August 2002 - Zope - Zope lists

That good-looking new products listing system
by A M Thomas 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

As posted by Trevor http://www.zope.org/Members/trevor/productspage/ It's quite good-looking. Can someone tell us what exactly we need to do to make it into a reality? A list? Maybe having specific tasks for which to volunteer would help generate volunteers - testing? data entry? Different people taking a section of products to enter? User interface / data structure critique? I understand we could join the zope-web mailing list, but I think a little cross-posting in the name of drumming up support would be just fine. - Am

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Low Cost Linux Web cluster? How? - Performance
by Brad Clements 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

I've been using Zope on various customer deployments .. all on low-end PIII Linux machines. One customer is growing .. to the point that we'll need a database server (going to move from Interbase to SAP DB), and one or more load balanced "web servers" We're planning to use mod_backhand (spread) or something like it to distribute web requests to ZEO clients on multiple machines.. I'm looking for suggestions on hardware selection and architecture for a growing OLTP type web backend. Also, was planning on converting all my DTML to Page Templates, but some of the PT stuff completed thus far is compute intensive and not very fast.. I'm still trying to figure out why (Zope 2.5.0) with PT 1.4.0 I'm thinking of converting to XSLT with Sablotron -- and if an IE client connects I'll send the XML/XSL to the client instead of rendering on the server. Anyone have war stories to share? Thanks (my first Zope E-Commerce site is still chugging along well on it's single machine. http://www.adirondackcraft.com ) Brad Clements, bkc(a)murkworks.com (315)268-1000 http://www.murkworks.com (315)268-9812 Fax AOL-IM: BKClements

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Zope BackTalk v0-3 released
by Chris McDonough 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Hi Folks, I have released v0-3 of Zope BackTalk. It is available for dowload from http://sourceforge.net/projects/backtalk/ . Zope BackTalk is a document editing, annotation, and production system for book-like content. Zope BackTalk powers the online versions of the Zope Book (http://www.zope.org/Documentation/ZopeBook) and the Zope Developer's Guide (http://www.zope.org/Documentation/ZDG) New to this release: - PDF generation - Obtain content and images from existing structured text pages - External Editor integration - Better management features (ability to turn commenting on and off based on a Book property). - Online help. - Various bugfixes. It has been tested under Zope versions 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6, and Python versions 1.5.2 and 2.1. Enjoy! - C

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Apologies for shouting
by Chetan Kumar 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Hi all Apologies for capitals in the subject of last message. Regards, Chetan

