Editing the ev.py API, removing db_* manager shortcuts in favour of a 'managers' container holding them all. It makes the API slightly less "flat", but makes for a cleaner interface.

contrib/menu_login.py

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """
-Menu-driven login system  
+Menu-driven login system
 
 Contribution - Griatch 2011
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ with the same name as the Player (instead assuming some sort of
 character-creation to come next).
 
 
-Install is simple: 
+Install is simple:
 
 To your settings file, add/edit the line:
 
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ the initial splash screen.
 
 import re
 import traceback
-from django.conf import settings 
+from django.conf import settings
-from ev import db_players, db_serverconfigs, db_channels
+from ev import managers
 from ev import utils, logger, create_player
 from ev import Command, CmdSet
 from ev import syscmdkeys
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE = settings.CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE
 # Commands run on the unloggedin screen. Note that this is not using settings.UNLOGGEDIN_CMDSET but
 # the menu system, which is why some are named for the numbers in the menu.
 #
-# Also note that the menu system will automatically assign all 
+# Also note that the menu system will automatically assign all
 # commands used in its structure a property "menutree" holding a reference
 # back to the menutree. This allows the commands to do direct manipulation
-# for example by triggering a conditional jump to another node. 
+# for example by triggering a conditional jump to another node.
 #
 
-# Menu entry 1a - Entering a Username 
+# Menu entry 1a - Entering a Username
 
 class CmdBackToStart(Command):
     """
@@ -68,14 +68,14 @@ class CmdBackToStart(Command):
 
 class CmdUsernameSelect(Command):
     """
-    Handles the entering of a username and 
+    Handles the entering of a username and
-    checks if it exists. 
+    checks if it exists.
     """
-    key = CMD_NOMATCH 
+    key = CMD_NOMATCH
     locks = "cmd:all()"
     def func(self):
-        "Execute the command"        
+        "Execute the command"
-        player = db_players.get_player_from_name(self.args)
+        player = managers.players.get_player_from_name(self.args)
         if not player:
             self.caller.msg("{rThis account name couldn't be found. Did you create it? If you did, make sure you spelled it right (case doesn't matter).{n")
             self.menutree.goto("node1a")
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class CmdUsernameSelect(Command):
             self.menutree.player = player # store the player so next step can find it
             self.menutree.goto("node1b")
 
-# Menu entry 1b - Entering a Password 
+# Menu entry 1b - Entering a Password
 
 class CmdPasswordSelectBack(Command):
     """
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class CmdPasswordSelectBack(Command):
 
 class CmdPasswordSelect(Command):
     """
-    Handles the entering of a password and logs into the game. 
+    Handles the entering of a password and logs into the game.
     """
     key = CMD_NOMATCH
     locks = "cmd:all()"
@@ -107,24 +107,24 @@ class CmdPasswordSelect(Command):
         if not hasattr(self.menutree, "player"):
             self.caller.msg("{rSomething went wrong! The player was not remembered from last step!{n")
             self.menutree.goto("node1a")
-            return 
+            return
         player = self.menutree.player
         if not player.user.check_password(self.args):
             self.caller.msg("{rIncorrect password.{n")
             self.menutree.goto("node1b")
-            return 
+            return
 
         # before going on, check eventual bans
-        bans = db_serverconfigs.conf("server_bans")
+        bans = managers.serverconfigs.conf("server_bans")
-        if bans and (any(tup[0]==player.name for tup in bans) 
+        if bans and (any(tup[0]==player.name for tup in bans)
-                     or 
+                     or
                      any(tup[2].match(player.sessions[0].address[0]) for tup in bans if tup[2])):
-            # this is a banned IP or name! 
+            # this is a banned IP or name!
             string = "{rYou have been banned and cannot continue from here."
             string += "\nIf you feel this ban is in error, please email an admin.{x"
             self.caller.msg(string)
             self.caller.session_disconnect()
-            return 
+            return
 
         # we are ok, log us in.
         self.caller.msg("{gWelcome %s! Logging in ...{n" % player.key)
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ class CmdPasswordSelect(Command):
             character.execute_cmd("look")
         else:
             # we have no character yet; use player's look, if it exists
-            player.execute_cmd("look")        
+            player.execute_cmd("look")
-        
+
 # Menu entry 2a - Creating a Username
 
 class CmdUsernameCreate(Command):
@@ -154,17 +154,17 @@ class CmdUsernameCreate(Command):
         "Execute the command"
         playername = self.args
 
