Robert Segal

A common function of ColdFusion applications is the query-by-example interface (QBE) that allows end users to select from a list of properties in order to find matching records. It generally involves creating a simple HTML form. Based on end user input into the form, you construct and execute a SQL query on an action page, displaying the results to the user. Creating such a mechanism in ColdFusion is fairly perfunctory. During the last three years of developing with CF, I must have created 5,637 such interfaces. Perhaps I'm a slow learner or a glutton for punishment, but finally, at number 5,638 I decided to call it quits. I figured there had to be a better, faster solution and steadfastly refused to code another QBE. The challenge was laid out before me. How do I create ... (more)