ColdFusion Builder Review (After a long day)

Today was the first chance I got to play around with the new ColdFusion Builder from Adobe. I am a big Dreamweaver fan (don't hate me for that), I have been using Dreamweaver well over 5 years as my main IDE. I have switched to and from Eclipse but the lack of support for multiple FTP and site management has always frustratingly pulled me back to the dark side (Dreamweaver of course!).

As a community it's really cool we have something new dedicated to ColdFusion (yes we had homesite but thats gone), maybe, just maybe I can get rid of Dreamweaver and use a real editor right? Well so far I am impressed, but the same functionality Dreamweaver does so well, I feel still lacks in ColdFusion Builder.

Let me explain. Our development environment is setup like so... We have one local web server which ALL developers HAVE to work from, this is not optional we can only work on local machines in first runs, but eventually we all work from the developer local server centrally using version control systems.

We then have remote live servers. These servers are production and DO NOT allow connections in the same way we connection to the remote development server. The only option we have is to connection via FTP. Besides the only time a project gets uploaded to the remote live server is when it's been fully tested and bug free and ready for the client. Simple setup, but we have over 100+ clients, 100+ FTP connections, 100+ setups. Dreamweaver handles this very well, we can all share site definitions, files have to be 'checked in' and 'checked out' and it's very easy to manage all these connections in Dreamweaver within the team without it feeling like its one giant jigsaw puzzle.

My first impression of ColdFusion Builder is that it has some impressive features dedicated to ColdFusion but it seems far behind the harmony of 'site management' that Dreamweaver has. In a small company Web Developers have to take on many roles, design, front end, backend and even database design. Dreamweaver lacks the ColdFusion dedication, but has always been a good all-rounder, right?

Excited about a real CF IDE I feel ColdFusion Builder will need to get better at this, or maybe my understanding/perceptions of an IDE must change to accommodate the way ColdFusion Builder does things? I have been doing things in a particular way for so long our development process is almost been built around Dreamweaver!

What I am trying to say (slowly for some reason) is, will ColdFusion Builder just do things differently or is ColdFusion Builder heading in the direction I personally think it should go, which is a tool at all stages of development that all developers no matter the role could use.

At first look it's hard to tell if that's the way the new IDE will be going or if it's going to stay with its Eclipses roots, bolted on functionality directed at the hardcore devs out there.

I keep hearing the words comparing the new IDE to Microsoft's Visual Studio Editions. Now I come from a .NET background I cannot imagine using such a tool on its own, yes it's the big boys toy that "real" developers use (I write that sarcastically). But COULD you start with it, END with it, collaborate with it, never having to leave its warm virtual walls content in the fact it's a grownups IDE!

Maybe you could, but let's say you're starting point was front end design working from a PSD. I always felt like Microsoft was giving us built in tools like CSS editors reluctantly like second class citizens! I am going off point now, what was my point... I remember now, my point is Dreamweaver is a good model to work from and ColdFusion Builder looks like a good medium for the two products at the moment (Eclipse and Dreamweaver that is), it has everything I want Dreamweaver to be good at in terms of ColdFusion, but I would love to know which direction Adobe may be taking it in, because building websites or apps is not just ColdFusion (I see CSS and JavaScript is already there)

If I cannot control my team in the same way (from a managers point of view) why would I spend money on a featured packed ColdFusion IDE when I still need Dreamweaver to manage files, access, versions in a sense the team.

As much as I love ColdFusion, as much as I want this IDE (I would even pay for it with my own money that shows how bad I want it), I would feel convincing the powers that be to invest in another tool that at the moment (for us) is still dependent on us using Dreamweaver, well, that would be a hard sell.

I am looking forward to seeing how it pans out, I am looking forward to the challenges I may face using this IDE and may even conclude our current working methodology is outdated. The time saving features and ability to create extensions (without knowing JAVA) alone could turn me.

O, well this is only my first look, and it's still very early days, I would love to hear how others are using it.

Jul21

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  1. zac spitzer's Gravatar # Posted By zac spitzer
    21/07/09 20:37

    FTP that's so 1990'! why aren't you using subversion.

    it's far better, trackable and more secure and well supported within the eclipse environment via multiple plugins

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    21/07/09 23:16

    True but these are two different things. We do use version control across the test servers to synchronize my repository to an FTP location. due to security of the live server, developers mistakes and its not on the same LAN this is the best method for us. on a separate (identically configured) server we sync as normal. We don't use subversion on the production server directly for these reasons. FTP is still very important to us. its an option that business and businesses I work with can not do without.

  1. Gavin Baumanis's Gravatar # Posted By Gavin Baumanis
    21/07/09 23:34

    Hi Glynn,
    I'm certaily not going to tell you how you should be working, but just for the record, subversion can certainly be configured to only allow access to various branches/paths for certain people. I.e. the release manager only has access to the release(production copies) branches.

