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Fusion Authority The House of Fusion Technical Magazine |
Issue:
33 July 24, 2000 July 30, 2000 |
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- Community
- First Fusebox Conference Announced at CFUN-2k
- CFUN-2k a Rousing Success!
- Allaire Organizes Security Alert Page
- G.Triad Expert Joins Ben Forta as Co-Author of First Spectra Book
- Allaire Posts List of Certified CF Developers
- Coming Soon: Evaluation and Custom Functions in ColdFusion
- Coming Soon: CFUN-2k Conference Reports
- CFUN-2k a Rousing Success!
- News
- Allaire Corporation Licenses Sun's Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Java Edition (J2EE)
- Allaire Joins New Partnership Alliance at Netmorf
- Allaire Hailed as One of the Fastest-Growing Technology Companies in New England
- On24 Takes Audience Questions About Allaire
- DragonBall Z Site Redesign Uses ColdFusion, Macromedia Generator and DreamWeaver, and Flash
- NetRadio Uses Allaire Spectra to Offer Advanced Marketing Capabilities
- G.Triad New Content Cart Lets Users Shop for Info
- Java Developers Journal Interviews Jeremy Allaire
- New SpaceAgent Site Optimizer Dramatically Speeds Web Page Loading
- Allaire Joins New Partnership Alliance at Netmorf
- Tech and Tags
- What's new in the Tag Gallery
- Spectra 1.0.1 Hot Fixes
- ColdFusion Server 4.5.1 SP1 RC1 for Linux, Windows, Solaris
- ColdFusion Express URL
- Spectra 1.0.1 Hot Fixes
- Techniques
- Fusebox: An Overview (Part II)
- HomeSite Helps Bring Art to the Web
- New Allaire Spectra Engineering Methodology White Paper Released
- Test Your Knowledge
- HomeSite Helps Bring Art to the Web
- Security
- Allaire Security Bulletin (ASB00-20): Microsoft Has Patch Available for "Absent Directory Browser Argument" Vulnerability
- Allaire Security Bulletin (ASB00-21): O'Reilly Has Patch Available for Buffer Overrun in O'Reilly Website Pro 2.4 webfind.exe
- Allaire Security Bulletin (ASB00-22): O'Reilly Has Patch Available for Buffer Overrun in O'Reilly Website Pro 2.4 httpd32.exe
- Allaire Security Bulletin (ASB00-21): O'Reilly Has Patch Available for Buffer Overrun in O'Reilly Website Pro 2.4 webfind.exe
- Knowledge Base
- Clustering Multiple Web Servers Running JRun3.0 in the Distributed Mode
- How to Uninstall ClusterCATS
- Using the SmTest.exe Utility to Verify Advanced Security
- Integrating Multiple Users with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe via HomeSite or Studio 4.5.1
- Running ColdFusion with Crystal Reports 8.0
- Wind/U Error (248) On Solaris
- How to Uninstall ClusterCATS
- Stock
- NetCognizance Columns Predict Allaire Will Perform Well
- Weekly Numbers
- Weekly Numbers
Community
First Fusebox Conference Announced at CFUN-2k
At CFUN-2k this weekend, Steve Nelson of SecretAgents.com and Michael Smith of TeraTech, Inc., announced the first ever Fusebox conference, set for Saturday, September 16, 2000. The conference, sponsored by SecretAgents.com and TeraTech, will be a 9 to 5 FuseFest full of lectures and information about the methodology, and includes a free copy of the forthcoming Fusebox book. Speakers include: Hal Helms, Steve Nelson, Nat Papovich, Gabe Roffman, Fred T. Sanders, Cameron Childress and Michael Smith. Location: Charlottesville, VA, at the Best Western Cavalier Inn, 105 Emmet, Charlottesville, VA 22904-0201. Price of admission is $99, which includes lunch (but not hotel accomodations). For more information, you can visit the URL below. If you wish to advertise at or participate in the conference, contact Michael Smith or Steve Nelson.Fusebox Conference Information Page
A signup form will be forthcoming. In the meantime, you can sign up by email through fusefun@teratech.com or by calling TeraTech at 1-800-447-9120.
[Top]
CFUN-2k a Rousing Success!
