Web development with Python 3.1

[Dotan Cohen]

>> I insist on handling the HTML myself. As for converting the request
>> variables into Python variables, if a class/framework makes that
>> easier then I would gladly use it. My question was serious. How can I
>> do those things?
>
> Using a framework? In Pylons/TG2, my code looks like this:
>
> def some_form_action(self, name, email, password):
>
>   ....
>
> so HTTP-variables get parsed, validated, converted, and *then* passed to my
> actual code.
>

I know how to call a function, but how do I use the variables? How do
I respond (I am avoiding the term output) with the value of the GET
variable "torvalds", for example? And similarly for a POST variable?


>>> But then do you deal with headers correctly?
>>
>> Yes, so far as I know. This is actually simpler than the HTML, just be
>> careful not to output two newline characters in sequence (thereby
>> ending the header).
>
> Oh my god. If two newlines are all you think that there is to properly
> writing HTTP-headers, no wonder *you* wonder what to use a webframework
> for.
>

I was being brief. I don't pretend to know the whole protocol by
heart, but I get by that far. :)


>>> Do you respect character
>>> encodings?
>>
>> Yes! UTF-8 from database to scripting language to HTTP request.
>
> And if the browser sends them in different encoding? Frameworks make you
> deals with unicode only. Decoding/Encoding, setting the necessary
>

That's what I wrote below:


>>> Form-encodings?
>>
>> Yes, UTF-8 the in the other direction. However, as form data can be
>> spoofed, I would like a function that checks it. Does Python have such
>> a function? What class does?
>
> Frameworks do check for HTTP-headers that contain the encoding, and thus
> convert incoming data to unicode.
>

That is useful, thanks.

>>
>>
>>> Is your generated HTML valid?
>>
>> Naturally, even though this is not a Python issue.
>
> "Naturally" with print-statements?
>

"Carefully" with print statements.


>>> Do you parse
>>> content negotiation headers?
>>>
>>
>> No. I hate sites that do that. If the page is available in another
>> language, their is a link in the corner.
>
> Again, you don't seem to really know much about webapps. Content-negotiation
> isn't about languages, it's about content-types. Such as serving HTML or
> JSON from the same URL. But let me guess, you hate applications that do
> that?
>

I used to serve WML-specific "decks" to known mobile UA's, but I've stopped.


> I don't have the *slightest* doubt about that. In fact, I'm pretty sure you
> can make pretty bad webapplications in pretty much everything you touch.
> Good luck with that.
>

I am a mechanical engineering student, not CS. I am doing this for my
own use and enjoyment. I don't need luck with that, I don't have any
customers. If someone were to come along asking me to code for them, I
would send them to you!


-- 
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il