[Zope-PTK] PTK II has landed

Shane Hathaway shane@digicool.com
Fri, 11 Aug 2000 16:18:44 -0400


PTK community,

We have just checked in the new PTK architecture to the CVS
repository.  We have tested it as much as possible, but only on one
machine and one version of Zope.

Updated documentation is forthcoming.  Also, we decided to roll back
some of the changes that made PTK easier to install, for the sake of a
quicker release.  We'll get those back in there soon.

I recommend you delete any existing portals you might have, unless
you're brave--there are some radical changes in there and the backward
compatibility is not very good.  This is really a new product IMHO. 
(You should be able to retain old content, however.)

Use the old procedure: install the ZCallable (unchanged AFAIK),
PTKBase, and PTKDemo products.  Copy PTKDemo/DemoPortal.zexp and
PTKDemo/Wizard.zexp to the import directory (or better yet, just
symlink if your platform allows it.)

You *don't* need ZPatterns, LoginManager, and Membership unless you
choose the "Experimental LoginManager Support" during the portal
wizard.

I envision some hot topics arising out of this:

- The separation of PTK into components revealed a large number of
spots where PTK can innovate further.  For example, most of the default
tools currently have no management interface (except "Undo") and they
are begging to be configurable and have alternative implementations. 
Especially portal_actions.

- The portal_discussion tool is very weak.  It just mimics what the old
architecture did.  I bet Chris Withers has some insight here!

- PTK is begging for a portal_skins tool.  It could set the example for
an implementation of ZODB-oriented skins.

- The generic interface is too blue.  Designers wanted!

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Shane