Michael and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at this year's TeraTech conference, and I think the feeling was pretty widespread. Consider these responses, from the CF-Community list:"I attended the CFUN-2K this past weekend at NIH in Maryland, hosted by the Maryland CFUG. I just wanted to thank Michael Smith and TeraTech and everyone who was involved. It was AWESOME! All of the speakers were great and I got something from each presentation." Oriole
"First off, I'd like to say the CFUN-2K was a great experience. Thank you for putting on a great conference. I walked away from the conference with every intention of thoroughly revamping how we do our programming here." Larry Lyons
We'll soon be running some major CFUN-2k coverage, including an editorial on our impressions of the conference.
[Top]
Allaire Organizes Security Alert Page
Allaire has reorganized their security page to make it easier for developers to get access to the data they need. Rather than having each security report in the order it was recieved, they are now ordered by product vendor. This should enhance users ability to keep up with the latest techniques.Allaire Security Information Site
[Top]
G.Triad Expert Joins Ben Forta as Co-Author of First Spectra Book
East Hanover, NJ, July 31, 2000 - G.Triad, a division of Computer Horizons Corp., is proud of Jeff Tapper, Senior Application Architect, who has just written seven chapters for Ben Forta's upcoming Allaire Spectra guide book, "Allaire Spectra e-Business Construction Kit". The book provides complete coverage of Allaire Corporation's e-business development platform, written for both novice and expert, addressing the gamut from basic fundamentals to in-depth information about Spectra technology features. Each chapter provides best practices and real world scenarios.G-Triad Expert Co-Writes Spectra Book
[Top]
Allaire Posts List of Certified CF Developers
Allaire has posted an A-Z list of developers who have taken and passed the Allaire ColdFusion certification. If you don't see your name there, give it a few days. It seems the certification is moving rather fast.Allaire Certified Developers' List
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Coming Soon: Evaluation and Custom Functions in ColdFusion
Michael Dinowitz has recently announced that he has developed a way to make custom functions in ColdFusion. This article will examine how ColdFusion evaluates data as well as examiming the custom functions hack.[Top]
Coming Soon: CFUN-2k Conference Reports
Reports from people who were there at the conference, with a segment-by-segment summary of the event, and an editorial by ... guess who?[Top]
News
Allaire Corporation Licenses Sun's Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Java Edition (J2EE)
Newton, Mass. - July 24, 2000 - Allaire Corporation has announced a strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems, Inc. to license Sun's Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), currently incorporated into Allaire's new Java Application Server, JRun 3.0. JRun 3.0 is "a full, clean-room implementation of the J2EE specifications and a key component of the Allaire Business Platform."[Top]
Allaire Joins New Partnership Alliance at Netmorf
Boston - July 24, 2000 - NetMorf, Inc., a mobile commerce platform provider, has launched a new Global Partner Program to further expand the adoption and implementation of robust mobile commerce solutions. Allaire is among the leaders in e-services and technology providers that will offer counsel on mobile commerce strategy, design and execution channeled through wireless Web access.Allaire Joins NetMorf Alliance
[Top]
Allaire Hailed as One of the Fastest-Growing Technology Companies in New England
BOSTON--July 31, 2000--Deloitte & Touche and Hale and Dorr LLP, in association with Mass High Tech, have announced the 50 finalists in the 2000 New England Technology Fast 50 program and the 10 finalists in the program's new Rising Star category. Allaire has been named a finalist for the Rising Star category. The ranking of the finalists in both categories will be revealed at a gala celebration on September 13th.New England's Fastest-Growing Technology Companies Announced
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On24 Takes Audience Questions About Allaire
On Friday, July 28th, AskTheAnalyst@ON24.com with Kevin Barker, an audio column on ON24 Audio Investor Alert, held an audience-call-in session, moderated by emcee Kevin Barker, Editor and Publisher of the IT Investor, and ON24's David Speakman, fielding questions about Lucent Technologies Descartes Systems, Allaire Corp and Atmel Corp.On24 Audio Investor Alert, August 28
[Top]
DragonBall Z Site Redesign Uses ColdFusion, Macromedia Generator and DreamWeaver, and Flash
CARROLLTON, Texas--July 25, 2000--Aztec Systems and FUNimation Productions Inc. have redesigned the on-line game based on the red-hot TV and video product, Dragon Ball Z, to create higher levels of interactivity and animation. The new site allows FUNimation to showcase and centralize the characters and on-line communities of the top-rated series by creating dynamic content that is still easily administered. Aztec Systems accommodates upwards of 50,000 users generating 1 million hits per day by integrating features of Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Generator, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Microsoft SQL Server and Allaire ColdFusion.[Top]
