Since I first posted this question, I have spent some time searching, mostly in vain, for information about AOLServer programming.
I am very interested in trying it, but there seems to be a "common" function that is missing, or is not clearly explained.
Virtually all of the web development I do follows a simple pattern:
o authenticate user (login screen)
o display (dynamic) menu, based on user permissions
o allow user to view data from database (reports, etc.)
o allow user to add data to database (via forms)
o allow user to cause programs/scripts to be run to affect data in the database
One key element to that involves session management. Once the user has logged in, I need to be able to store and retrieve data for that user in a private session (think JSP or ASP sessions.)
AOLServer has this nsv* stuff, but I can't find much documentation on it. I've seen some reference to nssession, but that appears to be in early development. More importantly, various forums and links I find referencing AOLServer programming tend to be months or years old. That doesn't make me feel comfortable.
I really do like the premise that AOLServer+Tcl (or hopefully Python with that wxPy? module) offers, but if I can't find documentation to help me even get started, I'll never get to try it.
Perhaps OpenACS would help, but I keep reading the phrase "building online communities", which seems to have no relevance to what I'm after.
Can AOLServer do sessions like I'm asking?
Is the AOLServer community dwindling?
Do I need OpenACS?
Jakarta-Tomcat+JSP+JavaBeans works great, but it definitely is a pain to develop with... stopping tomcat, ant'ing project, starting tomcat eats at least 1/4 of my time.
I just bought a really great intro book to Tomcat too (Apache Jakarta-Tomcat, by James Goodwill.) If I could find something of that level of documentation on AOLServer+tools I would be very pleased.
Much thanks,
Michael
