Peter Bell and I continue our ongoing CFArgument series, this time debating the merits of using object oriented development in ColdFusion (see prior debates about DAO's and IBO's). We also talk a lot of smack as the debate heats up but in the end a poll found that 68 percent of readers think I am focused on the issues while 57 percent think Peter spent more time on negative attacks.

This is the first entry in a planned series of discussion between myself and Peter Bell where we will discuss hot topics in the ColdFusion community. Today's topic is Peter's own iterating business object, which has been the source of some discussion lately.

With the advent of ColdFusion components (CFCs) back in ColdFusion MX (i.e. version 6), object-oriented coding practices in ColdFusion became possible. Originally built by Ben Edwards and Hal Helms as Fusebox MX, Mach-II was the first object-oriented ColdFusion framework built around the Model-view-controller architecture (MVC). Currently the framework is maintained by Peter Farrell, Kurt Wiersma and Matt Woodward with commercial support from GreatBizTools, LLC and is available at mach-ii.com.

I am working on some internal training at my day job on using object-oriented programming best practices in ColdFusion as well as Mach-II. As part of this, I am building a sample application based upon my Objects and Composition - No Framework tutorial. This includes a number of forms that all interact to allow you to create the example "Xbox console" objects that I used in my example. Its funny when you are trying to build an application for the real-world, you often go with the solution that is expedient and works but when it is for teaching purposes, you might prefer to actually confirm that this is the (or a) "right way" to do things.

One question that I am trying to get a handle on is where is the best place to put server-side form validation. The most common place I have seen recommended by several prominent folks within the community is that validation should live within the bean. Along these lines my generator actually does generate a validate() method. Others have also looked into this topic lately. Jeff Chastain of Alagad wrote several entries on the topic earlier this year. His posts focused on a more generic server-side validation framework. Clearly there is no single answer to this question. However, I am finding the more I think about it, I don't like either of these solutions. Let me explain and then discuss where I have settled, at least for the moment.

Max Day 2 Keynote

Another introductory video montage about design and development, again featuring both Ben Forta and Laura Arguello (no Ray this time). Kevin Lynch enters and announces the MTV AIR contest at adobe.mtv.com. He introduces Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen begins by speaking about what keeps him going. He describes some of the difficulties of his job such as dealing with people in the financial world and the press. In describing what keeps him going, he talks about talking his son to a Dave Mathews Band concert and getting invited back stage, where, while feeling a little starstruck himself, the band and producers kept raving about Adobe's products. Another example of what motivates him is tat 4,000 plus people are sitting at the keynote who paid to come to this conference and are motivated by Adobe's products and innovate with them on a daily basis. He says that this continues to inspire him.