User Guide

Chapter 7: Reusing Code 83

• AssocAttribs — holds the attributes of all nested tags if CFASSOCIATE was used

them.

Pattern of execution

The same CFML template is executed for both the start and end tag of a custom tag.

Modes of execution

ColdFusion invokes a custom tag template in either of two modes:

• Start tag execution

• End tag execution

If an end tag is not explicitly provided and shorthand empty element syntax

(<TagName …/>) is not used, the custom tag template will be invoked only once in

start tag mode. If a tag must have an end tag provided, use ThisTag.HasEndTag during

start tag execution to validate this.

Specifying execution modes

A variable with the reserved name ThisTag.ExecutionMode will specify the mode of

invocation of a custom tag template. The variable will have one of the following values:

• Start — start tag execution

• End — end tag execution

During the execution of the body of the custom tag, the value of the ExecutionMode

variable is going to be inactive. In this framework, the template of a custom tag that

wants to perform some processing in both modes may look something like the

following:

</CFIF>

CFSWITCH can also be used:

</CFCASE>

</CFCASE>

</CFSWITCH>