Samples Back to Contents

Get Debugging Info

Here’s a quick way to get debugging info (Mobile or NOT).

from gluon.contrib.user_agent_parser import mobilize 
import datetime
@mobilize
def index():
    """  Here's an easy web2py debugging action [mobile or NOT] """
    response.flash = T("Welcome to web2py!")
    m = str(datetime.datetime.now()) +"\n"
    m += str(request.user_agent()) +"\n"
    m += "\n"
    m += "Hi. We have skipped a line."
    return dict(message=PRE(T(m)))

Output:
2015-12-03 19:47:23.762934
<Storage {'os': <Storage {'version': 'NT 10.0', 'name': 'Windows'}>, 'is_tablet': False, 'is_mobile': False, 'browser': <Storage {'version': '46.0.2490.86', 'name': 'Chrome'}>}>

Hi. Is next line.

Roll Your Own Layout

from book 6th Edition (pre-release) JUST BEFORE custom layout]

Layouts are used to encapsulate page commonality (headers, footers, menus), and though they are not mandatory, they will make your application easier to write and maintain. In particular, we suggest writing layouts that take advantage of the following variables that can be set in the controller. Using these well known variables will help make your layouts interchangeable:

response.title
response.subtitle
response.meta.author
response.meta.keywords
response.meta.description
response.flash
response.menu
response.files

Except for menu and files, these are all strings and their meaning should be obvious.

response.menu menu is a list of 3-tuples or 4-tuples. The three elements are: the link name, a boolean representing whether the link is active (is the current link), and the URL of the linked page. For example:

response.menu = [('Google', False, 'http://www.google.com',[]),
                 ('Index',  True,  URL('index'), [])]

sub-menu

The fourth tuple element is an optional sub-menu.

response.files is a list of CSS and JS files that are needed by your page.

Joe says this is BIG!
We also recommend that you use:

{{include 'web2py_ajax.html'}}

in the HTML head, since this will:

include the jQuery libraries and
define some backward-compatible JavaScript functions for special effects and Ajax.

“web2py_ajax.html” includes:

the response.meta tags in the view,
jQuery base,
the calendar datepicker and
all required
- CSS and
- JS response.files.

Style – web2py static css files [see custom layout]

There are four static files which are relevant to style:

“css/web2py.css” contains web2py specific styles
“css/bootstrap.min.css” contains the Twitter Bootstrap CSS style ^[bootstrap]
Bootstrap
“css/web2py_bootstrap.css” contains with overrides some Bootstrap styles to conform to web2py needs.
“js/bootstrap.min.js” which includes the libraries for menu effects, modals, panels.

Show HTML [see also ]

Action

def showHTML():
   return dict()

View

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
  <title>My Title</title>
  <link href="css/x.css" rel="stylesheet" />
  http://js/x.js
</head>
<body>
<p>Hello from HTML</p>
</body>
</html>

SQLFORM in HTML [see book]

Action

def display_manual_form():
   form = SQLFORM(db.person)
   if form.process(session=None, formname='test').accepted:
       response.flash = 'form accepted'
   elif form.errors:
       response.flash = 'form has errors'
   else:
       response.flash = 'please fill the form'
   # Note: no form instance is passed to the view
   return dict()

View

{{extend 'layout.html'}}
<form action="#" enctype="multipart/form-data" method="post">
<ul>
  <li>Your name is <input name="name" /></li>
</ul>
  <input type="submit" />
  <input type="hidden" name="_formname" value="test" />
</form>

Run from cmd line

cd \web2py python web2py.py -S myappname -M

Markmin to html

In controllers/default.py

def my_action():
    my_MM = '''## Sub Menu Structure for Add Table
### Background
Sub-menus are not appearing in Opera with Web2py v2.3.2. 

AddTable:
    - [[longTableForm %s]]   
    - [[shortTableForm %s]]   
    - [[shortTableAndFields %s]]   
'''%(URL('default','add_long_tprops'),
    URL('default','add_short_tprops'),
    URL('default','add_short_tprops_and_fprops'),
    )   

    return dict(message=MARKMIN(my_MM))

"Choice" Field
Field('sharp_flat_pref', requires = IS_IN_SET(('sharp', 'flat', 'none')), 
    comment='none->both'),

Menu Example

response.menu = [
 (T('Home'), False, URL('default','index'), []),
 (T('ContactUs'), False, URL('default','index'), [
     (T('CU-00'), False, URL('default','update_t_contactus00'), []),
     (T('CU-01'), False, URL('default','update_t_contactus01'), []),
     (T('CU-02'), False, URL('default','update_t_contactus02'), []),
     (T('CU-03'), False, URL('default','update_t_contactus03'), []),
     (T('CU-04'), False, URL('default','update_t_contactus04'), []),
     ]),
 ]

