multimedia

(...)I am now at the point in the tutorial where the early review warned of errors. I have about 3 years of Dreamweaver experience, but this is my first plunge into server assisted web sites. So far I have been stumped at 3 other points in the tutorial. I am attempting to go through with the COLD FUSION TUTORIAL start to finish.

1. Lesson 3 Page 41 - When testing the success of the SQL expression, the table is disjointed and over run with information. When I switch the order of the FROM * statement from Products,Suppliers
-to-
Suppliers,Products it straightens out.

2.If you look at the Supplier Table last column labeled
"Web Site" This columnn in the Database (MS Access) must be edited to remove the space "WebSite". If not you will have all kinds of problems later.

3. The links on all of the Cold Fusion Tutorial pages are relatively linked to .asp extensions.
Use the Replace function -Select the entire Cold Fusion Current folder -Select the source code option -Change .asp to .cfm

Learning alot, but wish there was an addendum or way to get support on book

With all of that said still the best book I have seen to move you thru step by step. Trust me I stood in a book store looking at all of them.

Good Luck

I agree with all preceeding comments concerning the typos and mistakes in the book (which are common for anything published) that led to some frustrating moments while I worked through the cf version of the book over the last two weeks. Since the accompanying CD contains the finished (example) site, I would recommend reviewing the finished pages there when things don't work. I tried that method and finally got through these typos and mistakes. Now I that have adapted this book to mirrored a completed an application, I think the author had a good product and did a good job; hence the publisher should share the major blame for the mistakes in the book. It is still one of the QUICKIST way to learn cf/dw/database application without all the hard coding provided that you look into the files on CD when errors arisen. Good luck...

First of all, this book leads you to believe that UltraDev4 works with WindowsME . It appears there is some work around so it can work in this environment, but unless you want to go in and screw around with your OS it doesn't.

Second, even with XP PRO and IIS it seems that there are a good number of errors in the book or maybe there is some compatibility issue with XP PRO or the version of IIS that comes with XP.

If you are new to UltraDev and looking for a book that guides you through the steps of building a dynamic site this would be a great book if the instructions worked more often. As published, you'll learn some of the ins and out or UltraDev (which seems to be an awesome tool!) but most likely end up frustrated when things simply don't work.

The book gets a second star because there are some parts you can work through without having to chase your tail trying to figure out what mistake you may have made, when in fact, the error is in the book.