[Web-SIG] using WSGI for standard pluggable applications

[Shannon -jj Behrens]

Thanks, Ian.  Now I understand your problem.  If I were in your shoes,
I would make use of dom manipulation on the server side.  I.e., I
would use the same "inheritance" tricks, but instead of using
inheritance via code, I would have the filters look for certain div's
with certain id's.  In effect, these div's would act as methods for
the wrapped applications.  In this way, the wrapper and the
application wrapped can have a better channel for communication.  You
can even implement inheritance in this manner.  Just throwing ideas
out, you might also want to consider using JSON as a communication
medium that is language neutral.  The wrapped application can embed
some JSON data.  The wrapper application can make use of that data. 
Viola, rich communication.  Of course, you're a smart guy, so you
don't need me telling you how to write apps ;)

-jj

On 9/29/05, Ian Bicking <ianb at colorstudy.com> wrote:
> Shannon -jj Behrens wrote:
> >>Hopefully that actually makes sense. But in short, some template languages
> >>lose a lot of power without the ability to do this kind of hooking into
> >>functions up the inheritance chain. This is why webapp ignorant output
> >>filters running over the output won't work for those webapps.
> >>
> >>Maybe people distributing such a webapp should do something to indicate that
> >>skinning should occur "inside" the app vs having something applied
> >>"outside"?
> >
> >
> > I completely agree.  Is this a real problem that a lot of people face
> > or is it of academic interest only?
>
> Yes, it is a real problem!  I face it every day, it seems.  It is the
> nature of life in a heterogeneous shop.  Of course, that also includes
> non-Python apps, which rules out a bunch of possible solutions for me.
>
> > It seems to me that sticking to a
> > framework for your own code is a very helpful thing.  If you must
> > support 2 frameworks, recode the common look and feel as you
> > transition from one framework to the newer framework.  I think trying
> > to always be completely framework neutral is like trying to use C with
> > no pointers :-D
>
> If I don't want to fall into complete NIH syndrome, I must face the fact
> that I don't have one framework.
>
> Obviously not everything can be framework neutral, but it's really just
> a desire to keep the number of hacks to a minimum.
>
> > I have to deal with upwards of 10 apps across many departments that
> > all use my shared look and feel.  The way the different apps use
> > inheritance hooks to subtly change various parts of the page is
> > intricate.  I'd hate to have to do that using a filter :-/  Oh well,
> > YMMV.

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