[Zope] Some tough questions about zope... (long)

Richard Wackerbarth rkw@dataplex.net
Wed, 3 Mar 1999 10:47:07 -0600 (CST)


This sounds like something we need.
I know that I could use it.
If folks will critique this design, I'll implement it.

- - Proposed Access Method - -
It is desired to be able to have "non DTML" files incorporated
in a Zope URL system. These files might be static GIF files,
quicktime movies, or just plain old HTML.

Obviously, they might be "included" in a DTML page by simply
referencing them directly by their URL. However, I can see cases
where one would like the access to be under the control of the Zope
system.

For example, access controls might apply.

I believe that we can achieve this by having an object
which represents an ExternalFS mount point.

In general, we map a URL onto a node of the FS.
It would be directly analogous to a symbolic link (ln -s).

The Zope mount point would enforce permissions just as if the
file were loaded into the Zope DB.

Objects can be "imported" without having them take up space
in the database. Their creation and maintanence can be handled
outside the Zope system.

They are rendered by "cat"ing their contents.

By permitting substitutions in the link, we can create effective
reformatting of the visible FS.

As an example, I am monitoring customer traffic. "mrtg" automatically
generates graphs for each customer.

In Zope, I could create customized displays by importing these files.

By using the ExFS, I can update the graphics without affecting Zope.

Further, assuming
 /mygraphs/today/customer1.gif
 /mygraphs/today/customer2.gif
 /mygraphs/yesterday/customer1.gif
 /mygraphs/yesterday/customer2.gif 

we can map them onto

somewhere/KustomerA/graphs/today
somewhere/KustomerA/graphs/yesterday


by substituting a property of the Kustomer

- - - 

Thoughts and/or suggestions?

Richard

On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Michel Pelletier
wrote:
> ooo.  Someone has yet to write an ExternalFile product (though I suspect
> it would be fairly simple) to add objects to the db that refer to files
> outside the db.  For now you can upload them as File objects to be
> contained entirely in the db.  The same rules that apply to file name
> conflicts in, say, a UNIX filesystem, apply to the Zope db.  You can't
> have the same object id in the same folder. (With a minor non-exception
> of aquisition, all lower folders can see the contents of higher folders,
> but if you place an object in a lower folder with the same id as an
> object in a higher folder the lower object will override the higher
> object.  Get that?)