RECOMMENDED BOOKS

We have read and implemented the information contained in these books and strongly recommend them. You may purchase these books through Amazon.com by simply clicking on the book cover.

		The ColdFusion MX Web Application Construction Kit 5th Edition The first of two highly recommended books by Ben Forta, it is considered by many to be the definitive instruction and reference guide for ColdFusion. Book Contents (from 4th Edition): Introduction Getting Started Introducing ColdFusion Installing ColdFusion and ColdFusion Studio Building the Databases Accessing the ColdFusion Administrator Previewing ColdFusion Introduction to SQL SQL Data Manipulation Introduction to ColdFusion Studio Using ColdFusion Using ColdFusion CFML Basics Creating Data-Driven Pages ColdFusion Forms Form Data Validation Using Forms to Add or Change Data Debugging and Troubleshooting Using Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev with ColdFusion Building ColdFusion Applications Planning an Application Working with Projects Introducing the Web Application Framework Working with Sessions Security with ColdFusion Building Reusable Components Improving the User Experience Improving Performance Enhancing Forms with Client-Side Java Integrating with Macromedia Flash Graphing Interacting with E-mail Online Commerce Advanced ColdFusion ColdFusion Server Configuration More About SQL and Queries Working with Stored Procedures Error Handling Generating Non-HTML Content Interacting with the Operating System Full-Text Searching with Verity Event Scheduling Managing Your Code Development Methodologies Appendixes ColdFusion Tag Reference ColdFusion Function Reference Special ColdFusion Variables and Result Codes Verity Search Language Reference Sample Application Data Files Index CD-Index

		Advanced ColdFusion MX Application Development "The next version of ColdFusion is a massive upgrade, and it adds lots of new features, including some designed specifically for advanced and power users. Much of Advanced Macromedia ColdFusion MX Application Development will be a discussion of advanced ColdFusion technologies and ideas, with examples to demonstrate specific techniques." Many topics covered in this book are relevant to ColdFusion server administrators and less to programmers who relegate these responsibilities to another person or to a full-service, managed hosting provider. Book Contents (from 3rd Edition): Scalability Monitoring Server Performance Different Ways to Scale Server Clustering Using Bright Tiger Managing Client State Security Security Options The User Authentication Framework Securing Specific Features and Components Integration with NOS Security Extending ColdFusion Creating Custom Tags Writing CFX Tags in Visual C++ Writing CFX Tags in Delphi Extending ColdFusion with COM/DCOM Extending ColdFusion with CORBA Customizing ColdFusion Studio Scripting ColdFusion Studio Advanced Application Development Using WDDX to Create Distributed Applications Advanced WDDX Integration ColdFusion Scripting Structured Error and Retry Handling Regular Expressions Intelligent Agents and Distributed Processing Interacting with the System Registry Appendixes ColdFusion Tag Reference ColdFusion Function Reference VTML and WIZML Language Reference The WDDX.DTD File

		Creating Killer Web Sites 2nd Edition "More of a style guide than an HTML guide, Creating Killer Web Sites is concerned with the building of Third-Generation sites, web sites that are conceived by design and not by technological ability. Siegel and his helpers at Studio Verso overview a wide variety of topics, including a history of browsers, how to use specific HTML tags, how to select software tools, and advice on pure aesthetic design. Like the first edition, the second edition of the book contains an attractive design, a graphic on every page, and screen shots of successful Web pages that will set any designer's wheels in motion." Our president, Dave Delbridge, recommends Creating Killer Web sites if only for the coverage of image file formats and compression techniques. We have optimized web graphics on a successful entertainment site with the information presented and achieved nearly double the performance (and half the bandwidth consumption). The imminent arrival of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) may render this book, published in 1997, largely obsolete. Still, it is an inspiring, beautiful book to page through and many of the topics will remain helpful to inexperienced web designers. Book Contents: Form versus Function Third-Generation Sites Preparing Images Laying Out Pages Rendering Type Letterspacing Font choices Drop shadows Captions Small caps A Page Makeover Browser offsets Anti-aliasing Tiling backgrounds Page structure Control of vertical space A Personal Site How to render type Breaking the page into sections How to split and mortise images Nesting tables Creating a simple metaphor A Storefront Client-side image maps GIF versus JPEG Influencing a histogram Making templates Frames Forms A Gallery Putting animated GIFS in tables Simulated randomness Directory structure Preloaded images Setting expectations Creating a contact-sheet metaphor Image processing above the color cube Creative Design Solutions A CSS Primer What is CSS? CSS Pitfalls Degradation-conscious design Browser-specific CSS Transitional Strategies Using vector graphics formats How to solve the font problem Sound and virtual reality on the Web The role of WYSIWYG tools Looking Forward Positioning Promise of Style Sheets Dynamic Object Model 5.0 and 6.0 browsers XML Metadata Scripting Profiles Appendices Dave's Guide to Better Surfing The Color Cube Image Optimization for the Web

		Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes While it may be designed to function as a tutorial, the Circa staff declares this to be one of the best reference manuals for experienced SQL programmers there is. The text is a superb example of "less is more." It's brief (almost fits in your hip pocket) and example-driven. If you are new to SQL or just learning a new SQL feature, Ben Forta's instructions are wonderfully concise. "Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes is a tutorial-based book, organized into a series of easy-to-follow, 10-minute lessons. These well-targeted lessons teach you in 10 minutes what some books take several hours or days to teach. It is for those users who don't have the time to read lengthy chapters, or are not inclined to read "manuals." You will learn retrieving and sorting data, advanced data filtering, using wildcard filtering, manipulating data, combining queries, using views, creating and using stored procedures, and creating triggers." Book Contents Understanding SQL Retrieving Data Sorting Retrieved Data Filtering Data Advanced Data Filtering Using Wildcard Filtering Creating Calculated Fields Using Data Manipulation Functions Summarizing Data Grouping Data Working with Subqueries Joining Tables Creating Advanced Joins Combining Queries Inserting Data Updating and Deleting Data Creating and Manipulating Tables Using Views Using Transaction Processing Understanding Advanced SQL Features Sample Table Scripts Working in Popular Applications SQL Statement Syntax SQL Datatypes SQL Reserved Words

		Certified ColdFusion Developer Study Guide Are you preparing to take the Certified ColdFusion Developer (CCD) exam? This book is for you, written by Ben Forta, coauthor of the official Allaire ColdFusion training courses. Includes practice quizzes and companion web site. "Exam study guide for those seeking ColdFusion Developer certification. Features 40 rapid review chapters, highly code-centric content, extensive tips, notes and cautions, and an accompanying Web site. Coverage includes ColdFusion databases and SQL, as well as Internet and Web fundamentals, optimization and fine-tuning."

		ColdFusion Developer's Journal The ColdFusion Developer's Journal is a focused little monthly magazine of 50 pages or so, with content rivaling that of many 200-page computer rags. Even the ads are aimed at ColdFusion developers -- a plus in our book, even if many are rival hosting companies. Articles are aimed at experienced ColdFusion developers. Unless you enjoy bits of SQL code in your casual reading, expect to skim a chunk of the magazine's content. When you do find something relevant to your skill level or project du jour, it's usually pretty darned good. Unfortunately, CFDJ subscriptions run $59.99. That's tough to swallow, especially if the content initimidates you from reading anything less than all of it. We recommend that prospective subscribers request a sample issue before committing. If you're an advanced programmer or professional committed to ColdFusion and your boss will expense it, go for it.