ColdFusion MX : CFML tags and attributes

The following table describes the tags and attributes in ColdFusion MX that differ from ColdFusion Server5:


Tag	Status	Compatibility issue	For more information
cfapplet	Changed	Can now be used outside the context of `cfform`.	See `cfapplet` in CFML Reference.
cfapplication	Changed	Setting `clientstorage="registry"` is obsolete in UNIX versions of ColdFusion MX.	See `cfapplication` in CFML Reference.
cfauthenticate, cfimpersonate cfinternaladmin security cfnewinternal adminsecurity	Obsolete	ColdFusion MX is based on a completely different security model than ColdFusion5.	See the chapter on application Security inDeveloping ColdFusion MX Applications with CFML.
cfcache	Changed	The `timeout` attribute is deprecated in ColdFusion MX; it will be obsolete in later versions. Use `timespan` instead. The new `timespan` attribute specifies a decimal number of days between when the page containing the `cfcache` tag is first cached, and when the cache contents are automatically flushed.	See `cfcache` in CFML Reference.
		`action="cache"` now caches on both the server and client, and the `cache` and `optimal` values are equivalent. A new `action` value, `serverCache`, caches pages on the server only. It is identical in function to the `cache` value in ColdFusion5.
		The `directory` and `cacheDirectory` attributes are now equivalent. You can use either attribute with any action. (In ColdFusion5, you can only use `directory` with `action="flush"`, and you use `cacheDirectory` with all other `action` values.)
		The `port` and `protocol` values now default to the values used to initially access the page. In earlier releases, the `port` default was "80", and the `protocol` default was `http`.
		`action="flush"` now correctly expires a cached page in the server, the client, or both locations.
		The cfcache.map file now contains the template name and source timestamp.
cfcatch	Changed	`cfcatch.Message` gets the current values every time an exception is thrown, and ColdFusion MX ignores any `cfset` assignment to a `cfcatch` member. To remedy this, construct a new message or variable to make extensions to changes in `cfcatch` values.	See the section about CFCATCH variablesL in CFML Reference.
		`cfcatch.Message` returns a different `SQLState` value for Type 4 database drivers; this affects the NativeErrorCode variable as well.
		Can no longer use `cfcatch` to catch function validation errors; use the ColdFusion MX compiler instead.
cfcol, cftable	Changed	If you use the `cfcol` `header` attribute without any text, and the `cftable` `colheader` attribute, then ColdFusion MX displays the header as `true`. ColdFusion5 displays the header as `TRUE`.	See `cfcol` and `cftable` in CFML Reference.
cfcollection	Changed	The `action` attribute is now optional, and its default value is `list`, a new value in ColdFusion MX.	See `cfcollection` in CFML Reference, and Working with Verity Tools.
cfcollection	Changed	Added an attribute called `name`, which is required when `action="list"`. The `name` attribute provides the name for the query results. When you use `cfcollection` with `action="list"` and `name="<`query_results_name`>",` you retrieve a table with the properties for every Verity collection that is registered by ColdFusion or the K2 Server.
cfdirectory	Changed	(Windows) No longer returns rows for '.' and '..' in the query results, but only subdirectories, like on UNIX. If your application has code to skip these rows (for example, `startrow="3"`), you must change it.	See `cfdirectory` in CFML Reference.
		(Windows) No longer supports `sort="temporary"`, and it only supports sorting on the `ReadOnly` and `Hidden` attributes.
		(UNIX) When `action=list`, `cfdirectory` only reports the `ReadOnly` and `Hidden` attributes.
cferror	Changed	`type="monitor"` is obsolete in ColdFusion MX.	See `cferror` in CFML Reference.
cfform	Changed	ColdFusion MX only uses the `cfinput` tag's `checked` attribute if the corresponding form field value is undefined. ColdFusion5 used the `checked` attribute if the field was undefined, or if it was defined but not equal to any of the specified options. For example, if you use a `cfparam` tag to default `form.foo` to "false" before the following `cfinput` tags, then neither of the options are checked. In ColdFusion5, the "yes" option is checked. <cfinput name="foo" type="radio" value="yes" checked> <cfinput name="foo" type="checkbox" value="no">	See `cfform` in CFML Reference.
cfform	Changed	The `enablecab` attribute is deprecated in ColdFusion MX; it will be obsolete in later versions.	See `cfform` in CFML Reference.
cfgraph, cfgraphdata	Deprecated	Will be obsolete in later versions of ColdFusion MX. These tags render differently than in ColdFusion5. Use the new graphing tags instead: `cfchart`, `cfchartdata`, and `cfchartseries`.	See the chapter on charting and graphing data in Developing ColdFusion MX Applications with CFML.
cfhttp	Changed	The `cfhttp` response headers in ColdFusion MX differ from those in ColdFusion5, as follows: Mixed Case (returned by the server without changes) in ColdFusion MX; uppercase in ColdFusion5 Random order in ColdFusion MX; alphabetical order in ColdFusion5 "Status Code: 200" is followed by "OK" in ColdFusion MX (returned by the server without changes), and by "SUCCESS" in ColdFusion5	See `cfhttp` in CFML Reference.
cfhttp	Changed	The `timeout` attribute requires the Java Development Kit (JDK) version 1.4; otherwise, ColdFusion MX ignores this attribute.	See `cfhttp` in CFML Reference.
cfindex	Changed	You can use the `cfindex` tag with the `query` attribute and `type="file"` or `type="path"`, for all actions that require information from the `key` attribute.	See `cfindex` in CFML Reference and "Using the cfindex tag in ColdFusion MX".
cfldap	Changed	You can no longer sort `cfldap` query results on the client side using the `sort` attribute. The `sort` attribute triggers a server-side sort. If the LDAP server does not support server-side sorting, `cfldap` throws an error. The sort order depends on the LDAP server; for example, iPlanet Directory Server 5.0, Novell 6.0 server, Oracle Internet Directory 9i, Microsoft Active Directory, and others might each sort differently. To do client-side sorting on the `cfldap` query results, use the ColdFusion Query of Queries feature.	See `cfldap` in CFML Reference.