    You can also use ANT and run it manually (or scheduled - if thats appropriate), when your release branch is ready for production to do all the copying / database schema changes etc. As long as your script is correct - it makes a repeatable / human-error free way to get thngs to the production servers.

    Both (ANT and Subversion) have quite a few different plug-ins for Eclipse / CFBuilder... so if you don't like the first one you get - try another.

    Ultimately my point is, that there most certainly are ways to allow to control your source code and its destinations appropriately within Eclipse/CFBuilder already. (You might just have to download and install a particular plug-in)

    Most likely the biggest change wil be shifting from sites to projects.
    Initially, I didn't like projects at all. Now, I have come to live with them.
    I have to say that I prefer DW sites... but given enough time and perserverence you can migrate to Eclipse projects from DW sites.

    it's certainly not everything to everyone, but I do think it is getting there.
    And just in case you missed it, there is a DW profile within CFBuilder (color schemes / keyboard shortcuts etc) to lighten the Eclipse/CFBuilder learning curve.

    Gavin.

  1. Mike Henke's Gravatar # Posted By Mike Henke
    21/07/09 23:46

    I am a huge eclipse/svn fan but changing a businesses development process for an IDE seems extreme.

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    22/07/09 00:08

    I think that the point I was trying to make is ColdFusion Builder could change the way to do things here, the process we have has only come about (over many years) due to the tools we use. I would not change the process for the sake of change, but I do hope CF Builder has an influence on it and with its Eclipse background it gives us more options. If CF Builder modelled that of of DW then maybe this transition would be easier for such companies like ours.

    Also the second point is that I used Eclipse for coding but when it comes to front end stuff and design I always fireup DW. CF Builder looks like it maybe addressing this, which is cool.

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    22/07/09 00:15

    @ Gavin, thanks for the comment, some very good points, and some things I will look at. The point about projects, so true, I found this hard and rejected it for a while.

  1. Mike Henke's Gravatar # Posted By Mike Henke
    22/07/09 02:07

    Did Dreamweaver Determine Your Deployment Method? http://bit.ly/1ad0bX

  1. Gavin Baumanis's Gravatar # Posted By Gavin Baumanis
    22/07/09 02:15

    I was going to ask a similar question, and while I realise that opinions are like bums - (everyone's got one)...

    I would have thought the correct "schedule" would be to determine business requirements / rules / processes and the otain the tools required to support those policies / procedures.

    Though - on the flip side - I have found at times that a procedure can get altered as a result of the tool being used.

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    22/07/09 12:43

    An IDE can have an impact on the development process, yes. How you control files, versioning etc is dependent on the tools you use. But an IDE should not be the deciding factor in your whole process that’s just ignorant. You get a process that works for you, tried and tested over time. Like you have said, after a while tools can/do play a big part in the process and sometimes end up being a major part of it. This would be the case with Eclipse if that was our current IDE. We use versioning but leave the live server FTP because at the moment it works well for our process, and I bet there are a lot more that still use FTP too.

    The other point about sites and projects. Yes I found this the hardest issue with switching. However using Eclipse has little impact on how we do things as our syncs are controlled external from Eclipse and if we were forced to use Eclipse we this would not change.

    I am still looking forward to the challenges I could face using CF Builder and may even conclude our current working methodology IS a 'little' outdated, the point the article highlights is will the Director of a company see the same thing when using another IDE, sorta like, if is not broken, why fix it! If I get my job done quicker, then yes, maybe, but if its change, for the sake of change, they may not be so cash friendly.

  1. Paul's Gravatar # Posted By Paul
    22/07/09 15:28

    Take a look at Beyond Compare ( http://www.scootersoftware.com ) we use this to sync from QA/Stage servers to production that way the IDE is totally out of the "sync" to production process. I use CFEclipse but will move to ColdFusion Builder, I don't even have Dreamweaver installed anymore. I use a separate SVN client outside of Eclipse ( smartSVN ) which I really like.

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    22/07/09 15:43

    We do use something similar, the price of Beyond Compare seems a lot cheaper, how do you find it?

  1. Paul's Gravatar # Posted By Paul
    22/07/09 15:48

    Its so so good I really can't say how much I love this tool. It works over SSH aswell ( we got the pro version ). Honestly I don't know how we would go without it. I think its also got a 30 trial?

  1. Glyn Jackson's Gravatar # Posted By Glyn Jackson
    22/07/09 16:36

    Thanks, just downloaded to have a play with, seems easy

  1. SALAMANDER's Gravatar # Posted By SALAMANDER
    08/12/09 08:06

    Well, I think Gavin Baumanis is right that that "there most certainly are ways to allow to control your source code and its destinations appropriately within Eclipse/CFBuilder already." And besides, I also used Eclipse for coding but when it comes to front end stuff and design I always fireup DW. CF Builder looks like it maybe addressing this, which is cool. That is true. The result, if you would like to have a look ai it, can be downloaded at http://www.picktorrent.com torrent search engine which is a good source of information on how to shoot similar issues.

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