November 30, 2017
Finding more about applying ColdFusion updates
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November 30, 2017
Finding more about applying ColdFusion updates
ColdFusion troubleshooter
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Since ColdFusion 10, the CF Administrator has a feature for applying updates to their installed ColdFusion version. This process is generally very easy, but sometimes people face challenges, and there are several resources that can help you find the updates as well as better understand the update process and resolve problems with it, as I discuss here.

A page listing all updates for each recent CF version

First, did you know that there is a page which lists all updates for each version?

Each page lists that each of that version’s updates, in descending chronological order. For each update, it lists the update number, a brief description, a link to a technote with still more detail (including bugs fixed, installation and post-installation steps, and more), and a link to any related security technote.

(Note that when you view an available update within the Administrator, there is also a “read more” link that would show that update’s technote. It really is worth reading, but many don’t notice it, so another benefit of the pages listing each update is that you can review details about past updates you may have applied.)

Finally, each update listed on the update pages above also offers a link to the available update file itself (a java .jar file), which is useful for those whose servers are not connected to the internet, and the technote for each update shows how to use that jar file to apply the update manually.

There is also a page that is JUST the XML feed as is referred to by the CF Admin, and you can get the jars from that.

CF docs page on applying updates, and a substantial blog post of questions you may have

And if you would like to read more about the update process, did you know there is a page in the CF documentation with still more information on applying updates, including silent updates, dealing with a proxy, and more? (This page is also linked to from each update’s technote.)

And there’s still more information that some may benefit from in this blog post by an Adobe team member which answers about 50 questions related to the updates.

Solving common problems when applying updates

Finally, while the updates do generally “just work”, if you may have problems after applying the updates, I’ve written a blog post with several common problems and solutions, How to solve common problems with applying ColdFusion updates (in 10 and above).

But don’t let all this available information scare or intimidate you. Again, for most people the update process is literally a matter of pushing a single button (and awaiting a restart of CF). And many folks never had any idea there is all this other available information (the list of available updates, the CF docs on the update mechanism, the CF team blog post, and mine). I just share these in case it may be of assistance to some readers to gather these all into one place.

4 Comments
2023-09-08 14:24:37
2023-09-08 14:24:37

As for Adobe’s “50 questions” post I mentioned above, that link fails (as Adobe switched to this new blog and domain a couple years later). The “new” url is:

https://coldfusion.adobe.com/2012/12/coldfusion-hotfix-installation-guide/

And FWIW, they took much of that content and made a technote out of it instead. Despite its referring to cf2016, the info still applies mostly to later cf versions:

https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/installing/installing-coldfusion-hotfix.html

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2017-12-11 14:52:46
2017-12-11 14:52:46

I actually referenced these pages in a response to another post here on the portal as a great resource. I run into problems regularly on a CF11 install that won’t let me go through the admin and i have to do manually.

Glad to see the info in multiple places now so it’s easier to find.

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2017-11-01 14:14:34
2017-11-01 14:14:34

Thanks Charlie. This is an awesome resource for new and experienced ColdFusion administrators alike.

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hemsmarki
's comment
2017-11-04 19:22:30
2017-11-04 19:22:30
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hemsmarki
's comment

Glad to help. Hoping to offer more and more. 🙂 Really glad to see Adobe offering this portal, as a place where the community can contribute and help each other.

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