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Zope Documentation
by Breuer, Yvon 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Hi *, I *really* think it's time to make a strong effort to get a better Zope documentation. According to me many people agree that something needs to be done. But I also think that it's not very clear *how* it should be done the best way... Trevor Toenjes has made a very good 'beginning'! (Although beginning probably isn't the best term for it.) Maybe it's sufficient to extend his work with some ideas from Patrick Price. I'd like to ask you *all* to (re)think about *what* needs to be documented and *how*. We need two types of users for this discussion: 1. experienced users: Together (!) they know what's good about Zope, they know the best (or 'preferred' products, they know what should be the best way to *learn* and how to *use* Zope, they know which questions are asked many time, etc. etc. 2. unexperienced users: Together (!) they know what is missing, what is unclear, they still have a fresh look at Zope and probably wonder why something is done 'this way' and not 'the other way'. Don't forget that the early users have grown into Zope and it's continuing expansion (as in users, as in complexity, as in possibilities, as in ...). It looks like newcomers can't see the forest anymore because of all those trees standing in the way... (It's a freely translated Dutch saying.) Last example (see other examples below!!!): I'm working myself through the ZopeBook at the moment. It's *really* helpfull and I learn constantly, but: At first I read about DTML, about how good it is and it's possibilities. Eveything ok. After that I started to read about Page Templates. Again even more (and nice) possibilities, but it also said somewhere that it's better to use Page Templates instead of DTML... So, why learn DTML first? A bit further it's even said that it is even better to do everything with Python... So, why not forget all about Page Tamplates and continue with Python? Isn't that strange? Isn't it confusing? When do use what? And Why? Which products exist? What do they do? How do you know? Is it a good product (according to the community)? Is there a newer/better product? Please, take it up! Best regards, Yvon Breuer Patrick Price wrote: > Idea mode on: > > Is there any kind of Zope Tutorial Tool out there? Something for > throwing together instructional pages like the Zope Tutorial? > Something that could be used for ANY kind of tutorial, slide show, > web-based learning, etc. > > At the very least a more comprehensive tutorial than focusing on Elvis > sightings (which is a good tutorial, don't get me wrong) > > And before you tell me to write one myself, I have to learn Zope and > Python first... By then I'll have some good ideas of what to put in a > tutorial, but by that time I'll know Zope and everything that's now > unclear will become clear, and I'll think "Why bother? That's *basic* > stuff." > > Rant: > While I'm on the subject of documentation, it would be nice if every doc > standardized on having sections like: > > What do I do with this? Practical example for the uninitiated. Like, > "if you don't understand authentication, look at *this* link." before > you even try to use this product. In other words, not only show the > *software* dependencies, but show the *knowledge* dependencies. Think > how fewer emails you'd get from people like me asking silly questions. > > What does it look like? Screenshot? (Save me the bother of installing > yet another calendar package, trying to figure out how to use it, then > seeing that the output is *crap*, and uninstalling and having had to > restart the server *twice*.) I *love* product pages that have > screenshots or show an image of what the control will look like. > > and > > When you have a nice web page with cool widgets/whatnots, tell people > how it was implemented in size-2 type or something. Are you afraid I'll > steal your design? Hey, that's how I learn! The ZDP comes to mind. > How do they do that? Is it mentioned on that page? Nope. No, "this > wiki based on wackproductZ and CMF". I see so many nice web layouts > and have *no* idea how they were done, what products were used, nada. > It's a shame. > > People learn stuff then take it for granted. > > Ah, the curse of learning. Thanks for letting me spam. Filter on. > > -Patrick Price Trevor Toenjes wrote: > There has been a community project afoot that stalled a few months ago to > address much of your concern with documenting products. It stalled because > developing a production process that fits everyone's current development > skill level, favorite tools, and time commitments is challenging. > The NZO (new.zope.org) project is meant to be THE community project to > alleviate ZC's sole duties of maintaining the community's website. > > Below is a link to the new Products screen that is only waiting for final > development and then deployment. > http://www.zope.org/Members/trevor/productspage/ > > We need HELP! to finish this project. Migrating the old "software product" > data to the new schema requires much more time than just conceiving a GUI. > > Now that you know that ZC is trying to get the community to control all > documentation on zope.org, please join the zope-web(a)zope.org mailing list > and lend a hand. PLEASE, pretty please. We, as a community, just need to > pick up the ball and finish the game. > > Yvon had a couple new subtle points that I will add to the "vision" of the > new products section. > > Cheers, > Trevor > > > Jack, Charlie, and Yvon supposedly said: > > Jack Coates wrote: > > > > So, speaking as a perennial Zope newbie, I have to say that I'm > > > > getting nervous about seeing all the things that I use fall > > > > one-by-one into the "that's depreciated, use this other cool > > > > product instead." I don't think I have a right to complain, > > > > but I'm complaining any way :-) > > Charlie Reiman wrote: > > > Technically, no, you don't have a right to complain but you do > > > have a very good point. I'd like to echo it and point out the > > > problem is exacerbated by zope.org not having a strong way of > > > marking docs and products as deprecated. > > > I hate finding a cool product, downloading and installing, > > > only to learn it fell out of fashion with 2.something. > > > Ideally, such pages should be marked and linked to whatever is > > > the latest greatest substitute or just marked as dead to Zopes 2.x+ > > Yvon Breuer wrote: > > I totally agree! > > > > Maybe it's an idea to create a list (or database, or spreadsheet)on > > Zope.org that shows the 'preferred product' per task. > > Since I'm quite new to Zope it's better that someone more experienced > > creates it AND keeps it up to date (otherwise it wouldn't be usefull :-) > > > > Something like this I think would be helpfull: > > - task > > - short task description > > - preferred product > > - short preferred product description > > - since when it's a preferred product > > - since which Zope-version it's a preferred product > > - link to extensive product description > > > > Hopefuly somebody has a crack at it. ;-) > > > > Yvon Breuer

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wrapping email at 72 characters ?
by Geir B�kholt 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Does anyone have a python snippet or something that helps format outgoing emails, so that lines wrap nicely at 72 characters? :) -- Geir Bækholt web-developer geirh(a)funcom.com funcom oslo | webdev-team

