[Zope] storing python objects

[Jonathan]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Bear" <David.Bear at asu.edu>
To: "zope" <Zope at zope.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 6:19 PM
Subject: [Zope] storing python objects


>I need to run an external method to use some python functions that are
> restricted within zope. I'm thinking an easy way to get the data back
> would be to just store basic python objects within zodb; tupples,
> lists, dictionaries.
>
> but I've never seen this documented anywhere. Is it possible to store
> basic python objects directly in zodb? AND then use a zpt to read the
> data?
>
> I'm thinking a simple thing would be to create an external method that
> returns a dictionary.
>
> Then I could have script call the method, and stored the dictionary on
> zodb.

I have done something similar:  have an external method store a a 
list/dictionary value in a property field on a folder, then a future call to 
the external method retrieves that property field and uses 'eval' to convert 
it back to a list/dictionary (it is stored as a string).  *** Warning: You 
need to be 100% sure you know what is in the list/dictionary if you are 
going to use 'eval' though!

The other approach I have used is to create a dead simple Zope product that 
just defines an object class (which contains lists, dictionaries, etc) and 
then have the external method store these objects directly in the ZODB.

Jonathan