with CFQuery */ (minor formatting update)..~~~~

2014-08-29T23:14:07Z

‎Accessing Databases with CFQuery: (minor formatting update)..~~~~

Jakeh: /* Setting Variables */

2014-08-29T23:13:03Z

‎Setting Variables

Jakeh: updated formatting..~~~~

2014-08-29T23:11:57Z

updated formatting..~~~~

Jakeh: adding basic CF tags wiki...will expand with more examples such as cfqueryparam .. ~~~~

2014-08-29T23:08:22Z

adding basic CF tags wiki...will expand with more examples such as cfqueryparam .. ~~~~

New page

CFML is the programming language used to create applications in ColdFusion and Railo, and it traditionally uses a tag-based syntax to perform tasks. Those who wish to avoid using tags also have the option of programming in the language's script-based alternative, CFScript. Below we'll cover some of the basics you'll need to master to build an application (Web site) using CFML.

==Setting Variables==
You can create/update variables using the cfset tag:
<cfset foo = "bar">

In CFScript you just type the variable name and assign it a value:
<cfscript>
foo = "bar";
</cfscript>
===Displaying Contents of Variables===
If you wish to display a variable on a page (send the variable's contents to the page-output stream), you can either use the CFOutput tag:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfset foo = "bar">
<cfoutput>#foo#</cfoutput>
</syntaxhighlight>

Or in CFScript you can make use of the WriteOutput() and Echo() functions:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfscript>
set foo = "bar";
set thud = "plug"

WriteOutput("The value of foo is " & #foo#);
Echo("The value of thud is " & #thud#);
</cfscript>
</syntaxhighlight>
==Conditional Statements==
The CFIf, CFElseIf, and CFElse tags allow you to create conditional statements for flow-control:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfparam name = "Role" type = "string" default = "Guest">

<cfif Role EQ "Author">
<cfset AllowedToPost = true >
<cfoutput>Welcome #UserName#! Feel free to add new content.</cfoutput>
<cfelseif Role EQ "Reader">
<cfset AllowedToPost = false>
<cfoutput>Hello #UserName#, glad you're back.
<cfelse>
<cfoutput>Please log in to read articles or author new posts.</cfoutput>
</cfif>
</syntaxhighlight>

In CFScript you would make use of the ''if'' and ''else'' keywords. Combine them as ''else if'' to form the equivalent of CFElseIf:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfscript>
param name = "Role" type = "string" default = "Guest";

if (Role EQ "Author")
{
AllowedToPost = true;
echo("Welcome " & #UserName# & "! Feel free to add new content.");
}
else if (Role EQ "Reader")
{
AllowedToPost = false;
echo("Hello " & #UserName# & "! Enjoy your reading.");
}
else
{
echo("Please log in to read articles or author new posts.);
}
</cfscript>
</syntaxhighlight>

''Note about CFParam:'' The CFParam tag checks that a variable is defined, validates the data if it is defined, and allows you to specify a default value if the variable is not defined. More info on the tag is available here:
*[https://wikidocs.adobe.com/wiki/display/coldfusionen/cfparam ColdFusion Documentation - CFParam]
*[http://railodocs.org/index.cfm/tag/cfparam Railo Documentation - CFParam]
==Loops==
With the CFLoop tag, you can create an index-based loop, a conditional loop, or a loop to itterate over queries, lists, and arrays. For example, this will create a basic loop that prints the numbers 1-10 on new lines:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfloop index = "i" from = "1" to = "10" step = "1">
<cfoutput>#i#<br></cfoutput>
</cfloop>
</syntaxhighlight>

In CFScript, just use the ''loop'' keyword, followed by the attributes, and contain the statement(s) to be executed within braces:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfscript>
loop index = "i" from = "1" to = "10" step = "1"
{
echo(#i# & "<br>");
}
</cfscript>
</syntaxhighlight>

