--- ECHO_content/ECHO_helpers.py	2004/12/10 19:33:09	1.32
+++ ECHO_content/ECHO_helpers.py	2005/01/18 15:40:03	1.33
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ def checkOnlyOneInGroup(object):
 		return displayedObjects[0][1]
 	else:		return object
 
-def getSubCols(self,sortfield="weight",subColTypes= displayTypes,sortFieldMD=None):
+def getSubCols(self, sortfield="weight", subColTypes=displayTypes, sortFieldMD=None):
 
 	def sortfnc(sortfield,x,y):
 		xa=x[1].getMDValue(sortfield)
@@ -580,23 +580,45 @@ def checkDiffs(self,metadict):
 	    return diffs
     
 
-def zptFile(self, path):
+def zptFile(self, path, orphaned=False):
     """returns a page template file from the product"""
-    pt=PageTemplateFile(os.path.join(package_home(globals()), path)).__of__(self)
+    if orphaned:
+	# unusual case (only for macro templates)
+	pt=PageTemplateFile(os.path.join(package_home(globals()), path))
+    else:
+	pt=PageTemplateFile(os.path.join(package_home(globals()), path)).__of__(self)
     return pt
 
 
-def sendFile(self, filename, type):
-    """sends an object or a local file (in the product) as response"""
+def findObjectPath(startobject, filename):
+    """returns the object with the filename starting at startobject"""
+    if startobject is None:
+	return None
     paths = filename.split('/')
-    object = self
-    # look for an object called filename
+    object = startobject
     for path in paths:
         if hasattr(object, path):
 	    object = getattr(object, path)
 	else:
 	    object = None
 	    break
+    return object
+
+
+def zptObjectOrFile(self, filename, localdir='zpt', orphaned=False):
+    """returns a page template instance or a file from the product"""
+    # look for an object called path
+    pt = findObjectPath(self, filename)
+    if pt is None:
+	# get a ZPT file
+	pt = zptFile(self, localdir+'/'+filename, orphaned=orphaned)
+    return pt
+
+
+def sendFile(self, filename, type):
+    """sends an object or a local file (in the product) as response"""
+    # look for an object called filename
+    object = findObjectPath(self, filename)
     if object:
 	# if the object exists then send it
 	return object.index_html(self.REQUEST.REQUEST, self.REQUEST.RESPONSE)