(2002-02-22) f

Using custom Zope Products (vs zClasses, etc.). In addition to products and DTML documents, Zope provides two other means for creating dynamic content: Python scripts (implemented by a product, no less) allow us to write and use small Python programs within Zope. We also can create, edit and use new products using a system known as ZClasses. ZClasses allow you to create new products (and their associated classes) using nothing more than your web browser and DTML. While these four options provide a great deal of flexibility, deciding which one to use can sometimes be difficult for beginning Perl programmers. Beehive's The Book of Zope, which I review in this issue of Linux Journal, suggests using ZClasses at the beginning of a project, migrating the code to a full-fledged product after everyone has agreed upon a design. The more complex your functionality is, the more likely it is that you will want to use or write a product rather than rely on DTML and Python scripts.