In February 2005 Macromedia released this latest version of their ColdFusion MX 7 (previously code-named Blackstone). The product has been re-architected with Java J2EE 1.4 and introduces interactions with mobile phones using short message service (SMS) text messaging as well as standard Web-based instant messaging clients. ColdFusion will run as either a standalone application server or on top of J2EE application servers, including Macromedia JRun, IBM's WebSphere, and BEA's WebLogic. The platform's open architecture allows it to deliver applications on Windows, UNIX, and Linux platforms.

In this release it is the event gateways which make it possible to build ColdFusion applications that don't rely on the Web. With this capability, applications can be built that react to messages and data coming from non-Web connections, such as SMS (Short Message Service) or instant messaging. This makes it possible to build applications that send out IMs when certain data events occur or accept SMS menu requests for specific data.

So apart from SMS whats new in MX7? Probably the main thing of interest will be Flash Based Forms. Some new tags have been added and these generate some sophisticated forms like tabbed forms, expandable and collapsible accordion forms, trees, data grids, and calendar components.

Another exciting feature is the ability to create PDF or FlashPaper files with a single tag. Wrap your content in the cfdocumentt tag, pick your output type, and ColdFusion does the rest. Not only exciting, very convenient for coders.

ColdFusion has been around for approximately ten years. Over its life span, Macromedia has developed it into a full-blown programming environment. ColdFusion has built in support for many of the most common capabilities found in web applications today including full-text search, charting/graphing, structured report generation, document generation, rich forms generation, and high-performance email generation. This is clearly a super upgrade to ColdFusion which appreciably enhances its forms, reporting and deployment options. In my opinion Macromedia is distinguishing ColdFusion from its rivals and it does so by continuing to maintain the tag-base familiar to so many HTML and web developers.

As always, ColdFusion pages can be built using almost any authoring tool. However, most people stick with Macromedia and use Dreamweaver. The ColdFusion Dreamweaver extensions have been enhanced with this release, including the addition of a log-in wizard that makes it possible to build applications with detailed authentication requirements. Macromedia looks after its own (lets just hope Adobe do too).

According to industry sources this is possibly the best of release of ColdFusion ever. But because of its precarious future, given the Adobe acquisition of Macromedia, developers could be heading in a different direction until the dust settles. ColdFusion is a great development environment, lets hope it makes it as part of the new Adobe product stable.