[Zope] external methods and REQUEST

[Martijn Faassen]

[Note: I tried to send this earlier to the list, but it doesn't seem to
have arrived. I'm sending it again. Sorry if this means you get it
twice!]

David Wagle wrote:
> 
> Ok, figured it out. Thanks to everyone for the help
> basically (after playing around with it for a bit)
> I found that the following code:
> 
> def dwName(self,REQUEST=None):
>     "return the AUTHENTICATED_USER string"
>     if REQUEST is None and hasattr(self,'REQUEST'):
>         REQUEST=self.REQEUEST
>     return "%s" % REQUEST['AUTHENTICATED_USER']
> 
> works fine when called with teh following DTML:
> 
>         <!--#var "dwName('self',_['REQUEST'])"-->
> 
> Now -- WHY it has to be this explicite I'm still unclear
> on. I understand that there's a difference between the
> dtml engine and the ORB, but what exactly is going
> on here is unclear.
> 
> Moreover, MOST of the people I talked with thought that
> the code should work if called from soemthing like:
> 
>         <!--#var "dwName(REQUEST)"--> or even
>         <!--#var dwName-->
> 
> However, to get it to work requires the dtml I provided earlier.

I ran into something similar yesterday. *doublechecks*

Yes. It's weird, I don't know why, but somehow 'REQUEST=None' in the
parameter list of the external method makes a difference. Let's say I
have these external methods:

def reqtest0(self, REQUEST):
    if REQUEST:
        return "Got REQUEST"
    else:
        return "No REQUEST"

def reqtest1(self, REQUEST=None):
    if REQUEST:
        return "Got REQUEST"
    else:
        return "No REQUEST"

One'd think they'd do the same, right? Somehow, they don't. In DTML:

<!--#var "reqtest0(REQUEST)"-->

Gives me 'Got REQUEST'

While:

<!--#var "reqtest1(REQUEST")-->

Gives "No REQUEST"

Finally, imitating your trick (why the quoted 'self'?):

<!--#var "reqtest1('self', _['REQUEST'])"-->

Gives "Got REQUEST". (same result for reqtest0)

Bizarre. Anyone know why? Some thorough explanation would be useful. I'm
feeling as if I've just entered the Perl^H^H^H^HTwilight Zone. :)

Regards,

Martijn