Fast Track to AJAX

AJAX is a web development technique for creating interactive web applications using a combination of XHTML (or HTML), CSS, the browser's Document Object Model manipulated through JavaScript to dynamically display and interact with the information presented and the XMLHttpRequest object is used to exchange data asynchronously with the web server. In some Ajax frameworks and in some situations, an IFrame object is used instead of the XMLHttpRequest object to exchange data with the web server. Fast Track to AJAX is designed to give you a foundation for creating dynamic, data-driven web applications that utilize advanced graphical user interfaces which require few, if any, page reloads. This course is two days in length. While the course uses ColdFusion as the application server for fetching database content, the techniques taught in class could be used with almost any web development language such as ASP, PHP, and JSP.

Price: $895.00
GSA Price: $895.00

This class runs from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm each day.

• Experience creating HTML pages and forms
• Basic knowledge of CSS
• At least 3 months experience writing JavaScript
• Basic knowledge of XML
• Familiarity with the browser document object model (DOM)
  

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• Cache structured content in a web browser using complex JavaScript data structures
• Dynamically rewrite areas of a web page without performing a page reload using the JavaScript innerHTML() method
• Perform hidden server transactions using hidden <iframe>
• Make background data requests to a ColdFusion server using  XMLHttpRequest()
• Use the Adobe Spry framework to create web applications that are easily maintainable
• Implement Google Maps as part of your application
• Use the ColdFusion 8 AJAX framework to easily pass data between the browser and server
  

Unit 1: Introducing the course

• Course Format
• What is AJAX?
• Examples of AJAX
• Benefits of AJAX
• Limitations with AJAX
• AJAX vs. Flash

Unit 2: Advanced JavaScript

• Working with complex data types - Arrays and Objects
• The JavaScript document object model (DOM)
• Referencing form fields and values
• Working with <iframe>
• Binding JavaScript methods to data objects (prototyping)

Unit 3: Using Scripting to Dynamically Change Page Contents

• Generating JavaScript with ColdFusion
• Using JSString Format() to escape bad characters
• Representing complex ColdFusion data types in JavaScript
• Using the innerHTML method to modify content on a page
• Bining JavaScript Methods to Data Objects

Unit 4: Interacting with the Server

• Passing information from the browser's DOM to ColdFusion
• Making background server requests using <iframe>
• Trasmitting Complex Data Types to the Server
• Using the XMLHttpPRequest Object

Unit 5: Using Adobe Spry

• Spry Overview
• Installing Spry
• Retreating Data with Spry
• Working with Data
• Working with JSON
• Debugging Spry
• Spry Widgets
• UI Widgets
• Loading Data into Spry Firleds
• Posting Form Data from Spry

Unit 6: Google Mashups

• Introductions to Mashups
• Getting Started with Google Maps
• Google Map Basics
• Programatically Geocoding addresses
• Making Background Server Requests to CF8
• Defining Map Markers
• Responding to User Events
  

Unit 7: The ColdFusion 8 AJAX Framework

• ColdFusion 8 AJAX Features
• Debugging ColdFusion AJAX Applications
• UI Tags
• Using <cflayout>
• AutoSuggest
• FckEditor
• Fetching data using <cfsprydataset>
• Invoking server-side methods with <cfajaxproxy>
• Field Binding
• Using AJAX enabled form elements
• Using <cfgrid>