Mastering Fusebox 3.0: A Comprehensive Guide to FB3 Programming

1. Fusebox 3.0 groffman@metarail.com With thanks to David Laing, Hal Helms, Nat Papovich, and others

2. Agenda • Quick revision of core fusebox concepts • Fusebox 3 (FB3) by example – The colours app • The core files – fbx_fusebox30_*.cfm • The map – fbx_Circuits.cfm • The fusebox – fbx_Switch.cfm • The building blocks - fuses • The documentation – FusedoX • Nested settings – fbx_Settings.cfm • Nested layout – fbx_Layout.cfm

3. The Fusebox Philosophy There are two ways of constructing a software design: • One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, • and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult. C.A.R. Hoare

4. Point-to-Point Routing New York Tampa

5. Hub-and-Spoke System Chicago Seattle New York Atlanta Los Angeles Tampa

6. Point-to-Point Programming

7. Fusebox Programming

8. Nested Fusebox Programming

9. Fusebox Architecture Fuseactions Circuits Fuses

10. Fusebox 3 • Consolidation of ideas of FB2 • Standardised frozen core files • Polished methods for most web apps • Fusebox Conference #1, 20th Oct 2001 • Whitepaper (Conference in a box – www.halhelms.com) • Newbies guide. • The Fusebox structure

11. Fusebox : The Colours App

12. FB3 core files : fbx_fusebox30_*.cfm • The application server for the fusebox framework • Handles • Environment variables • Nesting • Layout • Different versions for different platforms. • Standard, static – maintained by FBSteer. • 2 modes : Fusebox.suppressErrors = true/false

13. The core support files • Application.cfm : • index.cfm : • fbx_savecontent.cfm • sesConverter.cfm • Prevents accessing fuses directly • Decides which fusebox core to include • Sets default fuseaction • Emulates CF5 SaveContent • index.cfm/fuseaction/cart.add/ID/653.htm

14. The map file : fbx_Circuits.cfm • Provides a map to the location of • each circuit • Each circuit has a unique name • index.cfm?fuseaction=circuitName.fuseAction • Fusebox.Circuit • Fusebox.Circuits.<circuitname>

15. The fusebox : fbx_Switch.cfm • Just the <cfswitch> from FB2’s index.cfm • Every circuit has one • Switches on Fusebox.fuseaction • Includes fuses to perform particular action

16. The building blocks : Fuses • Official • dsp_ : HTML display – coded by HTML coder • act_ : CFML logic – coded by CF coder • qry_ : DB interaction – coded by DBA (QuerySims) • Unofficial • url_ : sometimes used for conditional redirections • lay_ : prefix for layout files.

17. The Documentation : FusedoX • Officially adopted the XML Fusedocs spec • Explains the “what” of the fuse • What it does (<responsibilities></responsibilities) • What it needs (<in></in>) • What it produces (<out></out>) • CF Studio VTML & help from www.fusebox.org

18. Circuit level settings : fbx_Settings.cfm • FB3 core traverses down nested tree, executing fbx_Settings.cfm as it goes • Switch settings based on isHomeCircuit • Good place for security logic, breadcrumbs etc

19. Nested Layout : fbx_Layout.cfm • FB3 core traverses up the tree, wrapping each fbx_Layout.cfm around Fusebox.layout as it goes • fbx_Layout.cfm a kind of switch, which can include different layouts in different circumstances (ie, suppressLayout)

20. Referencing files • Fuses in same directory – just <cfinclude template=“dsp_helloWorld.cfm”> • Fuses in other circuits – <cfinclude template=“#Fusebox.rootPath#/circuitname/act_aFuse.cfm”> • fuseactions of other circuits <cfmodule template=“#Fusebox.rootPath#index.cfm” fuseaction=“circuit2.doStuff” suppressLayout=“true”> • HTML includes – all relative to home circuit – <img src=“#Fusebox.currentPath#/images/monkey.jpg”>

21. Limitations of FB3 • Does not support <CFFLUSH> • Does not support <CFCONTENT>

22. Summary • Quick revision of core fusebox concepts • Fusebox 3 (FB3) by example – The colours app • The core files – fbx_fusebox30_*.cfm • The map – fbx_Circuits.cfm • The fusebox – fbx_Switch.cfm • The building blocks - fuses • The documentation – FusedoX • Nested settings – fbx_Settings.cfm • Nested layout – fbx_Layout.cfm

23. The Fusebox Community Websites • www.fusebox.org • www.bombasbee.com • www.meta-magic.com/cgi-bin/fusewiki Mailing lists • fusebox-subscribe@topica.com • fbcommunity@topica.com • SteerFB-subscribe@topica.com • PHP-fusebox@yahoogroups.com • fusebox_asp-subscribe@topica.com