The Zope Book

The Zope Book, written by the experts who developed Zope, is a guide to building dynamic Web applications using Zope. Authors Amos Latteier and Michel Pelletier teach you how to utilize Zope to write Web pages, program Web scripts, use databases, manage dynamic content, perform collaborative Web development tasks, plus much more.

Whether you are new to Zope or are a skilled user, this current and comprehensive reference is designed to introduce you to Zope and its uses and teaches you how it differs from other Web application servers. From installation and advanced features, such as ZClasses, to using Zope with relational databases, or scripting with Perl and Python, The Zope Book provides the instruction you need.

1. Introducing Zope.
1. Introducing Zope.
• What Is Zope?
• Zope History.
• Who Can Benefit from Zope?
• How Can You Benefit from Zope?
• What Zope Gives You.
• Zope Alternatives.
• Zope Community.
2. Using Zope.
• Downloading Zope.
• Installing Zope.
• Starting Zope.
• Logging In.
• Controlling Zope with the Management Interface.
• Understanding Users in Zope.
• Understanding Objects in Zope.
• Undoing Mistakes.
• Administering and Monitoring Zope.
• Using the Help System.
• Starting with the Zope Tutorial.
3. Using Basic Zope Objects.
• Using Zope Folders.
• Using Zope Documents.
• Using Zope Files.
• Using Zope Images.
• Using Object Properties.
• Coding Logic with Scripts.
• Using Methods.
• Using Versions.
• Cache Manager.
• Virtual Hosting Objects.
4. Dynamic Content with DTML.
• Who Is DTML for?
• What Is DTML Good for?
• When Not to Use DTML.
• DTML Tag Syntax.
• Inserting Variables with DTML.
• Processing Input from Forms.
• Dynamically Acquiring Content.
• Using Python Expressions from DTML.
• The var Tag.
• The if Tag.
• The in Tag.
5. Creating Basic Zope Applications.
• Building Applications with Folders.
• Building the Zope Zoo Web Site.
2. Creating Web Applications with Zope.
6. Users and Security.
• Introducing Security.
• Authentication and Managing Users.
• Authorization and Managing Security.
• Security Usage Patterns. Performing
• Security Checks.
• Advanced Security Issues: Ownership and Executable Content.
7. Variables and Advanced DTML.
• How Variables Are Looked Up.
• DTML Namespaces.
• Modifying the DTML Namespace.
• DTML Namespace Utility Functions DTML Security.
• Advanced DTML Tags.
8. Advanced Zope Scripting.
• Zope Scripts.
• Calling Scripts.
• Script Security.
• The Zope API.
• Using Python-Based Scripts.
• Using External Methods.
• Using Perl-Based Scripts.
• DTML Versus Python Versus Perl.
• Remote Scripting and Network Services.
9. Searching and Categorizing Content.
• Getting Started with Mass Cataloging.
• Configuring Catalogs.
• Searching Catalogs.
• Searching and Indexing Details.
• Concatenating Queries.
• Stored Queries.
• Automatic Cataloging.
10. Relational Database Connectivity.
• Using Database Connections.
• Using Z SQL Methods.
• Dynamic SQL Queries.
• Advanced Techniques.
3. Developing Advanced Web Applications with Zope.
11. Scalability and ZEO.
• What is ZEO?
• When You Should Use ZEO.
• Installing and Running ZEO.
• How to Run ZEO on Many Computers.
• How to Distribute Load.
• ZEO Caveats.
12. Extending Zope.
• Creating Zope Products.
• Creating a Simple Product.
• Creating ZClasses.
• Using Python Base Classes.
• Distributing Products.
4. Appendixes.
• Appendix A. DTML Reference.
• call: Call a Method.
• comment: Comments DTML.
• Functions: DTML Functions.
• if: Tests Conditions.
• in: Loops Over Sequences.
• let: Defines DTML Variables.
• math: DTML Math Functions.
• mime: Formats Data with MIME.
• raise: Raises an Exception.
• random: DTML Pseudo-Random Number Functions.
• return: Returns Data.
• sendmail: Sends Email with SMTP.
• sqlgroup: Formats Complex SQL Expressions.
• sqltest: Formats SQL Condition Tests.
• sqlvar: Inserts SQL Variables.
• string: DTML String Functions.
• tree: Inserts a Tree Widget.
• try: Handles Exceptions.
• unless: Tests a Condition.
• var: Inserts a Variable.
• with: Controls DTML Variable Look Up.
• Appendix B. API Reference.
• Class AuthenticatedUser.
• Class DTMLDocument(ObjectManagerItem, PropertyManager).
• Class DTMLM

The semi-official handbook (or rather, intro text).

It is downloadable from the web in a newer edition, but sometimes it is nicer to have a real book, I think. It is a decent intro text, with some detail about programming Zope, but is unfortunately a bit dated. OK as a first book though.