Email settings for gmail in db.py

## configure email
mail=auth.settings.mailer
mail.settings.server = 'smtp.gmail.com:587'
mail.settings.sender = 'myname@gmail.com'
mail.settings.login = 'myname@gmail.com:my_pw'

owner_id == auth.user_id

Field('owner_id', db.auth_user, default=auth.user_id, 
    readable=False, writable=False),

DAL Back to Contents

Updated DAL Examples Back to Contents

Content of Updated DAL Examples

Table: Define [a Table], Insert, Select, Update, Count, Delete, Drop [a Table]

Also See in the web2py Book:

Here is the tested Python Code – Enjoy!

# make this function now for later result printing
def p(rows):
for r in rows:
print r.name, r.addr, r.city

# Content: Define, Insert, Select, Update, Count, Delete, Drop

# Define [a Table]
db.define_table('person', Field('name'), Field('addr'), Field('city') ) # person has 4 fields person.id + person.name .addr .city

# Insert
db.person.insert( **{'name':'joe', 'addr':'5 Blue St', 'city':'waco'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'jim', 'addr':'6 Red St', 'city':'waco'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'john', 'addr':'7 Green St', 'city':'waco'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'jack', 'addr':'7 Green St', 'city':'houston'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'jackie', 'addr':'7 Green St', 'city':'houston'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'jill', 'addr':'7 Green St', 'city':'austin'} )
db.person.insert( **{'name':'jane', 'addr':'9 Brown St', 'city':'austin'} )

# Select
# select all rows in person
rows = db(db.person.id > 0).select()
In [55]: p(rows)
joe 5 Blue St waco
jim 6 Red St waco
john 7 Green St waco
jack 7 Green St houston
jackie 7 Green St houston
jill 7 Green St austin
jane 9 Brown St austin

# select rows in city is waco
rows = db(db.person.city == 'waco').select()
In [61]: p(rows)
joe 5 Blue St waco
jim 6 Red St waco
john 7 Green St waco

# select rows in city is 'waco' AND addr is '7 Green St'
rows = db( (db.person.city == 'waco') & (db.person.addr == '7 Green St') ).select()
In [73]: p(rows)
john 7 Green St waco

# select rows in city is 'houston' OR name is 'joe'
rows = db( (db.person.city == 'houston') | (db.person.name == 'joe') ).select()
In [83]: p(rows)
joe 5 Blue St waco
jack 7 Green St houston
jackie 7 Green St houston

# Update -> get an id; do the update
# update 1 update spelling jackie's name to 'jaquay'
id = db( (db.person.name=='jackie') & (db.person.addr=='7 Green St') & (db.person.city=='houston') ).select().first().id
rtn = db.person[id] = dict(name='jaquay', addr='7 Green St', city='houston')

# update 1 result
In [87]: rtn
Out[87]: {'addr': '7 Green St', 'city': 'houston', 'name': 'jaquay'}
In [88]: rows = db(db.person.id > 0).select()
In [89]: p(rows)
joe 5 Blue St waco
jim 6 Red St waco
john 7 Green St waco
jack 7 Green St houston
jaquay 7 Green St houston
jill 7 Green St austin
jane 9 Brown St austin

# update 2 all '7 Green St's in 'houston' to '7 Yellow St' in 'houston'
rows = db( (db.person.addr=='7 Green St') & (db.person.city=='houston') ).select()
for row in rows:
rtn = db.person[row.id] = dict(addr='7 Yellow St', city='houston')
print rtn
# update 2 result
rows = db(db.person.id > 0).select()
In [94]: p(rows)
joe 5 Blue St waco
jim 6 Red St waco
john 7 Green St waco
jack 7 Yellow St houston
jaquay 7 Yellow St houston
jill 7 Green St austin
jane 9 Brown St austin

# Count

# count 1 items in city is 'houston' OR name is 'joe'
In [97]: print db( (db.person.city == 'houston') | (db.person.name == 'joe') ).count()
3
# notice relationship to .select()
In [98]: print db( (db.person.city == 'houston') | (db.person.name == 'joe') ).select()
person.id,person.name,person.addr,person.city
1,joe,5 Blue St,waco
4,jack,7 Yellow St,houston
5,jaquay,7 Yellow St,houston

