On 12/02/2006, at 2:40 PM, Jim Gallacher wrote:
Graham Dumpleton wrote:
<snip>
Thus we come to my actual idea that I want some feedback on.
The idea is to provide a new directive in mod_python that allows
you to mark
an arbitrary point in the directory hierarchy as a context point
or base directory
from which files can then be addressed using relative paths.
<snip>
That all said, specific feedback I am interested in is:
1. Is this a good idea and something worthwhile putting in
mod_python?
I like it.
2. If it is, what are better names for the directives? Ie.,
instead of PythonSetDirectory
and PythonAddDirectory.
Perhaps they should be more strongly associated with the module
import idea, such PythonSetModuleDirectory and
PythonAddModuleDirectory?
3. Again if it is, what is a better name for "req.get_directories()"?
get_directories could have several meanings in the context of a
request. Would req.get_module_directories() be a better
alternative? Does that capture the concept that you are trying to
achieve?
Except that it isn't really specific to just module importing. I gave
the example
of using it to work out a relative URL to a base URL. You might also
use it to
work out a base directory for where to load a non module file such as a
ConfigParser compatible config file.
My other option was:
PythonSetBaseDirectory
PythonAddBaseDirectory
req.get_base_directories()
or:
PythonBaseDirectory
PythonSetDirectory
req.get_directories()
or:
PythonSetContext
PythonAddContent
req.get_contexts()
4. Lastly, if you think the idea is good, but how it is done is
not, how do you
think it should be done and how do you think the Python*Handler in
FIles
directive should be solved, if at all?
I'll need to read your proposal a more few times before commenting
further.
My one minor quibble is the special meaning given to the '~'
character. My brain automatically reads this as $HOME. I suspect
that other people casually looking at an apache config file may do
the same, which could lead to some confusion.
Yeah, I know and I was going to put on my list of questions as to an
alternative
to using "~/". The other option was whether to use something like:
PythonHandler ${__handler_root__}/handlers/mymodule.py
PythonHandler ${myapproot}/handlers/mymodule.py
If you start going down arbitrary variable replacement though, do you
start
to allow variable references anywhere and allow stuff like:
<Files *.html>
PythonHandler ${myapproot}/handlers/mymodule.py::${__phase__}_html
</Files>
PythonOption myapp.variant production
PythonHandler ${myapproot}/handlers/${myapp.variant}/mymodule.py::$
{__phase__}_html
Ie., introduce other magic variables which refer to other attributes
associated
with the request, such as the phase, or even the value of variables
specified
using PythonOption.
Also, what variable interpolation scheme do you use, something like
above
which would need a special parser, or something like builtin system
used with
mod operator for strings.
PythonHandler %(myapproot)s/handlers/%(myapp.variant)s/
mymodule.py::%(__phase__)s_html
Need to see what conventions other parts of Apache use as should be
the same
if one went this far.
Graham
