[Pipet Devel] xml database stuff

[Brad Chapman]

Jeff wrote:
> Also Brad, recall how Loci was going to use an XML database (XDBM) 
to store
> the workflow diagram (network and subnetworks).  

    Yeah, we need to think about a more secure way to store the 
temporary (and permanent) XML then in directories. I've grown pretty 
cold on the XDBM python bindings because they are proposing 
implementing a full DOM interface in C on top of the current XDBM 
before wrapping it. This sounds to me like a ton of work that I don't 
have time for right now :-< 
    I have been thinking of an intermediate solution, which is 
basically the "write a Loci specific database" idea which I hated 
before. 
    I've been looking at the shelve module and python and thought of a 
way to do this hopefully rather quickly:

1. Convert the current storage ids (ie. 
'workspace1/workspace2/viewer1.xml') 
into unique ids and store this mapping in a dictionary (random_id 
-> current_id).

2. Shelve the xml according to their random ids.

3. Provide lots o' helper functions to make this work smoothly with 
the current set up.

What do you all think? Good idea? Bad idea?

Brad