Setting Up a Web Application using ColdFusion and Oracle on the same host

I was asked by a client to test some application features onsite and needed to re-create the environment on a single computer using ColdFusion with Oracle as database and had a hard time figuring out what the installation order is and get everything work together.

I had to read a lot in many different places and test and restart all over again. As I couldn’t find straightforward documentation I hope this will help others.

Prerequisites: Windows XP Pro/2003; ColdFusion Server 6.1; Oracle 10g; Dreamweaver MX 2004 or later;

In order to create a web application in a Windows environment using ColdFusion and an Oracle database you must follow the next steps :

1. install IIS;
2. install ColdFusion server;
3. install Oracle;
4. create in Inetpub/wwwroot a directory in which all the application files will be saved (e.g. .Inetpub/wwwroot/site_name);
5. open IIS -> Default Web Site -> Add Virtual Directory , the name (site_name) will be accessed in the browser, and it will point to the Inetpub/wwwroot/ directory of the web application (e.g. .Inetpub/wwwroot/site_name), then close IIS;
6. open Dreamweaver -> Create New Dreamweaver Site -> Site Name -> Use server technology=ColdFusion -> Edit and test locally -> test server = http://localhost:/site_name. If the testing server returns an error you must restart the ColdFusion server (Administrative Tools -> Services -> ColdFusion Application -> restart) or check IIS;
7. to add an Oracle datasource for use in ColdFusion open the ColdFusion Administrator, go to Data Sources -> type in a name, select driver=Oracle- > Add; next you must know the SID of the Oracle database and a username and password for it -> Submit, returns to the datasource screen -> click on the second icon near the datasource added = Verify, if OK is the status returned, everything is set. If not, check the Oracle settings for the database and try again.
8. open Dreamweaver, the created site and create a new ColdFusion file, edit it and save it in the Inetpub/wwwroot/site_name folder as a index.cfm file
9. to access the created application, open a browser and type in the following address: http://localhost/site_name/index.cfm .

Now you are ready to test ColdFusion+Oracle.