# count 2 items where name startswith 'ja'
In [99]: print db( (db.person.name.startswith('ja')) ).count()
3
In [100]: print db( (db.person.name.startswith('ja')) ).select()
person.id,person.name,person.addr,person.city
4,jack,7 Yellow St,houston
5,jaquay,7 Yellow St,houston
7,jane,9 Brown St,austin

# Delete delete all items where name startswith('jo') notice similarity to select()

rtn = db( (db.person.name.startswith('jo')) ).delete()
In [105]: print rtn
2
rows = db(db.person.id > 0).select()
In [107]: p(rows)
jim 6 Red St waco
jack 7 Yellow St houston
jaquay 7 Yellow St houston
jill 7 Green St austin
jane 9 Brown St austin

# Drop [a Table] drop the table from the db
db.person.drop()

see_also = '''
[Other operators](http://web2py.com/books/default/chapter/29/06/the-database-abstraction-layer#Other-operators)
[Combining rows](http://web2py.com/books/default/chapter/29/06/the-database-abstraction-layer#Combining-rows)
[list: and contains](http://web2py.com/books/default/chapter/29/06/the-database-abstraction-layer#list--type--and-contains)
'''

db.define_table() Back to Contents

db.define_table()
[see web2py book chap-6 Find “DAL, Table, Field”]

Here is a define_table() example 
db = DAL('sqlite://storage.db') # db isA DAL instance connected to sqlite database
# The following creates a table object in the DAL object named db
db.define_table('person', Field('name'),Field('age'), format='%(age)s %(name)s %(id)s') 
Example Notes:
1. The id Field is implicitly, an auto-incremented field in each table.
2. The format table spec, sets the representation for table records. The id field is the default.

Here is the define_table() function signature
# from web2py.gluon.dal
define_table(self, tablename, *fields, **args)
Where: 
    1. *fields is a list of Field specs
    2. **args is a dict whose keys are in the set TABLE_ARGS
    3. >>> gluon.dal.TABLE_ARGS
set(['polymodel',
     'redefine',
     'on_define',
     'format',
     'migrate',
     'sequence_name',
     'singular',
     'fake_migrate',
     'table_class',
     'common_filter',
     'trigger_name',
     'plural',
     'primarykey'])
format seems to me to be the most important of the TABLE_ARGS

Fields Back to Contents

Field Constructor Defaults

Field(name, 'string', length=None, default=None,
    required=False, requires='<default>',
    ondelete='CASCADE', notnull=False, unique=False,
    uploadfield=True, widget=None, label=None, comment=None,
    writable=True, readable=True, update=None, authorize=None,
    autodelete=False, represent=None, compute=None,
    uploadfolder=os.path.join(request.folder,'uploads'),
    uploadseparate=None,uploadfs=None)

Field Types	Default Field Validators
`string`	`IS_LENGTH(length)` default length is 512
`text`	`IS_LENGTH(65536)`
`blob`	`None`
`boolean`	`None`
`integer`	`IS_INT_IN_RANGE(-1e100, 1e100)`
`double`	`IS_FLOAT_IN_RANGE(-1e100, 1e100)`
`decimal(n,m)`	`IS_DECIMAL_IN_RANGE(-1e100, 1e100)`
`date`	`IS_DATE()`
`time`	`IS_TIME()`
`datetime`	`IS_DATETIME()`
`password`	`None`
`upload`	`None`
`reference <table>`	`IS_IN_DB(db,'<table>.id')`
`list:string`	`None`
`list:integer`	`None`
`list:reference <table>`	`IS_IN_DB(db,'<table>.id',multiple=True)`

Field Notes:

To prevent a field from showingin forms: The following indicates that the field “uploader_id” should not be shown in forms, [writable=False] and not even in readonly forms, [readable=False]
```
db.spread.uploader_id.writable = db.spread.uploader_id.readable = False
```
I associate Validators with Fields so I am making Validators part of DAL as opposed to Forms which is the way the Book does it.

DAL Basics Back to Contents

Here are some basics related to DAL.

