Re: [ic] Setting a catalog variable on a page

[bill@worldwideimpact.com]

I have built a table, queries, for storing my SQL queries with names for 
them. At interchange startup the queries table is read and a Variable is 
set to hold the value of the SQL statement like this:
        Variable                sql_select_items        SELECT * FROM 
items
Now we can say things like this:
        [query
                list=1
                table=items
                sql=|__sql_select_items__|
        ]
                [list]some stuff<br>[/list]
        [/query]

We did this because many of the SQL queries were getting long and 
complicated and we wanted an easier way to handle them.

Now a developer would like to change the query using a IC page. We are 
able to make updates to the query table of course but how do we change the 
value of the Variable and have it be available catalog wide?

I just tried using &Vend::Control::add_catalog("Catalog catalog") and it 
will reconfig the catalog and therefore set my catalog variables with 
their new values. Is this my best bet?

Bill Carr
Worldwide Impact
bill@worldwideimpact.com
413.253.6700




cfm@maine.com
Sent by: interchange-users-admin@developer.akopia.com
05/10/2001 09:28 PM
Please respond to interchange-users

 
        To:     interchange-users@developer.akopia.com
        cc: 
        Subject:        Re: [ic] Setting a catalog variable on a page


On Thu, May 10, 2001 at 05:49:06PM -0700, Dan B wrote:
> At 04:33 PM 5/10/2001 -0400, you wrote:
> >How can I set a catalog variable from a page and have it persist?
> >
> >I want to do something like this:
> >
> >page1.html:
> >[perl]
> >         $Variable->{sql_select_items} = 'SELECT * FROM items';
> >         return;
> >[/perl]

If you are referring to the "Catalog Variable" as one might use
in the catalog.cfg, you can't (easily).  By the time mv gets to the
page it has forked and whatever you set will die with that fork.

Let me guess, you are trying to redefine your catalog on the fly
according to user/merchant/product?  If my guess is wrong, I probably
misread your question and the answer might be wrong too.

If not, I'll share what we do:
There already is Vend::Session->{values}.  We store in that a
number of items, a hash %M as $values->{M}, an overall configuration
as $values->{SC}.  These get dragged around (yeah, SC is big) with
the session.  SC will someday get loaded at start up, but we never
seem to get out of prototype....

Anyway, SC, (site_config) is pretty much what you might use Catalog
Variables for.  It defines page layout, image sizes, tables
available, templates - a lot of the things in the typical catalog.cfg.
M is a lot lighter, it defines a merchant, their names and payment 
types, fine print, address block.  It overrides some things within
the larger context defined by SC.  (That makes sense to me. :-)...)

So rather than setting a catalog variable, we have an init routine
for each page psuedo code:

  load_M(asdf) unless($values->{M});
  load_SC(asdf) unless($values->{SC});

I've not looked into AUTOLOAD; that might well be appropriate.

Anyway, if you learn how to stuff a hash into the session and retrieve
it you can do anything.

cfm

-- 

Christopher F. Miller, Publisher                             cfm@maine.com
MaineStreet Communications, Inc         208 Portland Road, Gray, ME  04039
1.207.657.5078                                       http://www.maine.com/
Content management, electronic commerce, internet integration, Debian 
linux
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