-        # sanity check on the name 
+        # sanity check on the name
         if not re.findall('^[\w. @+-]+$', playername) or not (3 <= len(playername) <= 30):
             self.caller.msg("\n\r {rAccount name should be between 3 and 30 characters. Letters, spaces, dig\
-its and @/./+/-/_ only.{n") # this echoes the restrictions made by django's auth module. 
+its and @/./+/-/_ only.{n") # this echoes the restrictions made by django's auth module.
             self.menutree.goto("node2a")
             return
-        if db_players.get_player_from_name(playername):
+        if managers.players.get_player_from_name(playername):
             self.caller.msg("\n\r {rAccount name %s already exists.{n" % playername)
             self.menutree.goto("node2a")
-            return 
+            return
-        # store the name for the next step 
+        # store the name for the next step
         self.menutree.playername = playername
         self.menutree.goto("node2b")
 
@@ -182,14 +182,14 @@ class CmdPasswordCreate(Command):
     "Handle the creation of a password. This also creates the actual Player/User object."
     key = CMD_NOMATCH
     locks = "cmd:all()"
-    
+
     def func(self):
         "Execute  the command"
         password = self.args
         if not hasattr(self.menutree, 'playername'):
             self.caller.msg("{rSomething went wrong! Playername not remembered from previous step!{n")
             self.menutree.goto("node2a")
-            return 
+            return
         playername = self.menutree.playername
         if len(password) < 3:
             # too short password
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ class CmdPasswordCreate(Command):
             string += "avoid making it a real word and mix numbers into it.{n"
             self.caller.msg(string)
             self.menutree.goto("node2b")
-            return         
+            return
-        # everything's ok. Create the new player account. Don't create a Character here. 
+        # everything's ok. Create the new player account. Don't create a Character here.
         try:
             permissions = settings.PERMISSION_PLAYER_DEFAULT
             typeclass = settings.BASE_PLAYER_TYPECLASS
@@ -210,34 +210,34 @@ class CmdPasswordCreate(Command):
             if not new_player:
                 self.msg("There was an error creating the Player. This error was logged. Contact an admin.")
                 self.menutree.goto("START")
-                return 
+                return
             utils.init_new_player(new_player)
-            
+
-            # join the new player to the public channel                
+            # join the new player to the public channel
             pchanneldef = settings.CHANNEL_PUBLIC
             if pchanneldef:
-                pchannel = db_channels.get_channel(pchanneldef[0])
+                pchannel = managers.channels.get_channel(pchanneldef[0])
                 if not pchannel.connect_to(new_player):
                     string = "New player '%s' could not connect to public channel!" % new_player.key
                     logger.log_errmsg(string)
-                
+
-            # tell the caller everything went well. 
+            # tell the caller everything went well.
             string = "{gA new account '%s' was created. Now go log in from the menu!{n"
             self.caller.msg(string % (playername))
             self.menutree.goto("START")
         except Exception:
-            # We are in the middle between logged in and -not, so we have to handle tracebacks 
+            # We are in the middle between logged in and -not, so we have to handle tracebacks
             # ourselves at this point. If we don't, we won't see any errors at all.
             string = "%s\nThis is a bug. Please e-mail an admin if the problem persists."
             self.caller.msg(string % (traceback.format_exc()))
-            logger.log_errmsg(traceback.format_exc())            
+            logger.log_errmsg(traceback.format_exc())
 
 
 # Menu entry 3 - help screen
 
 LOGIN_SCREEN_HELP = \
-    """    
+    """
-    Welcome to %s! 
+    Welcome to %s!
 
     To login you need to first create an account. This is easy and
     free to do: Choose option {w(1){n in the menu and enter an account
@@ -279,20 +279,20 @@ class CmdUnloggedinQuit(Command):
 
 # The login menu tree, using the commands above
 
-START = MenuNode("START", text=utils.string_from_module(CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE), 
+START = MenuNode("START", text=utils.string_from_module(CONNECTION_SCREEN_MODULE),
-                 links=["node1a", "node2a", "node3", "END"], 
+                 links=["node1a", "node2a", "node3", "END"],
-                 linktexts=["Log in with an existing account", 
+                 linktexts=["Log in with an existing account",
-                            "Create a new account", 
+                            "Create a new account",
-                            "Help", 
+                            "Help",
                             "Quit",],
                  selectcmds=[None, None, None, CmdUnloggedinQuit])
 
-node1a = MenuNode("node1a", text="Please enter your account name (empty to abort).", 
+node1a = MenuNode("node1a", text="Please enter your account name (empty to abort).",
                   links=["START", "node1b"],
                   helptext=["Enter the account name you previously registered with."],
                   keywords=[CMD_NOINPUT, CMD_NOMATCH],
                   selectcmds=[CmdBackToStart, CmdUsernameSelect],
-                  nodefaultcmds=True) # if we don't, default help/look will be triggered by names starting with l/h ...                  
+                  nodefaultcmds=True) # if we don't, default help/look will be triggered by names starting with l/h ...
 node1b = MenuNode("node1b", text="Please enter your password (empty to go back).",
                   links=["node1a", "END"],
                   keywords=[CMD_NOINPUT, CMD_NOMATCH],
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ node3 = MenuNode("node3", text=LOGIN_SCREEN_HELP,
                  selectcmds=[CmdBackToStart])
 
