Create Spry Data Sets Using Inline Data

I finally figured out how to create a Spry dataset using inline data. This is a major step towards usability, and wasn't posted on any of the Spry examples that I searched thru on Adobe's site.

To create a Spry dataset using inline data, you can just create a javascript array, and give the array to the dataset object using the Data Set's setDataFromArray(array) function. I have tested it in both FireFox and IE. You can find more information about the setDataFromArray(array) fuction here: http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/spry/articles/data_api/apis/dataset.html#setdatafromarray

The example below uses ColdFusion syntax to get data from the database and to populate the array. However, this would work with whichever language you like, or even with static data. See the following example:

Example:

<cfquery name="get_users" datasource="ds">
SELECT last_name, first_name, phone, address
FROM user
</cfquery>

<script type="text/javascript" src="Spry_1_6_1_022408/includes/SpryData.js"></script>

<script>
user_array = [<cfloop query="get_users">{last_name: "#get_users.last_name#", first_name: "#get_users.first_name#", phone: "#get_users.phone#", address:"#get_users.address#"}<cfif currentrow="" neq recordcount="">, </cfif></cfloop>]

user_dataset = new Spry.Data.DataSet();

user_dataset.setDataFromArray(user_array);
</script>

<div id="users_region" spry:region="user_dataset">
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th spry:sort="last_name">Name</th>
<th spry:sort="phone">phone</th>
<th spry:sort="address">Address</th>
</tr>
<tr spry:repeat="personnel_dataset">
<td>{last_name}, {first_name}</td>
<td>{phone}</td>
<td>{address}</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

You may have noticed that the above example doesn't var scope its JavaScript variables. This was on purpose, and it will still work. Experience has shown that var scoping variables can make them incompatible with some of the ColdFusion 8 CF-ajax stuff.