NetRadio Uses Allaire Spectra to Offer Advanced Marketing Capabilities
NEW YORK--July 25, 2000-- NetRadio Corporation, a leading online distributor of originally programmed audio entertainment through its Web site www.netradio.com, opened its exhibit at Plug.In 2000, the annual music online music forum sponsored by Jupiter Communications with a spate of announcements. In addition to various key alliances and the launch of the newly updated NetRadio.com Player, the site will use Allaire Spectra to expand its ability to offer advanced marketing, such as coupons and gift certificates, and strategic initiatives focused on customer retention, dynamic content and advertising.[Top]
G.Triad New Content Cart Lets Users Shop for Info
East Hanover, NJ, July 24, 2000 – G. Triad's new website teaches by example. Their "show you what we mean" attitude gives new clients a clearer idea of the possibilities of eCommerce by literally showing them what the finished product may look like. They have developed a "Content Cart" which invites users to "shop" the site for information. (Of course, the information is free!)G. Triad Features Content Cart
[Top]
Java Developers Journal Interviews Jeremy Allaire
JDJ's Ait Sagar interviewed Allaire Corp. cofounder and CTO Jeremy Allaire for Sys-Con Radio. Interesting quote: "A lot has happened with Allaire in the last year. We've evolved from being a leading provider of tools and application servers to supplying a comprehensive Internet software platform covering core server infrastructure, packaged applications as well as development and productivity tools. If there is a uniform message for the Web community, it's that Allaire intends to be a dominant provider of Internet software platforms, enabling any organization to successfully build their business on the Web. We intend to provide top-to-bottom platform infrastructure, as well as a wide range of horizontal packaged applications necessary to running an Internet business."Java Developer's Journal Article
[Top]
New SpaceAgent Site Optimizer Dramatically Speeds Web Page Loading
CARLSBAD, CA, Jul 24, 2000 -- Insider Software has announced the availability of SpaceAgent, a Windows and Macintosh utility for webmasters and site designers helps web pages load faster. SpaceAgent optimizes graphic images and code written by web-page creation utilities, resulting in smaller pages that download faster, render more quickly, save precious bandwidth and reduce web server loads. SpaceAgent optimizes manually-created HMTL code as well as code written by web-page authoring utilities such as Allaire HomeSite, among others.Insider Software Web Site Announcement
InternetWire Report on SpaceAgent Release
[Top]
Tech and Tags
What's new in the Tag Gallery
- CF_Location v2.0.1
- The added features of this custom tag include support for session or client management (a shortcoming of the original tag), as well as the ability to append any variables passed to the tag as additional url query attributes. Also includes the option to control the block and equal characters, allowing for the directory style query strings.
- DynamicForm
- DynamicForm provides a quick simple way to create forms on your websites. After the form is submitted, the form is emailed and the user-defined thank you text is displayed. Also, any special query or other code can be run, since the form submits back to itself. This is an efficient and extremely useful tag. The user can set from 2 required parameters to 22 parameters, which provides a great amount of control over the look and behavior of the form. I recommend putting this tag in your custom tag directory on your server, making it available to all of your applications.
- cf_serverObjectCache v1.2
- Creates a persistent RAM-based cache for specified objects. Eliminates the need to continually query the database on dynamic pages. Controllable for cache timeouts and cache maximum size. Super nitrous-turbo-injection for your Spectra site! (requires CF 4.5.1)
- CF_EstimateComplexity
- Analyze your ColdFusion scripts. Identify problem areas for bugs, and for future maintenance. The basic idea is that you should keep functions, modules, templates broken up into chunks of an optimum complexity. (1-5: good, 6-10: fair, 11-15: poor, 16+: BAD) Obviously, you have to use your discretion. There are times when an extended SWITCH is the right way to go. Use the complexity figure as a warning.
- FinWin ChartMaker
- One or two Intraday charts of the Dow, Nasdaq or S & P - FinWin's chart server updates charts every 3 miutes, so you see the latest information. --Small basket of up to 25 symbols - The chart comes packaged with 2 to 25 symbols, user-defined. --Fully customizable - You determine the colors and sizes. --Secure graphics - Tired of people linking to your site for just a chart or image? FinWin charts feature a randomly changing src location.
