No LCDS with CF9? should I still use LCDS with CF8?

Question

I've heard somewhere that LCDS is no longer baked in into CF9, and LCDS Express will be phased out, is that true?

If I were to start a new CF8.01 + LCDS Express 2.6 project, what are the risks? Should I abandon that plan and go for BlazeDS instead?

Thanks.

Answer 1

How are you specifically planning to use the Data Management? Flash Builder 4 includes the ability to do client-side data management without having to use a server at all. CF also gives you the ability to do online/offline synchronization and datamanagement with CF and AIR.

LCDS 3.0 has some interesting functionality that goes above and beyond data management but if you're looking at basic data management you might want to give one of the two options above a try.

=Ryan [email protected]

Answer 2

To use LiveCycle Data Services ES 2.6.1 with ColdFusion 9, you need to manually install it after completing your ColdFusion 9 installation.

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/ColdFusion/9.0/Installing/WSB53CBD63-A21C-4f31-8F3E-700AE45A026E.html

Nice, LCDS still supported.

Answer 3

For the record:

ColdFusion 8 shipped (as part of the installer) LCDS 2.6 Express. LCDS Express (free) is no longer available so it is not shipped with ColdFusion 9. However, ColdFusion 9 still supports the same level of integration w/ LCDS as in ColdFusion. The only difference is the installation process. Of course, without a free edition of LCDS, you would be required to purchase a production license.

ColdFusion 9.01 (codenamed Sully) will have full support for LCDS 3.1. It's scheduled for release in mid-2010.

-Adam

Answer 4

Henry just informed me of this thread and showed me the articles on FB4's "Data Management". Forgive my ignorance at this time as I need to carefully read them not just skim them, but I'll chime in briefly.

It sounds to me that FB4's "client-side data management without having to use a server at all" is semantically clear as mud. How does an individual client manage data as "LCDS Data Management" feature does? (Who's on first?). Sounds like they are being implied to be the same. What about NIO, RTMP, Conflict Resolution, server-to-client Pagination, Lazy Loading, etc?

Given the near complete overlap in jargon, and analogous implementations, I think Adobe should be VERY clear regarding the difference. I suppose its in Adobe's best interest to differentiate LCDS Data Management proper (the money feature) from FB4 Data Management (the freebie) if it wants good selling points for LCDS customers.

AFAIK, LCDS 2.6.1 full installer runs as unlimited version for 120 days, and then reverts to the Express Edition 1-CPU (a.k.a. Single CPU Edition) thereafter. If you are already running LCDS 2.6.1 as Single CPU Edition as a standalone server you can connect ColdFusion 8.0/1 and ColdFusion 9.0 to it via RMI by checking the CF Admin boxes under Enable Remote LCDS Access. However, if you have the LCDS 2.6.1 Components for ColdFusion and a full LCDS 2.6.1 server bits lying around, then you can use it to configure both ColdFusion 8.x and ColdFusion 9.0 for an embedded version of LCDS (where they both run in the same JVM and do not need RMI to talk to eachother). I have LCDS 2.6.1 working in embedded mode with both CF8.01 and CF9.0.

Additionally, regarding "LCDS Express (free) is no longer available", it may be true that you can not download it off Adobe.com anymore, but if you already have it then Adobe won't retroactively change your EULA.