Reset Table ids to 1 – truncate()

# I never remember the verb for this so I'm putting it FIRST. :)
db.table_name.truncate()

Build a Table (DAL, Table, Field objects)

db = DAL('sqlite://storage.db')              # you can use other db's
db.define_table('person', Field('name'))     # person table has 2 fields == person.id & person.name

Insert into person table Note: valid id's begin with 1
db.person.insert(name="Alex")                # insert person.id == 1
#output:
1

db.person.insert(name="Bob")                 # insert person.id == 2
#output:
2

db.person.insert(name="Carl")                # insert person.id == 3
#output:
3

Query, Set, Rows (The basic web2py DAL objects)

person = db.person             # var_name 'person' IS_REF_TO Table
name_field = person.name       # var_name 'name_field' IS_REF_TO name Field in person Table 
q = name_field=='Alex'         # build Query using [==, !=, <, >, <=, >=, like, belongs, etc...]
s = db(q)                      # define a Set (s)
rows = s.select()              # fetch records (Rows) from a Set using select()

# the rows object allows looping and Field designation
for row in rows:               
    print row.id, row.name
#output:
1 Alex

# combine above statements into 1 
for row in db(db.person.name=='Alex').select():         
    print row.name
#output:
Alex

# select command can take arguments
for row in db().select(db.person.id, db.person.name):     
    print row.name
#output:
Alex
Bob
Carl

# table attribute ALL
for row in db().select(db.person.ALL):              
    print row.name
#output:
Alex
Bob
Carl

# same as ALL different syntax
for row in db(db.person.id > 0).select():    
    print row.name
#output:
Alex
Bob
Carl

Given a single row 
row = rows[0]
Here are some syntactic equivalents:
row.name
row['name']
row('person.name')                     # good for selecting an expression instead of a column.
# all above output:
Alex

DAL Shortcuts

Quick row select
my_row = db.person[id]                    #returns the Row with the given id
my_row = db.person(id)
my_row = db.person(db.person.id==id)
# all above are same as:
my_row = db(db.person.id==id).select().first()
my_row = db.person(name='Carl')           # non id select

Quick delete row
del db.person[id]
# above is same as:
db(db.person.id==id).delete()

Quick insert row
db.person[0] = dict(name='Joe')
# above is same as:
db.person.insert(name='Joe')

Quick update row
db.person[id] = dict(name='NotJoe')
# above is same as:
db(db.person.id==id).update(name='NotJoe')

Recursive select(s)

New table “thing” referencing a “person”

db.define_table('thing',
    Field('name'),
    Field('owner','reference person'))
db.thing.insert(name="hammer",owner=1)
db.thing.insert(name="nail",owner=1)
db.thing.insert(name="bell",owner=2)
db.thing.insert(name="clapper",owner=2)
db.thing.insert(name="song",owner=3)
db.thing.insert(name="lyrics",owner=3)

select "forward"
things = db(db.thing._id>0).select()          #simple select
for thing in things: print thing.name, thing.owner.name
#output:
hammer Alex
nail Alex
bell Bob
clapper Bob
song Carl
lyrics Carl

select "backward"
rows =  db(db.thing.owner==db.person.id).select(orderby=db.person.name)
for row in rows:
    print row.person.name, 'owns', row.thing.name
#output:
Alex owns hammer
Alex owns nail
Bob owns bell
Bob owns clapper
Carl owns song
Carl owns lyrics

TODO: Serializing Rows in views

Validators Back to Contents

As I said before, I associate Validators with Fields so I am making Validators part of DAL as opposed to Forms which is the way the Book does it.

Validator List

[see - web2py.gluon.validators ]

CLEANUP()	IS_MATCH()	IS_DATE()	IS_DATETIME()
IS_DECIMAL_IN_RANGE()	IS_EMAIL()	IS_EMPTY_OR()	IS_EQUAL_TO()
IS_EXPR()	IS_FLOAT_IN_RANGE()	IS_GENERIC_URL()	IS_HTTP_URL()
IS_IMAGE()	IS_INT_IN_RANGE()	IS_IN_DB()	IS_IN_SET()
IS_IPV4()	IS_LENGTH()	IS_LIST_OF()	IS_LOWER()
IS_NOT_EMPTY()	IS_NOT_IN_DB()	IS_SLUG()	IS_TIME()
IS_UPLOAD_FILENAME()	IS_UPPER()	IS_URL()

Validator Notes

[see Book – Validators] Validators are classes used to validate input fields (including forms generated from database tables).

Items listed at the end of Validators in the book:

CLEANUP - A Filter - removes all characters whose 
decimal ASCII codes are not in the list [10, 13, 32-127]

CRYPT - A Filter - performs a secure hash on the input and 
it is used to prevent passwords from being passed in the clear to the database.

