--- "Darron J. Schall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Can someone tell me why this happens... am I on crack, or is this a > CFMX bug? > > <cffunction name="test" returntype="string"> > <cfreturn "return value"> > </cffunction> > > <cfoutput>"#test()#"</cfoutput> <!--- " return value" ---> > <cfset a = test()><br/> > <cfoutput>"#a#"</cfoutput> <!--- "return value" ---> > > Why is there a leading space when I just output test(), but no > leading space if I assign the result to a variable and output the > variable? Additionally... > > <cfoutput>"#trim(test())#"</cfoutput> > > ...STILL produces a leading space. > > Thoughts?
This happens because of the output attribute in <cffunction> which according to the documentation is only supposed to have any bearing within a cfc, however, the documentation isn't or wasn't correct. Output allows the function to work the same way a custom tag does -- you can output stuff in the middle of the function without having to use writeoutput() and since white space is included in that, then white space is generated when the function is executed and it's displayed immediately prior to where the function's result is assigned (the way writeoutput() content would be displayed from a cfscript declared function). This means if you're assigning it in a cfset tag the white space occurs just prior to the next tag after that cfset tag, however, if you're spitting it out in cfoutput the white space occurs just prior to the display of your variable... Personally I think the output attribute was a bad idea all together -- it confused me at first as well and then when I realized what was going on, I realized why there's all the contention with people saying "you shouldn't output content directly within a cfc function" or "why not?" ... I agree -- you shouldn't ouptut content directly within a function either... a function should be a function just like in any other language -- filter multiple inputs to produce a single output. output="true" (unfortunately the default) only encourages spaghetti code. And to me it's aggravating to be forced to add output="false" for no good reason every time I write out a function declaration, though I still write them in cfscript to be CF5 compatible whenever possible. ===== S. Isaac Dealey 972.490.6624 Lead Architect Tapestry CMS http://products.turnkey.to Tapestry API is Open Source http://www.turnkey.to/tapi Team Macromedia Volunteer http://www.macromedia.com/go/team __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=4 FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4
