Thread: [binarycloud-dev] sync is done

SourceForge Headquarters 225 Broadway Suite 1600 San Diego, CA 92101 +1 (858) 422-6466

hi all,

Sync to sourceforge is done, you can update your checkouts :)

_alex

i thought i'd be the first to report that the Query_Example no longer
works after this last CVS sync.

Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
/home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
line 166

on a side note, i wanted to ask for a recommendation as to how to
implement a simple application under BC in regards to how to handle a
single module that uses multiple classes/libraries.  for example, i've
got a forum application underway with the following structure.

build/en/user/mod/forum/lib/Forum.php    <-  the required library
(included by the other files)
build/en/user/mod/forum/ForumIndex.php	 <-  forum listing, default page.
build/en/user/mod/forum/ForumList.php    <-  lists the messages in a
forum
build/en/user/mod/forum/ForumRead.php	 <-  displays a thread
build/en/user/mod/forum/ForumPost.php	 <-  to post a thread/reply

now, these classes each contain a constructor, and Output() method.  so
far so good, no troubles...

as for the document root side,  i have a question as to handle this.  i
know either way will work, but i'm wanting to stay as conforming as
possible while BC is still under development.

should i have this...:
build/en/htdocs/forum/index.php	  <- builds/imports 
build/en/htdocs/forum/list.php	  <- builds/imports ForumList.php
build/en/htdocs/forum/read.php	  <- builds/imports ForumRead.php
.
.
etc.
which is working fine, although all the gPageDef is redundant.

OR this...:
build/en/htdocs/forum/index.php	  <- a switch looking for $mode which
builds/imports the desired module such as ForumIndex.php,ForumList.php,
etc...

this seems like a trivial question to ask, but i'm not exactly sure how
module distribution is to be handled in the future.

i hope this is clear enough for a response.

jason

Alex Black wrote:
> Sync to sourceforge is done, you can update your checkouts :)

> 
> i thought i'd be the first to report that the Query_Example no longer
> works after this last CVS sync.
> 
> Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
> /home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
> line 166

hrm...

I haven't tested any of this, I'll do that and see what I see.

andreas?

> as for the document root side,  i have a question as to handle this.  i
> know either way will work, but i'm wanting to stay as conforming as
> possible while BC is still under development.
> 
> should i have this...:
> build/en/htdocs/forum/index.php      <- builds/imports
> build/en/htdocs/forum/list.php      <- builds/imports ForumList.php
> build/en/htdocs/forum/read.php      <- builds/imports ForumRead.php
> .
> .
> etc.
> which is working fine, although all the gPageDef is redundant.
> 
> OR this...:
> build/en/htdocs/forum/index.php      <- a switch looking for $mode which
> builds/imports the desired module such as ForumIndex.php,ForumList.php,
> etc...
> 
> this seems like a trivial question to ask, but i'm not exactly sure how
> module distribution is to be handled in the future.
> 
> i hope this is clear enough for a response.

yes, it is.

One of the things I would like to do is build a "PageDefBuilder" class which
is capable of accepting some rules from a 'definition file' so you could do
something like this:

setup an alias for htdocs/forum/* to htdocs/forum/index.php, which would
allow you to receive requests like forum/post/1928374.

The page in htdocs/index.php would not contain module definitions: it would
import PageDefBuilder, which would import a file from your module dir which
tells it how to build up the module list (in this case, based on the request
uri), put that array into $gPageDef - then import & run Page->BuildPage();

That would make your urls elegant (you can parse the request uri into an
array which will tell you what modules to use, and still retain the ability
to cache those module's output)
------

That's sort of fancy, but it makes your 'external face' to the world very
orderly and clean (and if your forums are public, search engine friendly,
not to mention easily memorable and bookmarkable.

Barring the above, the other way, i.e. a separate page with some duplicative
$gPageDef stuff is I think the best way to go.

If you're into it, you're welcome to build a PageDefBuilder class :) I'll
help :)

best,

_alex

Apologies -- i was in a bit of a hurry.

CVS simply overwrote some configured stuff. doh.

