On 12 Mar 1999 05:55:00 -0600, ron@rotflol.cx <ron@rotflol.cx> wrote:

I am trying to implemented a directory service using the tree tag where the info from several tables of a database.

A simplified outline:

+Locations +Offices +People +Phones Tel Fax +Addresses

Problem: how to have the tree tag use a different SQL method for each level WITHOUT resorting to external methods, because the directory should be maintainable by mere mortals, not Python or SQL gods.

Brian built a pretty cool way to hook SQL entries to particular folder trees for the PDMS. Each folder has a uniqueid which is stored in a sql table, along with the folder parent heirarchy, when an item is added to the SQL database. This allows each folder to easily identify which SQL entries belong directly to it and which SQL entries belong as children. This allows one to easily do things such as count the number of SQL items which are identified with a folder tree using SQL query syntax. Brian also provided dtml methods to move folders and their relationships around in the Zope heirarchy quite nicely. The mechanism holds quite a few SQL items in it and there has never been a need for a Python or SQL god to do any maintenance on the system at that level. However, it does use both SQL and External Methods. So, don't believe that just because something requires a fairly deep level of competence to create that it requires that same level of competence to maintain (me for example :^). That's simply one mark of a decent implementation. Kent