 
-# access commands 
+# access commands
 
 class UnloggedInCmdSet(CmdSet):
     "Cmdset for the unloggedin state"
@@ -330,13 +330,13 @@ class UnloggedInCmdSet(CmdSet):
 class CmdUnloggedinLook(Command):
     """
     An unloggedin version of the look command. This is called by the server when the player
-    first connects. It sets up the menu before handing off to the menu's own look command.. 
+    first connects. It sets up the menu before handing off to the menu's own look command..
     """
     key = CMD_LOGINSTART
     aliases = ["look", "l"]
     locks = "cmd:all()"
-    
+
     def func(self):
-        "Execute the menu"        
+        "Execute the menu"
         menu = MenuTree(self.caller, nodes=(START, node1a, node1b, node2a, node2b, node3), exec_end=None)
-        menu.start() 
+        menu.start()

ev.py

@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 
 Central API for the Evennia MUD/MUX/MU* creation system.
 
-This basically a set of shortcuts to the main modules in src/. Import this
+This basically a set of shortcuts to the main modules in src/. Import this from your code or
-from your code or explore it interactively from ./manage.py shell (or a normal
+explore it interactively from a python shell.
-python shell if you set DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE manually).
 
 Notes:
 
@@ -20,21 +19,29 @@ Notes:
 
     But trying to import CmdLook directly with "from ev.default_cmds import CmdLook" will
     not work since default_cmds is a property on the "ev" module, not a module of its own.
- 2) db_* are shortcuts to initiated versions of Evennia's django database managers (e.g.
+
-    db_objects is an alias for ObjectDB.objects). These allows for exploring the database in
+ 2) "managers" is a container object that contains shortcuts to initiated versions of Evennia's django
-    various ways. Please note that the evennia-specific methods in the managers return
+    database managers (e.g. managers.objects is an alias for ObjectDB.objects). These allow
-    typeclasses (or lists of typeclasses), whereas the default django ones (filter etc)
+    for exploring the database in various ways. To use in code, do 'from ev import managers', then
+    access the managers on the managers object. Please note that the evennia-specific methods in
+    managers return typeclasses (or lists of typeclasses), whereas the default django ones (filter etc)
     return database objects. You can convert between the two easily via dbobj.typeclass and
     typeclass.dbobj, but it's worth to remember this difference.
- 3) You -have- to use the create_* functions (shortcuts to src.utils.create) to create new
+
+ 3) "syscmdkeys" is a container object holding the names of system commands. Import with
+    'from ev import syscmdkeys', then access the variables on the syscmdkeys object.
+
+ 4) You -have- to use the create_* functions (shortcuts to src.utils.create) to create new
     Typeclassed game entities (Objects, Scripts or Players). Just initializing e.g. the Player class will
     -not- set up Typeclasses correctly and will lead to errors. Other types of database objects
     can be created normally, but there are conveniant create_* functions for those too, making
     some more error checking.
- 4) "settings" links to Evennia's game/settings file. "settings_full" shows all of django's available
+
+ 5) "settings" links to Evennia's game/settings file. "settings_full" shows all of django's available
     settings. Note that you cannot change settings from here in a meaningful way, you need to update
     game/settings.py and restart the server.
- 5) The API accesses all relevant and most-neeeded functions/classes from src/, but might not
+
+ 6) The API accesses all relevant and most-neeeded functions/classes from src/, but might not
     always include all helper-functions referenced from each such entity. To get to those, access
     the modules in src/ directly. You can always do this anyway, if you do not want to go through
     this API.
@@ -43,8 +50,10 @@ Notes:
 
 import sys, os
 
+######################################################################
 # Stop erroneous direct run (would give a traceback since django is
 #  not yet initialized)
+######################################################################
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     info = __doc__ + \
@@ -59,8 +68,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     print info
     sys.exit()
 
+######################################################################
 # make sure settings is available, also if starting this API stand-alone
 # make settings available, and also the full django settings
+######################################################################
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 from django.core.management import setup_environ
@@ -69,7 +80,9 @@ setup_environ(settings)
 del setup_environ
 from django.conf import settings as settings_full
 
+######################################################################
 # set Evennia version in __version__ property
+######################################################################
 
 try:
     f = open(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)) + os.sep + "VERSION", 'r')
@@ -80,29 +93,88 @@ except IOError:
     __version__ = "Evennia (unknown version)"
 del sys, os
 
