Creating RDS Mappings

You need to specify file mappings for the application directory so that the debugger, the ColdFusion Server, and the browser can properly translate local paths into server paths and URLs.

File mapping examples

The following scenarios show how file mappings work when you have local or remote files matched with either local or remote servers:

Using local paths

Debugging against a local ColdFusion Server is the most common scenario. In most cases, this arrangement allows both the Server and Studio to see the directories in the same way.

For example, the local path c:\inetpub\wwwroot translates to an identical server path C:\inetpub\wwwroot, and a URL path of http://215.180.21.1/. The use of mappings in such a scenario is mainly for URL resolutions. The URL part of the mapping instructs ColdFusion Studio how a physical file can be viewed in a browser.

In this example, you would create a mapping as follows:

ColdFusion Server and Studio on same machine
Studio Path C:\inetpub\wwwroot\
Server Path C:\inetpub\wwwroot\
Browser/URL Path http://215.180.21.1/

Using drive mappings

Developers often debug against a remote ColdFusion server across an internal network. In many cases, they use a network drive mapping.

For example, a user may have a remote drive X:\ mapped to a network shared directory \\MYSERVER\WEBPROJECTS\ where WEBPROJECTS is the name of the shared directory in the network server MYSERVER.

In such a scenario, a file that appears to Studio as

X:\App1\Index.cfm

May be viewed by the CF server as

C:\webprojects\App1\index.cfm

The browser may view it using the URL path

http://215.180.21.1/App1/index.cfm

In order to resolve the communication between ColdFusion Studio and the Server, you need to create a mapping for the App1 directory as follows:

Studio access to a remote server using drive mappings
Studio Path X:\App1\
Server Path C:\webprojects\App1\
Browser/URL Path http://215.180.21.1/App1/

Using UNC paths/Network Neighborhood

Developers can debug code against remote ColdFusion servers across an internal network. They often use the Network Neighborhood to access a file on a remote Cold Fusion server. For example, a developer may be accessing a file on \\myserver\webprojects\ where webprojects is the name of the shared directory in the network server myserver.

In such a scenario, a file that appears to Studio as

\\myserver\webprojects\App1\Index.cfm

May be viewed by the ColdFusion server as

c:\webprojects\App1\index.cfm

The browser may view it using the URL path

http://215.180.21.1/App1/index.cfm

ColdFusion Studio and the Server need to understand how a file location appears to the parties involved. You therefore need to create a mapping for the App1 directory as follows:

Studio accesses files on remote CF server using UNC paths/Network Neighborhood
Studio Path \\MYSERVER\WEBPROJECTS\App1\
Server Path C:\webprojects\App1\
Browser/URL Path http://215.180.21.1/App1/

Using Remote Development Services

When developing outside local area networks, many developers access files on a ColdFusion Server across the Internet using the RDS-based remote file access available from the Remote tab in ColdFusion Studio.

In such a scenario, a file that appears to Studio as

RDS://MY_RDS_SERVER/C:/webprojects/App1/index.cfm

May be viewed by the ColdFusion server as

C:\webprojects\App1\index.cfm

The browser may view it using the URL path

http://215.180.21.1/App1/index.cfm

Although the server path can be inferred from the local RDS path, you still need to create a mapping. In special scenarios, ColdFusion Server to Studio path resolution could become ambiguous. You therefore need to create a mapping for the App1 directory as follows:

Studio accesses files on remote CF server using RDS remote file access
Studio Path RDS://MY_RDS_SERVER/C:/WEBPROJECTS/App1/
Server Path C:\webprojects\App1\
Browser/URL Path http://215.180.21.1/App1/