Validator with FORMs:

INPUT(_name='a', requires=IS_INT_IN_RANGE(0, 10))

Validator with Fields:

db.define_table('person', Field('name'))db.person.name.requires = IS_NOT_EMPTY()

Multiple Validators:

db.person.name.requires = [IS_NOT_EMPTY(), IS_NOT_IN_DB(db, 'person.name')]

Override the Default Error Message:

db.comment.author.requires = IS_NOT_EMPTY(error_message=T('cannot be empty')

DAL Quick Reference Back to Contents

I found the “DAL Quick Reference” and “DAL Doctest Examples referred to here in a post by Iceberg on May 4, 2009 at 9:14 AM on the web2py-users Google group. It is a merged version of the old and new DAL information. I couldn’t find it published anywhere so I published them on this blog, first in a post & now on this page, so I can refer to them. I hope they are beneficial to others.

define_table, insert, count, delete, update

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db = SQLDB('postgres://user:password@hostname/db', pools=10)
db.define_table('person',db.Field('name','string'))
id= db.person.insert(name='max')
query=(db.person.id==id)
db(query).count()
db(query).delete()
db(query).update(name='Max')
rows = db(query).select(orderby=db.person.name)
for row in rows: print row.name

Select Attributes

1.	rows = db(query).select(*fields, orderby=..., left=..., groupby=..., having=..., limitby=..., cache=...)

Shortcuts

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db['person']                   ### db.person
db.person['name']              ### db.person.name
db['person']['name']           ### db.person.name
db.person[0]=dict(name='Max')  ### insert
db.person[id]=dict(name='Max') ### update by db.person.id
print db.person[id]            ### select by db.person.id
del db.person[id]              ### delete by db.person.id

Truncate and Drop a table

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db.person.truncate()
db.person.drop()

Reference Fields Inner joins

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db.define_table('dog',db.Field('name'))
db.define_table('friendship', db.Field('person',db.person), db.Field('dog',db.dog))
db.friendship.insert(person=id, dog=db.dog.insert(name='Snoopy'))
friends=(db.person.id==db.friendship.person)&(db.dog.id==db.friendship.dog)
rows = db(friends).select(db.person.name, db.dog.name)
for row in rows: print row.person.name, 'is friend of', row.dog.name

Left Outer Joins

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query=(db.person.id>0)
friends=(db.person.id==db.friendship.person)&(db.dog.id==db.friendship.dog)
rows = db(query).select(db.person.name, db.dog.name, left=db.dog.on(friends))
for row in rows: print row.person.name, 'is friend of', row.dog.name or 'nobody'

Complex queries

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query = (db.person.id==1)|((db.person.id==2)&(db.person.name=='Max'))
query = (db.person.id==db.friendship.person)&(db.dog.id==db.friendship.dog)
query = db.person.name.lower().like('m%')
query = db.person.id.belongs(('max','Max','MAX'))
query = db.person.birth.year()+1==2008
rows = db(query).select()

Nested selects

1.	query = db.person.id.belongs(db()._select(db.friendship.person)

Aggregates

1.	rows=db(friends).select(db.person.name,db.dog.id.count(),groupby=db.dog.id)

Aggregate functions db.table.field.count(), .max(), .min(), sum().

Aliases

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person=db.person
friendship=db.friendship
puppy=db.dog.with_alias('puppy')
query=(puppy.id==friendhip.dog)&(friendship.person==person.id)
rows=db().select(person.name,puppy.name,left=puppy.on(query))

Caching

1.	rows=db().select(db.person.ALL,cache=(cache.ram,3600))

cache=(model,cache_timeout) where model can be cache.ram, cache.disk, cache.memcache or user defined caching model, cache_timeout is in seconds.

CSV Input

1.	db.person.import_from_csv_file(open(filename,'rb'))

CSV Output

1.

str(rows)

HTML output

1.	print rows.xml()

Set field validators

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db.person.name.requires=IS_NOT_IN_DB(db,db.person.name)
db.friendship.person.requires=IS_IN_DB(db,db.person.id,'%(name)s')

Generate and process a form from a model

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form = SQLFORM(db.friendship)
if form.accepts(request.vars, session): response.flash='record inserted'
elif form.errors: response.flash='form errors'

The form can then be displayed in a view with:

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{{=form}}

SQL + HTML Examples

Given

1.	rows=db().select(db.users.ALL)

SQLTABLE(rows) turns the rows into a CSS friendly table
SQLFORM(db.users) makes an input form for users
SQLFORM(db.users,rows[i]) makes an edit form for the user in rows[i]
SQLFORM(db.users,rows[i],deletable=True) makes an edit/delete form for the user in row[i]
SQLFORM(....,fields=['name','email']) allows to specify which fields should be displayed in the form. Only those fields will be validated.
SQLFORM(....,labels=['name':'Your Name']) allows to change the labels of the listed fields.

