Platinum Edition Using HTML 4, XML, and Java 1.2
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Eric Ladd
ISBN: 078971759x
Publication Date: 11/01/98

The Database Tab enables you to access the system data sources on a remote server that’s running ColdFusion. This can be incredibly valuable during development, especially when writing queries. Each data source on the server is presented in a tree that you can expand to display the tables, views, and queries stored in the corresponding database file. You can also expand a given table to display the database columns that compose the table. Studio will show you not only the name of the column, but its type and length as well (see Figure 34.24).

FIGURE 34.24  By connecting to a remote ColdFusion server through the Database Tab, you can view the tables, fields, and queries available under each data source on the server.

Projects are groups of related files stored together. For example, you can group all the templates that support a single application into a project. Once grouped, you can open, close, and save all the files simultaneously. Furthermore, you can do search and replace operations across all the files, making it simple to deploy global changes in your applications. You can access the projects you’ve created through the Projects Tab on the Resources Tab.

The Tag Snippets Tab enables you to set up folders to hold frequently used blocks of code (see Figure 34.25). This is an excellent place to store code for things such as standard headers and footers, common form controls (for example, a drop-down list of all 50 states—something that is painful to have to type out each time you need it!), and client-side imagemaps.

FIGURE 34.25  The Tag Snippets Tab is like a big Clipboard where you can store chunks of code that you use frequently.

Finally, the Help Tab gives you access to complete documentation on all CFML tags and functions, explanations of how to use and customize ColdFusion Studio, references for HTML and Cascading Style Sheets, and information on how to contact Allaire for technical support.

Using Special ColdFusion Studio Tools

In addition to the excellent tag support provided by the Tag Toolbar and the easy access to resources through the Resource Tab, ColdFusion Studio also comes with a few other useful tools. The chapter closes with a brief look at three of them: the Tag Chooser, the Expression Builder, and the Insert SQL Statement tool.

The Tag Chooser Figure 34.26 shows the Tag Chooser, which you can activate by pressing Ctrl+E. Within the Chooser, all HTML and CFML tags are stored in an easy-to-navigate tree structure that enables you to zero in on the tags you want quickly. As you move through the tree structure, the various tags available are displayed in the right side of the Chooser. To insert one of the tags into your document, click it and then click the Select button in the lower right.

FIGURE 34.26  If you don’t like using the toolbars, the Tag Chooser can put all the HTML and CFML tags at your fingertips.

The Expression Builder You launch the ColdFusion Studio Expression Builder by pressing Ctrl+Shift+E. The Expression Builder is useful in two ways. First, it is helpful when you’re building complicated expressions that involve ColdFusion functions. You can see the expression in the window at the top of the Builder and make edits to it there as necessary (see Figure 34.27).

The other useful feature of the Expression Builder is that it catalogs all CFML functions, constants, operators, and variables in the tree you see on the left side of the builder. By navigating the tree, you can easily look up one of the CFML functions that are otherwise too numerous to commit to memory. As you move through the tree, the available functions, constants, operators, and variables are displayed in the right side of the Builder. After you’re done composing your expression, clicking the Insert button places it into your template.

FIGURE 34.27  Can’t remember one of the CFML list functions? Look it up through the Expression Builder.

The Insert SQL Statement Tool If you need to use a query stored in one of your data sources or if you need to construct a new query, you can choose the Insert SQL Statement option under the Tools menu to open the window you see in Figure 34.28. From this window, you can connect to one of the ColdFusion servers that Studio is configured to work with and navigate to the Queries subtree of the data source you’re using. From there you can choose one of the queries and insert it directly into your template.

FIGURE 34.28  ColdFusion Studio can easily grab a pre-existing query from one of your data sources.

If you need to compose a brand new query, you can click the New Query button you see in Figure 34.28 to launch the Query Builder you see in Figure 34.29. The Query Builder gives you a visual environment in which to construct your query. You can open as many tables as you need in the Query Builder window and do joins on the tables by simply dragging the joining fields from one table to another. As you do, the corresponding SQL statement is constructed at the bottom of the Query Builder. When you’re done building the query and click the close button, the Query Builder will give you the option to insert the SQL statement right into your template.

FIGURE 34.29  The ColdFusion Studio Query Builder is similar to the Microsoft Access Query Builder and can place the SQL statements you build directly into your template file.