Guy Rish

In Part 5 (CFDJ, Vol. 3, issue 8), "Java CFX Basics," I identified some shortcomings of the CFX model. In Part 7, I demonstrate a number of workarounds and solutions to these problems. In many cases what I present here is viable across the board for all CFX types. However, this series deals specifically with Java interoperability, so I'll leave the modifications to you. Complex Data Types One of the critical problems with the CFX model is the inability to pass complex data types into and out of a CFX. Only simple types are possible - no structures, no arrays, and only a single query (using the QUERY attribute). This can be a considerable challenge when attempting to integrate with higher order applications that must work with large amounts of data using one of the "restricted" data types. As it turns out, Allaire (before they became part of Macromedia) provided a p... (more)

A Cold Cup O'Joe: Part 6 of 8

With Java's ever-broadening list of class APIs, your CFX has few limitations. However, shortcomings in the CFX model could make developing solutions a little tricky. Since the ColdFusion server bootstraps CFXs, debugging them poses certain challenges. In Part 5 of this series (CFDJ, Vol. 3, issue 8) I introduced the basics of writing CFX tags in Java; this merely scratched the surface though. A simple "Hello, World" tag, even one driven by a query such as the second example I provided in Part 5 (see sidebar), is hardly sufficient to show the details of what can be done with a Jav... (more)

Part 1: Gateways to Fun

The new release of ColdFusion has some interesting new Java features that just beg for a return and so here we are again! As with the previous series, I'll take the time to cover the basics of these new features before I dig a bit deeper. Event Gateways Undoubtedly one of the coolest new Java features in ColdFusion MX 7 is event gateways - opening up a whole new set of possibilities that were, at best, difficult, and at worst, impossible, with previous versions of ColdFusion. Providing a ColdFusion-friendlier means for working with new network protocols to more mundane things li... (more)

Using Gateways PART 2

Part 1 in this series (CFDJ, Vol. 7, issue 5) discussed the options in the ColdFusion Administrator for configuring the event gateway facility in ColdFusion MX 7 and how to register new event gateway types. There was little in the way of explaining how to use event gateways, so in this article we'll explore the basics of using event gateways through two examples: the code from the previous article and another of the out-of-the-box event gateway types, the CFML asynchronous event gateway type. These two gateway types represent the two fundamental varieties: the types that respond... (more)

A Cold Cup o' Joe

Without a doubt, one of the most powerful assets available from the ColdFusion and Javamarriage is the simple ability to call up anything from the extensive Java class libraries. In this article we'll look at the basics of working with Java in ColdFusion. I'll specifically talk about the different ways to create and use a Java object within your templates. As with most things, there are a few twists and turns when you mix technologies. Configuration It's important to make certain that the ColdFusion Server's Java settings are properly configured. Misconfiguration can lead to poor... (more)