Adobe 38000827 Evaluator Guide - Page 29
Integration with the Java and .NET Platforms
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Macromedia® ColdFusion® MX Evaluator's Guide Integration with the Java and .NET Platforms One of the most highly valued features of ColdFusion is its ability to integrate with virtually any technology. Developers working in ColdFusion can easily integrate databases, directories, file servers, email servers and legacy systems as well as emerging technologies like XML, WML, and web services. ColdFusion MX takes this openness to the next level by expanding the integration ColdFusion offers with the Java and .NET platforms. Integrating with Java Technologies While a ColdFusion developer doesn't have to know anything about the Java language to build ColdFusion applications, in many cases it is useful to reuse functionality that has already been built in Java. Alternatively, for more complex applications, many development teams choose to build parts of the application in ColdFusion and other parts in Java - for example, writing presentation logic in ColdFusion and transactional back-end logic in Java. ColdFusion MX makes it easy to do both. ColdFusion MX offers several ways for developers to integrate with Java technology. One of the most powerful is the ability to import JSP tag libraries and reuse them just like ColdFusion tags. JSP tag libraries are tag-based components created in Java that enable Java developers to package functionality for reuse in web application development. Just as there are thousands of downloadable ColdFusion tags on the Macromedia ColdFusion Exchange, there are thousands of JSP tags available from online exchanges such as the Apache project (Apache.org). The code sample below illustrates how a ColdFusion developer could import a JSP tag library and reuse it in a ColdFusion page. In this example, the tag library takes a query result as an argument and automatically generates HTML tables using a standard corporate format. The CFIMPORT command imports the tag library (tableGenerator.jar) into ColdFusion and assigns it the "tableGen" prefix. The ColdFusion developer can then work with the JSP library as if it were just another ColdFusion tag by appending the appropriate method to the tag prefix. Another way to reuse Java components in ColdFusion applications is to call Java servlets or JavaBeans from within a ColdFusion page. Since ColdFusion is itself a Java application, the interface between CFML and Java is seamless. For example, a developer building an intranet portal in ColdFusion MX could easily call a JavaBean written by the central IT department to retrieve sales data from a mainframe order entry system. Finally, using the built-in Java server that is part of ColdFusion MX Server, developers can execute servlets and JSPs on the same server that is running ColdFusion. Thus, part of the site can be built in ColdFusion and seamlessly interoperate with other sections written in Java. Integrating with Microsoft .NET Building on a strong history of integration with Microsoft technologies, ColdFusion MX provides enhanced interoperability with the .NET architecture, enabling developers to easily integrate with Microsoft products and to reuse functionality built with Microsoft 29