PyWX stands for "Python Web Extensions". PyWX is a plug-in for the open-source Web server AOLserver that allows the interpretation of Python scripts within the AOLserver process. It is distributed under a GNU License.
Features include:
AOLserver and PyWX together offer a variety of features that are not readily available in other Web servers; in particular, we know of no other Web server that offers the services of the rich AOLserver API in three languages: C, Tcl, and Python. In addition, there is a full-featured open-source toolkit available for AOLserver (written in Tcl), the ArsDigita Community System.
For more strident advocacy ;), as well as off-the-cuff comparisons between AOLserver/PyWX, Zope, and Apache, please visit Why use PyWX and AOLserver?
A number of example scripts are available, including a general Python interpreter page, a script that prints out the source of Python scripts, and more.
The online documentation for PyWX is slowly getting better. There is also a To-Do list and a list of known bugs.
Release 0.6 is a major revision of PyWX. Among other things, it uses a new architecture based on a SWIG wrapping of AOLserver's C interface. This enabled more of PyWX to be written in Python, and also allows access to most of AOLserver's internal facilities directly from Python without going through Tcl layer. It also means that the old Tcl-based interface to AOLserver functions is deprecated.
This release is fairly stable but not very well-tested. Moreover,
the interface may still be changed in the future--though the
Ns
module (the interface to the AOLserver internals) is
unlikely to change much. This release is still to be considered
`alpha' quality code.
Release 0.49 is a fairly stable and moderately well-exercised pre-alpha version based on the old architecture. You can still download it from SourceForge.
PyWX development is hosted through SourceForge.net.
PyWX is known to compile under RedHat 6.2, Debian, and FreeBSD, although we would like to caution you that compilation is not for the faint-hearted -- this is an alpha package. We'd particularly like to hear about any compilation problems you have on your platform; different libraries and command lines are needed on different platforms.
There are two lists - pywx and pywx-announce - one for discussion and one for announcements. To sign up for either of them, send e-mail to 'listname-subscribe@idyll.org', or: subscribe to the pywx development list, subscribe to the pywx-announce list.
An archive of the development mailing list is available at the main PyWX website.
Other than that, keep an eye on the CVS...
Brent Fulgham wrote the initial code release and continues to work on PyWX; other developers include Titus Brown, Paul Mokbel, and Michael Haggerty. If you want to help, contact the pywx mailing list.