cftag2cfscript

The cftag to cfscript converter for Coldfusion

With the arrival of Coldfusion 9 we can finally build our cfcs in cfscript. I've found that there can be a significant speed increase when converting an existing tag based cfc to cfscript. YMMV of course. Others may want to convert legacy cfcs to cfscript because they prefer writing in cfscript. Whatever your reason is for wanting to convert cf tags to script cftag2cfscript is here to help.

Converting tag-based CF to script based CF is time consuming. This project aims to make it dead simple. Its not there yet, but maybe with your help we can reach that goal.

The Process

Converting a cfc from tags to cfscript is as simple as:

// create the cftag2cfscript object
cftag2cfscript = new cftag2cfscript();
// load the string to be converted
str = fileRead(expandPath('test.cfc'));
// convert!
newStr = cftag2cfscript.toCFscript(str);
// print it!
writeOutput(newStr);

When finished you will most likely want to run the code through a prettifier since it comes out completely unformated.

I am using XML to tokenize the existing tags so that the data is easier to work with. Internally the conversion from tags to script is a two step process:

1. convert existing tag code into a valid XML document.
2. parse the XML into cfscript
3. Profit.

Problems...

...during step 1: creating the XML

• Legacy CF can be difficult to massage into valid XML. There exists some syntax that CF will happily compile, but just shouldn't be. A great example I found was:

   <cfloop array=#myArray# index="i" >
  

  Notice the missing quotes around #myArray#? CF doesn't care, but the xmlParse function will. Some editing of existing code will be necessary to allow for valid XML.
• The parser can become confused when single and double quotes are mixed within properties and values. It attempts to sort this out on its own, but if a chunk of your old code is missing or you are getting invalid XML errors this could be an issue. To check, uncomment the line:

   //writeOutput(xml); 

  in the toCFscript function of cftag2cfscript. This will print out the generated xml. If this is a problem try re-organizing the quotes. Alternately you could remove the code, converting the rest of the file with cftag2cfscript, then paste that offending part back in and rewrite it by hand.

...during step 2: converting the xml to cfscript

• cftag2cfscript aims to create valid cfscript that WORKS. Sometimes it does this gracefully. Sometimes it does this with ugly hacking. You will want to hand-optimize your converted code and of course regression test it.
• Make sure to search your converted code for "cftag2cfscript". cftag2cfscript will insert comments in problem areas that require your attention.

It may be that a tag in your code is not supported yet by cftag2cfscript and so it may give you XML errors. Check the list below to see what tags are supported. If its not there, or its there but implemented badly, submit a fix!

Other Issues

• If you have code that generates XML cftag2cfscript will become incredibly confused.

Fully Supported Tags

• cfabort
• cfbreak
• cfcase
• cfcatch
• cfcomponent
• cfdefaultcase
• cfdirectory
• cfelse
• cfelseif
• cfftp
• cfhttp
• cfif
• cflock
• cflog
• cfloop - cfloop:Query - looking for suggestions on how to make this better.
• cfquery
• cfreturn
• cfscript
• cfset
• cfswitch
• cfthrow
• cftry
• cfthread
• cfwddx

Mostly Supported Tags

• cfargument
• cffile
• cffunction
• cfimage
• cfinvoke - createObject works

Barely Supported Tags

• cfsetting - requesttimeout works

Not Supported Tags

• cfzip - Will convert, but tag is not supported in script?
• Everything else - (cftag2cfscript will make a "best guess" attempt when parsing an undefined tag)

Requirements

cftag2cfscript has been tested with Coldfusion 9.01 and a few CF 7ish cfcs

License (Simplified BSD)

Copyright (c) Daniel Gaspar
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.