		When `action=query` and `dn` is in the list of attributes, `cfldap` returns each Distinguished Name (DN) with a comma followed by a space. (In ColdFusion5, `cfldap` did not return DNs in a consistent format.)
		If you select the `referral` attribute, `cfldap` returns the name of the referred server before the results. For example, if the referred server is `server1.rnd.anytown.anycorp.com:123`, the results could look as follows:`DN:ldap://server1.rnd.anytown.anycorp.com:123/uid=bparker, ou=People, dc=siroe, dc=com, dc=siroe, dc=co, CN:Barry Parker, OU:Product Development, People`
cflog	Changed	The `thread`, `date`, and `time` attributes are deprecated, and will be obsolete in later versions of ColdFusion MX. All of these attributes default to Yes. If you set any of these attribute values to No, ColdFusion MX throws a runtime exception.	See `cflog` in CFML Reference.
cfloop	Changed	ColdFusion MX returns struct keys in the order that you create them. ColdFusion5 returns struct keys in alphabetical order. If you need sorted struct values or keys, use the `StructSort()` and `StructKeySort()` functions.	See `cfloop` in CFML Reference.
cfmail	Changed	ColdFusion MX formats undeliverable mail differently than in ColdFusion5. If you have any custom code that relies on this format, you must change it.	See `cfmail` in CFML Reference.
cfparam	Changed	ColdFusion MX correctly disallows the assignment of complex data types (such as array, binary, query, and struct) to the client scope in this tag.	See `cfparam` in CFML Reference.
cfprocparam	Changed	The `maxrows` attribute is obsolete in ColdFusion MX. If you have ref cursors in packages or stored procedures, use `cfprocresult` instead. This causes Datadirect JDBC to place the Oracle ref cursors into a result set. (Note: you cannot use this method with the Oracle ThinClient JDBC drivers.)	See `cfprocparam` and `cfprocresult` in CFML Reference.
cfprocparam	Changed	The `cfprocparam` tag ignores the `dbvarname` attribute for all drivers. (ColdFusion5 used it for Sybase, Oracle, and Informix native drivers.) ColdFusion MX is a JDBC client which does not support named parameter passing like the Sybase `ctlib` and Oracle `oci` libraries.	See `cfprocparam` and `cfprocresult` in CFML Reference.
cfquery	Changed	The `cfquery` tag disallows SQL reserved words as variable or column names in a Query of Queries, unless they are escaped. To escape a reserved word, enclose it in brackets; for example: `select [COUNT] from myTable` or `select [FROM] from popQuery`	See `cfquery` in CFML Reference.
cfquery	Changed	Measures the `timeout` value in seconds, instead of milliseconds as in ColdFusion5. You must convert each `timeout` value from milliseconds to seconds.	See `cfquery` in CFML Reference.
cfquery, cfinsert, cfgridupdate, cfupdate, cfstoredproc	Changed	In ColdFusion MX, all values of the `dbtype` attribute are deprecated except for `dbtype="query"`, and `dbtype="dynamic"` is obsolete. This is because ColdFusion MX uses the data source services provided by the underlying J2EE server, which provides better scaling and connection support in most cases. However, it only supports passing in the username and password, which is insufficient to define a data source. ColdFusion5 can do this because it uses Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) to establish a database connection. To work around this, define a data source to connect to the database.	See `cfquery`, `cfinsert`, `cfgridupdate`, `cfupdate`, and `cfstoredproc` in CFML Reference, and the "Data Source Management" chapter of Administering ColdFusion MX.
cfquery, cfinsert, cfgridupdate, cfupdate, cfstoredproc	Changed	The `dbserver`, `dbname`, `connectstring`, `provider`, and `providerdsn` attributes are obsolete in ColdFusion MX.
cfregistry	Deprecated for UNIX	Registry operations will be obsolete in later UNIX versions of ColdFusion MX.	See "Using cfregistry in ColdFusion MX".
cfregistry	Changed	In Windows, you should not use `cfregistry` to read ColdFusion server settings-such as the mail root and information about Verity collections and scheduled tasks-because much of this information is no longer stored in the registry, or it is stored in a different location in the registry. The ColdFusion-related values that are stored in the registry are subject to change.	See "Using cfregistry in ColdFusion MX".
cfreport	Changed	This tag no longer manages the data connection for a Crystal report. Passes `datasource`, `username`, and `password` attributes to the Crystal Reports server for it to manage the data connection directly.	See `cfreport` in CFML Reference.
cfservlet	Deprecated	Will be obsolete in later versions of ColdFusion MX.	See `cfservlet` in CFML Reference.
cfservlet	Deprecated	In `cfservlet` tags, you can only call servlets that were created in JRun version 3.1 or earlier.	See `cfservlet` in CFML Reference.
cfservletparam	Deprecated	Will be obsolete in later versions of ColdFusion MX.	See `cfservletparam` in CFML Reference.
cfsetting	Changed	The `catchExceptionsByPattern` attribute will be obsolete in later versions of ColdFusion MX. ColdFusion MX uses best-fit exception handling. You can no longer set `catchExceptionsByPattern` to No to use first-fit exception handling.	See `cfsetting` in CFML Reference.
cfswitch	Changed	You can no longer have code inside a `cfswitch` tag that is not in a `cfcase` or `cfdefaultcase` tag. ColdFusion5 erroneously ignores the code, whereas ColdFusion MX correctly throws a compiler error.	See `cfswitch` in CFML Reference.

