[mod_python] publisher handler questions

akonsu wrote:
> hello,
> 
> i am new to mod_python and python in general, so may be these are very
> basic questions, but i still would appreciate your responses:
> 
> 1. if i use the publisher handler, is there any way to hide some
> function definitions in my .py file that is invoked through the
> publisher handler so that the user could not call these functions by
> navigating to their url?

An underscore will prevent direct access:

  def _foo():
      ...

Or, for variables:

  _foo = 'bar'

Functions in imported modules cannot be accessed directly:

  import foo
  bar = foo.bar()

This will allow:

  http://host/test.py/bar

But not:

  http://host/test.py/foo.bar

Or:

  http://host/test.py/foo/bar

> 2. in my .py file (that is invoked through the publisher handler
> again) i define some global variables. i noticed that these variables
> are initialised once. is this by design or just a coincidence? can i
> rely on this behaviour?

It depends. A database or other persistent storage mechanism may be more 
reliable.