[Zope] Zope Advice for Java Man

[Jon Whitener]

At 05:28 PM 10/17/2003, you wrote:
>Dear Jon

Send further questions to the Zope mailing list zope at zope.org.  I can't promise I will have time to answer your further questions.

>Sorry for taking your time, but I am looking for advice by someone with practical  Zope/Python experience. I have 20 years of experience in computing and worked mainly in Java for the last 8 years after using more exciting languages and have a lot of experience in OO, database modelling, knowledge engineering, etc. At the moment I am starting to learn Python and Zope. I wanted to do this for some time, but recently I got in touch with a musician who is interested in a music database application(*). Thus, I thought I'd take my chance and do this in Zope. After reading quite some material about Zope I am still hesitating how to approach the problem. Should I use ZODB or MySQL? 

You don't have to choose.  You can use Zope and MySQL in tandem, via a Zope Database Adapter, which allows transfer of data to and from an external database if you wish.  It depends on your database needs.  A thread on this subject:

http://mail.zope.org/pipermail/zope/2003-September/140708.html

>DTML or ZPT? 

ZPT (plus Python scripts).

>I want to make sure that the database is safe and can be backed up. 

ZODB is easy to back up (you just copy the Data.fs ZODB file).  Don't know about others.

>Can I access the ZODB using Python programs? 

Yes.

>How does this work? 

Don't know.

>Should I first learn Python or Zope? 

You will end up learning Python as you learn Zope.  Zope is written in Python.

>Can I convert an Excel sheet to read into Zope? 

Don't know, but search the Internet, and I'm sure you'll find something about it.

>How can I program for Zope without being restricted by its Web interface (I am using eclipse for Java development and that is much different from hacking little bits of code in various Web forms)? 

Look into Zope Products, written in Python.  See http://zope.org/Documentation/Books/ZopeBook/2_6Edition/CustomZopeObjects.stx

>What would you suggest for a good solution and how do I learn the required skills in the shortest amount of time? 

Best Python book I know:  "Python: Visual QuickStart Guide" from Peachpit Press.  Instant answers to your questions.

>Are there good comprehensive examples to look at? It seems that I learn best from looking at other people's code.

Zope is open source, so you can examine every line of code.  Zope.org provides custom products others have written, which are also all open source.

>I am sorry if I trouble you, but you seem to know the matter very well and understand the needs of someone interested in practical solutions.

Good luck.  I hope you will enjoy Zope as I do.  Use zope at zope.org for further questions.  You will find the list quite responsive.


>Thanks a lot and kind regards André Meyer Delft, The Netherlands
>
>(*) This is about pieces of old music that are played in various instrumental settings. One query is to search for combinations of pieces with a given set of instruments in order to prepare for a concert. The interface needs to be easy to handle and avoid re-entering the same information more than once (e.g. a composer or publisher). Therefore, I foresee that comboboxes are used a lot for selecting previously entered values/objects. The application first used on a personal workstation, but may be made available for multi-user access (eventually contributions) on the Web later on.