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Ajax features

Ajax user interface controls

If you are not currently familiar with Ajax development techniques, ColdFusion 8 delivers a large set of user interface controls that leverage Ajax techniques. For example, you can enhance your web application with rich text editors, data grids, and dropdown list boxes — all of which can be bound to data on the ColdFusion server and updated without reloading the HTML page. There are also many page layout and behavior controls, including popup windows, tab navigators, tree controls, and panels. All of these rich Ajax controls can be implemented with easy to use CFML tags and functions, requiring no knowledge of JavaScript or other Ajax elements.

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Ajax proxy for data exchange

If you are already using an Ajax framework such as Spry, ColdFusion 8 makes it simple to exchange data between the Ajax client and the ColdFusion server. With a simple CFML tag, your applications can create a JavaScript proxy that represents a ColdFusion component (CFC) on the server. It manages the communication between the client and server and provides several functions to simplify and manage the resulting data. What Flash® Remoting does for ColdFusion and Adobe Flex™ or Flash applications, the Ajax proxy does for Ajax applications.

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Ajax logging and debugging

ColdFusion 8 even makes it easier to debug Ajax applications, with an optional floating window that displays information and error messages as calls are made between client and server. In this logging and debugging window, you can see what CFCs are being accessed, what variables are being passed, and additional information, including the structure of complex data variables.