- 123 XML
- The CF_123XML custom tag will generate a well formed XML (with DTD) document from any database query. Pass SQL query attributes and datasource name. This custom tag has a built-in DTD and uses Internet Explorer 5.0's built-in XML parser to display XML results.
- ChangeCase
- This simple page allows you to point to any given directory, specify a file type (non-binary), and have all subdirectories and files (recursive) change to uppercase, inlcuding file contents.
- FinWin Quote Basket
- Designed for sites that want more control over user portfolios and watchlists, or who have a regular list of symbols that need current price information. Quote Basket also enables a developer to more closely manage errors that occur due to loss or delay of server-to-server connectivity, without interupting service to the end-user. Maintain a basket of unique symbols in the FinWin database. Add or delete from your basket. Retrieve 13 fields of data for each symbol - 500 symbols at a time. Fields are "Name, Symbol, Last Trade Time, Last, Change, PE, Volume, High, Low, Prev, Twelve Month High, Twelve Month Low, and Market Capitalization". Allow FinWin to maintain your symbols in a database and rotate through them for you as you make simple requests (a maximum of 3000 unique symbols). or.. Pass a comma-separated list of symbols to the application and retrieve quotes "on the fly". quotebasket is a "smart" tag. It sets variables and builds structures to tell you enough about the success or failure of your call to the tag to make programming around it a breeze.
- CF_RPDateTime
- It returns a structure named Today with some Date & Time values. Place this tag in your ColdFusion server Custom Tags directory: c:\cfusion\CustomTags or leave it in the same directory of the calling template.
- CF_LogRemover
- A very basic tag for removing your old log files. To work properly, this needs to be scheduled in CFAdmin. New version coming soon that will be more customizable.
- Included Templates
- The Included Templates ContentObject type allows you to publish single-template CFML code into containers. This way you can create for example a feedback form as a single-template and publish it throughout your site using the Included_Templates ContentObject type.
- Included Template PLP
- This is the PLP for the Included Templates ContentObject Type. The file contains the PLP import file and the three files which need to be placed in the PLP directory under Include\Includes\.
- Category tree
- Infinity relation from categories using only one table.
- CF_Secure 1.0.3
- The best solution for login process and secure CFM templates. Managing everything just in one tag.
- CF_RPcounter
- Function: Hit counter for several pages within a domain.
- CF_MailTemplateErrors
- CF_MailTemplateErrors is a set of ColdFusion tags that will email any number of designated people any information that is present in the variable scopes supported by ColdFusion.
- Caddie CF Ver 1.2
- Shopping cart with categories, sub categories, and products. Sources not crypted, totally free. Zipped with msAccess database
- CfChat v4.6
- CfChat is a very stable, fast and flexible web chat application. It does not use databases and works in the ColdFusion memory.
- CF_MakeStatic
- This tag inserts an static object in a determined position, allowing to scroll the page without moving the object. This object may be a table, form, picture, menu or any other valid HTML object.
[Top]
Spectra 1.0.1 Hot Fixes
From time to time, Allaire offers a series of quick, downloadable code fixes to specific issues, called "hot fixes." These are interim solutions to issues that will be included in an upcoming maintenance release or patch. Spectra 1.0.1 hot fixes are now available.[Top]
ColdFusion Server 4.5.1 SP1 RC1 for Linux, Windows, Solaris
Here's the link for information on ColdFusion Server 4.5.1 SP1 RC1 for Linux, Windows and Solaris.[Top]
ColdFusion Express URL
Many beginners forget ColdFusion Express, the bare-bones version of ColdFusion provided free by Allaire. This is a great way for people wanted to get into ColdFusion to explore some of its capabilities and familiarize themselves with the language. Just go the URL below to download this product.ColdFusion Express Download Page
[Top]
Techniques
Fusebox: An Overview (Part II)
By Eron Cohen, in-sync.com and Michael Smith, TeraTech, Inc.The Logical Setup of A Fusebox application
In Part I of this article, you learned about physically setting up your Fusebox application, and how your code must be broken down into small modular pieces. Now, let's look at the coding logic of a Fusebox app.The logical architecture of a Fusebox app resembles a hub and spoke system, with all actions returning to the hub (the Fusebox). This sort of structure is also known as a circuit application.
