[Zope] Zope and Relational Data

[tgregory@rocketmail.com]

I'm new to Zope so I'm trying to figure how to best use the system.

I have a SQL database which stores customers and data related to them. I would like to provide a web interface to manage these customers. Customers may be queried through direct SQL commands, but any form of modification will be done through an existing API. Also, customers will be modified from many different sources other than the web interface.

It seems that creating persistent Zope objects to model these customers would be redundant/hazardous. But, I would like to exploit the strengths of Zope by creating semi-transient objects to represents customers. What I mean by semi-transient: several requests (form submissions) may be made against a customer account within a short time period. During this time, it would be ideal if Zope could maintain my customer object so that I didn't have to go back to SQL to recreate (and populate) the object each time a request was made. But, at some point the customer object should be deleted so as not to take up space within the Zope DB permanently.

In a general sense it seems I am asking: What is the general technique for manipulating existing relational data (as objects) within the Zope framework? ZClasses? Just external objects (scratching the OO)?

I have this sneaky feeling this problem has been solved many times already. Any suggestions?


Thanks,
Trey Gregory