Using the ColdFusion Administrator

Let's take a brief look at the Administrator, and then configure the few options needed so that you can begin development. If you have logged out of the ColdFusion Administrator (or if you have yet to log in), log in now.

This chapter provides an overview of the ColdFusion Administrator. Chapter 29, "ColdFusion Server Configuration" covers every Administrator option in detail.

Creating a Data Source

One of the most important uses of the ColdFusion Administrator is to create and define data sources, which are connections that ColdFusion uses to interact with a databases. Data Sources are defined using the Data Sources menu option (it's in the section labeled Data& Services).

We'll be discussing data sources in detail in Chapter 6, "Introducing SQL," so we'll postpone creating the data source needed for our example applications until we get to that chapter.

Defining a Mail Server

In Chapter 27, "Interacting with Email," you will learn how to generate email messages with ColdFusion. ColdFusion doesn't include a mail server; therefore, to generate email the name of a mail server (an SMTP server) must be provided.

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If you don't have access to a mail server or don't know the mail server name, don't worry. You won't be using this feature for a while, and omitting this setting now won't keep you from following along in the next lessons.

To set up your SMTP mail server, do the following:

1.	In the ColdFusion Administrator, select the Mail menu option (it's in the section labeled Server Settings); you'll see a screen like the one in Figure 3.3. Figure 3.3. The Mail Server Settings screen is used to define the default SMTP mail server and other mail-related options.
2.	The first field, titled Mail Server, prompts for the mail server host (either the DNS name or IP address). Provide this information as requested.
3.	Before you submit the form, you always should ensure that the specified mail server is valid and accessible. To do this, check the Verify Mail Server Connection checkbox lower down the page.
4.	Click the Submit Changes button (there is one at both the top and the bottom of the screen). Assuming the mail server was accessible, you'll see a success message at the top of the screen as shown in Figure 3.4. You'll see an error message if the specified server could not be accessed. Figure 3.4. The Mail Server Settings screen optionally reports the mail server verification status.

You have now configured your mail server and can use ColdFusion to generate SMTP email.

Enabling Debugging

The debugging screens are another important set of screens that you should be familiar with, starting with the Debugging Settings screen, shown in Figure 3.5. To access this screen, select Debugging Settings (it's in the section labeled Debugging & Logging).

Figure 3.5. The Debugging Settings screen is used to enable and display debug output.

I don't want you to turn on any of these options now, but I do want you to know where these options are and how to get to them, so that you'll be ready to use them in Chapter 10, "Creating Data-Driven Pages."

NOTE

When you do turn on debugging, you should turn on all the options on this page except for the first. That one is used for performance monitoring and is actually not a debug option at all.

Now go to the Debugging IP Address screen shown in Figure 3.6. To get to it, select the Debugging IP Addresses option; it's also in the section labeled Debugging & Logging. This screen is used to define the IP addresses of clients that will receive debug output (this will make more sense in later chapters, I promise). Ensure that the address 127.0.0.1 is listed; if it's not, add it. If you don't have a locally installed ColdFusion (and are accessing a remote ColdFusion server), add your own IP address, too: type it and click the Add button.

Figure 3.6. The Debugging IP Address screen is used to define the IP address that will receive generated debug output.

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You can click the Add Current button to add your own IP address. If you are accessing the ColdFusion Administrator using localhost or 127.0.0.1, then IP address 127.0.0.1 will be added; otherwise your actual IP address will be added.

Debugging and the generated debug output are an important part of application development, as you'll see later in the book.

Chapter 17, "Debugging and Troubleshooting," covers the debugging options in detail.

Viewing Settings

The final screen I'd like to show you is the Settings Summary screen. As its name implies, this reports all ColdFusion settings, including all defined data sources. To access this screen, select the Settings Summary menu option; it's in the Server Setting section. ColdFusion Administrator will read all settings and then generate a complete report like the one in Figure 3.7. Settings are also linked, allowing quick access to the appropriate screens if changes are to be made.

Figure 3.7. The Settings Summary is a report of all ColdFusion Administrator settings.

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It's a good idea to keep a copy of this screen so that you'll have all the settings readily available if you ever have to restore them.

For now, you are finished with the ColdFusion Administrator. So log out and proceed to the next chapter.

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To log out of the ColdFusion Administrator, click the Logout button in the top right box.

NOTE

Feel free to browse through the other administrator screens, but resist the urge to make changes to any settings until you have studied Chapter 29.