----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Withers" <chris@simplistix.co.uk> To: "Jonathan" <dev101@magma.ca> Cc: <David.Bear@asu.edu>; "zope" <Zope@zope.org> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 8:17 AM Subject: Re: [Zope] storing python objects
Jonathan wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "David Bear" <David.Bear@asu.edu>
I need to run an external method to use some python functions that are restricted within zope. I'm thinking an easy way to get the data back would be to just store basic python objects within zodb; tupples, lists, dictionaries.
Why not just have the external method return the results and call the external method from a python script?
but I've never seen this documented anywhere. Is it possible to store basic python objects directly in zodb? AND then use a zpt to read the data?
Yes.
in your external method:
self.somefolder.mydata = {'whatever':'somevalue'}
I have done something similar: have an external method store a a list/dictionary value in a property field on a folder, then a future call to the external method retrieves that property field and uses 'eval' to convert it back to a list/dictionary (it is stored as a string).
Why on *earth* would you do that?! Why not just store the actual value rather than fiddling around with strings and eval?
If you want to be able to inspect the list/dictionary via the ZMI then storing the list/dict as a property on an object (eg. folder) allows you to do that - but if you do not need access via the ZMI, then storing the list/dict directly on the object will be more efficient. Jonathan