[Zope] ZopePacks: A Proposal for a new Zope Product...

[Jim Fulton]

Butch Landingin wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I've created a proposal for a new Zope product which I'm
> in the process of building.
> 
> The url of the proposal is:
> 
>     http://www.zope.org/Members/butchland/ZopePackProposal/index_html
> 
> Its a long document and it suffers a little in the
> succintness/clarity department (sorry about that :()
> 
> In summary, I'm proposing a mechanism by which
> we can manage ZClasses and other objects (e.g. Folders)
> exported via .zexp files  and somewhat make the process
> of deploying ZClass-based applications easier and
> error-free.
> 
> I hope you take the time out to read it and give me your
> valuable opinion, advice, and help.

Here's one comment that should provide a good place to start.
There is already a mechanism for creating product distributions
for products created through the web.  When you develop a product
with ZClasses and you want to distribute it, you can use a 
web interface to create a tar ball that can be installed just like
any other Zope product. There is no need to fool around with export
files and no need to have an inconsistent installation mechanisms.

This is documented in the Zope Content Manager's Guide,
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Guides/ZCMG, in the chapter
on "Zope Applications and Products", 
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Guides/ZCMG-HTML/ZCMG.6.html,
in the section on "Creating Product Distributions", 
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Guides/ZCMG-HTML/ZCMG.6.4.html.

This mechanism is far from perfect and I look forward to
suggestions and implementation for enhancements.  We also
have some specific ideas for enhancing this mechanism.

This seems to be one of those topics of "Zope Zen" that
is not widely known. (Very few people at DC seem to be
aware of it.) This is a bit ironic, since this feature
has been *documented* for well over a year. :(

Jim

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