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DEVELOPING
COLDFUSION 9 APPLICATIONS
Requesting and Presenting Information
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The ColdFusion XSL files and their corresponding CSS style sheets use classes extensively to format the form. The
basic.xsl file, for example, has only one element style; all other styles are class-based. Although the CSS files contain
specifications for all classes used in the XSL files, they do not always contain formatting information. The horizontal
class definition in basic_style.css, which is used for horizontal form groups, for example, is empty.
You can enhance the style of XML skinnable forms without changing the XSL transform by enhancing the style sheets
that ColdFusion provides.
Using Ajax User Interface Components and Features
Use Adobe ColdFusion Ajax-based layout and form controls and other Ajax-based user interface capabilities to create
a dynamic application.
For information about how ColdFusion uses the Ajax framework in general, or how to use ColdFusion Ajax data and
programming capabilities, including binding to form data and managing JavaScript resources, see “
Using Ajax Data
and Development Features
” on page 858.
About Ajax and ColdFusion user interface features
Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a set of web technologies for creating interactive web applications. Ajax
applications typically combine:
•
HTML and CSS for formatting and displaying information.
•
JavaScript for client-side dynamic scripting
•
Asynchronous communication with a server using the XMLHttpRequest function.
•
XML or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) as a technique for serializing and transferring data between the sever
and the client.
ColdFusion provides many tools that simplify using Ajax technologies for dynamic applications. By using ColdFusion
tags and functions, you can easily create complex Ajax applications.
ColdFusion Ajax features
ColdFusion provides two types of Ajax features:
•
Data and development features
•
User interface features
File
Description
basic_style.css
default_style.css
Provides a plain style for ColdFusion XSL files that use table-based formatting. These files are identical and
are used by the basic.xsl and default.xsl transforms. ColdFusion uses the default_style.css if you do not
specify a skin in your
cfform
tag.
basic2_style.css
The basic_style with limited positioning changes for use with XSL files that have div-based formatting.
Used by the basiccss.xsl transform.
css_layout.css
Style specifications for laying out forms that use div-based formatting. Used by the basiccss.xsl transform.
colorname
_style.css
Used by the color-formatted ColdFusion skins. Defines the same classes as basic_style.css, with additional
property specifications.