It does work.
jason

> > i thought i'd be the first to report that the Query_Example no longer
> > works after this last CVS sync.
> >
> > Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
> > /home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
> > line 166
> 
> hrm...
> 
> I haven't tested any of this, I'll do that and see what I see.

oh, good! :)

> 
> Apologies -- i was in a bit of a hurry.
> 
> CVS simply overwrote some configured stuff. doh.
> 
> It does work.
> jason
> 
>>> i thought i'd be the first to report that the Query_Example no longer
>>> works after this last CVS sync.
>>> 
>>> Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
>>> /home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
>>> line 166
>> 
>> hrm...
>> 
>> I haven't tested any of this, I'll do that and see what I see.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> binarycloud-dev mailing list
> bin...@li...
> http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/binarycloud-dev
> 

Hi

> i thought i'd be the first to report that the Query_Example no longer
> works after this last CVS sync.
>
> Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
> /home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
> line 166

Guess, datasources has been overwritten. Debug should output errors beacuse
I used CaptureError() in case of errors and CaptureMessage() for
informations messages. But Debug does not output errors properly so you dont
get a descriptive err message.

Andi

While this makes sense in theory, let me try and approach this from a
different angle.

My train of thought is blocked by a lingering question on how modules
will be distributed once BC is mainlined.

Are page definition (bcp.xml) files to be included with the module
package?  While the easy answer may be "yes, why not",
it also makes sense to allow for modules to be dropped in the module
directory by themselves, so that the site-owners can add the new module
to their _already existing_ page definitions where they see fit.

The problem I see with replacing the $gPageDef declaration in the page
definition is:

(begin scenerio)
Let's say, my forum app uses this new PageDefBuilder to parse incoming
URI's.  So this would mean that my forum app module package would
contain a 'uri definition file' like you described.

Now, on my _already existing_ page definition where I have a navigation
module, content management, whatever, I want a forum to appear at the
bottom.  I would have to lose my existing $gPageDef array to make room
for the new module which uses the PageDefBuilder.  Something just
doesn't make sense here.

My first idea/proposal here would be to create a new public method in
$Page that gets passed the necessary info to handle the incoming URI and
load up the right module.

I think this was a bit wordy, but it took some writing before my
thoughts were clear.

To sum.. instead of a PageDefBuilder to replace the $gPageDef array, we
add a $Page->BuildDynamicModule which acts as a gateway to launch a
multi-module application, and the appropriate module is determined by
comparing the incoming URI to an XML definition file in the module
directory.

jason

Alex Black wrote:
> One of the things I would like to do is build a "PageDefBuilder" class which
> is capable of accepting some rules from a 'definition file' so you could do
> something like this:
> 
> setup an alias for htdocs/forum/* to htdocs/forum/index.php, which would
> allow you to receive requests like forum/post/1928374.
> 
> The page in htdocs/index.php would not contain module definitions: it would
> import PageDefBuilder, which would import a file from your module dir which
> tells it how to build up the module list (in this case, based on the request
> uri), put that array into $gPageDef - then import & run Page->BuildPage();
> 
> That would make your urls elegant (you can parse the request uri into an
> array which will tell you what modules to use, and still retain the ability
> to cache those module's output)

> 
> While this makes sense in theory, let me try and approach this from a
> different angle.
> 
> My train of thought is blocked by a lingering question on how modules
> will be distributed once BC is mainlined.

Tarballs with a simple installer.
There will be a distribution-packing utility that tars files assuming
binarycloud/ as the root of the tar.

> Are page definition (bcp.xml) files to be included with the module
> package?  While the easy answer may be "yes, why not",
> it also makes sense to allow for modules to be dropped in the module
> directory by themselves, so that the site-owners can add the new module
> to their _already existing_ page definitions where they see fit.

Yes, the pages will be included in the modules distro tarballs. You _should_
have a functional installation of a module that you can run in a browser
right after installation (including db setup + make)

And if you want to delete, move, etc htdocs (or module files) you can.

