Contents

Language elements are presented in multiple ways to facilitate aeasy ccess and to highlight their functional relationships.

See the Customizing the Development Environment section of Using HomeSite, Using ColdFusion Studio, or Using JRun Studio for implementation information.

Introduction

VTML and WIZML

VTML is used to define the user interface and to determine the behavior of a number of tools in the Visual Tools. You can create your own definition files for these tools or customize existing ones to extend and adapt your working environment.

VTML can be used to customize the following tools:

The Wizard Markup Language (WIZML) handles the logic of writing code based on user input in Tag Editors and Wizards.

Versions

The original version of VTML was released with HomeSite and ColdFusion Studio 3.0. VTML was upgraded to VTML 2 for the 4.0 release. All VTML 2 tags and attributes are indicated with a graphical marker, which is also used in the VTML Tag Editors for those tags. New extensions were added for the 4.5 release and are indicated with a VTML 3 graphical marker. These markers are used throughout this documentation.

VTML 2 VTML 2 VTML 2
VTML 3 VTML 3 VTML 3

Older versions of the products do not support these new tags and attributes. If you must distribute tag definitions that work with older versions of the programs, you can use the markers in this documentation to take compatibility into account.

Syntax

All examples in this documentation show the syntax as introduced with VTML 2: empty tags are now written as <TAG .../> while container tags are (still) written as <TAG ...> </TAG>. Note that WIZML does not use this syntax.

The VTML Tag Editors also write code in conformance with this standard. HomeSite 3.01 and ColdFusion Studio 3.11 can use this syntax, so the older syntax of VTML 1 is not documented here.

Obsolete atributes

Some attributes are marked as Obsolete: they may still occur in some Tag Editors distributed with older versions but are not parsed. They are included for completeness, since you may come across them in older VTML code.

Documentation about aspects shared by Tag Definitions and Wizard Profiles

Subject Documented in Description
Flags flags.html Boolean attributes and attributes that take either Yes or No as a value.
Searching searching.html How HomeSite and ColdFusion/JRun Studio find a tag definition file and how you can control this.
Functions and expressions functions.html Functions available in WIZML. Usage and syntax of expressions.

Alphabetical listing of VTML tags

Tag reference Context Description
ATTRIB attributes.html Defines an attribute. Databinding between an existing attribute in a tag being edited and the user interface in a Tag Editor or Tag Inspector. Also serves as input for Tag Insight and Tag Tips.
ATTRIBCATEGORIESVTML 2 tag.html Container for ATTRIBGROUP tags.
ATTRIBGROUPVTML 2 attribcategories.html Names a category of attributes and all attributes that belong in this category; used in Tag Inspector.
ATTRIBOPTIONVTML 2 attributes.html Defines one possible value for an attribute with a predefined list of possible values.
ATTRIBUTES tag.html Container tag for ATTRIB and EVENT tags.
CAT   Defines a category which can contain elements (E) and other categories. Used in Tag Chooser and Expression Builder.
CONTAINER layout.html Defines a container in which controls or other containers can be placed. Part of the user interface definition for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
CONTROL layout.html Defines a control on a user interface for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
E   Defines an element for Tag Chooser or Expression Builder.
EDITORLAYOUT layout.html Defines the structure in which containers and controls can be laid out for the Tag Editor user interface.
EVENTVTML 2 attributes.html Defines an event for which an event handler can be written in a scripting language. Used by Tag Inspector only.
INPUTVTML 2 wizards.html Controls databinding between an input control on a page and a PARAM; used by Wizards only
ITEM control.html Defines one possible choice in a CONTROL with multiple choices, such as a dropdown, a listbox or a radio group.
NEXTPAGEVTML 2 wizards.html Controls the next Wizard page to be shown depending on the evaluation of a boolean expression.
PAGEVTML 2 wizards.html Declares a page of a Wizard.
PAGELAYOUTVTML 2 layout.html Defines the structure in which containers and controls can be laid out for a page in a Wizard.
PARAMVTML 2 wizards.html Defines a parameter for a Wizard or a Wizard page.
TAG   Container for a complete tag definition. Contains EDITORLAYOUT, ATTRIBUTES, ATTRIBCATEGORIES, TAGLAYOUT and TAGDESCRIPTION sections.
TAGDESCRIPTION tag.html Provides help information for a Tag Editor.
TAGLAYOUT tag.html Section in a tag definition file that controls how code will be written by a Tag Editor based on user input.
TEMPLATEVTML 2 wizards.html Defines a template file that controls how code will be written by a Wizard based on user input, and which file will be created.
WIZARDVTML 2 wizards.html Container for a complete Wizard profile file.
WIZBREAK wizml.html Stops execution of a loop and continues execution with the first statement after </WIZLOOP>.
WIZCONTINUE wizml.html Skips further processing of any following statements in the loop and initiates the next iteration of the loop with the <WIZLOOP> statement.
WIZELSE wizml.html Contained code will be extecuted if none of the other conditions in the WIZIF clause evaluate to true; part of a WIZIF clause.
WIZELSEIF wizml.html Defines an alternative condition under which the contained WIZML code will be executed; part of a WIZIF clause.
WIZIF wizml.html Defines a condition under which the contained WIZML code will be executed.
WIZINCLUDE wizml.html Defines a file with WIZML code to be executed at this point. Active only in Wizard template files, not tag definitions.
WIZLOOP wizml.html Defines how and under what condition the contained WIZML code will be repeatedly executed.
WIZSET wizml.html Creates and initializes a variable or assigns a value to an existing variable

Functional listing of VTML tags

Tag Chooser, Expression Builder and Function Insight

Tag reference Description
CAT Defines a category which can contain elements (E) and other categories.
E Defines an element for Tag Chooser or Expression Builder. Drives Function Insight if the element is defined as a function.

