Zope-Dev: Curious Problem

[stuffduff]

Hi,

I have a python external method which reads from an external database,
unpickles a class object, and concatenates some of the object's
properties into a string which is returned by the external method.
The class definition is included in the module.

When I run it from the linux prompt in the Extensions directory it
behaves exactly as it should. The class is successfully unpickled, the
properties are read and the string is returned.

However, when I set it up as an external method and call it I get the
infamous:

Error Type: SystemError
Error Value: Failed to import class MyObject from module __main__

>From my perspective Zope should be 'blissfully unaware' of the
existence of the class or the instantiation of the object.  Since the
object is only accessed in the external method, the module contains
the class definition, and only a string is returned, why is this
happening?

What am I missing here?

Platform: Red Hat 7.3, Python 2.1.3, Zope 2.51

Curious,

Sean

P.S. Also posted to zope-dev but I wanted the 'python' perspective as
well