''More CFLoop Examples:''
*[https://wikidocs.adobe.com/wiki/display/coldfusionen/cfloop ColdFusion Documenation - CFLoop]
*[http://railodocs.org/index.cfm/tag/cfloop Railo Documentation - CFLoop]
==Accessing Databases==
To interact with databases, first define a ColdFusion datasource (DSN) in your control panel or [[Application-Specific_Datasources|in your Application.cfc]] ''(Railo 4.1+ and CF 11+)''. Once you have a working datasource, you can use the CFQuery tag to run SQL queries against your database server:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
<cfquery name = "customers" datasource = "MyDSN">
SELECT firstname, lastname, phone
FROM contacts
WHERE customer IS TRUE;
</cfquery>
</syntaxhighlight>

In CFScript:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
customers = new Query(datasource = "MyDSN", sql = "SELECT firstname, lastname, phone FROM contacts WHERE customer IS TRUE;").execute().getResult();
</syntaxhighlight>

''CFQuery References:''
*[https://wikidocs.adobe.com/wiki/display/coldfusionen/cfquery ColdFusion Documentation - CFQuery]
*[http://railodocs.org/index.cfm/tag/cfquery Railo Documentation - CFQuery]
*[http://blog.dkferguson.com/index.cfm/2009/7/14/ColdFusion-9--CFScript-Examples--QUERY Dave Ferguson's Blog - CFScript Query Examples]

==Further Reading==
*[http://www.learncfinaweek.com/ Learn CF In A Week]
*[http://www.trycf.com/ Try ColdFusion]
*[https://wikidocs.adobe.com/wiki/display/coldfusionen/cfscript ColdFusion CFScript Documentation]
*[http://www.getrailo.org/index.cfm/whats-up/railo-40-beta-released/features/tags-in-cfscript/ Railo - Tags in CFScript]
*[http://www.petefreitag.com/cheatsheets/coldfusion/cfscript/ CFScript Cheat Sheet]

@@ Line 164: / Line 164: @@
 *[https://wikidocs.adobe.com/wiki/display/coldfusionen/cfscript ColdFusion CFScript Documentation]
 *[http://www.getrailo.org/index.cfm/whats-up/railo-40-beta-released/features/tags-in-cfscript/ Railo - Tags in CFScript]
 *[http://www.petefreitag.com/cheatsheets/coldfusion/cfscript/ CFScript Cheat Sheet]

@@ Line 106: / Line 106: @@
 <syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
 	<cfscript>
-		customers = new Query(datasource = "MyDSN", sql = "SELECT firstname, lastname, phone FROM contacts WHERE customer IS TRUE;").execute().getResult();
+		customers = new Query(datasource = "MyDSN", sql = "SELECT firstname, lastname, phone FROM contacts WHERE customer IS TRUE").execute().getResult();
 	</cfscript>
 </syntaxhighlight>
@@ Line 114: / Line 114: @@
 *[http://railodocs.org/index.cfm/tag/cfquery Railo Documentation - CFQuery]
 *[http://blog.dkferguson.com/index.cfm/2009/7/14/ColdFusion-9--CFScript-Examples--QUERY Dave Ferguson's Blog - CFScript Query Examples]
 ==Further Reading==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Setting Variables==
 You can create/update variables using the cfset tag:
-<cfset foo = "bar">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
 In ''CFScript'' you just type the variable name and assign it a value:
-<cfscript>
+<syntaxhighlight lang="cfm">
-	foo = "bar";
+	<cfscript>
-</cfscript>
+		foo = "bar";
 ===Displaying Contents of Variables===
 If you wish to display a variable on a page (send the variable's contents to the page-output stream), you can either use the ''CFOutput'' tag:
@@ Line 26: / Line 30: @@
 	</cfscript>
 </syntaxhighlight>
 ==Conditional Statements==
 The ''CFIf'', ''CFElseIf'', and ''CFElse'' tags allow you to create conditional statements for flow-control: