How do you get a cfwindow to update a query on the origin page

Question

I can't seem to get my head around this problem. I've got an accounting app where I want to add a new bill and if I type in a vendor who is not yet in the database I want to pop up a window to record the new vendor information, then return to the add bill page and continue with the information i've entered so far. I've tried cfwindows, but they don't seem to actually submit to the database, and even so, when I return to the origin page all typed data is cleared. Even a pointer towards a solution would be great. Sorry if the problem is spelled out well.

Answer 1

Why do it with a pop-up, when you can do it without? You could do it as follows.
Make, for example, Vendor name an autosuggest input field. When the user types, Coldfusion fetches the matching name from the database, if any exists. The bind attributes ensure that Coldfusion will automatically fill in the ID that corresponds to a matching name, and eventually the product that corresponds to the vendor name and ID.
If no such match exists, then you know the vendor is new. In that case, the application will add the new vendor. You may also choose to update, for example, the name or product of a vendor.
addNewVendor.cfm 
================= 
<cfif isDefined("form.vendor_name")> 
<!--- Assmumes Vendor.cfc is in the current directory ---> 
<cfset vendorObject = createobject("component","Vendor")> 
<cfset vendorObject.updateVendor(form.vendor_name, form.vendor_id, form.vendor_prod)> 
</cfif> 
<cfform>
Vendor name: <cfinput type="text" name="vendor_name" autosuggest="cfc:Vendor.getName({cfautosuggestvalue})"><br><br>
Vendor ID: <cfinput type="text" name="vendor_id" bind="cfc:Vendor.getId({vendor_name})"><br><br>
Vendor product: <cfinput type="text" name="vendor_prod" bind="cfc:Vendor.getProduct({vendor_name},{vendor_id})"><br><br>
<cfinput name="sbmt" type="submit" value="Add or update vendor">
</cfform> 
Vendor.cfc
==========
<cfcomponent output="false">
    <cffunction name="getName" access="remote" returntype="array" output="false">
        <cfargument name="suggestvalue" required="true">
        <cfset var local = structNew()>
        <!--- The function returns suggestions as an array. --->
        <cfset local.vendorArray = ArrayNew(1)>
        <!--- Get all unique last names that match the characters the user types. --->
        <cfquery name="local.getVendorName" datasource="myDSN">
        SELECT DISTINCT vendorName FROM Vendor
        WHERE vendorName LIKE <cfqueryparam value="#suggestvalue#%"
            cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
        </cfquery>
        <!--- Convert the query to an array. --->
        <cfloop query="local.getVendorName">
            <cfset arrayAppend(local.vendorArray, vendorName)>
        </cfloop>
        <cfreturn local.vendorArray>
    </cffunction>
    <cffunction name="getId" access="remote" returntype="array" output="false">
        <cfargument name="vendorName" required="true">
        <cfset var local = structNew()> 
        <cfset local.idArray = ArrayNew(1)>
        <cfquery name="local.getVendorId" datasource="myDSN">
        <!--- Get ID that matches vendor name --->
        SELECT id FROM Vendor
        WHERE vendorName = <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.vendorName#"
            cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
        </cfquery>
        <cfloop query="local.getVendorId">
            <cfset arrayAppend(local.idArray, id)>
        </cfloop>
        <cfreturn local.idArray>
    </cffunction>
    <cffunction name="getProduct" access="remote" returntype="array" output="false">
        <cfargument name="name" required="true">
        <cfargument name="id" required="true">
        <cfset var local = structNew()>
        <cfset local.prodArray = ArrayNew(1)>
        <cfquery name="local.getProd" datasource="myDSN">
        <!--- Get product that matched vendor name and id --->
        SELECT product FROM Vendor
        WHERE vendorName = <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.name#"
            cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
        AND id = <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.id#"
            cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
        </cfquery>
        <cfloop query="local.getProd">
            <cfset arrayAppend(local.prodArray, product)>
        </cfloop>
        <cfreturn local.prodArray>
    </cffunction> 
    <cffunction name="updateVendor" access="public" returntype="void" output="false">
        <cfargument name="name" required="true">
        <cfargument name="id" required="true">
        <cfargument name="product" required="true">
        <cfset var local = structNew()>
        <!--- I have assumed vendor ID is unique --->
        <cfquery name="local.verifyVendor" datasource="myDSN">
        SELECT count(*) as noOfVendors
        FROM Vendor
        WHERE id = <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.id#"
            cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
        </cfquery>
        <!--- If vendor exists in table, update; else insert--->
        <cfif local.verifyVendor.recordCount GT 0>       
            <cfquery name="local.updateVendor" datasource="myDSN">
            UPDATE Vendor
            SET product =  <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.product#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">,
            vendorName = <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.name#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">
            WHERE id =    <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.id#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">             
            </cfquery>
        <cfelse>
            <cfquery name="local.saveVendor" datasource="myDSN">
            INSERT INTO Vendor(vendorName,id,product)
            VALUES(<cfqueryparam value="#arguments.name#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">,
                   <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.id#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">,
                   <cfqueryparam value="#arguments.product#" cfsqltype="cf_sql_varchar">)
            </cfquery>
        </cfif>
    </cffunction>
</cfcomponent>