cfcollection

In this example we demonstrate using the cfcollection function to build a function which first checks if a collection already exists (and has records), and if not, creates the collection.

public boolean function createCollection( required string collectionName ) {
	// var scope a variable to check if the collection already exists
	var collectionExists = '';

	// use cfcollection to get a list of documents from the passed in collection
	cfcollection( action = 'list', collection = arguments.collectionName, name = 'collectionExists' );

	// see if the collection has any records
	if( !collectionExists.recordCount ) {
		// it does not, but wrap create in a try in case it exists but is merely empty
		try {
			// use cfcollection to create a new collection
			cfcollection( action = 'create', collection = arguments.collectionName );
		// catch if this collection already exists
		} catch (any e) {
			// it does, return false
			return false;
		}
	// otherwise
	} else {
		// collection already has records (and thus exists), return false
		return false;
	}

	// the collection was successfully created, return true
	return true;
}

Expected Result: True, if the collection was created; False, if the collection already exists

In this example we demonstrate using the <cfcollection> tag to build a function which first checks if a collection already exists (and has records), and if not, creates the collection.

<cffunction access="public" returntype="boolean" name="createCollection">
	<cfargument name="collectionName" type="string" required="true" />

	<!--- var scope a variable to check if the collection already exists --->
	<cfset var collectionExists = ""; />

	<!--- use cfcollection to get a list of documents from the passed in collection --->
	<cfcollection action="list" collection="#arguments.collectionName#" name="collectionExists" />

	<!--- see if the collection has any records --->
	<cfif NOT collectionExists.recordCount>
		<!--- it doesn't, but wrap create in a try in case it exists but is merely empty --->
		<cftry>
			<!--- use cfcollection to create a new collection --->
			<cfcollection action="create" collection="#arguments.collectionName#" />
		<!--- catch if this collection already exists --->
		<cfcatch type="any">
			<!--- it does, return false --->
			<cfreturn false />
		</cfcatch>
		</cftry>
	<!--- otherwise --->
	<cfelse>
		<!--- collection already has records (and thus exists), return false --->
		<cfreturn false />
	</cfif>

	<!--- the collection was successfully created, return true --->
	<cfreturn true />
</cffunction>

Expected Result: True, if the collection was created; False, if the collection already exists