[Zope] Questions re: REQUEST, external methods; newbie stupidity at play

[Bryan White]

Jamie wrote:

"The real zen is avoiding the need for ever using .set() at all."

Yes. This perhaps gets at the heart of the big concept that I think I 
must be missing. I have a SQL-heavy application, that makes heavy use of 
both DTML and external methods (instead of script due to the need to 
import xml.* stuff). How do I build a stack of variables to pass around 
between ZSQL -> DTML -> Py *without* having a giant mess of REQUEST.set 
statements?

I can easily believe that I have missed some totally fundamental thing, 
but as it stands I have an insane amount of REQUEST.set stuff in this 
project.

I have actually begun to lament that I chose to go with Zope on this 
particular project (don't get me wrong - I am a near-religous Zope 
advocate) - this project is not about content management in the least, 
it's a big beast of a SQL / XML monster. Zope oddities have been more in 
my way than they have been helpful. Again, I am perfectly willing to 
believe that I am simply doing things WRONG. The only big win I get from 
Zope on this project so far is users/roles, and not having to code that 
stuff.

Please, what is the correct way to NOT use the REQUEST space like I am???

Desperately,

Bryan