-#
+######################################################################
-# Start Evennia API (easiest is to import this module interactively to explore it)
+# Start Evennia API (easiest is to import this module interactively to
-#
+#  explore it)
+######################################################################
 
 README = __doc__
 
 # help entries
 from src.help.models import HelpEntry
-db_helpentries = HelpEntry.objects
 
 # players
 from src.players.player import Player
 from src.players.models import PlayerDB, PlayerAttribute, PlayerNick
-db_players = PlayerDB.objects
-#db_playerattrs = PlayerAttribute.objects
-#db_playernicks = PlayerNick.objects
-del PlayerDB, PlayerAttribute, PlayerNick
 
 # commands
 from src.commands.command import Command
 from src.commands.cmdset import CmdSet
 from src.commands import default as default_cmds
 
+# locks
+from src.locks import lockfuncs
+
+# scripts
+from src.scripts.scripts import Script
+
+# comms
+from src.comms.models import Msg, Channel, PlayerChannelConnection, ExternalChannelConnection
+
+# objects
+from src.objects.objects import Object, Character, Room, Exit
+
+# utils
+
+from src.utils.search import *
+from src.utils.create import *
+from src.utils import logger
+from src.utils import utils
+from src.utils import gametime
+from src.utils import ansi
+
+######################################################################
+# API containers
+######################################################################
+
+class DBmanagers(object):
+    """
+    Links to instantiated database managers.
+
+    helpentry - HelpEntry.objects
+    players - PlayerDB.objects
+    scripts - ScriptDB.objects
+    msgs    - Msg.objects
+    channels - Channel.objects
+    connections - PlayerChannelConnection.objects
+    externalconnections - ExternalChannelConnection.objects
+    objects - ObjectDB.objects
+
+    Use by doing "from ev import managers",
+    you can then access the desired manager
+    on the imported managers object.
+    """
+    from src.help.models import HelpEntry
+    from src.players.models import PlayerDB
+    from src.scripts.models import ScriptDB
+    from src.comms.models import Msg, Channel, PlayerChannelConnection, ExternalChannelConnection
+    from src.objects.models import ObjectDB
+    from src.server.models import ServerConfig
+
+    helpentry = HelpEntry.objects
+    players = PlayerDB.objects
+    scripts = ScriptDB.objects
+    msgs = Msg.objects
+    channels = Channel.objects
+    connections = PlayerChannelConnection.objects
+    externalconnections = ExternalChannelConnection.objects
+    objects = ObjectDB.objects
+    serverconfigs = ServerConfig.objects
+    del HelpEntry, PlayerDB, ScriptDB, Msg, Channel, PlayerChannelConnection,
+    del ExternalChannelConnection, ObjectDB, ServerConfig
+managers = DBmanagers()
+del DBmanagers
+
 class SystemCmds(object):
     """
     Creating commands with keys set to these constants will make
@@ -118,6 +190,9 @@ class SystemCmds(object):
                      first command when a player connects to
                      the server.
 
+    To access in code, do 'from ev import syscmdkeys' then
+    access the properties on the imported syscmdkeys object.
+
     """
     from src.commands import cmdhandler
     CMD_NOINPUT = cmdhandler.CMD_NOINPUT
@@ -127,43 +202,4 @@ class SystemCmds(object):
     CMD_LOGINSTART = cmdhandler.CMD_LOGINSTART
     del cmdhandler
 syscmdkeys = SystemCmds()
-
+del SystemCmds
-# locks
-from src.locks import lockfuncs
-
-# scripts
-from src.scripts.scripts import Script
-from src.scripts.models import ScriptDB, ScriptAttribute
-db_scripts = ScriptDB.objects
-#db_scriptattrs = ScriptAttribute.objects
-del ScriptDB, ScriptAttribute
-
-# comms
-from src.comms.models import Msg, Channel, PlayerChannelConnection, ExternalChannelConnection
-db_msgs = Msg.objects
-db_channels = Channel.objects
-db_connections = PlayerChannelConnection.objects
-db_externalconnections = ExternalChannelConnection.objects
-
-# objects
-from src.objects.objects import Object, Character, Room, Exit
-from src.objects.models import ObjAttribute, Alias, ObjectNick, ObjectDB
-db_objects = ObjectDB.objects
-#db_aliases = Alias.objects
-#db_objnicks = ObjectNick.objects
-#db_objattrs = ObjAttribute.objects
-del ObjAttribute, Alias, ObjectNick, ObjectDB
-
-# server
-from src.server.models import ServerConfig
-db_serverconfigs = ServerConfig.objects
-del ServerConfig
-
-# utils
-
-from src.utils.search import *
-from src.utils.create import *
-from src.utils import logger
-from src.utils import utils
-from src.utils import gametime
-from src.utils import ansi