I have developed a couple of web pages that push data out with the aid of VB .exe’s and am learning javascript and VBscipt and ASP. Most of this done with notepad (and VB). And a little (very little) help from frontpage.
I work with GIS data and informix databases utilizing ODBC and SQL to get at the data and push it out as HTML and maps.
I have a co-worker coming in tomorro morning that is about to take a Coldfusion class. She takes care of the front end of our website. Pretty static for the most part, but that’s gonna change.
I will be explaining to her what ODBC connections are, and how it gets at data.
I just found out that she is taking this class, and she is nervous.
I can explain the ODBC and database part, but frankly, have no idea what Coldfusion is. It would help if I could put it in context.
I am cruising the ColdfusionMX website to get some ideas.
Can some doper do it in a paragraph or so? Is it souped up frontpage?
In 250 words or less, ColdFusion is a scripting/programming language similar to MicroSoft’s .ASP (and PHP and Python, etc.). If you are pretty good at using ASP and making ODBC database connections for your ASP web site, ColdFusion is a walk in the park compared to ASP. Of course, just MHO, but having used both for a while.
As with any scripting/programking language there are ups and downs. Other folks may offer their own observations here.
Ah, don’t use “FrontPage” and professional web development in the same post. While many may swear by FP, I’ve found many times that amount swear at it.
Generally speaking, HTML, ASP, CF, PHP, etc., are used to create web pages. VBScript and JavaScript are specific scripting language tools often used with such web pages. In other words, you can create web pages in ASP, CF, PHP, etc., and never use VBScript or JavaScript. OTOH, VBScript and JavaScript cannot stand alone and require any of the former to be used. (There may be exceptions to this but we’re not picking nits at the moment.)
I’ve created ASP webs with no VBScript. However, it does work best with VBScript as well. And if you use ASP with VBScript, there really is no need to use JavaScript at all. (Then again, I once had to use JavaScript to convert hidden form data - server variables - into variables my Perl script required because VBScript couldn’t do it.)
CF works with CF installed on any compatiable web server. ASP requires a Microsoft IIS web server (although there is third-party software which allow ASP to run on non-Microsoft servers. ) ChilliSoft comes to mind. But if you’re not using M$ IIS, why go backwards and use ASP?
Yes, CF is a web development tool, just as ASP. Yet, both are also web production tools, too.
Can’t help you with any current VBScriting tools. It’s been a while. My employer has a total ban on using M$ server products in a production environment and we’re moving to get rid of M$ desktop stuff, too. (Something about we cannot justify spending your tax dollars on bad proprietary software and ever-rising license fees. We’re going to open source as a standard.)
ColdFusion does use its own syntax so it is, in effect, its own language albeit one with fairly limited capability and application. AFAIK, it is not a standalone language you could use outside the ColdFusion environment whereas most languages you use in ASP can be used in other contexts (standalone scripts, etc.)
ASP in an “engine” for processing server-side code. It is equivalent to CGI in this respect. ASP is not a language, it is just a method which allows the server to interact with code. ASP can be written in a variety of languages. I use VBScript for easy stuff and Perlscript for hard stuff, but I’ve also seen Javascript and Cobol. Technically, any language could be used if you had the right interface on the scripting engine.
I don’t use CF so this is an outside view, but I believe CF is an all-in-one tool. It is a development environment which produces CF code which must be run on a CF server. The CF code I’ve seen is simple tag-based commands, similar to ASP (in whatever language) but with much more limited functionality. It does not appear that there’s anything there that couldn’t be written in Notepad, but you’d still need the CF server to run it.
In this respect, CF is more equivalent to PHP. PHP is both a language and a server interface. Unlike ASP, you don’t write PHP pages in different languages. Note that PHP is incredibly robust and functional and I only mean to say that CF is equivalent in that they are are both a combination of language and server interface. They are by no means comparable in functionality.
I’d recommend any good text editor. Personally, I use Ultraedit. Most of my crew uses Homesite. Any decent editor will include keyword highlighting and features like autocomplete, indentation, etc. This is slightly less functional than you might get from Visual Studio or Frontpage, but you don’t have to put up with their cruft.
