Plum stands for Practical Lightweight Universal Methodology, and it's a
combination of a powerful code generator, a comprehensive application
framework, online project management, and a methodology for rapidly
developing killer ColdFusion applications.
Here is a preliminary feature list for Plum:
CODE GENERATOR
* Plum has its own IDE that reads your database structure and instantly
generates perfectly-formatted code based on simple custom tags
* Instantly create multi-table modules containing master-detail forms
* Control every aspect of how your code works
* Plum project files stored in XML format
PLUM METHODOLOGY
* Simple diagramming method plots process flows against roles and stages
to give you a visual model of your application's workflow
* Decompose individual processes into tasks that map directly to web
pages
* Places emphasis on "integrity directives" that ensure both data and
workflow integrity throughout your application
* Takes the long view of application workflow and integrity, rather than
a simple view of screens
* Methodology Manager enables free-form entry of modules, objects,
methods, process flows, processes, tasks, integrity directives, and
work stages
* Documentation automatically generated by Methodology Manager
* Plum applications begin with a starter database containing all
necessary starter content, sample users in common roles, and other
data you need to hit the ground running
* Starter database and content enables many aspects of the design and
build process to start early and work in parallel well in advance of
having a finished database design in place, resulting in a shorter
overall delivery timeline
PROTOTYPING
* Query stubs automatically populate prototype query objects with data,
either programmatically-generated or retrieved from sample text files
of your choice
* SampleData attribute of Plum custom tags automatically populates
prototype forms and lists with data, either programmatically-generated
or retrieved from sample text files of your choice
* Prototypes evolve directly into finished forms and lists, giving you
100% utilization of your prototype efforts
FRAMEWORK
* Pre-built common functionality and features get you off to a fast
start
* Complete custom tag library (55 easy-to-use custom tags)
* Unencrypted custom tags enable you to learn custom tag best practices
and even create custom versions for your own use
* Custom tag editors for HomeSite+ / ColdFusion Studio
* Custom tag help accessible from within custom tag editors
* Intuitive directory structure
* Intuitive filenames
* Straightforward separation of data, logic, and presentation with no
special rules to follow
CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
* Built-in WYSIWYG editor
* Instant Verity integration
* Automated Verity management generates your Verity CFC methods for you
* Built-in content workflow using a simple combination of content item
status and user roles
* Every Plum project begins with a database that already contains
commonly-needed starter content
* Instantly change content ownership from one user to another system-
wide
* Easily create multiple content collections users can choose when
searching
* Include content items in search results by assigning them a display
template
* Create multi-page articles with automatic paging controls
* Call content using simple custom tags -- or use these custom tags as a
base for creating your own
INTELLIGENT FORMS
* Client-side validation automatically generated
* Client-side validation uses extended version of qForms
* Server-side validation automatically generated
* Plum's filtered select menu provides a rich user interface control for
relating child records to their parents
* Plum's chooser control provides a rich user interface control for
relating "spouse" tables across many-to-many joins
* Date time control provides a rich user interface control for
specifying validated date and time values
USER AND ROLE MANAGEMENT
* Complete user and role management system pre-built
* Easily attach roles to users using a simple chooser control
* Users can manage their own profiles (except role membership)
* Ability for new users to create their own profiles can easily be
turned off
* Integrated login/user registration automatically separates return
users with incorrect passwords from new users and re-routes them to
the next step in the login/registration process
* Users can email their passwords to themselves using up to ten email
accounts they might have registered under
* Secure "keep me logged in" feature reissues unique authentication IDs
each time a login fails or a timeout or logout occurs from any client
computer, effectively limiting exposure on publicly accessible
machines
SECURITY
* Extends ColdFusion's CFLOGIN security model
* Auto-Synchronized Sessions and logins, even with cookie storage of
login data
* Module-, page-, and section-level security
* Easily test for a user's membership in all or part of a collection of
roles
* Implement security with a single tag call
ROBUST
* Automatically implements both client- and server-side validation
