Invoking component from cffunction

BKBK,

I have recently changed the returned variable name as it was the same as the calling function and having tested in a different browser, it seems to work now.

I suspect that was the cause from the beginning - I never had that problem with CF7.1 though. Something new in CF8?

BKBK,

The calling page is mysite.com/page.cfm and it calls the cfc as cfc.shoppingCart.
The shoppingCart cfc is mysite.com/cfc/shoppingCart.cfc

The error it gives is Entity has incorrect type for being called as a function.

Thanks,
Paul

> uses cfinvoke to call another cffunction in the same cfcomponent.

Sorry, didn't see the reference to "the *same* component" before. As per
Ian's comment, one ought not use the component attribute of <cfinvoke> if
it's a local method. I just saw the code and ass-u-me'd.

But this leads me to spot another potential problem with your code.
Although it'll not be what's causing your current problem; it'll be a
problem if you take Ian's remedial action.


> <cfinvoke component="CFC.shoppingCart" method="getCartProduct" returnvariable="getCartProduct">

More specifically:

> method="getCartProduct"
> returnvariable="getCartProduct"

A method within a CFC instance is just a variable (in the variables scope).

The returnvariable of a cfinvoke call sets a variable. If one doesn't
first VAR that variable, then it will be placed in the variables scope.

In this case, your return variable will overwrite your function variable,
and the function will be lost. You should not call your variables the same
name as your functions: it will open you up to problems. getCartProduct is
a good name for a function, because it describes what the function does.
It's not a good name for the return variable, because the return variables
doesn't *get* anything: it's the function that got the data for you.

Now... this is all a bit irrelevant at the momennt because your cfinvoke,
as it stands, should create a new instance of the CFC, run the method,
return the value, and destroy the CFC instance (there's a reasonable
overhead in doing all that, hence it not being a recommended approach). So
you shouldn't be affecting any variable within the current CFC instance
with that.

However if you every had this:
<cfinvoke method="getCartProduct" returnvariable="getCartProduct">

Then the return variable would overwrite the same-named function in the
current CFC instance.


Now... back to your reply to me.

> I can browse to http://yoursite/CFC/shoppingCart.cfc, but it shows an empty
page.

That seems odd. You should either get an RDS login screen or the API docs
generated by CF when one browses to a CFC file. If you're not getting
that, something is wrong.


> I do not have a CF mapping called CFC, pointing to the dir that has shoppingCart.cfc in it, nor did I have on the old server.

What about a custom tag mapping? That will also assist CF finding wayward
CFCs.


> There are various other functions within the site that use functions from this cfc without issue,

Are they all accessing it via the reference "CFC.shoppingCart"?

I think if your CF template is in a directory which contains a subdirectory
CFC with a file shoppingCart.cfc in it, then it'll work without a mapping.
However because you're calling your CFC within itself, clearly this is not
the case.

Other than that, you *need* a mapping - of some description - so that CF
can locate the file.

Basically to reference a CFC via "CFC.shoppingCart", one of these *must* be
true:

- CFC/shoppingCart.cfc is within the directory of the calling template (be
that a CFM of a CFC);
- you have a web server mapping called "CFC", pointing to the "CFC"
directory
- you have a CF mapping called "CFC", pointing to the "CFC" directory
- you have a custom tag mapping pointing to a directory which contains a
subdirectory called "CFC".
- there is a "CFC" subdirectory off the CF context root directory.

You CFMX7 server config fulfilled at least one of those situations; your
CF8 server does not.

That's your problem. I reckon.

--
Adam