Hi Lennart! Thanks for your prompt thoughts. Let me elaborate on some points:
The depends entirely on what the data retrival methods are...
I use two methods: one 'official' one: propertysheet.propertyItems(), and one I wrote myself, which fetches the properties loop-wise with propertysheet.getProperty(id). The time they require, is roughly the same...
2) Suppose I have to switch to a database (there goes my weekend and free evenings next week). I want to retrieve the properties as one record then. I think the number of 400 props will decrease in this matter, too.
Why would they decrease just because you move them to a relational database?
Quite af few properties are 'lines' and 'selection / multiple selection'. I guess when I use a rdb some of this zope-specific properties won't be nessecary.
I assume the database will retrieve these results a LOT faster.
That depends on the database... And it depends on why it is so slow. I think the fact that you have so many properties add to the slowness, since each of then has to be looked up.
Agree, but consider this: when I retrieve a fixed set of data, on propertysheets with varying number of properties (N), the fetchprocedure takes more time when N increases... Why should propertysheet.getProperty('aProperty') take longer on a larger propertysheet?
So a database would be faster here, since they have a fixed data structure. On the other hand, you might get the same effect by radically altering your data structure. Which brings us to the main question:
***Why on earth do you have 400 properties?***
I already drastically REDUCED it. I made 6 categories (propertysheets) which makes about 400 properties per propertysheet :-)) Each sheet contains 13 questions with lots of answerfields. I already told my boss that these kinds of large questionaries will not work in practice (BORING), but... you know, he is the boss ;-)
How about using this database in combination with an existing catalog?
It can be done, but is not necessary. Index the data in the database instead.
Ok. This way I have two different searches on the website, but that's acceptable.
3) Suppose I build a CMF product entirely in python (may god help me), and I store all these properties as mentioned in (1), would the performance be higher than in case (1)?
Python classes are supposedly faster than ZClasses (I don't use ZClasses, as I find them complicated, limited and cumbersome), so yes it would probably be faster, but I can't say how much
Ok, thanks again Lennart. If you have the time to enlighten me further, you are more than welcome!! Many greetings from the Netherlands, Antwan.