Figure 1 Fusebox App Structure
A circuit application is usually a single directory of files and generally does a few related tasks such as search. The overall application is called the home application, which is made up of many circuit applications. This is where Fusebox gets its name. Just like an electrical Fusebox, it is set up as a group of circuits ("fuses") that are ready to send the user to whichever part of the application his or her next click requires. Each of these fuses has a name, called a fuseaction. Fuseactions are used to turn on the appropriate switches to cause the required action. So the Fuseaction is the key to the application—without a fuseaction, the application will only do the default fuseaction.
INDEX.CFM and the Fuseaction
The home application is ALWAYS engendered in a file called INDEX.CFM, which is placed in the root directory of your application. Every link on the website will always be to this file! When creating the user interface for the application, each URL link or form will be to INDEX.CFM and then contain the name of the fuseaction that will do the work necessary if it is activated. For a URL, the fuseaction will be contained in the query string, for instance: http://www.this.co.uk/INDEX.CFM?fuseaction=search. For a form, the usual method of placing the fuseaction is to call the INDEX.CFM file in the form’s action field, but then include a hidden form field with the fuseaction:
<FORM action="INDEX.CFM" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="fuseaction" value="search">
</FORM>
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Okay, so now you are probably wondering about the internal workings of the INDEX.CFM file. As mentioned earlier, it will use CFINCLUDEs to combine files together to create a working application. But how does ColdFusion use the fuseaction to know which files to combine? This is done using CFCASE/CFSWITCH.
The CFCASE/CFSWITCH tags perform a similar function to a CFIF statement with a bunch of CFELSEIFs. But, using CFSWITCH/CFCASE will run much faster than a similar series of CFIF/CFELSEIF. When there are many ELSEIF's, the logic is exactly the same.
For example, here is a logical statement using CFIF/CFELSEIF:
<CFIF my_variable is "DOG">
"Wooof"
<CFELSEIF my_variable is "CAT">
"Meeooow"
<CFELSEIF my_variable is "COW">
"Moooooo"
<CFELSE>
[[Silence]]
</CFIF>
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Using CFCASE/CFSWITCH, the same statement would be:
<CFSWITCH EXPRESSION="my_variable">
<CFCASE VALUE="DOG">
"Wooof"
</CFCASE>
<CFCASE VALUE="CAT">
"Meeooow"
</CFCASE>
<CFCASE VALUE="COW">
"Moooooo"
</CFCASE>
<CFDEFAULTCASE>
[[silence]]
</CFDEFAULTCASE>
</CFSWITCH>
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Since CFSWITCH/CFCASE is faster, it is the method used in the Fusebox architecture. INDEX.CFM will contain CFSWITCH/CFCASE to determine what the user wants to do. Think of the INDEX.CFM as basically one big switch statement and each CFCASE contains the information on what to do for a particular fuseaction. Therefore, the EXPRESSION= parameter of the CFSWITCH will be equal to your Fuseaction variable. An example: fuseaction=search might run a search and then display the results. In this case, the opening CFSWITCH statement should assign #FUSEACTION# to be the variable to be used, as in:
<CFSWITCH EXPRESSION="#FUSEACTION#"> |
This means that basically, a fuseaction is the equivalent of a single CFCASE statement in your INDEX.CFM. Have a look at this code:
<CFSWITCH expression="#fuseaction#">
<CFCASE value="Sign_Up_For_Newsletter_Form">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Main/blocks/dsp_html_header.cfm">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Newsletter/blocks/dsp_registration_form.cfm">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Main/blocks/dsp_html_footer.cfm">
</CFCASE>
<CFCASE value="Register_User_For_Newsletter">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Newsletter/queries/qry_check_for_dups.cfm">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Newsletter/blocks/dsp_registration_thank_you.cfm">
<CFINCLUDE template="/public/Main/blocks/dsp_html_footer.cfm">
</CFCASE>
</CFSWITCH>
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Suppose a user clicks on the following link:
<a href="INDEX.CFM?fuseaction=Sign_Up_For_Newsletter_Form">Sign up for the newsletter</a> |
Using the example code above, when ColdFusion executes our CFSWITCH using the "Sign_Up_For_Newsletter_Form" fuseaction, it will first display our HTML header block, then it will include the registration form itself and then finally the HTML footer. The rest of the CFCASES will be ignored.
Are you still with me? Great, because now you’ve already got down most of the basics of a Fusebox application. In part III of this article, we will cover some of the finer points of writing a good Fusebox application.