[Zope3-dev] Proposal for file-system synchronization in Zope3

[Shane Hathaway]

Andy McKay wrote:
> I believe there are similar goals and uses in these products.
> 
> I would like to make it easier for:
> a) users to move objects between storages and products
> b) developers to write products to move objects
> 
> To accomplish this I believe we need a common API for moving objects between
> the ZODB and the file system. One way to achieve this goal is to expand the
> import and export functionality we currently have in Zope to this new "file
> editable" standard.
> 
> Once we have a common API and standard for moving objects and representing
> objects on the file system, we will have more flexible and powerful tools
> that work with each other.

FWIW, the interfaces in AdaptableStorage are even more ambitious than 
everything mentioned so far.  They try to allow you to serialize any 
kind of object in any way you like.  Once you have a complete, 
extensible serialization/deserialization layer, you can write code that 
stores arbitrary objects anywhere you like (ZODB, filesystem, products, 
relational database, LDAP, XML database, etc.) and does with them what 
you like (synchronize, export, import, version, merge, compare, etc.)

The only thing that's still bugging me is the way AdaptableStorage 
handles OIDs.  It's too complex.  If I can work through that, we may 
have the "common API" you're talking about.

But again, AdaptableStorage is more ambitious than what Jim is working 
on.  While it's clear that Jim's ideas will work, it's not clear that 
mine will.  I think Jim's API fulfills its purpose well.

Shane