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error message PANIC(300) at startup
by Jessica Niewint 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

When I try to start Zope-2.5.1 (after an installation without any error message on linux) I got the following error-message: PANIC(300) z2 Startup exception Traceback (innermost last): File /usr/local/etc/Zope-2.5.1.-linux2-x86/z2.py line 690, in ? IOError:[Errno 13] Permission denied: '/usr/loca/etc/Zope-2.5.1-linux2-x86/var/Z2.pid' When I have a look at the directory Zope-2.5.1-linux2-x86/var/ the Z2.pid is missing... what can I do ? Thankx

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Zope Corporation will hold its next public training
by Zope Training 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Zope Corporation will hold its next public training session this October 21-24, 2002 at its headquarters in Fredericksburg, VA. This four day course will familiarize participants with Zope software from rudimentary through advanced topics. You will gain an appreciation for the flexibility and effectiveness of Zope as an Open Source web development and content management environment. You will also learn Zope architecture as well as experience hands-on exercises using Zope to develop and manage a robust web site. There will be several opportunities to meet with Zope's engineering teams as well as share ideas over lunch with Jim Fulton (CTO) and Guido van Rossum (Director of PythonLabs). Course Objectives: After completing this course students will understand: - Zope's use of objects, methods, etc. - Zope's Management Interface. - Zope's server-side scripting language (DTML). - Page Templates. - Web site content creation and management. - Web site security through user privileges and roles. - Using Zope to integrate web sites with existing + relational databases. - Downloading/installing a Zope Product. - Introduction to CMF. The course is intended for anyone interested in using a full-featured open source environment to develop and manage a robust corporate internet or intranet web site. This includes web site designers, content creators, content managers and web developers. Participants should be familiar with HTML and basic web architecture (e.g., how a web server and web browser work together). Knowledge of object-oriented concepts and SQL is recommended. For more detailed information about the course, including pricing, travel and accommodations, please go to our website www.zope.com

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Need help understanding the CMF portal_actions tool and interfaces thereto
by Phil Glaser 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Hi, This is a CMF question that I've already posted on the CMF list, but did not get a response to. I'm hoping there might be someone on this list who can respond. I need to do some fairly extensive customization of CMF/Plone and am trying to understand what the portal_actions tool is and how it works. I've figured a few things out on my own -- if I add a portal action of the "portal_tabs" type, it shows up on the site navigation bar, and that the contentTabs menu in the "my stuff" area of Plone is built from portal actions. But much remains opaque to me. For example, the "local roles" action in the "my stuff" contentTabs menu is not listed in the portal_actions tool. "Action providers" make no sense to me. I've been all over the CMF and Plone sites and cannot find any documentation about it. (There are some juicy looking links on the CMF site, such as http://cmf.zope.org/design/system_architecture/view and http://cmf.zope.org/design/interfaces/tools/IF_portal_actions/view) but these links don't lead to real content.) Is there such a document? My other alternative is to study the Plone Page Templates and the portal_actions source code. If I must, I shall, but it would really help to have some narrative explanation. Thanks! Philip Glaser Principal and Software Architect Sustainable Software Solutions, LLC StillSmallVoice(a)DirectvInternet.com www.sustainsoft.com 973-951-9522 _______________________________________________ Zope-CMF maillist - Zope-CMF(a)zope.org http://lists.zope.org/mailman/listinfo/zope-cmf See http://collector.zope.org/CMF for bug reports and feature requests

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ZODB Conflicts
by Gilberto Pereira 09 Aug '02

09 Aug '02

Hi all... I have a "problem" that i would like to know more about... Sometimes, my Zope server window shows a message like: INFO(0) ZODB conflict error at object... (n conflicts since startup...) I'm guessing it happens when two users access the same published object at the same time... Zope treats this problem by (guessing again) serializing the requests, and all ends well... But i can't stop thinking i'm doing something wrong (or at least i'm forgetting to do something) Is this procedure normal??? Or is there a way of preventing this (besides turning the -D option when launching zope server) ? What i´m really asking is if there´s a product i should inherit when i build my own products in python, or take some other measures to prevent this behaviour. The products i´m talking about are mainly to fetch and treat data stored in an external database. I'm using Zope 2.5.1 (binary release, python 2.1, win32-x86), python 2.1.3, win32) If there´s someone out there who can give a help about this, i would appreciate. Cheers Gil

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