How to create a tool

1. Create a file MessagesTool.py in the folder CPSMessages like this:
   
   
   
# Python modules
import logging

# Third-party modules
from OFS.SimpleItem import SimpleItem

# This product's modules

# Global variables

logger = logging.getLogger('CPSMessages.MessagesTool')

class MessagesTool(SimpleItem):


   ”””
”””
id = "portal_imessages"
meta_type = "MessagesTool"
   

   
   
   
   


2. Register the tool in the file __init__.py of the product by adding the import of the class ToolInit and the ToolInit method to initialize procedure.
   
   
   
   
from Products.CMFCore.utils import ToolInit

import MessagesTool

def initialize(context):


   """
"""

ToolInit(
'Messages Tool',
tools=(MessagesTool.MessagesTool,),
icon='tool.png',).initialize(context)
   

   
   
   
   
   The class ToolInit needs the name of the new tool, a list of tools to register and the filename of an icon.
   
   
3. Copy the icon called tool.png from any other product or create your own, it can be a .gif too.
   
   
   
4. Add a new step in the file import_steps.xml (path CPSMessages/profiles/default) to import tools. The new file looks like this:
   
   
   
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<import-steps>


   <import-step id="toolset" version="20040630-01"
handler="Products.GenericSetup.tool.importToolset"
title="Required tools">
Create required tools, replacing any of the wrong class, and remove
forbidden ones.
</import-step>
   

   </import-steps>

   
   
   
   
5. Create a new file toolset.xml (path CPSMessages/profiles/default)
   
   
   
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<tool-setup>
<required tool_id="portal_imessages"
class="Products.CPSMessages.MessagesTool.MessagesTool"/>
</tool-setup>

   
   
   
6. Restart Zope and import the profile CPS Messages from the ZMI in the tool portal_setup. The new tool portal_imessages should be available from the root of the CPS instance.
   
   

Note: The identifier of the tool is portal_imessages and not portal_messages due to a conflict of names. CPSSkins uses a tool called portal_messages for internationalization stuff.

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