* Eliminates SQL injection attacks
* Eliminates cross-site scripting attacks
* Validation tests can be for simple criteria like data type and size,
or for sophisticated patterns using regular expressions
CODE REUSE
* Individual directories for components, custom tags, UDFs, and includes
* CFCs heavily leveraged throughout Plum
* All components you create may be made web-accessible for access by
Flash Remoting and web services
STRUCTURED EXCEPTION HANDLING
* Pre-defined enumerated errors for all framework functionality
* Auto-sensing error handlers detect type of error and both log results
and email all pertinent information to webmaster for analysis
* Site-wide error handler supplied for production use
* BusinessRules exception type pre-defined for use with custom
exceptions thrown by your own business rules
* Turn off exception handling with a single checkbox to expose raw
errors during development for easier analysis and resolution
VARIABLE MANAGEMENT
* Instantly switch between Session and Client as the framework's
persistent scope
* Intelligent cookie methods transparently consolidate persistent and
non-persistent cookies so they may be called using a single name, so
users with persistent cookies turned off are not hampered and users
with persistent cookies turned on will be remembered from one session
to the next
* Module exit routine automatically destroys persistent variables you
place in "module scopes" when you exit a module
LAYOUT MANAGEMENT
* Browser sensing occurs on first request, then persists results in non-
persistent cookie for remainder of session
* Multiple layouts enable users to choose the site design they like best
* Intelligent stylesheets guarantee cross-platform and cross-browser
compatibility by enabling you to create either single style sheets or
separate stylesheets by platform, browser, major version, and minor
version if necessary
* Separate consumer-side and admin-side layouts eliminate "consumer
chrome" for admin users
* Set minimum allowed versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera,
Safari, Mozilla, and other browsers for Windows, Mac, and other
platforms
* Obsolete browsers automatically redirected to a minimal "plain"
version of your website
* Printing a page automatically engages Plum's "Printable Version"
stylesheet that hides page chrome and adjusts margins to the printed
page.
MULTI-ENVIRONMENT CONFIGURATION
* All environment-specific configuration data stored in a single file
* Deploy an environment-specific version of the configuration file on
each server, then seamlessly move Plum applications between
environments
TESTING
* Pre-built testing directory for experimentation and unit testing your
code
* Straightforward architecture makes testing simple and easy
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
* Pre-built project management application enables you to track every
aspect of development between you and your clients
* Straightforward and simple functionality eliminates both the learning
curve and the unwanted feature bloat of heavy project management tools
* Track work performed and compare to estimates
* Everyone has a prioritized task list
* Everyone can participate on everyone else's tasks, which is more like
the real world
* Your client can log in and see the tasks he is responsible for, so no
more "who told what to whom when" or "who is supposed to do what by
when"
GENERAL SERVICES
* Email this page to a friend
* Link to this page
* I forgot my password
* Contact us
* FAQs
* Accessibility statement
* Feedback form
* Site map
* About us
* Privacy statement
* Terms of use
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
* Windows 2000 or XP (code generator only)
* .NET Framework V1.1 or later (code generator only)
* SQL Server 2000, Oracle 9i, or Access
* ColdFusion MX 6.1
* 5 MB disk space
(generated code will run on Windows or Linux)
We're extending our private Beta testers list for Plum to the general
ColdFusion community. This is a small test with a relatively small number
of participants whose strong feedback will assist us in making the product
best fit your needs.
If you're interested in beta testing the Plum IDE -- the code generator and
application framework portions of Plum -- then please send a message offlist
to [EMAIL PROTECTED] letting me know how many hours you can
dedicate to beta testing Plum, the version of the OS on which you're going
to run the generated code, and the database platform you'll be using.
If you're a good fit as a tester for this private Beta release then we'll
add you to the private Plum Discussion List at
[EMAIL PROTECTED], send you the download location of the
installer as soon as it is ready next week, and take feedback via the Plum
Discussion List. Your feedback will help us make Plum great.
We sincerely appreciate your participation, folks.
Respectfully,
Adam Phillip Churvis
Member of Team Macromedia
Advanced Intensive ColdFusion MX Training
ColdFusion MX Master Class:
January 12 - 16, 2004
http://www.ColdFusionTraining.com
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