Chapter 10: Requesting And Presenting Information; Introduction To Retrieving And Formatting Data - Adobe 38043740 - ColdFusion Standard - Mac Development Manual

Chapter 10: Requesting and Presenting
Information

Introduction to Retrieving and Formatting Data

Adobe ColdFusion lets you retrieve and format data. You can use forms to get user data and control the data that a
dynamic web page displays. You can also populate a table with query results and use ColdFusion functions to format
and manipulate data. To use these features, you should be familiar with HTML forms.
Using forms in ColdFusion
ColdFusion lets you use a variety of types of forms. You can use plain HTML or CFML, and you can generate HTML,
Flash, or skinned XML forms.
ColdFusion forms tags
You can use HTML or CFML tags to define your form. ColdFusion includes the following CFML tags that correspond
to HTML tags, but provide additional functionality:
• cfapplet
• cfform
• cfinput
• cfselect
• cftextarea
These tags support all the attributes of their HTML counterparts, plus ColdFusion attributes and features.
ColdFusion also provides the following forms tags that have no direct equivalent in HTML:
• cfcalendar Lets users select dates from a Flash month-by-month calendar.
• cfgrid Displays and lets users enter data in a row and column grid format; can get data directly from a query.
• cfslider Lets users input data by moving a sliding marker.
• cftree Displays data in a hierarchical tree format with graphical indicators; can get data directly from a query.
ColdFusion Form tag features
ColdFusion forms tags provide the following features:
You can validate data in the client browser or on the server. You can specify that a field is
Built-in validation support
required, contains a specific type of data, has a maximum length, or is in a range of values. You can also use data
masking to control user input. For more information on validation, see
Note: ColdFusion also provides a method of doing on-server validation of HTML form controls.
Flash format forms and elements
and provides additional display features not available in HTML. These features include accordion-style and multiple-
tab form panes and automatic element positioning. You can also display
You can display a form as Flash, which works identically on a variety of platforms
Last updated 1/20/2012
"Validating Data" on page 743.
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cftree cfgrid cfcalendar
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form