Introduction to Visualforce Webinar

Introduction to Visualforce
The Beginner’s Guide to a Custom UI

Samantha Ready, Developer Evangelist
@samantha_ready

Eric Wilson, Product Management Director

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What can you do with Visualforce?

§  Framework to build custom user interfaces
§  Hosted natively on Force.com
§  Build streamlined UX
§  Create internal and public facing pages
§  Customize for different devices
§  Leverage other web technologies


Model View Controller (MVC) Pattern
Model Controller

View


Your Data Your Logic

Your
Interface


Standard and Standard
Custom Objects Controllers and
Apex

Visualforce


MVC Example


Visualforce Markup

§  Visualforce tags
•  80+ standard components
•  Custom components
§  Works with all standard web technologies
including:
•  CSS
•  JavaScript
•  HTML
•  Flash
•  Any other Web-Enabled Code


What do standard components look like?
Merge field to define
attribute (can also be a
apex: or string literal in some
chatter: cases)
Attributes to define
prefix component

<apex:outputField value = “{!Restaurant__c.Address__c}” >

Component
name(examples: Reference field
tables, repeats, (using dot notation)
forms, etc)
Data binding to
objects and class
variables


Visualforce Controllers

§  Provides access to data
§  Logic for handling UI interaction
§  Standard Controllers
•  Same functionality as standard pages
–  Save, delete, field access etc.

§  Custom Controllers
•  Written in Apex
•  Override standard behavior
•  Controller Extensions


What does that look like in code?

Defined at the
page level Standard or
custom
objects

<apex:page standardController = “Restaurant__c” extensions =“yelpExtension, con2” >

Custom
controller logic
to extend
Inherit standard CRUD
standard
functionality.
controllers
If only using custom controllers,
use controller= controllerName


How can I customize Visualforce?


The Developer Console


What can you do with Visualforce?

Custom Pages Dashboard Custom Tabs Charts
Components

Email Embedded Sections Implement
Templates in Detail Pages Custom Logic


What else can you
do with Visualforce?


Rich User Interfaces


Complete Web Apps


Mashups


Mobile Visualforce


BUT…

•  Visualforce is NOT your first line of defense
•  Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is
essential
•  Visualforce has limits


First Line of Defense


Proficiency in Web Technologies

<table>
<tr>
<td class="header" colspan="2">...</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="sidebar">...</td>
<td class="content">...</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="footer" colspan="2">...</td>
</tr>
</table>


Proficiency in Web Technologies

.button {
background: #F8F8F8;
background: linear-gradient(#F8F8F8, #D4DADC);
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#F8F8F8, #D4DADC);
background: -moz-linear-gradient(#F8F8F8, #D4DADC);
background: -o-linear-gradient(#F8F8F8, #D4DADC);
background: -ms-linear-gradient(#F8F8F8, #D4DADC);
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(...);
}


Limits

Page Size: 15MB
Viewstate Size: 135KB


If nothing else, remember this…

§  Visualforce is powerful – use it judiciously
§  If you don’t know basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
concepts, no amount of Visualforce magic will help you
§  Pay attention to performance at all times
§  If you don’t know … ASK

http://developer.force.com | Boards | Visualforce


Next Steps
§  developer.force.com
§  http://bit.ly/IntroVF-pkg
§  http://bit.ly/visualforce-workbook
§  Advanced Visualforce Webinar

DF Recorded Sessions
§  “7 Habits of Highly Efficient Visualforce Pages”
§  “Building the New AppExchange Using Responsive Design”


Upcoming Events

December 5, 2012
Advanced Visualforce Webinar
http://bit.ly/advvf-in

December 11, 2012
AppExchange for Developers Webinar
http://bit.ly/appex-in

Check out the Developer Force calendar for upcoming local events such as meetups,
workshops, and user group meetings: http://developer.force.com/Calendar


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Thank you!

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Q&A

Samantha Ready Eric Wilson
Developer Evangelist, Product Management Director
@samantha_ready


Introduction to Visualforce Webinar

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