Richard Moon <richard@dcs.co.uk> writes:

I was reading earlier postings about 'variables' or the lack of them in Zope and I went off and investigated Python Methods and External Methods and I've got them working ... but .. I can't figure out how to use them to solve my problem ...

I have an SQL method and I've generated the form and results report using the standard wizard - absolutely wonderful.

Let's say I have an input variable, called 'customer' on the form which is passed to the SQL method. BUT I want to intercept that variable and do something with it, let's keep it simple and say that I want to put the string "CT" in front of what the user enters (I know that's trivial but for the sake of argument).

I can write an External Method or Python Method which does the necessary but it returns the string back to the calling object as text which is displayed by the browser.

Can anyone tell me how to get that new string back into the variable 'customer'.

Please :-)

Ok, say your form is in a DTML Method called "gather_criteria". Make its ACTION attribute point to another DTML Method, "prepare_query". Inside prepare_query, munge the value of customer and call the SQL method, 'query_db':: <dtml-call "REQUEST.set( 'customer', 'CT' + customer )"> <dtml-in query_db> <!-- do stuff with row data here --> </dtml-in> If the munging is more complicated, then write a Python method, "munge_customer_id", which takes the user-supplied value returns the munged value:: return "%08d" % _.int( customer ) # pad with leading zeroes to 8 digits Then call the munge_customer_id inside prepare_query:: <dtml-call "REQUEST.set( 'customer', munge_customer_id( customer ) )"> HTH, Tres. -- ========================================================= Tres Seaver tseaver@palladion.com 713-523-6582 Palladion Software http://www.palladion.com