March 2001 - Zope-Announce

Mysql Admin in Zope
by Randhir Shinde 06 Mar '01

06 Mar '01

Hi guys, We have developed a Mysql Admininstrator in Zope. It is a very useful tool for Zope sites that have mysql server installed. It connects to the server and let you access the database and have administration. Please tell me how do I upload this software to the Zope product list so that people can use it for themselves.? Regards Randhir

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ANNOUCE Dtml-Contract
by ender 05 Mar '01

05 Mar '01

Introducing the dtml-contract tag, the swiss army knife of dtml, it documents, it validates, it does form processing, it redirects, it reduces the amount of dtml you need to write, and if you ask nicely it might even do your laundry. All of this and more for that amazing price of free. ats its heart this utilitarian tag is a form processor based on the ArsDigita Community System's ad_page_contract. take a simple dtml form processing method <dtml-comment> this method changes the myint property of this object </dtml-comment> <dtml-if "REQUEST.has_key('myint')"> <dtml-try> <dtml-call "REQUEST.set('myint', _.int(myint)"> <dtml-except> Please enter an integer value for myint </dtml-try> <dtml-else> Please enter an integer value for myint </dtml-if> <dtml-call "manage_changeProperties({'myint':myint})"> all of this for a simply trying to get a variable coerced and displaying a userful error message to the user, add in a few more variables and the amount of code just grows. sophisiticated zopitista's might say, well just use ZPublishers coercion functions, and write <input type="string" name="myint:int"> but there are a couple problems with this. 1. error messages are unhelpful, zpublisher will short circuit so you won't get information about errors with all variables 2. because this information is transmitted via the http request, its vulnerable to url surgery. 3. its hard to customize and add your own conversion utilities, error messages, or error pages. so how does dtml-contract save the day? dtml-contract in action <dtml-contract> this method changes the myint property of this object <dtml-params> myint:integer <dtml-exception> error_page </dtml-contract> with this we've setup a method which is documented, expects a variable myint in the request, will automatically try to convert it to an integer, and if doesn't exist will return an evaluation of error_page. we've already cut down on the lines of dtml-code, plus we won't get the insertion of extra blanks commonly associated with coding in dtml. now imagine extending our simple example to a real app with several form variables and the utility of dtml-contract becomes more apparent. i could wax poetic about the myriad features of dtml-contract, but the day is short and i must drive to the python conference so here's a quick laundry list. features - comes with 10 filters including -newobid -obid -range(type, min, max) -optional -trim -nohtml -email -date -float -naturalnum - comes with extensive in source documentation in javadoc style - comes with extensive readme docs - takes optional argument to remove all non-contracted variables from the request (request.form to be specific). - takes optional arguements to redirect instead of writing directly to the connection on errors - sets error information in the error_handlers namespace (as contract_errors) - has utility functions for registering user defined filters. act now and i'll even toss in some unittests. http://www.zope.org/Members/k_vertigo/ZopeProducts/PageContract cheers kapil thangavelu off to the python conference.

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Zope Administration Guide Documentation Project
by Will Dennis 05 Mar '01

05 Mar '01

"...and the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.'" Yes, all complex systems need instructions, lest we blow ourselves into tiny bits. For too long, our favorite application server platform has lacked a comprehensive administrator's reference manual. Right then! Presenting the: *** Zope Administrator's Guide (ZAG) Documentation Project *** From the Scope description: "The ZAG should cover installation, maintenance, backups, upgrading, integrating Zope with web servers, using ZEO, Zope logs, Zope database maintenance (ie packing), troubleshooting, installing and upgrading products, compiling Zope, initial manager creation. "The ZAG should not cover using Zope, or developing for Zope. For example, the ZAG probably shouldn't cover creating user accounts, or controlling permission/role settings." We're looking for a few good writers, editors and reviewers (anyone who's interested, really) to help out with this important documentation project. If you have Zope installation/administration experience to share, and an ability to write in a clear manner, this documentation project needs your input. Please visit the Zope Administrator's Guide project page at: http://www.zope.org/DocProjects/AdminGuide/Project/FrontPage Thanks!

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ANNOUNCE. Zope Beans v 0.1
by Paul T 04 Mar '01

04 Mar '01

Experimental version: http://www.pault.com/zope_beans.html Genbean.py v 0.1 Tested with Zope 2.3.0 The big picture is described in the paper "Zope: How To Win Big". http://www.pault.com/zope.html What is Zope Bean? Zope Bean is a simplified plug & play product for Zope. Zope Bean encapsulates a set of properties and methods. Zope Bean has one creation screen, one configuration screen and one information screen. Zope Bean is not Zope Component. Zope Component is experimental new feature in Zope. I have not seen it implemented yet. However, from the paper: "Components need not be persistent, nor provide a management interface." Zope Beans are persistent and they provide a management interface. Zope Bean is not exactly Zope Product. Zope Products are hard to create and hard to maintain. If you're Python/Zope pro who is used to write complex Zope Products, the chances are that you may have no need in Zope Beans - you're already a magician. However, Zope Beans enforce loose coupling design (something to think about). The biggest difference between Zope Bean and Zope Product is that Zope Bean is extremely easy to create and to maintain even you have no experience with Zope Products at all. If you know a bit of Python - you can write and use Zope Beans. Next version of Zope Beans may provide more functionality (like complex types of properties, one-bean-cooperating-with-other-bean, Global Bean Distribution Network, e t.c.) The purpose of this version is to show that writing plug & play Zope Products could be significantly easier than it is now. Comments welcome. Rgds.Paul.

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