> The problem I see with replacing the $gPageDef declaration in the page
> definition is:
> 
> (begin scenerio)
> Let's say, my forum app uses this new PageDefBuilder to parse incoming
> URI's.  So this would mean that my forum app module package would
> contain a 'uri definition file' like you described.
> 
> Now, on my _already existing_ page definition where I have a navigation
> module, content management, whatever, I want a forum to appear at the
> bottom.  I would have to lose my existing $gPageDef array to make room
> for the new module which uses the PageDefBuilder.  Something just
> doesn't make sense here.
>
> My first idea/proposal here would be to create a new public method in
> $Page that gets passed the necessary info to handle the incoming URI and
> load up the right module.
> 
> I think this was a bit wordy, but it took some writing before my
> thoughts were clear.

That's effectively the same thing as PageDefBuilder. You could have
PageDefBuilder build only _part_ of your page definition (say, the 'forum'
group). :)

> To sum.. instead of a PageDefBuilder to replace the $gPageDef array, we
> add a $Page->BuildDynamicModule which acts as a gateway to launch a
> multi-module application, and the appropriate module is determined by
> comparing the incoming URI to an XML definition file in the module
> directory.

I still prefer the idea of PageDefBuilder, because page definitions to not
have to be built 100% - you can run it simply to _add_ some modules to a
page definition....

So, let's consider the possibilities:

    1) you want to run the forum 'alone' in its own location:
        forums/index.php
        -you create an apache alias for forum/* to forum/index.php
        -you create a 'request uri' class which is used by PageDefBuilder to
parse the request uri and build an array in $gPageDef.
        -You run $gPageDef through Page and get output.

    2) You want to have a forum for every single page on your site (hey,
possible right? :)

        -you create a normal page def for each page, but include
PageDefBuilder.
        -it uses the request_uri class to determine the forum name, and puts
the ForumList module into the page def.
        -user clicks 'post' or soemthing, and gets sent to the 'normal forum
post page elsewhere in htdocs.

I don't see a reason why that wouldn't work...

best,

-alex

Alex Black wrote:
>         -you create a normal page def for each page, but include
> PageDefBuilder.

Ah. This was it. I was assuming the PageDefBuilder would build the
entire page definition, not work with it if it existed.

>         -it uses the request_uri class to determine the forum name, and puts
> the ForumList module into the page def.
>         -user clicks 'post' or soemthing, and gets sent to the 'normal forum
> post page elsewhere in htdocs.

Sounds like the PageDefBuilder is going to need a few libraries.  What,
besides handling URI's will it need to accommodate?
And what would be example syntax of the url->module mapping?

(it's now 68.33% clear in my mind)
=]

jason

> Ah. This was it. I was assuming the PageDefBuilder would build the
> entire page definition, not work with it if it existed.

I don't see a reason why it couldn't/shoudn't do both.

> >         -it uses the request_uri class to determine the forum name, and
puts
> > the ForumList module into the page def.
> >         -user clicks 'post' or soemthing, and gets sent to the 'normal
forum
> > post page elsewhere in htdocs.
>
> Sounds like the PageDefBuilder is going to need a few libraries.  What,
> besides handling URI's will it need to accommodate?
> And what would be example syntax of the url->module mapping?

I imagine it would actually take a 'custom' library for each case... it
would only really supervise the process.

So you'd write your own class that gets variables, etc and PageDefBuilder
would give you a simple way of assigning those values.

_a

> (it's now 68.33% clear in my mind)
> =]
>
> jason
>
> _______________________________________________
> binarycloud-dev mailing list
> bin...@li...
> http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/binarycloud-dev
>

Hi

> > Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
> > /home/jason/r2/binarycloud/build/en/ext/metabase/metabase_mysql.php on
> > line 166
> I haven't tested any of this, I'll do that and see what I see.

I guess it's wrong datasources.php entries.

The actual MetabaseError is captured by Debug->CaptureError() and should be
printed by Debug->Output('errors'). But the output method for errors is
currently not implemented. I'll do this today.

Andi

I have had trouble with my responses showing up.  This
is a test.