Don't forget that you can blog yourself now, too, under the MXDJ domain - just follow the blog-n-play link from http://mxdj.sys-con.com.

Blog Topic: Breeze
Open Studio Discussions Breeze Room
By Alan Musselman
from http://weblogs.macromedia.com/amusselman/

The Open Studio Discussions (http://macromedia.breezecentral.com/osd/) is a Breeze room that will be open for 2 hours from 7-9pm PST every other Tuesday (starting July 5, 2005) for anyone that uses Studio MX 2004 (Fireworks, Dreamweaver, FreeHand, Flash) to come in and ask questions, share ideas, tips, techniques, and explore Breeze on a more personal level.

This is pretty much an underground thing and generally after hours for me, but I'm looking forward to seeing sites and apps, chit-chat or anything cool you have to show off and/or help you get an issue sorted out.

Why Breeze?
A lot of times passing emails back and forth can become tedious, time consuming and complex in support so I use Breeze to communicate directly with the customer to identify the issue, determine a solution, and provide guidance and help to implement that solution. It's that simple...if I can't understand the issue through email, I'll ask them to join a Breeze Meeting. I feel like were both on the same level during the entire experience, its great!
Remember: 2 hours 7:00-9:00PM sync time zone (www.worldtimeserver.com/meeting-planner.aspx) I'm in California 07-05-2005 (every other Tuesday)

Blog Topic: ColdFusion
Persistent CFCs and CFQUERY
By Tom Muck
From www.tom-muck.com/

I see a lot of people using CFCs in session and application scope who do not take into account that you should always declare local variables at the top of your <cffunction> tag:

<cffunction name="blah" returntype="any">
<cfset var i = 0>
<cfloop from="0" to="10" index="i">
<!--- Some code --->
</cfloop>
</cffunction>

Many people are doing this, but I wonder how many people apply the same principle to recordsets within the CFQUERY tag. . . .I see this a lot:

<cffunction name="testRS" access="public" output="false">
  <cfquery name="rs" datasource="Northwind">
  SELECT * FROM Products
  </cfquery>
  <cfreturn rs>
</cffunction>

If this is in a persistent scope, the variable rs will be available even after the return call. In fact, it will hang around for the life of the persistent CFC. To properly scope the query, you should declare it first:

<cffunction name="testRS" access="public" output="false">
  <cfset var rs = "">
  <cfquery name="rs" datasource="Northwind">
  SELECT * FROM Products
  </cfquery>
  <cfreturn rs>
</cffunction>

Now, the rs query will be destroyed after the function returns the variable to the caller -- it is not persisted within the CFC. You can try it like this. Create a cfc:

<cfcomponent>

<cffunction name="testRS" access="public" output="false">
<cfquery name="rs" datasource="Northwind">
SELECT * FROM Products
</cfquery>
<cfreturn rs>
</cffunction>

<cffunction name="testRSBad" access="public" output="false">
<cfreturn rs>
</cffunction>

</cfcomponent>

The function testRSBad() looks like it should throw an error, because rs is not defined, however if this is in persistent state and you hit the testRS() method first, then rs is persisted for the entire session.

Try it out: make sure you have sessions turned on in the Application.cfm file. Then put some code on a page called testrs.cfm:

<a href="testrs.cfm?hit=true">Next page</a>

<cfif not isdefined("url.hit")>
  <cfset session.user1 = createobject("component","testuser").new()>
  <cfset session.user1.testRS()>
</cfif>

<cfdump var=#session.user1.testRSBad()#>

You have a link to the page, and you are instantiating the session instance of the CFC only once -- when you preview the page. When you hit the link, you will see the page again with the same recordset dumped out, but this time it is coming from the leftover persisted global variable rs that was not scoped properly in the CFC.

Blog Topic: Flash Lite
Quest for a Flash Lite Enabled Phone
By Tim Walling
From www.timwalling.com/

I think one of the biggest questions right now for many Flash developers getting involved with Flash Lite is "Where can I get a phone that will let me play with this stuff?" Of course you can jump right in and use the standalone player but that's not as much fun as carrying your Flash apps around, showing your friends, impressing the ladies, etc.

There's been some great input on the FlashLite mailing list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlashLite/) and I've definitely learned a lot regarding which phones to get, steps to using your PC's Internet access via Bluetooth and lots of other things.

So here's where I'm at right now. I picked up a Nokia 3650 on eBay with the intent of either a) using Bluetooth to get some internet access on it and/or b) getting a data only plan from T-Mobile for real-life testing. Right now I don't have either of these options working.

I didn't realize I need a SIM card in order to just use my phone for local testing (option A). When I turn the phone on it asks for a SIM card and I'm not sure if there are ways around this. If there are, someone please let me know.

Option B is still feasible, I just don't know if I'm ready to get a $30 data-only plan. Let me tell you the people at T-Mobile weren't very helpful in this area either. The first person I spoke with had no clue about data-only plans and said they didn't have anything like that. Finally when someone else got involved he confirmed it. I tried explaining how I just wanted to do some software development on this phone I had picked up from a friend. After finally establishing this I asked what my options were and if they had any deals on any Series 60 phones since any plans would require a one-year contract. Asking to see what Series 60 phones they had in store got me a few weird looks also and I think he didn't understand the question. There's nothing like going to a store and knowing more about their products and services than they do.

What I'd love to see down the road to help developers:

1.  Hardware manufacturers like Nokia, please get word out about current trends and uses for your phones (example: Flash Lite).

2.  Mobile service providers, please take advantage of the growing market here. Educate your sales people and offer some more data plan options. As soon as Flash Lite takes off the first provider to offer some simple data plans are going to gain some new customers. My plan is through Verizon right now, but as soon as a I see a cheap and easy plan for my Flash enabled phone I'm going to either completely switch over or have 2 plans going.

3.  Either of the above companies, it would be great to see you at some of the upcoming Flash conferences (FlashForward, MAX 2005, etc). Being able to talk to some representatives who are familar with Flash would be awesome.

Might be a lot to ask for, but why not. It's still a grey area for Flash developers and I'm sure it'll get better. I know I'll find some way to get this phone working soon.

Blog Topic: Dreamweaver
Coming Back Around to Dreamweaver
By Rich Rodecker
From www.visible-form.com/blog/

Lately I find myself being pulled back into liking Dreamweaver. I had stopped using it for a long time becasue I had felt it was too bloated, and offered up a lot of features I didn't need. What happened then was that I had separate apps open for coding my PHP and XML files, and then a separate app for my ftp.

What I'm really appreciating now is that I can code most of my files in one place (PHP, XML...not ActionScript though, that still stays with SEPY), and upload and test them with one key command. That's a welcome change form editing my code in one editor, switching to the ftp editor to upload, then opening the page in the browser to test. I know Eclipse can probably do the same thing, but eclipse...I dunno I just can't get into it. too clunky?

The Site Manager is pretty sweet too, it really helps keeps thing organized, and it's pretty cool to be able to jump back and forthe between different sites just by selecting from a drop down (in the files panel).

There's some downsides too. I still don't wind up using like half the panels available to me. I wish there was an option to only load the panels I need, in order to make the startup faster...then be able to load them as necessary (that wish applies to all software). I know I can open and close panels at will but it's not the same thing.

The live data feature is pretty cool, but it still get all sort of wonky. Being that I can test my files live with a click of a button, I really don't care about that (or use that feature) anyway. The reference panel needs some work too.

I wonder what will happen now with the Adobe merger and Macromedia joining the Eclipse Foundation? I think DW would actually improve with some help from an Adobe UI.