Tag Editor

Tag reference Context Description
TAG   Container for a complete tag definition. Contains EDITORLAYOUT, ATTRIBUTES, ATTRIBCATEGORIES, TAGLAYOUT and TAGDESCRIPTION sections.
EDITORLAYOUT layout.html Defines the structure in which containers and controls can be laid out for the Tag Editor user interface.
CONTAINER layout.html Defines a container in which controls or other containers can be placed. Part of the user interface definition for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
CONTROL layout.html Defines a control on a user interface for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
ITEM control.html Defines one possible choice in a CONTROL with multiple choices, such as a dropdown, a listbox or a radio group.
ATTRIBUTES tag.html Container tag for ATTRIB and EVENT tags.
ATTRIB attributes.html Defines an attribute. Databinding between an existing attribute in a tag being edited and the user interface in a Tag Editor or Tag Inspector. Also serves as input for Tag Insight and Tag Tips.
TAGLAYOUT tag.html Section in a tag definition file that controls how code will be written by a Tag Editor based on user input.
TAGDESCRIPTION tag.html Provides help information for a Tag Editor.

Tag InspectorVTML 2

Tag reference Context Description
TAG   Container for a complete tag definition. Contains EDITORLAYOUT, ATTRIBUTES, ATTRIBCATEGORIES, TAGLAYOUT and TAGDESCRIPTION sections.
ATTRIBUTES tag.html Container tag for ATTRIB and EVENT tags.
ATTRIB attributes.html Defines an attribute. Databinding between an existing attribute in a tag being edited and the user interface in a Tag Editor or Tag Inspector. Also serves as input for Tag Insight and Tag Tips.
ATTRIBOPTIONVTML 2 attributes.html Defines one possible value for an attribute with a predefined list of possible values.
EVENTVTML 2 attributes.html Defines an event for which an event handler can be written in a scripting language. Used by Tag Inspector only.
ATTRIBCATEGORIESVTML 2 tag.html Container for ATTRIBGROUP tags.
ATTRIBGROUPVTML 2 attribcategories.html Names a category of attributes and all attributes that belong in this category; used in Tag Inspector.

Tag InsightVTML 2

Tag reference Context Description
TAG   Container for a complete tag definition. Contains EDITORLAYOUT, ATTRIBUTES, ATTRIBCATEGORIES, TAGLAYOUT and TAGDESCRIPTION sections.
ATTRIBUTES tag.html Container tag for ATTRIB and EVENT tags.
ATTRIB attributes.html Defines an attribute. Databinding between an existing attribute in a tag being edited and the user interface in a Tag Editor or Tag Inspector. Also serves as input for Tag Insight and Tag Tips.
ATTRIBOPTIONVTML 2 attributes.html Defines one possible value for an attribute with a predefined list of possible values.

Tag TipsVTML 2

Tag reference Context Description
TAG   Container for a complete tag definition. Contains EDITORLAYOUT, ATTRIBUTES, ATTRIBCATEGORIES, TAGLAYOUT and TAGDESCRIPTION sections.
ATTRIBUTES tag.html Container tag for ATTRIB and EVENT tags.
ATTRIB attributes.html Defines an attribute. Databinding between an existing attribute in a tag being edited and the user interface in a Tag Editor or Tag Inspector. Also serves as input for Tag Insight and Tag Tips.
ATTRIBOPTIONVTML 2 attributes.html Defines one possible value for an attribute with a predefined list of possible values.

Wizards

Tag reference Context Description
WIZARDVTML 2 wizards.html Container for a complete Wizard profile file.
PARAMVTML 2 wizards.html Defines a parameter for a Wizard or a Wizard page.
PAGEVTML 2 wizards.html Declares a page of a Wizard.
PAGELAYOUTVTML 2 layout.html Defines the structure in which containers and controls can be laid out for a page in a Wizard.
CONTAINER layout.html Defines a container in which controls or other containers can be placed. Part of the user interface definition for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
CONTROL layout.html Defines a control on a user interface for a Tag Editor or a custom Wizard page.
ITEM control.html Defines one possible choice in a CONTROL with multiple choices, such as a dropdown, a listbox or a radio group.
INPUTVTML 2 wizards.html Controls databinding between an input control on a page and a PARAM; used by Wizards only
NEXTPAGEVTML 2 wizards.html Controls the next Wizard page to be shown depending on the evaluation of a boolean expression.
TEMPLATEVTML 2 wizards.html Defines a template file that controls how code will be written by a Wizard based on user input, and which file will be created.

WIZML (Tag Editors and Wizards)

Tag reference Context Description
Functions and expressions functions.html Functions available in WIZML. Usage and syntax of expressions.
WIZSET wizml.html Creates and initializes a variable or assigns a value to an existing variable
WIZIF wizml.html Defines a condition under which the contained WIZML code will be executed.
WIZELSEIF wizml.html Defines an alternative condition under which the contained WIZML code will be executed; part of a WIZIF clause.
WIZELSE wizml.html Contained code will be extecuted if none of the other conditions in the WIZIF clause evaluate to true; part of a WIZIF clause.
WIZLOOP wizml.html Defines how and under what condition the contained WIZML code will be repeatedly executed.
WIZBREAK wizml.html Stops execution of a loop and continues execution with the first statement after </WIZLOOP>.
WIZCONTINUE wizml.html Skips further processing of any following statements in the loop and initiates the next iteration of the loop with the <WIZLOOP> statement.
WIZINCLUDE wizml.html Defines a file with WIZML code to be executed at this point. Active only in Wizard template files, not tag definitions.

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