need advice on building core code for python and PHP

[digimotif]

All,
I'm currently working with a small development company on a PHP
application they already have. There are several processing tasks
that could be scripted in Python and run in the background to modify a
database, instead of the way they have it now, which waits for a
webpage to return from processing.

There is also the possibility of building client gui applications that
work with the database as well, so I'm looking for a way I could
create a code base that enables us to use the same functions and
objects over and over again while building interfaces in Python, or
PHP, or whatever.

Is there a way I could code the base (core) code in Python and have
PHP call it? I've really liked using SQLAlchemy and there are other
great things like Pylons I could integrate for various tasks, but I
first have to move some functionality out of PHP and into something
more "universal". What would you recommend?

Any ideas are appreciated.

Brian

 

[Szabolcs Nagy]

Is there a way I could code the base (core) code in Python and have
PHP call it? I've really liked using SQLAlchemy and there are other

* quick and dirty solution:
in a shell:
$ python yourscript.py <pipe_in >pipe_out
in the php script:
fwrite(pipe_in, input_data);
results = fread(pipe_out, sizeof_results);

* simple and nice solution:
do not ever use php

 

[Cameron Laird]

All,
I'm currently working with a small development company on a PHP
application they already have. There are several processing tasks
that could be scripted in Python and run in the background to modify a
database, instead of the way they have it now, which waits for a
webpage to return from processing.

There is also the possibility of building client gui applications that
work with the database as well, so I'm looking for a way I could
create a code base that enables us to use the same functions and
objects over and over again while building interfaces in Python, or
PHP, or whatever.

Is there a way I could code the base (core) code in Python and have
PHP call it? I've really liked using SQLAlchemy and there are other
great things like Pylons I could integrate for various tasks, but I
first have to move some functionality out of PHP and into something
more "universal". What would you recommend?

.
.
.
"Yes", is the short answer.

More details, later.

 

[digimotif]

* simple and nice solution:
do not ever use php

I'd like not to use it at all, but there's already been quite a bit of
work done with it and I'm sure I won't be able to have it all removed
at one time. I REALLY don't like debugging PHP especially after all
the stuff I've done with Python. I find it much easier to test Python
code as I go and I end up with fewer bugs to fix later. I'll work to
remove the need for PHP a little at a time.

Thanks for the tips, I'll look into it and I'm interested in any other
ideas out there.

Brian

 

[aspineux]

* quick and dirty solution:
in a shell:
$ python yourscript.py <pipe_in >pipe_out
in the php script:
fwrite(pipe_in, input_data);
results = fread(pipe_out, sizeof_results);

* simple and nice solution:
do not ever use php

Write a CGI wrapper around your python script, and publish it using
mod_python.
And make the appropriate http requests from PHP.

 

[Graham Dumpleton]

Write a CGI wrapper around your python script, and publish it using mod_python.
And make the appropriate http requests from PHP.

You do not need mod_python to host CGI scripts written in Python, they
are two separate things.

Depending on the complexity of what you are doing, you might be better
off writing a backend server in Python that incorporates an XML-RPC
server. Your PHP script can then use XML-RPC client to communicate to
the backend Python server to do the real work. Over time you could
even transition your web pages to being done in Python instead. In
doing this your back end Python server doesn't have to change, you
just make XML-RPC calls from the Python code for the web pages in
place of where you would be doing it with PHP initially. You also
wouldn't be restricted to web based front ends, you could also use GUI
based front end as well.

Graham

 

[digimotif]

You do not need mod_python to host CGI scripts written in Python, they
are two separate things.

Depending on the complexity of what you are doing, you might be better
off writing a backend server in Python that incorporates an XML-RPC
server. Your PHP script can then use XML-RPC client to communicate to
the backend Python server to do the real work. Over time you could
even transition your web pages to being done in Python instead. In
doing this your back end Python server doesn't have to change, you
just make XML-RPC calls from the Python code for the web pages in
place of where you would be doing it with PHP initially. You also
wouldn't be restricted to web based front ends, you could also use GUI
based front end as well.

Graham

This sounds more like the direction I should go. Is XML-RPC the only
technology allowing this sort of setup? If I understand correctly, it
would basically mean going to a three tiered application approach.
I'd have the database, the python xml-rpc server, and the gui/web
interfaces. I'd also want to make sure I'm implementing technology
that will scale well.

Brian

 

[Graham Dumpleton]

This sounds more like the direction I should go. Is XML-RPC the only
technology allowing this sort of setup? If I understand correctly, it
would basically mean going to a three tiered application approach.
I'd have the database, the python xml-rpc server, and the gui/web
interfaces. I'd also want to make sure I'm implementing technology
that will scale well.

There is also Pyro, but by using that you limit yourself to Python
clients as far as I know whereas XML-RPC has clients for lots of
different languages. Other more complicated options are Corba and SOAP
frameworks.

Graham