A form=SQLFORM(…) object has one method of practical interest: form.accepts(request.vars,session) that processed the input variables (in request.vars) within the session and returns true if the form is valid, false otherwise. Processed variables are in form.vars and errors are in form.errors. The form is modified accordingly. If the form is accepted, accepts also perform the appropriate insert/update/delete in the database.

Extended usage

The DAL API are exposed in web2py models, controllers and views but you can access them anywhere with

1.	from gluon.sql import *

Examples of uri strings for SQLDB

sqlite://test.db
mysql://user:password@localhost/database
postgres://user:password@localhost/database
mssql://user:password@host/database
firebird://user:password@server:3050/database
oracle://user:password@database

On Migrations

Changing the list of fields or field types in a model, triggers an automatic migration, i.e. web2py generates SQL to alter the table accordingly. If the table does not exist it is created. Migration actions are logged in the file sql.log accessibled via the admin/design interface. Migration can be turned off on a per-table basis by passing migrate=False to define_table.

DAL Doctest Examples Back to Contents

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    >>> db=SQLDB("sqlite://test.db")
    >>> #OR db=SQLDB("mysql://username:password@host:port/dbname")
    >>> #OR db=SQLDB("postgres://username:password@host:port/dbname")

    # syntax: SQLField('fieldname','fieldtype',length=32,
    #                   required=False, default=None,
    #                   requires=[IS_EMAIL(error_message='invalid email')])

    >>> tmp=db.define_table('users',
          # But notice that SQLField(...) is depreciated and you'd better use db.Field(...) instead
          SQLField('stringfield','string',length=32,required=True),
          SQLField('booleanfield','boolean',default=False),
          SQLField('passwordfield','password'),
          SQLField('textfield','text'),
          SQLField('blobfield','blob'),
          SQLField('uploadfield','upload'),
          SQLField('integerfield','integer'),
          SQLField('doublefield','double'),
          SQLField('datefield','date',default=datetime.date.today()),
          SQLField('timefield','time'),
          SQLField('datetimefield','datetime'),
          migrate='test_user.table')

   # Insert a field

    >>> db.users.insert(stringfield='a',booleanfield=True,
                       passwordfield='p',textfield='x',blobfield='x',
                       uploadfield=None, integerfield=5,doublefield=3.14,
                       datefield=datetime.date(2001,1,1),
                       timefield=datetime.time(12,30,15),
                       datetimefield=datetime.datetime(2002,2,2,12,30,15))
    1

    # Drop the table

    >>> db.users.drop()

    # Examples of insert, select, update, delete

    >>> tmp=db.define_table('person',
              SQLField('name'),
              SQLField('birth','date'),
              migrate='test_person.table')
    >>> person_id=db.person.insert(name="Marco",birth='2005-06-22')
    >>> person_id=db.person.insert(name="Massimo",birth='1971-12-21')
    >>> len(db().select(db.person.ALL))
    2
    >>> me=db(db.person.id==person_id).select()[0] # test select
    >>> me.name
    'Massimo'
    >>> db(db.person.name=='Massimo').update(name='massimo') # test update
    >>> db(db.person.name=='Marco').delete() # test delete

    Update a single record

    >>> me.update_record(name="Max")
    >>> me.name
    'Max'

    Examples of complex search conditions

    >>> len(db((db.person.name=='Max')&(db.person.birth<'2003-01-01')).select())
    1
    >>> len(db((db.person.name=='Max')|(db.person.birth<'2003-01-01')).select())
    1
    >>> me=db(db.person.id==person_id).select(db.person.name)[0]
    >>> me.name
    'Max'

    # Examples of search conditions using extract from date/datetime/time

    >>> len(db(db.person.birth.month()==12).select())
    1
    >>> len(db(db.person.birth.year()>1900).select())
    1

    Example of usage of NULL

    >>> len(db(db.person.birth==None).select()) ### test NULL
    0
    >>> len(db(db.person.birth!=None).select()) ### test NULL
    1

    # Examples of search conditions using lower, upper, and like

    >>> len(db(db.person.name.upper()=='MAX').select())
    1
    >>> len(db(db.person.name.like('%ax')).select())
    1
    >>> len(db(db.person.name.upper().like('%AX')).select())
    1
    >>> len(db(~db.person.name.upper().like('%AX')).select())
    0

    # orderby, groupby and limitby

    >>> people=db().select(db.person.name,orderby=db.person.name)
    >>> order=db.person.name|~db.person.birth
    >>> people=db().select(db.person.name,orderby=order)
    >>> people=db().select(db.person.name,orderby=order,groupby=db.person.name)
    >>> people=db().select(db.person.name,orderby=order,limitby=(0,100))

