Parameters for Zope External Method

[Nick Belshaw]

Jyrki Alakuijala wrote:

> I have succeeded in creating a Zope external method which
> causes a python statement to be evaluated for a web request.
> However, I have failed to pass parameters (other than the
> special case "self") to that external method.
>

Well you must be most of the way there!!

>
> So, where can I find instructions on how to call an external
> method with parameters? I could not find that in the
> manuals.
>

Hmmm - the manuals are a bit 'distributed' aren't they. You may find
more useful info in the HOW-TOs

>
> Should I use something else than an external method?
>

Depends what you want! You can pass parameters to External Methods and
also call Zope stuff FROM external methods (with parameter passing) so -
how?


-------------------------------
little Python method in file testext.py

def little_method(self, something):
        # any usfull stuff here which may use 'something'
        return  'ok - I did something'
-------------------------------
Inside our Zope DTML-METHOD

....
just to show our passed parameter does exist in our namespace before we
use it
<dtml-var  a_parameter>
<br>
<dtml-var "our_little_external_method(a_parameter)">
<br>
well did that work for you?
....
-------------------------------
and of course we had to create our External Method inside Zope (same
Folder?)

ID = 'our_little_external_method'
Title = 'Just testing'
Function name = 'little_method'
module = 'testext.py'
-------------------------------

That should do it - at least to first-order. My understanding is
superficial !!!

Inside our External Python Method we can also call any Zope Method via
the 'self' namespace....

def  little_method(self, some_parameter):
        # something useful here
        self.zope_method_in_our_folder(some_parameter=some_value)
        return 'whatever you like'

which will call the named  zope_method_in_our_folder and make any named
passed parameters available as <dtml-var>s inside the folder.


Its all rather cryptic but neat at the same time. Worth a bit of effort
to understand me thinks.

-but-don't-ask-me-about-aquisition-ly yours

Nick

--
Dr Nick Belshaw                                    Dept of Earth Sciences
Tel : 01865 272000                                 Oxford University
Fax : 01865 272072                                 Parks Rd, Oxford, OX2 3PR