The ColdFusion section of the Macromedia website contains the most current compatibility information. For more information, go to http://www.macromedia.com/coldfusion.

Comments are no longer accepted for ColdFusion MX. ColdFusion 8 is the current version.

Comments

michaschopman said on Sep 28, 2003 at 5:04 AM :

When using cfdirectory.datelastmodified, keep in mind it is not a date object but a string object. In Coldfusion 5 DateCompare, DateFormat, etc could be done directly on the datelastmodified attribute. With CF MX you need to use a ParseDateTime first to create a date object from it.

No screen name said on Oct 31, 2003 at 9:24 AM :

The cloop comment "ColdFusion MX returns struct keys in the order that you create them. ColdFusion 5 returns struct keys in alphabetical order." is incorrect.

I have found ColdFusion MX 6.1 returns the keys in no particular order and the MX 6.1 documentation states this in a number of places.

jladams97 said on Apr 12, 2005 at 9:18 AM :

I don't see where the MX 6.1 documentation says that using cfloop to loop over a query is done in no particular order. I see where it says "The StructKeyList and StructKeyArray functions do not return keys in any particular order. Use the ListSort or ArraySort functions to sort the results" but I don't see where it speaks to the issue of order when looping over a structure.

I haven't done extensive testing at this point, but my preliminary findings indicate that it is not true that looping over a structure or returning its keys with StructKeyList or StructKeyArray happens in no particular order. I have seen the same order used consistently on the same structure. However, what that order is I do not know--it isn't the order the keys went into the structure and it isn't alphabetic. But the point is that there does seem to be some method to the madness and so the claim that "no particular order" is used is incorrect. Of course, since we as CF developers don't know what that method is and further, since that method doesn't result in any kind of useful ordering of the keys, we have to treat the method like it is random anyway.

Josh

CmdrTomalak said on Nov 4, 2005 at 5:21 AM :

From ColdFusion MX on, Structs are an implementation of Java HashMaps, which do not guarantee to keep the order of the keys as they are designed for speedy forward lookup, not for ordered traversal.

As long as they are unchanged, it is probable that they will be traversed in the same order during their lifetime, but as you add or remove keys, that order will change more or less unpredictably.

Current page: http://livedocs.adobe.com/coldfusion/6/Migrating_ColdFusion_5_Applications/cf_migration_guide6.htm

Migrating ColdFusion 5 Applications
Migrating ColdFusion 5 Applications