    # Example of one 2 many relation

    >>> tmp=db.define_table('dog',
              SQLField('name'),
              SQLField('birth','date'),
              SQLField('owner',db.person),
              migrate='test_dog.table')
    >>> db.dog.insert(name='Snoopy',birth=None,owner=person_id)
    1

    # A simple JOIN

    >>> len(db(db.dog.owner==db.person.id).select())
    1

    # Drop tables

    >>> db.dog.drop()
    >>> db.person.drop()

    # Example of many 2 many relation and SQLSet

    >>> tmp=db.define_table('author',SQLField('name'),
                            migrate='test_author.table')
    >>> tmp=db.define_table('paper',SQLField('title'),
                            migrate='test_paper.table')
    >>> tmp=db.define_table('authorship',
            SQLField('author_id',db.author),
            SQLField('paper_id',db.paper),
            migrate='test_authorship.table')
    >>> aid=db.author.insert(name='Massimo')
    >>> pid=db.paper.insert(title='QCD')
    >>> tmp=db.authorship.insert(author_id=aid,paper_id=pid)

    # Define a SQLSet

    >>> authored_papers=db((db.author.id==db.authorship.author_id)&
                           (db.paper.id==db.authorship.paper_id))
    >>> rows=authored_papers.select(db.author.name,db.paper.title)
    >>> for row in rows: print row.author.name, row.paper.title
    Massimo QCD

    # Example of search condition using  belongs

    >>> set=(1,2,3)
    >>> rows=db(db.paper.id.belongs(set)).select(db.paper.ALL)
    >>> print rows[0].title
    QCD

    # Example of search condition using nested select

    >>> nested_select=db()._select(db.authorship.paper_id)
    >>> rows=db(db.paper.id.belongs(nested_select)).select(db.paper.ALL)
    >>> print rows[0].title
    QCD

    # Output in csv

    >>> str(authored_papers.select(db.author.name,db.paper.title))
    author.name,paper.title
    Massimo,QCD

    # Delete all leftover tables

    >>> db.authorship.drop()
    >>> db.author.drop()
    >>> db.paper.drop()

    # Commit or rollback your work

    >>> db.commit() # or db.rollback()

migrate can be False (do not create/alter tables), True (create/alter tables) or a filename (create/alter tables and store migration information in the file).

Mind there are little idiosyncrasies like the fact that “user” is not a valid field name in PostgreSQL, or the fact that sqlite3 will ignore the type of a field and allow you to put anything in it despite the declared type. Every database backend has its own keywords that may conflict with your tablenames.

FORMs Back to Contents

SQLFORM Back to Contents

[see Book – SQLFORM] The” Good” Book says: “SQLFORM is the single biggest time-saver object in web2py.”

Here’s a simple SQLFORM MVC example. Given a Model and SQLFORM in a Controller, the Form is automatically generated in the View.

The Model:

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db = DAL('sqlite://storage.sqlite')
db.define_table('person', Field('name', requires=IS_NOT_EMPTY())

The Controller:

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def display_form():
   form = SQLFORM(db.person)
   if form.accepts(request.vars, session):
       response.flash = 'form accepted'
   elif form.errors:
       response.flash = 'form has errors'
   else:
       response.flash = 'please fill out the form'
   return dict(form=form)

The generated serialized form in the View:

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<form enctype="multipart/form-data" action="" method="post">
  <table>
    <tr id="person_name__row">
       <td><label id="person_name__label"
                  for="person_name">Your name: </label></td>
       <td><input type="text"
                  name="name" value="" id="person_name" /></td>
       <td></td>
    </tr>
    <tr id="submit_record__row">
       <td></td>
       <td><input value="Submit" type="submit" /></td>
       <td></td>
    </tr>
  </table>
  <input value="9038845529" type="hidden" name="_formkey" />
  <input value="person" type="hidden" name="_formname" />
</form>

Note to Joe -> for examples to include here look in DAL Quick Reference at SQL + HTML Examples. Also look in book “SQLFORM in HTML” & “SQLFORM and Uploads”.

