##Flask-XXL ####- A best practices approach to creating larger web apps with Flask, in an attempt to make Flask feel like it is as capable, if not more, than Django.

to see this in a real world example take a look at my other project Flask-Cms

##What this provides:

• basemodels.py

  • with a BaseMixin class that provides many useful CRUD operations, IE: model.save(), model.delete()

• baseviews.py

  • with a BaseView class that is subclassed from Flask.views.MethodView to allow easy definition of view responses to get and post requests.
  • BaseView also has many builtin helpers/imports to speed development, ie:

    • BaseView.render() calls render_template(BaseView._template,**BaseView._context) easily define either or both in the class variable section of the class and then add,change/ w/e based on logic that happens during request processing. example:

      class ExampleView(BaseView):
          _context = {
              'some_flag':True,
          }
      
          def get(self,new_flag=False):
              if new_flag:
                  self._context['new_flag'] = new_flag
                  self._context['some_flag'] = False
              return self.render()

    • BaseView.redirect(endpoint) is a reimplementation of flask.helpers.redirect which allows you to directly enter the endpoint, so you dont have to run it through url_for() first.

    • BaseView.get_env()

      returns the current jinja2_env

    • BaseView.form_validated()

      returns true if all forms validate

    • namespaces imported into BaseView: BaseView.flash == flask.flash

• many builtin template globals(context_processors) to use. ie:

  -   get_block(block_id) <-- requires use of flask.ext.xxl.apps.blog 
      *   add blocks of html/jinja2/template helpers into the db and access from within templates
          great for things like header navs or sidebar widgets
          
  -   get_icon(icon_name,icon_lib) <-- requires use of flask.ext.xxl.apps.blog
      * flask.ext.xxl.apps.blog comes with 8 icon librarys!!! 
          -   Glyphicon
          -   Font Awesome
          -   Mfg_Labs
          -   Elusive icons
          -   Genericons
          -  and more ... 
          access any icon anywhere in your templates! even from cms blocks!!!
          
  -   get_model(model_name,blueprint_name)
      * access any model class from any template (currently only supports sqlalchemy models)
      
  -   get_button(name) 
      * create buttons in the cms and access from within templates
  

• AppFactory class with many hooks into settings file (makes use of settings file similar to django)

  • settings like:
    • CONTEXT_PROCESSORS
    • TEMPLATE_FILTERS
    • URL_ROUTE_MODULES
    • INSTALLED_BLUEPRINTS etc..

• new revamped url routing scheme, use a urls.py file in each blueprint to define the url routes for the blueprint. reference the blueprint and the url route module in the settings file to registar onto the app upon instantiation.

  define routes like this:

  file: urls.py

      from blueprint import blueprint
      from .views import ViewName,SecondView
  
      routes = [
          ((blueprint_name,)
              ('/url',ViewName.as_View('view_name')),
              ('/another',SecondView.as_view('second_view')),
          )
      ]

  it basicly is like using app.add_url_rule() method, you just dont have to add view_func=ViewName.as_view(endpoint) or at least the view_func= part.

• easily start a new project or extend an old one with the flaskxxl-manage.py command line helper tool

  • to start a project from scratch $ flaskxxl-manage.py start-project

  • to add to an existing project $ flaskxxl-manage.py start-blueprint