In Coldfusion, how do I init a component that is located above the current path folder?

Question

If I have a folder structure that looks like this:

/
/bin/myComponent.cfc
/reports/index.cfm

How do I initiate myComponent.cfc from index.cfm?

myService = createObject("component", "bin.myComponent");

Using the dot syntax, I know how to go to deeper folders, but how to do I go up a folder, and down into the other folder? Using slash syntax it would be something like this:

../bin/myComponent.cfc

But createObject() doesn't work that way. I'd like to keep a relative path so that I can move this folder to another server without breaking the paths.

Ideas? Thanks!

EDIT:

My example didn't display a deep enough folder structure for the creative answers that you all have provided. Here's what I should have done:

/[my project folder]/
/[my project folder]/bin/myComponent.cfc
/[my project folder]/reports/index.cfm

My basic question was if it was possible to go UP a directory when using createObject("component","dot path") from index.cfm to myComponent.cfc IF the name of [my project folder] is not static across all installs of the project.

If the answer is NO, then I'll just need to figure out what the best practice is, whether it's a mapping or an application setting.

Answer 1

We handle this using a mapping in the cf administrator. Usually all of the components go in one directory which is above the www root. In your case you could add a mapping to / which would allow you to do:

myService = createObject("component", "mymapping.bin.myComponent");

Answer 2

if you have the Application.cfc in the root of your folder structure, you could use something like this:

<cfset this.mappings["/local"] = getDirectoryFromPath(getCurrentTemplatePath()) />

and then access it through "local.bin.myComponent"

Answer 3

just use the full path from the root

<cfset obj = createObject("component", "bin.cart.item")>

where item.cfc in located in [website root]/lib/cart/ - this will work from anywhere in your code.

Answer 4

It is an end of the hard week, so pretty likely that following code can be enhanced somehow, but generally this approach should work:

<cfscript>

    // this script is here http://XXXXXXX/test/paths/relative/reports/index.cfm
    // component is here http://XXXXXXX/test/paths/relative/bin/myComponent.cfc

    local = {};

    // initialize with dynamic mapping
    local.myComponentDynamic = createObject("component", "/bin/myComponent");

    // grab the current directory name
    local.parentPathExpanded = ExpandPath("../");
    local.scriptPathExpanded = ExpandPath(cgi.SCRIPT_NAME);
    local.thisDirectory = GetDirectoryFromPath(Replace(local.scriptPathExpanded, local.parentPathExpanded, ""));

    // build base path
    local.scriptPathDirectory = GetDirectoryFromPath(cgi.SCRIPT_NAME);
    local.basePath = Replace(local.scriptPathDirectory, local.thisDirectory, "");

    // this is relative path we already know
    local.relativePath = "bin/myComponent";

    // initialize with slash-syntax (path starting with /)
    local.myComponentSlash = createObject("component", local.basePath & local.relativePath);

    // convert path to the dot-syntax
    local.dottedPath = Replace(local.basePath & local.relativePath, "/", ".", "ALL");
    local.dottedPath = Right(local.dottedPath, Len(local.dottedPath)-1);

    // initialize with dot-syntax path
    local.myComponentDot = createObject("component", local.dottedPath);

</cfscript>
<cfdump var="#local#">

I've split the process into the separate variables and dumped the common container just to make it easy to read and understand this example.

But any way, if you can use dynamic mapping in Application.cfc -- use it.

EDIT: I've added such example, assuming you have following Application.cfc in the parent folder (e.g. "../Application.cfc" if looking from the index.cfm):

<cfcomponent output="false">

    <cfset this.mappings["/bin"] = getDirectoryFromPath(getCurrentTemplatePath()) & "bin/" />

</cfcomponent>

My "paths-converting" example is just a fun trickery and playing with code which not really straightforward approach for good applications.