The book would be invaluable if it weren't for the fact that 50 critical pages are missing. I had the first book replaced, and what do you know, there was the same 50 pages missing in the replaced book. Seems it might be a publishing error.

While this is a fine book for preparing for the Certified Macromedia ColdFusion MX7 Developer exam, it is also an excellent way for experienced Web developers to get up-to-speed with ColdFusion.

As a experienced Web developer and programmer, I occassionally find myself looking for the quickest way to learn about a new tool or program without having to wade through the basics that I'm already familiar with. It was such a search that led me to choose this book over some much larger books on ColdFusion MX7.

If you are familiar with Web application servers and Web back-end programming and want to learn ColdFusion quickly, consider this book. Ben Forta covers all aspects of ColdFusion in a terse but clear style that would make Kernighan and Ritchie smile.

This book has no fat - it just bangs through all of the functionality of ColdFusion, including practical usage and performance tips, in a cool 444 pages. The chapters are short and well organized and each can each be read in one sitting, making the book very easy to digest.

What this book is *not* is a ColdFusion CFML reference. Once you're up to speed on the program you will probably want another book to refer to as a day-to-day programming reference. Still, this is a valuable, action-packed way to learn ColdFusion without having to relearn the basics of programming and how Web applications work.

A real find!

I have used ColdFusion for the past 7 years. I just decided to take the certification exam. I was using the CF Exam Buster (a software written by CentraSoft) to prep me for the exam. But I only got 50% to 60% correct in the demo exam. That's why I bought the study guide and I read it from the first page to the last. With a combination of CF Exam Buster and the study guide, I got a 77% in the certification exam and I passed the exam. So now, I am certified.

É pra quem já sabe, uma revisão muito boa pra quem quer se preparar para o exame...

This book is fantastic for reviewing for the Coldfusion MX7 Developer Exam, but it's not the only book you'll need to use for reference. The questions on the actual exam most closely resembled the review questions in this book, as well as CentraSoft's Exam Buster product; LearnByHeart.com's exams were much too function concentrated. Do yourself a favor, do not take Forta.com's test until you've completely finished the entire book, you will learn much more about what you need to study more heavily. I think that if you just hold off on taking Forta's sample test, you could probably pass by just using this book and developing a few applications on your own. I took the test yesterday and scored an 80%; not quite enough for Advanced status, but close enough for me. If for nothing else after reading the Web Application Construction Kit and Advanced Development, this book goes through the subjects of ColdFusion that you may not realize you need to know if you aren't a server administrator. I would definately say that this book is essential if you are trying to get your certification.

I think this is the only book in market for coldfusion certification. This book is the best book for CF 7 certification. Anybody who uses this book (along with CFMX buster test software) and do 2 months decent study should be expecting above 90%. This is also a good reference book for everyday development along with google.

I just returned from taking the CFMX 7 Developer Exam and passed! Ben did an excellent job (as he always does) with laying out the key concepts and things you need to pay attention to for the exam. This book is a must read!

Other resources I recommend using:
1. Web Application Construction Kit for CFMX7 - there are "little" things noted here that are not in the study guide that proved very handy.
2. CFMX Exam Buster (from CentraSoft) - tons of questions in a test-type environment.
3. EXPERIENCE!!! Nothing beats hands-on experience. Take the concepts in the books and build a couple of sample apps to see them in action.

All in all, the study guide was an excellent guide (no pun intended) in breaking down concepts and preparing for the test.

Thanks Ben for your great work and contributions to CF!