[Zope] DTML in Zope 2 vs Zope 3

[Greg Fischer]

Using DTML from WYSIWYG editors is definitely a drawback.  But, how
many of us use them for doing our work?  I might use Dreamweaver to
clean up my sliced web template, but soon as I start my Zope work,
it's all Crimson Editor coding by hand to Zope.  Using Dreamweaver
actually slows me down, it's easier to just code it.  However, from a
newbie perspective, not being able to run my Zope content in my fancy,
drag'n'drop editor really bugged me a long time a go.

Saying DTML sucks is only stating your difference of oppinion.  At
least give us some insight as to why it sucks.  Technical, usability,
or even marketing reasons would be helpful.  But, come on.... DUH? 
Everybody will have their preference of languages, and even the way
they like to layout the code.  So I understand that some of us like
DTML and some dont.

All that aside, DTML may be ugly, but I dont agree.  I guess beauty is
in the eye of the beholder. :)

Well, aside from the fact that you cant use DTML in WYSIWYG editors, I
still dont understand why it is not good.  If it is simple, easy to
use, and it does the job, and I suppose, if you prefer it, why is it
not good to use?

I've beaten this subject to death, so time to move on.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Greg

On 5/27/05, Lennart Regebro <regebro at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 5/26/05, Greg Fischer <retheoff at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Is DTML really that much harder to use?
> 
> Nah, but it's uglier. Also, the idea is that a web editor that
> confirms to the tsandard of ignoring things it doens't understand,
> should in theory be usable with TAL, but not with DTML. In practice,
> however, HTML editors don't do that.
> 
> > I understand the whole idea of separating the logic and the
> > presentation, and I guess, is that part of the reason why DTML is not
> > as good?
> 
> Well, it used to be. But logic crept into ZPTs as well. The good thing
> is to set up all the data in a python script or python method, and
> then use the template only to display this data. Zope3 has this
> separation "built-in", when you create a page with a template it
> automatically gets connected to a "view" which is a python class, and
> you can specify your own custom view and set up the data there.
> 
> In Zope 2 you have to call a script that creates the data, or
> reversely, use the script as the main view and let it call the
> template. (I don't know how easy that last thing is with DTML, but the
> first one works).
> 
> If you do this, the drawbacks of DTML becomes much less painful.
> --
> Lennart Regebro, Nuxeo     http://www.nuxeo.com/
> CPS Content Management     http://www.cps-project.org/
> 


-- 
Greg Fischer
1st Byte Solutions
http://www.1stbyte.com