Code Caveats

This section's aim is to log some tricks and caveats that you should take into consideration while developing for Indico.

1. If you add a new Javascript file, remember about packing

If you create a new Javascript file, remember that in production files are "packed" to reduce the number of files that the browser requests. In a development machine, you probably have activated the server's "debug" mode, so the browser is requesting your unpacked files. In production, however, "debug" is turned off.

Therefore, if you add a new .js file, remember to add the corresponding line to the proper .cfg file in etc/js (usually indico.cfg).

2. Usage of .getUser() within a management area

Don't assume that a user is always logged in just because he is in the management area of an event. getUser() can return None because the user could have used a modification key to login. So, always check that getUser() is not None.

3. Do not use Python built-ins as variable names

This is more a general Python programming tip, but most people fall into it some time or another.

Try not to use Python built-in keywords, such as "type", "list", "dict", "vars", etc. as variable names.

Example of problem:

def mymethod(self, value, type):
    self._type = type
    ...
    if type(value) is int: #we try to use Python's built-in type function to check the type of an object
        ...

This will fail because we have redefined type when using it as a function argument; so the built-in "type" function is no longer available.

Using PyLint helps detect these problems.

4. Use the right i18n (internationalization) function

Indico's interface should be multi-language; for this, we have the _ function on the server (Python) side (import with from MaKaC.i18n import _ ), and the $T Javascript function in the client side. Be careful not to use a Python function inside a Javascript string, for example:

var today = '<%=_("Today") %>';

will become, when rendered in English:

var today = 'Today';

But when rendered in French, it will become:

var today = 'Aujourd'hui';

This will provoke a syntax error because the string was using single quotes (').

Therefore, the correct thing to do is:

var today = $T("Today");