CRUD & Manage Back to Contents

see [ book – CRUD ] Here is an example of CRUD usage in a single controller function:

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# assuming db.define_table('person', Field('name'))
def people():
    form = crud.create(db.person, next=URL('index'),
           message=T("record created"))
    persons = crud.select(db.person, fields=['name'],
           headers={'person.name': 'Name'})
    return dict(form=form, persons=persons)

Here is another very generic controller function that lets you search, create and edit any records from any table where the tablename is passed request.args(0):

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def manage():
    table=db[request.args(0)]
    form = crud.update(table,request.args(1))
    table.id.represent = lambda id: \
       A('edit:',id,_href=URL(args=(request.args(0),id)))
    search, rows = crud.search(table)
    return dict(form=form,search=search,rows=rows)

Help and Resources Back to Contents

Book        Official Web2py Book 

All below from google.group.web2py: "Help and Resources" Sticky Post click
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Primary source of help: web2py groups
-------------------------------------
http://web2py.com/examples/default/usergroups

Tips on searching the users group
---------------------------------
The search inside the google group does not work very well, instead use:
http://groups.google.com/groups/advanced_search?safe=off&q=group:web2py
http://dir.gmane.org/gmane.comp.python.web2py

Resources
---------

web site    http://web2py.com
demo        http://www.web2py.com/demo_admin
download    http://web2py.com/examples/default/download
docs        http://web2py.com/examples/default/documentation
epydocs     http://web2py.com/examples/static/epydoc/index.html
cheatsheet  http://web2py.com/examples/static/web2py_cheatsheet.pdf
old FAQ     http://web2py.com/AlterEgo
examples    http://web2py.com/examples/default/examples
free apps   http://web2py.com/appliances
plugins     http://web2py.com/plugins

experts     http://experts4solutions.com/

slices      http://www.web2pyslices.com/main/default/index
videos      http://vimeo.com (search for web2py)
chat        http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=web2py
slides      http://www.scribd.com/doc/16085263/web2py-slides-version-1644
slides      http://web2py.com/examples/static/pyworks.pdf (v1.49)
slides      http://web2py.com/examples/static/web2py_presentacion_es.pdf(v1.49 spanish)
twitter     http://twitter.com/web2py
blip        http://web2py.blip.pl/ (polish)

URL Mapping Back to Contents

URL Mapping from the Book Chapter 4 – Dispatching. These are the basics there’s more detail in the book.

The URL http://site.com/a/c/f maps to:

The function f() in controller “c.py” in application “a“.

If f is not present, web2py defaults to the index controller function.
If c is not present, web2py defaults to the default.py controller.
If a is not present, web2py defaults to the init application.
If there is no init application, web2py tries to run the welcome application.
The extension .html is optional.
The extension .html is assumed as default.
The extension determines the extension of the view that renders the output of the controller function f().
The extension allows the same content to be served in multiple formats (html, xml, json, rss, etc.).

Web2py maps GET/POST requests of the form:

http://site.com/a/c/f.html/x/y/z?p=1&q=2

As before, to function f in controller “c.py” in application a

and it stores the URL parameters in the requestvariable as follows:

    request.args = ['x', 'y', 'z']
    request.vars = {'p':1, 'q':2}
    request.application = 'a'
    request.controller = 'c'
    request.function = 'f'

    request.url = url of request
    request.ajax = False  #by default
    if request.ajax == True and wasInitiatedByAWeb2pyComponent:
        request.cid = componentName

Clips Back to Contents

Bruno Rocha’s Minimum Layout Back to Contents

<html> 
<head> 
{{response.files.append(URL(...))}} <!-- Load css/js here -->
{{include 'web2py_ajax.html'}} <!-- include this here -->
</head> 

<body> 

 
 {{block header}} 
  {{=response.title}}     
 
 {{end}} 

{{include}} 

 

{{block footer}} 
<footer> Copyright 2011 </footer> 
{{end}} 

</body> 
</html>

Make Download on the Fly Back to Contents

Thanks to Anthony for answering my question HERE.

def make_dl(): 
    import os 

    myurl = URL('static', 'excel.txt') 
    myfile = os.path.join(request.folder, 'static', 'excel.txt') 
    f = open(myfile,'w') 
    for i in range(20): 
        f.write('This is a test %2s\n'%(i)) 
    f.close() 

    # '?attachment' forces download NOT streaming 
    mylink  = XML(A('clickme to download',_href=myurl+'?attachment')) 
    return  dict(mylink=mylink)

3 thoughts on “Web2py Notes”

Rogerio says:

on March 4, 2013 at 7:18 pm

I’m starting with web2py and some times your notes are more easy to read than the official documentation. Thanks Joe for sharing this with the rest of us!
Best Regards,
Rogério

Johne288 says:

on May 9, 2014 at 8:35 pm

Wonderful site. Plenty of useful info here. I’m sending it to a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you to your sweat!

jerome says:

on September 16, 2014 at 6:17 pm

i can put one question ?

Contents: