[Catalyst] refactoring an existing HTML::Mason installation to use Catalyst

Tobias Kremer list at funkreich.de
Sat Apr 28 12:58:55 GMT 2007


> I have a somewhat big HTML::Mason `classic' web-site, with web pages
> that include all kinds of Mason components.
> So I was wondering if there was any guide to this kind of `inside-out'
> refactoring.

We're in the process of doing something similar for our quite large
mason-based web application. In our case the part where both  
technologies, Catalyst
and Mason, are connected is the session management because we want
users to transparently jump between those two. Apache::Session::Flex
is used on the Mason side and the Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication stuff
on the other side. You can get Apache::Session::Flex to play nicely with
C::P::A (or maybe take a look at C::P::Session::Flex).

We'll be keeping the old application as it is and are now developing
additional features with Catalyst. The front-end webserver then
decides based on the URL which technology is going to handle a
request. For instance, requests starting with /app are handled by
Catalyst and everything else by the old Mason installation.

This approach makes it easy to refactor our old application bit by
bit into an all new shiny Catalyst app without taking the risk of a
complete switch of vital parts.

HTH,

--Tobias




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