User Guide

46 Chapter 2: ColdFusion Tags
Usage
This tag must be in a cffunction tag, before any other tags in the cffunction tag body.
Arguments that are passed when a method is invoked can be accessed from the method body in
the following ways:
• With shorthand syntax: #myargument#
(This example accesses the argument myargument.)
• Using the arguments scope as an array: #arguments[1]#
(This example accesses the first defined argument in the cffunction.)
• Using the arguments scope as a struct: #arguments.myargument#
(This example accesses the argument myargument in the array.)
Example
<!--- This example defines a function that takes a course number parameter
and returns the course description. --->
<cffunction name="getDescription">
<!--- Identify argument --->
<cfargument name="Course_Number" type="numeric" required="true">
<!--- Use the argument to get a course description from the database --->
<cfquery name="Description" datasource="cfdocexamples">
SELECT Descript
FROM Courses
WHERE Number = '#Course_Number#'
</cfquery>
<!--- Specify the variable that the function returns --->
<cfreturn Description.Descript>
</cffunction>
required Optional no Note: All arguments are required when invoked as a web
service, irrespective of how they are defined.
Specifies whether the parameter is required to execute the
component method. The parameter is not required if you
specify a
default attribute.
• true or "yes"
• false or "no"
default Optional If no argument is passed, specifies a default argument value.
displayname Optional
name
attribute
value
Meaningful only for CFC method parameters. A value to be
displayed when using introspection to show information about
the CFC.
hint Optional Meaningful only for CFC method parameters. Text to be
displayed when using introspection to show information about
the CFC. The
hint attribute value follows the displayname
attribute value in the parameter description line. This attribute
can be useful for describing the purpose of the parameter.
Attribute Req/Opt Default Description