It seems as if I am missing quite a bit of documentation. I have DTML, ZAG, ZCMG, ZDG (just the archive names) and tried to read about everything that is relevant to "plain" DTML (seems to be limited to DTML, ZCMG). But then I run into "Zope Quick Reference" which is quite massive and all very fine - the problem just is: where is the more elaborate counter-part to this *quick* reference, with all the explanations? Essentially I am looking for documentation on "techniques" - ways of how to do things. Now, there are quite a few of HOWTOs. But unfortunately most of these HOWTOs appear to demonstrate higher-level concepts. Take, for instance, <dtml-with Images> <dtml-in "objectValues(['Image'])"> <dtml-var sequence-item> </dtml-in> </dtml-with> which I found in the archives for this mailing list. Given the current "official" documentation, how could I have found out an explanation of what <dtml-in "objectValues(['Image'])"> does (ignoring the problem of how to find objectValues)? The only place I have found "objectValues" mentioned is "For example, to display all sub-objects of a folder, the objectValues method may be used (figure 13)." Sure, so what? What's this "Image" thing? Apparently it is an index into a Python list which returns a list of all images in the current folder? Name space? What else is there? Well, the "Entire Zope FAQ" (FAQ!) says "You can however, specify a list of object metatypes that it should return. objectValues(['DTML Document']) will only return all DTML Document objects in a Folder. Other metatypes you could select on are: Folder, DTML Method, File, Image, Mail Host, User Folder and Session." Do you see my problem? When I *have* something, I can *backtrack* this to at least some bits and pieces of information - although the only way to find it is a grep, which is as brute-force as it can be. But where is the documentation that "looks forward", that helps me to find out how to write "original" code? Reverse-engineering may be fun, but it's a bit time-consuming for my taste? Thanks for any pointers!
At 15:06 19/10/99 , Stefan Hoffmeister wrote:
It seems as if I am missing quite a bit of documentation. I have
DTML, ZAG, ZCMG, ZDG
(just the archive names) and tried to read about everything that is relevant to "plain" DTML (seems to be limited to DTML, ZCMG).
But then I run into
"Zope Quick Reference"
which is quite massive and all very fine - the problem just is: where is the more elaborate counter-part to this *quick* reference, with all the explanations?
This is because the named Documents mostly describe DTML tags. You could compare this with a manual on JavaScript, just the language (the if statement, how to declare a function, etc.) or Java. At this moment there is very scarce documentation on the objects tat make up the Zope framework. This is being addressed by DC, and the ZQR does a fair job of listing a lost of methods on a lot of objects. For now however, most of us consult the source. Methods that do not start with a _ can be used from DTML. Looking through the source isn't necessarily time consuming. Python is very very readable, it is almost pseudo code. Try it once. -- Martijn Pieters, Web Developer | Antraciet http://www.antraciet.nl | Tel: +31-35-7502100 Fax: +31-35-7502111 | mailto:mj@antraciet.nl http://www.antraciet.nl/~mj | PGP: http://wwwkeys.nl.pgp.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xA8A32149 ------------------------------------------
On Tue, 19 Oct 1999, Martijn Pieters wrote:
Python is very very readable, it is almost pseudo code.
Cannot resist to remind well-known slogan "Python is executable pseudocode. Perl is executable line noise." :))) Oleg. ---- Oleg Broytmann Foundation for Effective Policies phd@phd.russ.ru Programmers don't die, they just GOSUB without RETURN.
At 03:36 PM 10/19/99 +0200, you wrote:
At 15:06 19/10/99 , Stefan Hoffmeister wrote:
It seems as if I am missing quite a bit of documentation. I have [...]
This is because the named Documents mostly describe DTML tags. [...] For now however, most of us consult the source. Methods that do not start with a _ can be used from DTML.
Looking through the source isn't necessarily time consuming. Python is very very readable, it is almost pseudo code. Try it once.
I don't mind looking at source code but I haven't quite figured out where to start. I see all these python and dtml files floating around but I'm not sure how they all fit together. Any tips on navigating the source code? Thanks. James W. Howe mailto:jwh@allencreek.com Allen Creek Software, Inc. pgpkey: http://ic.net/~jwh/pgpkey.html Ann Arbor, MI 48103
At 16:03 19/10/99 , James W. Howe wrote:
I don't mind looking at source code but I haven't quite figured out where to start. I see all these python and dtml files floating around but I'm not sure how they all fit together. Any tips on navigating the source code?
The OFS subdir contains most of the standard Zope objects. DocumentTemplate is the DTML implementation. AccessControl is everything security related. App is the groundwork, Product initialisation, ZODB connections, etc. ZODB is the Object Database. Very low level. StructuredText is a text formatter you can use from DTML. TreeDisplay is the DTML tree tag. ZPublisher takes care of the HTTP to object call translation, and translates the result back to a HTTP response. ZClasses, DateTime and webdav speak for themselves. In Products you'll find such things as SQL Methods and ZCatalog, and Shared houses specialist groundwork code, like the base classes for database integration. -- Martijn Pieters, Web Developer | Antraciet http://www.antraciet.nl | Tel: +31-35-7502100 Fax: +31-35-7502111 | mailto:mj@antraciet.nl http://www.antraciet.nl/~mj | PGP: http://wwwkeys.nl.pgp.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xA8A32149 ------------------------------------------
participants (4)
-
James W. Howe -
Martijn Pieters -
Oleg Broytmann -
Stefan Hoffmeister